Emily Organ's new book is sure to not disappoint the lovers of this genre!

While waiting for it to release, I jumped into the Penny Green series and found it really helpful in getting more background information on the main characters and discovering how it all began had a plus side as I quite enjoyed it all.

I am beginning to like Emma more and more, the way her mind is working and how she is trying to better herself is inspiring to read.

The story is well plotted, the characters never lack deepness and it is all really enjoyable.

I would suggest you start reading it when you have some free time to allot to it as it is really difficult to put down and your normal schedule could suffer from it! 🤣

I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

The Poison Puzzle is the second installment in The Emma Langley Victorian Mystery Series, offering an engaging blend of historical intrigue and detective work. This time, Emma Langley and her investigative partner, Penny Grbl7een, follow a cryptic symbol from Emma’s late husband’s diary, uncovering connections to a secret treasure-hunting group. Their search takes a darker turn when Lord Charles Harpol dies under suspicious circumstances, and with the police ruling it a suicide without further inquiry, the two women take it upon themselves to uncover the truth.

The novel excellently captures the Victorian era, ensuring the investigation remains grounded in methods that would have been available to women at the time. Though the story carries a light tone, it is intricately woven with layers of complexity. There is suspense, red herrings and a host of suspicious characters adding to the mystery. The interactions between Emma and Penny, as well as their sharp logical reasoning, make for an enjoyable and immersive reading experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Tracking the secret society that her late-husband belonged to leads Emma Langley straight into another murder investigation. Emma and her friend, Penny Green-Blakley, find another member of the society just as he is succumbing to a laudanum overdose. The police initially rule the death a suicide, but Emma and Penny are convinced that Lord Charles Harpole was poisoned. Following a set of clues that will allegedly lead them to a long-buried treasure, Emma and Penny must stay one step ahead of the lord’s brother, his fiancé, and the other members of the secret society if they hope to find the treasure before they fall victim Harpole’s killer.

THE POISON PUZZLE was a fantastic follow-up to THE WHITECHAPEL WIDOW, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The novel is maze of suspenseful moments, red herrings, and unexpected twists and turns. There are plenty of suspects and suspicious characters. The murderer came as quite a surprise. While still cautious and in need of Penny’s guidance, Emma takes more of a lead this investigation. I was a huge fan of Penny Green, and I’m glad to have her back. She and Emma make a great team, and I can’t wait to read about their next adventure. I highly recommend the Emma Langley Victorian Mystery series to anyone who enjoys thrilling, historical mysteries.

Book Review: The Poison Puzzle by Emily Organ
Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC.

The Poison Puzzle is everything I want from a historical mystery: a compelling central mystery, an intelligent and capable protagonist, immersive period detail, and a plot that twists in ways I didn’t expect. Emily Organ continues to impress with the Emma Langley series, and this second installment hits even harder than the first. We’re thrown into the murky streets of 1889 London where secrets lurk in drawing rooms, cryptic clues hide in ancient cathedrals, and no one is quite who they seem.

The story begins when Emma Langley finds a strange symbol in her late husband’s diary—an intriguing little clue that leads her straight into the path of a secretive treasure-hunting society with powerful and dangerous members. From the moment she and her friend Penny Blakely—former journalist and reliable partner in crime-solving—stake out a mysterious London townhouse and witness eight cloaked men slipping inside, the mystery tightens like a noose. Organ wastes no time setting the stakes, and that sense of urgency carries through the entire book.

When Lord Charles Harpole, a society member, is discovered dying in his hotel room, the authorities call it suicide. But Emma and Penny aren’t buying it, especially after hearing his last whispered word—“Help.” That moment kicks off a whirlwind investigation involving hidden keys, secret symbols, coded notes, and a series of chilling murders that trace back to the heart of the mysterious society. What could have been a simple whodunit becomes something much richer and more layered. There’s a treasure at the center of it all—but the real prize is the truth, and the cost of unearthing it might be their lives.

What I loved most about this book is how textured and real Emma feels. She’s not a stock Victorian widow—she’s clever, persistent, emotionally complex, and driven by a blend of curiosity, grief, and a need for justice. Organ has a knack for writing strong female characters who are grounded in their time yet still feel relatable. Emma’s not fearless—she doubts, worries, second-guesses—but she pushes forward anyway, and that’s what makes her so compelling. Penny, too, is a standout character—quick-witted, brave, and endlessly loyal, balancing the intensity of the mystery with warmth and humor. Their partnership is the backbone of the novel, and their chemistry makes every scene richer.

One of the book’s highlights is its use of historical settings. Organ does a phenomenal job using real Victorian London landmarks as puzzle pieces in the investigation. We get to explore St. Paul’s Cathedral’s Whispering Gallery, the twisting Hedge Maze at Hampton Court Palace, the cozy and creaky Ye Old Cheshire Cheese pub on Fleet Street, and even the Serpentine in Hyde Park. The way these places are folded into the narrative is so seamless that I often had to remind myself this was fiction. And at the end, the author’s historical notes add a whole other level of appreciation—I love when a mystery makes me want to dig deeper into the real-world places and facts behind the fiction.

