The Lady Emily series is one of my favourite historical sleuth series, an autobuy whenever a new book is released. That said, I was a bit disappointed with this book. The mystery is solid and I liked the sneak peeks into the servants world with the 'downstairs' bits. But the mystery itself didn't grab me as, for instance, the previous book did (Death in the Floating City). Plus I was totally annoyed with Simon throughout the entire book!

His crush - I can't think of another way to describe it - on Lily felt totally unrealistic. The class difference (he an Earl, she a maid) would have made it nearly impossible in those times even with the improbable solution Emily came up with, but.... what about the age difference! Lily is eighteen, young and vulnerable (as it turns out even more so than originally thought), while Simon - as Colin's best friend from his schooldays - is somewhere in his mid- or late thirties, I assume, though his age is not mentioned. If I'm right: he is about TWICE her age. If the whole earl-maid thing doesn't scream ABUSE OF POWER, the age difference surely does! The whole relationship was underdeveloped and unbelievable. I couldn't help but feel that Lily was flattered by the attentions of an older, titled gentleman, far out of her reach and developed a schoolgirl crush. Come to think of it: Simon acted like a lovesick schoolboy the entire time, so they might suit after all.

Another minor grievance - though in keeping with Emily's upbringing and Society - is the fact that she (and Colin) barely seem to spend any time or thoughts on their new-born babies at all. In fact, I wish book 8 would have featured them coping with pregnacy while sleuthing. Instead, we fast forward to a couple of months after the birth of the twins. I honestly can't even remember their names at the moment.

So yes, a bit disappointed right now.