Half a star off because this short book starts off with a sketch of a teenager at a party, trying to convince a boy that he's her True Love, and then suddenly veers off into its real purpose of showing us how Solomon Drydale and Laura Wynwood got into the private social club of people determined to fight crime in pre-police Regency England. The party was disrupted by the theft of the valuable diamond the host was celebrating having acquired. We're shown whodunit and how Sol, Lady Wynwood, and some younger friends use love and prayer to solve the crime. It's a good concept and a good story, and maybe we'll find out what happens to the original point-of-view character in one of the longer books in the series.

Despite a few minor anachronisms, like the word "weekend," this is a delightful concept for a delectable series of whimsically romantic adventure stories. People who miss Joan Aiken will probably enjoy Lady Wynwood's Spies. ( )

There's a highly skilled jewel thief making the rounds to parties in London this Season. And Solomon Drydale, an agent for the Crown, worries that the culprit may be a former agent Sol once mentored in The Gentleman Thief by author Camille Elliot.

While the first prequel in the Lady Wynwood's Spies series, The Spinster's Christmas, is solid as a standalone, I wouldn't say this prequel novella stands alone to the same solid degree. It opens and closes with storylines it doesn't complete, although there's a finished story in the middle.

I was a little disoriented for a while, as this felt kind of like plunging into the middle of a river. There are also a lot of different characters and titles named throughout the read, and it would've taken more effort than I gave it to keep clear track of everybody's identities.

Even so, as I gradually got into the suspense, it confirmed my preference for Regency stories like this that have some kick to them—sharp key players, intrigue, action, and yes, even violence where the plot calls for it—rather than tales limited to dances, heart palpitations, and tea. (Nothing against Regency romances in general; I just want something wittier or grittier than a basic tale about who's going to dance with or propose to whom. This heist story isn't basic!)

I'm looking forward to the continuation of the series.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book, for which I've given an honest review. ( )