Winter 1763. Alec, Lord Halsey is sent on a diplomatic mission to Midanich, imperial outpost of the Holy Roman Empire, to bargain for the freedom of imprisoned friends. Midanich is a place of great danger and dark secrets; a country at civil war; ruled by a family with madness in its veins. For Alec it is a place of unspeakable memories from which he barely escaped and vowed never to return. But return he must, if he is to save the lives of Emily St. Neots and Sir Cosmo Mahon. In a race against time, Alec and the English delegation journey across the icy wasteland for the castle fortress where Emily and Cosmo are imprisoned. The severe winter weather is as much an enemy as the soldiers of the opposing armies encamped along the way. Awaiting him at his destination is the Margrave and his sister, demanding nothing less than Alec’s head on a pike.
Lucinda Brant's mysteries explore the darker side of her richly authentic 18th century world. Along with her trademark wit and high drama there are deeper subplots and even quirkier characters that will have you shuddering and laughing in equal measure!
Full-length novel (130,000 words, about 520 standard printed pages)
Non explicit (mild sensuality, mild violence)
Character-driven amateur sleuth
Reviews
“Lucinda Brant has once again constructed a deliciously complex story that is immensely readable and completely un-put-down-able. The dénouement is as chilling as it is gobsmacking; and although I will say that I had an inkling of where things were headed, she kept me guessing right up until the last minute, and then completely wrong-footed me. If you’re looking to read a gripping, intelligently written and skilfully crafted historical mystery, then you need look no further. I promise you won’t regret it.” —Caz Owens ALL ABOUT ROMANCE, rated a DESERT ISLE KEEPER
“One of the things that I have come to admire about Lucinda Brant’s writing is how intricately layered her plots are. She reveals things throughout the story, which keeps the reader from becoming frustrated, but also holds back enough that the ending always is a surprise. My first encounter with her work was a mere five months ago, and I have now read all of her full-length books. Every one of them is worthy of five stars, but I think that Deadly Peril is possibly the best yet. It is, quite simply, a perfect combination of mystery, romance, and history.” — Lady Wesley ROMANTIC HISTORICAL REVIEWS, rated 5 STARS
Accolades
- RONE 2016 Finalist: Best Published Mystery
- RONE 2016 Mystery/Suspense Cover Design: Finalist and Runner-Up
Connecting Books
Many readers enjoy Lucinda Brant's books as part of a wider series since her characters inhabit the same meticulously-researched 18th Century world with people and events cross-referenced throughout. Should you wish to read each series in chronological order, here is the sequence:
Alec Halsey Mysteries
Spring 1763 DEADLY ENGAGEMENT (Country house murder and mayhem)
Autumn 1763 DEADLY AFFAIR (A poisoned vicar and the mysterious Miranda)
Winter 1763 DEADLY PERIL (Bloody intrigue abroad)
Summer 1764 DEADLY KIN (Evil lurks in Edinburgh) In progress
Salt Hendon Series
1763 SALT BRIDE (Magnus and Jane)
1767 SALT REDUX (Antony and Caroline)
SALT HENDON COLLECTION — boxed set with bonus novella SALT ANGEL
Roxton Family Saga
1740s NOBLE SATYR (Renard and Antonia)
1760s MIDNIGHT MARRIAGE (Julian and Deb)
1770s AUTUMN DUCHESS (Antonia and Jonathon)
1770s DAIR DEVIL (Dair and Rory)
1770s PROUD MARY (Mary and Christopher) In progress
1780s SATYR’S SON (Henri-Antoine and Lisa) In progress
