This is the second in The Mitford Murders series by Jessica Fellowes, but I found it worked perfectly fine as a standalone. Set in the 1920s, it captures the era with the heady dance clubs, flapper girls, jazz and the hedonistic behaviour of the young society aristocrats, out to have a good time, experimenting with drugs, determined to break out of the staid social circles and rules of their parents generation. They are the 'Bright Young Things', making a huge splash in the media with their famous treasure hunts, showcasing the latest fashions, burning bright, moving way beyond the expectation that the only desirable press coverage they should aspire to are the births, marriages and death columns.

Louisa Cannon works in the Mitford household at Asthall Manor in Oxfordshire, often serving as a chaperone to the Mitford girls. Louisa finds herself caught in the exciting and exhilarating world of Nancy and Pamela Mitford, but is well aware of the unwritten rules that govern the deep social divide between her, effectively a servant, and the gilded world of the aristocracy. On the young Pamela's 18th birthday party, the fast crowd that Nancy runs with have organised a secretive late night treasure hunt which results in the death of the louche, unlikeable and sarcastic Adrian Curtis. The maid, Dulcie, with whom Louisa feels a strong kinship with and does a favour for, is arrested for his murder and imprisoned pending her trial. Louisa is convinced that Dulcie is not guilty and is determined to get to the truth of the matter. Sergeant Guy Sullivan and Constable Mary Moon in London are looking to further their careers by arresting the notorious Mrs Alice Diamond and her 40 thieves, a female crime syndicate, and those who facilitate their criminal activities by fencing their stolen goods.

Connections between Louisa's furtive investigations and Sullivan's efforts to nail Alice Diamond and her cohorts soon emerge bringing desperate danger to both of them. Fellowes has written a gripping historical mystery that comes alive with the descriptions of the period and captures the social norms of that time, such as social class and women's positions. To be honest, it took me a while to get into this novel and I even thought that it was not for me, but once I was hooked, it became an absolute thrill ride of a book. It is a fabulously light and entertaining read with real characters from the 1920s such as Alice Diamond and, of course, the Mitfords. Great read that I recommend to others who enjoy their historical fiction with a strong dash of crime and murder. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

Really enjoyed reading this book a lot. The story seemed to flow very naturally and the characters were believable.
The story itself had some gripping and tense moments and I was very happy I got the chance to read it.

3.5 stars

Despite not having read the first book,it was easy enough to follow who was who,and what was what.
Typical country house murder mystery with gangs of London thrown in for good measure.
It all tied together very nicely.
A good main character,made it an entertaining read.