Faced with the murder of a senior government leader for the City of London, Chief Constable Salter Lambrick realizes that this is one investigation where he would have to use every trick he knows to solve this crime.

His key clue is a letter inviting the Lord to the Pleasure Emporium, so wanting not to alert the possible murderer with his actions, Salter pretends to be the Lord seeking out the author of the letter. When he meets Mina Halliday, he realizes that not only is she not a courtesan, but she is also not the murderer. Intrigued by her, he soon realizes that while she may be as innocent as a Sunday morning; she has some very interesting and lurid late night ideas.

Meanwhile, Mina is bound and determined to continue her quest to discover the person who caused her beloved father to be arrested and convicted for a crime he didn't commit. While used a quality life when her father was a renowned jeweler, since his arrest, they had lost everything. So faced with no money, Mina had sought work in the Pleasure Emporium where Madame Fynch quickly made use of her cleverness as a writer for marketing their luxury bordello to the cream of London's gents.

As Salter discovers stolen jewels and further clues, his actions put both Mina and his own life at risk. But will her own cleverness put her at risk for death if she continues her own investigation? Yet, how can she stay once she finds the man she is falling in love with is already engaged to be married?

With her excellent research, Michelle Marcos instantly transports you to the sights and smells of Regency London as well as the gaudy red velvet underworld of the Pleasure Emporium. A talented storyteller, Marcos gives a very human face to all her characters and the moral dilemmas and situations they face. I appreciated the strong character development of both Mina and Salter as their relationship grows as well as the secondary characters, especially Lollie, and the insights into their motivations. I am thrilled to know that we will soon have more tales from the Pleasure Emporium! A solid gold read! Enjoy this tale of "Gentlemen Behaving Badly"!

Book Summary

Destitute and alone, Mina Halliday ventured into a notorious bordello and offered the only talents at her disposal—her writing skill and her scandalous imagination. Mina’s erotic letters have enticed London’s wealthiest noblemen to the Pleasure Emporium, but her real goal is to find the person responsible for her father’s ruin. Even if that means defying the orders of Chief Constable Salter Lambrick, a man who makes her feel like a wanton seductress instead of a plain-faced wallflower.

The only clue Salter has to a government official’s murder is the naughty invitation found in the victim’s pocket, leading him to the most intriguing woman he has ever met. Mina may be an innocent in a den of lust, but Salter detects the sensuality beneath her surface. And uncovering the truth about the woman who stirs his deepest desires will be his most dangerous adventure yet...

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