In the first three books it seemed as though Lacey was caught up in a melancholy trap of his own making, and so it is good to see him elsewhere and with something to do. But one of the themes of this series is that nobody can escape himself (or herself) and this is just as true in this book. Amongst Gabriel's own gloomy words and encounters with his past there is a gripping tale, and a small cast of well-defined characters old and new. Regency England, town and country is shown in these books in a realistic light so there is as much to enjoy reading the author's descriptions of places and customs as there is in the story. Running through all these books is Lacey's own story, and finding out what will befall him and his friends (and enemies) next makes for compelling reading. Something of a page-turner.