Merry widow Charlotte Richmond has always wanted to see Bath, ever since reading Jane Austen back when she lived in her native Australia. Now she has the chance to do just that, in the company of her best friend Elaine Knightley. They put up at a hotel that caters exclusively to invalids, and discover that their fellow "inmates" are a motley crew indeed. When one of them is murdered Charlotte naturally is keen to discover whodunit, especially when she is sure that at least one person knows about her less than spotless past....

This is the second in an utterly delightful new series of Victorian whodunits, featuring a "lady" with a shady past who cannot help encountering dead people and wishing to find out who killed them. From the tongue-in-cheek dramatis personae to the vein of humor that bubbles throughout like a refreshing spring, this is a highly readable and well paced novel that sows the seeds of the third book and leaves the reader eager for more. Ms. Slade is adept at sketching in people and places rapidly and concocting interesting plots, while keeping her feet on the ground regarding a feel for the period. I look forward immensely to this being a long-running series.