A Widows & Shadows Mystery: Book 1
Publication Date: October 10, 2023
Lady Ravenna Birchfield yearns to put her dark past behind her. Nine months after losing her husband, she wants to return to London to lead a quiet life of charity work and fencing lessons. But those plans fall apart when her old friend, Foreign Secretary Lord Hawkestone, pays a visit and doesn’t leave her drawing room alive.
Now with other politicians mysteriously falling ill, and her stepson in line to become England’s next foreign secretary, Ravenna becomes the focus of the investigation. Hoping to protect her stepson, and her secrets, she does some digging of her own in a race to discover the killer before her past is exposed.
As the investigation draws her deeper, Ravenna finds herself trapped in the charming Lord Braedon’s web. He has a reputation for breaking hearts, and in spite of her attempts to keep him at arm’s length, his persistence is winning her over. Surrounded by spies, lies, and an international plot, Ravenna discovers the killer is much closer than she’d ever imagined.
With England’s Foreign Secretary dead in her drawing room, Lady Birchfield steps into a mystery that will lead to a collision between past and present in Widow’s Blush.
Author Michelle Bennington crafts an interesting mystery set in 1803 England centering around Ravenna Gordon, the recently widowed Lady Birchfield. She is asked to investigate the Foreign Secretary’s death by his widow since the blame seems to be pointing at his mistress, an actress.
Although Ravenna has left her theater past behind, she agrees to see if there are any clues that would indicate any foul play. Multiple characters are introduced throughout the story as Ravenna uncovers a larger political plot.
The use of poison as the assassination method of choice is fascinating. So, too, are the unexpected culprits. It’s a tangled web that must be unraveled before the next person is killed.
Widow’s Blush serves up an intelligent main character who has all the qualities of a female Sherlock Holmes.
Michelle Bennington was born and raised among the rolling hills and lush bluegrass of Kentucky. Her early and avid love of books inspired her desire to write and has developed into a mild book-hoarding situation and an ever-expanding To Be Read pile. She currently resides in central Kentucky, where she spins tales of mystery and intrigue in contemporary and historical settings. Aside from reading and writing, she enjoys a wide range of arts and crafts, touring old homes, attending ghost tours, baking with various degrees of success, and spending time with her family and friends.
