Andrea Penrose Books in Order (Lady Arianna Hadley, Wrexford & Sloane)

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Andrea Penrose is an American author of historical mysteries set in Regency England. She began writing at age five, specifically, Western stories illustrated with drawings of horses and cowboys. She moved on to the Regency period after reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. She has been fascinated by this time since then. She majored in art and history at Yale and went on to get an MFA in Graphic design at the Yale School of Art. She first published romance novels under the names Andra Pickens and Cara Elliot (listing of books below!), before turning her attention toward mystery historical novels set in Regency England under the name Andrea Penrose with two series, the Lady Arianna Hadley Mystery and Wrexford & Sloane Mystery.

How to read Andrea Penrose’s Books in Order?

Reading Lady Arianna Hadley Mystery Series in Order

1. Sweet Revenge (2011) – Lady Arianna Hadley’s desire for revenge has brought her back to London from exile in the West Indies. Determined to find the men responsible for her disgraced father’s murder, she disguises herself as a man and contrives to be hired as a chef in one of London’s aristocratic households. But when the Prince Regent is poisoned by Arianna’s special chocolate dessert, she finds her own quest has become intertwined with a far more deadly intrigue. Because of his expertise in chocolate, the Earl of Saybrook is asked by the government to investigate the crime. Though he, too, is fighting inner demons, he reluctantly agrees. His first confrontation with Arianna has them at daggers drawn. But when someone tries to kill them both, they become reluctant allies in the hunt to discover what evil is afoot.
2. The Cocoa Conspiracy (2011) – Lady Arianna, now the Countess of Saybrook, is settling into married life with her new husband. To celebrate his birthday, she finds the perfect gift: a rare volume of botanical engravings on Theobroma cacao in an exclusive bookshop. But she is forced to fight off a stranger who tries to steal it way from her. Arianna forgets about the strange incident-until she and her husband attend an important government party on a country estate, where her assailant reappears and turns out to be a Russian diplomat. Events grow more ominous when Arianna discovers sensitive government documents hidden in the book’s binding-documents that suggest someone she and Saybrook hold dear is a traitor to King and country. Murder. Treason. Money. Power. Once again, Arianna and Saybrook are drawn into a shadowy world of international intrigue.
3. