“There is an excuse - there is the truth”
“Another creature resides within you, my dear … it sees what others cannot”
This series has the potential to become my favourite historical mystery series of all time !!!
A new version of a Sherlock Holmes duo with his Dr. Watson, the Duchess Audrey and the officer Hugh are probably now my favourite couple of investigators for murder crimes!!!!
I absolutely loved this book!!
I fell for the characters, for their dynamics and for the plot itself that was more than interesting !!!
I have to say that by a certain point I had guessed the culprit but overall, the final discovery was made sweeter by the newly trust forced by forced proximity between a police officer , tainted by his own past scandals, and a duchess with a complicated relationship with her husband and a secret of herself to keep.
Plus I have to admit that I very much appreciated how the author dealt with some very difficult topics that society at that time did everything to hide and pass as abominations.
I enjoyed very much how the story developed in time and how these two main characters worked with each other and the prospect of other books to come with them … it’s absolutely thrilling !!!
“The insufferable woman and her bloody investigation”

I enjoyed this book a lot, although it started stronger for me than it ended. The genre is mystery, but there's a slow-burn romance simmering under the surface that I imagine will have a payoff in a future installment.

The Duchess of Fournier's husband is accused of killing an opera singer believed to be his lover. The duchess is sure he neither had an arrangement with the singer nor killed her. The Bow Street Runner who was alerted to the death, and was first on the scene, is convinced the duke is guilty. He was found covered in blood and catatonic.

The duchess, Audrey, has the ability to perform psychometry -- touch items and read their histories -- and decides to use this skill to prove her husband's innocent. The Bow Street Runner keeps discovering her in the process of her investigation, and almost seamlessly, they begin working together.

I really liked the opening of the book, which felt gritty and dark, but that tone for long periods gave way to what felt a little more of a romance novel vibe. I also like, love, romance novels, but the beginning kinda sold me on the idea of something grittier. I mean, there's a lot at stake, more death, guns, and I'm in no way saying it's tame. The autopsy scene was plenty gross!

The mystery kept my interest steady. This book reminded me a little of the Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas, and those mysteries work a little better for me in terms of surprises and misdirects, but the mystery here worked well.

The dialogue and use of Regency vernacular really worked for me. I went down a lot of historical rabbit holes as a result, which is a thing I like, and those details set the mood for me. I think it's the quality that made me know I'd enjoy the book.

I liked Audrey, and Marsden, and their chemistry. And I know I'm interested in what happens in future books. I'd like to see Audrey come into her own. This could be a really good series.

The first book in what promises to be a new series, featuring Audrey Sinclair, duchess of Fournier and Bow Street Officer Hugh Marsden. In the inaugural book, an opera singer is viciously murdered and Hugh is called to the scene. There he finds the Duke of Fournier (Audrey's husband) covered in blood. With no love of the aristocracy, Hugh arrests the Duke for murder. Audrey knows her husband could not have killed the opera singer and sets out to investigate, much to Hugh's displeasure. Oh, and did I mention that Audrey has a paranormal gift in that she can see an object's past when she holds it. I liked Murder at the Seven Dials. Cara Devlin has created characters that have enough baggage and secrets that are not usually found in a typical Regency mystery. I look forward to reading the second book.

There are many beautifully plotted historical mystery series that have a dash of romance in that, but how many throw in a fascinating bit of paranormal? Murder at the Seven Dials shines because it of that last bit. Duchess Fournier, Audrey Sinclair, has the ability to hold an object and see its past. That ability had her locked up in a sanatorium once until she faked it leaving her. Her husband has a different sort of secret and they married with the promise to protect each other's secrets. When the Duke of Fournier gets caught up in a murder, Audrey is the lone person who knows he's innocent, but the reason is tied to his secret, so Audrey is determined to prove his innocence by other means. Audrey has to convince the Bow Street runner, Hugh Marsden, that he's arrested the wrong man.

The writing is clever and the different points of view are clear in the changes in style. There are some points where the reader doesn't get full information, but the result is enticing instead of being frustrating, which can sometimes happen when that tactic is employed. The wait for the reveal after those moments doesn't take too long, which adds to the fast pace feeling in this story. There are a few background details about the main characters that never come to light, but this is only the first book in a series. I'll certainly be reading on!

If you think characters being married means there isn't a romantic subplot, that would be wrong. There manages to be some delightful romantic tension here.