Spring 1763. Career diplomat Alec Halsey returns to London to the shocking news his estranged brother, the Earl of Delvin, has not only killed his friend in a duel but is engaged to the woman Alec hoped to marry. The dead man’s mother wants Alec to investigate, so he reluctantly attends a weekend house party celebrating the engagement. Houseguests get more than they bargained for when a lady’s maid is murdered, the bride-to-be is attacked, and a guest is shot dead. Uncovering a connection between these sinister acts and his brother's duel, Alec confronts a cruel twist of fate and why his brother will go to any lengths to ruin him in Polite Society. The Alec Halsey mysteries explore the darker side of Lucinda Brant’s deliciously romantic 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! Awards for this Book Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year Finalist Book Details Series: Book 1 in the Alec Halsey Mystery series Classification: Parental Guidance Recommended (mild sensuality, mild violence) Length: Full-length novel (102,000 words, about 400 std. print pages) Edition: Revised, re-edited, and re-covered in 2015 Style: Character-driven amateur sleuth