A Spying Eye
Book Series Details:
Book Series: The Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novels by Michelle Cox
Category: Adult fiction (18+), 200-400 pages each
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: She Writes Press
Release date: April 2016; April 2017; April 2018; April 2019; April 2020, Oct 2022
Tour dates: Sep 26 to Oct 21, 2022
Content Rating: This book series is rated R. Books 1 – 2 do not have sex scenes, but they are implied and the content is mature (prostitution, gambling, alcohol, murder, serial killer). Book 3 introduces tasteful sex scenes between a married couple and there is one rape (not graphic at all). Books 4 – 6 usually have 2 tasteful sex scenes in each Swearing is present in all 6 books, but is minimal.
“Henrietta and Clive are a sexy, endearing, and downright fun pair of sleuths. Readers will not see the final twist coming.”
―Library Journal, starred review“Fans of spunky, historical heroines will love Henrietta Von Harmon.” ―Booklist, starred review
“Henrietta and Inspector Howard are the best pair of sleuths I’ve come across in ages. A fantastic start to what is sure to be a long running series.” ―Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author
Even as Henrietta is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld, she struggles to still play the mother “hen” to her younger siblings and even to the pesky neighborhood boy, Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and continues to pop up in the most unlikely places, determined, ironically, to keep Henrietta safe, even from the Inspector if needs be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.
Newly engaged, Clive and Henrietta now begin the difficult task of meeting each other’s family. “Difficult” because Clive has neglected to tell Henrietta that he is in fact the heir to the Howard estate and fortune, and Henrietta has just discovered that her mother has been hiding secrets about her past as well. When Clive brings Henrietta to the family estate to meet his parents, they are less than enthused about his impoverished intended. Left alone in this extravagant new world when Clive returns to the city, Henrietta finds herself more at home with the servants than his family, much to the disapproval of Mrs. Howard―and soon gets caught up in the disappearance of an elderly servant’s ring, not realizing that in doing so she has become part of a bigger, darker plot.
As Clive and Henrietta attempt to discover the truth in the two very different worlds unraveling around them, they both begin to wonder: Are they meant for each other after all?
A PROMISE GIVEN: This third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series provides a delightful romp through the English countryside and back.
Anxious to be married, Henrietta and Clive push forward with their wedding plans despite their family differences, made worse now by Oldrich Exley’s attempts to control the Von Harmons. When the long-awaited wedding day arrives, there is more unfolding than just Clive and Henrietta’s vows of love. Stanley and Elsie’s relationship is sorely tested by the presence of the dashing Lieutenant Harrison Barnes-Smith and by Henrietta’s friend Rose―a situation that grows increasingly dark and confused as time goes on.
As Clive and Henrietta begin their honeymoon at Castle Linley, the Howards’ ancestral estate in England, they encounter a whole new host of characters, including the eccentric Lord and Lady Linley and Clive’s mysterious cousin, Wallace. When a man is murdered in the village on the night of a house party at the Castle, Wallace comes under suspicion―and Clive and Henrietta are reluctantly drawn into the case, despite Clive’s anxiety at involving his new bride and Henrietta’s distracting news from home.
Delicately attempting to work together for the first time, Clive and Henrietta set out to prove Wallace’s innocence, uncovering as they do so some rather shocking truths that will shake the Linley name and estate forever.
.jpg)
Their honeymoon abruptly ended by the untimely death of Alcott Howard, Clive and Henrietta return to Highbury, where Clive discovers all is not as it should be. Increasingly convinced that his father’s death was not an accident, Clive launches his own investigation, despite his mother’s belief that he has become “mentally disturbed” with grief. Henrietta eventually joins forces with Clive on their first real case, which becomes darker―and deadlier―than they imagined as they get closer to the truth behind Alcott’s troubled affairs.
Meanwhile, Henrietta’s sister, Elsie, begins, at Henrietta’s orchestration, to take classes at a women’s college―an attempt to evade her troubles and prevent any further romantic temptations. When she meets a bookish German custodian at the school, however, he challenges her to think for herself . . . even as she discovers some shocking secrets about his past life.
When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more complicated, however, when Henrietta―much to Clive’s dismay―begins to believe the spiritualist’s strange ramblings.
Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however, Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own hands . . . with horrifying results.
 |
| Now Available for Pre-Order (Release Date: Oct 25) |
Book Title: A Spying Eye: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel by Michelle Cox
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 256 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: She Writes Press
Release dates: Oct 25, 2022
Tour dates: Sep 26 to Oct 21, 2022
Content Rating: R: There are some swear words peppered throughout (not many) and 2 explicit sex scenes (tasteful, but more than a PG-13 scene)
Book Description:
In A Spying Eye, Clive and Henrietta return to Europe in an attempt to resurrect their failed honeymoon. While in London, they are approached by their old friend, Inspector John Hartle, who convinces them to search for the missing panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, a famous Renaissance painting, of which Hitler’s top men are also in pursuit.
Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Oldrich Exley threatens to cut off financial support for the entire Von Harmon brood if Elsie continues with her plan to marry Gunther―a situation made worse by the sudden appearance of one Heinrich Meyer, who claims to be little Anna’s father and threatens to take her away. Desperate, Elsie seeks the help of Clive’s sister, Julia, who is herself the victim of domestic abuse and who has fallen under the spell of a handsome Texas millionaire bent on acquiring a rare painting from the Howard collection.
Clive and Henrietta’s search takes them to Chateau du Freudeneck in Strasbourg, France―the ancient seat of the Von Harmons and home to three eccentric distant relatives. What begins as a wild goose chase turns decidedly more deadly when several Nazi officers also arrive at the chateau in search of a “valuable item.” When Henrietta and Clive attempt to flee after Henrietta uncovers a shocking truth, they are forced to trust themselves to a suspicious French servant who seems all-too willing to help . . .
Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade. She lives in Chicago with her husband, three children, and one naughty Goldendoodle and is hard at work on her latest novel.
Sep 26 – Mystery Review Crew – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 26 – Book Reviews by Linda Moore – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 26 – fundinmental – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 27 – Books are a Blessing – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 28 – Splashes of Joy – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 28 – FUONLYKNEW – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 29 – JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book series spotlight / giveaway
Sep 30 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 3 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 4 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 5 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 – Book Reviews by Taylor – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 11 – Stephanie Jane – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 12 – Falling Into A Good Book – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 13 – I’m All About Books – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 14 – Library of Clean Reads – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 14 – Nighttime Reading Center – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 18 – The Obsessed Reader – book series spotlight /giveaway
Oct 19 – Literary Flits – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 20 – @onecreativeartist – book series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 21 – Books for Books – book series spotlight
HENRIETTA AND INSPECTOR HOWARD Book Tour Giveaway
This sounds like a great book!
Thanks, Marisela!
Awesome book cover!
I would love to read this series.
I love the book covers and the synopses have intrigued me, this is a must read series for me and I am looking forward to meeting all of the characters. Thank you for sharing the author’s info and books’ details
Thanks for the spotlight! I appreciate it!
This sounds like an excellent series.
Sounds like a really interesting read!
Henrietta and the Inspector Howard novels sounds like a mysteries that I will really enjoy reading!
Thanks for sharing them with me and have a terrific day!