Lady Odelia's Secret

Jane Steen

Mar 2022 · The Scott-De Quincy Mysteries Book 2 · Aspidistra Press

About this ebook

Do you ever really know your family?

In the 1880s a sixth daughter learns not to ask for much, even if she’s the daughter of an earl. Even if she married the richest man in her corner of Sussex. Even if she’s now a widow with a splendid Georgian mansion.

Lady Helena Whitcombe is still trying to adjust to widowhood and reconcile her family loyalties with her desires when her artist sister Odelia makes a startling suggestion. Why not make her mark on the house that’s now all hers, by commissioning a magnificent work of art from one of London’s most celebrated painters?

Lady Odelia invites Helena into the seductive world of medieval fantasies and fairy tales she has inhabited since Helena was a child. But when a shocking series of events exposes the destructive reality of a great artist’s unusual lifestyle, Helena and her lady’s maid Guttridge are called on to help—or is it to interfere?

Looming danger, the risk of scandal, and competing loyalties force Helena to re-evaluate her relationship with the sister she’s always loved the most.

What is Lady Odelia’s secret? Find out in this gripping continuation of the Scott-De Quincy Mysteries, a story that blends mystery and historical detail with Downton Abbey-style saga as the truths about Helena’s aristocratic family unfold. Read it now before the secret gets out!

Ratings and reviews

This book was a revelation. It is the first I've read by this author. I don't usually read historical mysteries. This was free & I thought I'd give it try. I'm glad I did. This is not the usual "body in the library" mystery. The writing is excellent. The author puts the reader into the time period with ease & skill. I highly recommend this book.

Lady Odelia's Secret by Jane Steen is Historical Mystery Fiction. The newest episode in the Scott-De Quincy saga. I really enjoyed the first book in this series Lady Helena Investigates and jumped at the opportunity to read the second. Lady Helena has eccentric family members that she loves but doesn’t always approve of even though she is quite different herself. She becomes involved in exciting adventures and mysteries that involve her whether she enjoys them or not. There are unique characters that assist in her investigations and other unforgettable characters that demand her attention. A hint of new tantalizing mystery is dropped at the end of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest adventure in the Lady Helena series and look forward to reading her next adventure which I hope will soon be ready for publication. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Totally drew me into the world of a Victorian era widow who encounters mystery in her tight circle of class and family. Hope there will be more than just 3 books in this series.

About the author

Jane Steen writes for readers who love a series you can’t put down. She blends saga, mystery, adventure, and a touch of romance, set against the background of the real-life issues facing women in the late nineteenth century.