Miss Morton and the Missing Heir

Catherine Lloyd

Sep 2025 · A Miss Morton Mystery Book 4 · Kensington Books

About this ebook

Society in England is most unforgiving of a reversal of fortune, as Miss Caroline Morton, left penniless after her father’s suspicious death, knows all too well. Once a lady, now a lady’s companion, she is still enmeshed in the settling of the earl's estate—and soon murder as well—in this "charming cross between a Regency romance and a well-constructed detective story” (Kirkus Reviews) for of Victoria Thompson, C.S. Harris, and Deanna Raybourn.

Distraught over her younger sister Susan’s decision to leave for America and weary of shepherding her employer Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter in her relentless pursuit of marrying a peer, Caroline is dealt another blow when her family solicitors indicate they may have found the lost heir to the Morton earldom.

Possible heir Thomas, his mother Mrs. Scutton, and her widowed daughter Mary all descend on Mrs. Frogerton’s home on Half Moon Street. The air inside the house is soon thick with family tension and the near palpable presence of avarice. But things go from tense to tragic following the appearance of Mary’s dead husband—very much alive and recently released from debtors’ prison. Unseen by Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton, a fight breaks out upstairs, leaving Mary fatally stabbed and her mother wounded.

The manhunt is on for Mary’s husband, led by Inspector Ross. But both Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton begin to suspect that all is not as it seems The Scuttons have brought more than trouble into the home—they may be harboring secrets that could put Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton’s very lives at risk . . .

Ratings and reviews

I enjoyed this story very much. Miss Caroline's family history came to the door of Mrs. Frogerton's home. An heir to take over the earldom and his mother and sister arrived to stay while proof is found of the rightness of the claim. When death followed them, Miss Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton work together to figure out the truth. I loved the personal side of Caroline's storyline with gentlemen who were interested in her, making her take a closer look at her own life.

Caroline’s life is disrupted when a potential heir to her father’s title arrives in London with his family. The family tensions culminate in murder. Caroline becomes embroiled in a deadly mystery as she and her employer uncover shocking secrets. A clever mystery with well-developed characters, it’s a pleasure to read. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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About the author

Catherine Lloyd is the acclaimed author of Regency-set historical mysteries, including the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series and the Miss Morton Mysteries. Born just outside London, England into a large family of dreamers, artists, and history lovers, she holds a master’s degree in history from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. She currently lives with her family in the UK and can be found online at Catherine-Lloyd.com.