The maze sequence deserves special mention. It’s a tense, breathless chapter that had me on edge. Emma and Penny become genuinely lost, stalked by an unknown figure, and for a moment it feels like the Victorian setting has turned into a gothic horror. Organ plays with fear and suspense masterfully here, and the way she evokes claustrophobia and disorientation without needing to over-explain is impressive. It’s just one example of how well this book balances mood, action, and character development.

Another strength is the structure of the mystery itself. There are plenty of red herrings—suspects include Lord Harpole’s grieving fiancée, his shifty brother, and other society members with hidden motives—and I enjoyed being wrong more than once. The puzzle pieces are cleverly arranged, and while readers can try to solve the case alongside Emma, the final reveal still managed to surprise me. It’s not just about who did it—it’s why, and that emotional weight gives the ending its punch.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read "The Poison Puzzle" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the Emma Langley Victoria Mystery series and it was worth the wait because it is a fantastic read. The story is set in January 1889 and Emma Langley is about to get mixed up in another murder as she searches for answers. She found a sinister symbol in her late husband's diary and she went to the address in the diary and found the same symbol on the door plaque.

With her friend Penny Blakely a former news reporter they watch 8 men enter the house and they hope to talk to one as they exit but they are not a friendly bunch. When Emma gets splashed by a hansom cab a gentleman gives her his coat and asks her to return it the following day. When they find the man dying and they learn that he is a Lord, they suspect that something sinister happened to him. They end up with a key to a left luggage locker and they embark on a treasure hunt not realizing that some dangerous men are also on the hunt.

Miss Organ brilliantly wrote about a maze, the reader will feel the claustrophobia that Penny and Emma do and the fear when they realize that someone is following them. In my opinion the piece about the treasure is a fantastic reveal that the reader will not expect coming.

This story is also about the power of ladies joining forces and they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.

One feature of Miss Organ's books that I really enjoy is her historical notes. In this story she give us extra information on the Whispering Gallery at St. Paul's, the Hedge Maze at Hampton Court Palace, the Ye Old Cheshire Cheese that has stood on Fleet Street since 1538, St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, St. Bartholomew the Great, The Serpentine in Hyde Park, and the Old Police House built in 1870. It is always interesting to learn more about the places that are mentioned in the story.

This series deserves more than 5 stars in my opinion. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Emma is still trying to unravel the odd clues left over from the peculiarities surrounding her husband's death and the questions that remain unanswered. Her ally in this endeavor is former Fleet Street reporter Penny Green and her husband Inspector James Blakely of Scotland Yard. The point is clearly made by Penny that freedom and self-identity are lost when a parent attempts to work from home without help whether in 1889 or now. The venture begins when Emma tries to return a valise but finds the owner dying of apparent suicide. That is only the first, but they are not suicide. They are murders. Now the investigation gets really complicated!
It was well worth my time to read the historical note.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Avail Jul 23, 2025 ***** #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial
#ThePoisonPuzzle by Emily Organ #EmmaLangleyVictorianMysteriesBk2 @stormbooks_co #cozymystery @barnesandnoble #netgalleyreviewer #booksamillion #bookshop_org #poison #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #VictorianLondon #victorianmysterynovel #friendship #investigations #journalist #wasitsuicide #secretsociety #realdetectivework

Another great read in this compelling series. So clever and I was immediately hooked into the story. Not a difficult read at all. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. It was exactly what I needed on the day.
Fairly light weight, with two charming characters.
Plenty going on, and some twists along the way.
Mostly just some solid detective work without having to rely on modern devices.
I definitely need to go back and read the first book, as well as read the third, fourth and fifth when they come.

This novel does justice at living up to it's name in the title. The Poison Puzzle is a extraordinary murder mystery novel which takes place in Victorian England. It is part of a series and I will say i will definitely be looking into the other books because these two female amateur detectives are the best. Not only that there is literally a plethora of other murderers in this novel that it makes you wonder about the sanity of some people. I was very impressed with this story.
Emma Langaly is trying to figure out some details concerning her late husbands death after finding a strange symbol in his diary. She enlists the help of her friend Penny to look into it as she believes her husband may have been involved with a secret society. However at the location they arrive late and a kind stranger gives Emma his coat.
The next day they go to return the coat only to discover Lord Harpole is dead. The death is rules a suicide but Penny and Emma are convinced it was murder because they heard him murmur the word help. There is a wide list of suspects such as the fiance and Lord Harpole's brother but those turn out to be dead ends. But soon other murders occur and someone assaults Penny's husband. Will they be able to find the true killer and the motive before it is too late.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

I enjoyed this latest mystery featuring Emma and Penny. It was a cleverly put together plot, with a seemingly simple suicide being shown to be something much deeper, with an unlikely murderer. I love the way these two use their ingenuity and logic to work things out, and I also enjoy the historical setting.. I now eagerly await their next outing, especially to see how Penny's mixing of motherhood and writing evolves, and what is next for Emma. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy to read and freely review.