Plain Jane

Book excerpt: A house in London’s fashionable West End is the setting for romance, mystery, and danger in this Regency-set tale by a New York Times–bestselling author . . . Number 67 Clarges Street—a good address in London’s elegant Mayfair with a dubious past and a lovably eccentric staff—is where the Hart sisters are taking up residence for the season. Beautiful and socially ambitious Euphemia and her younger sister, Jane, enter a world of balls, coming-out parties, and courtship with the hope of finding suitable husbands. But Number 67 has been deemed unlucky due to a long history of tragedy, including the mysterious death of a young and desirable past tenant named Clara. “Little Jane,” constantly overshadowed by her gorgeous sister, soon turns away from the London social scene and concentrates on solving the mystery behind Clara’s death. Her search leads to a discovery of danger, deceit, and romance as she works alongside the eligible and dashing Lord Tregarthan to unravel the baffling case . . . Originally published under the name Marion Chesney, Plain Jane is a delightful story of romance and suspense by the much-loved author of the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series.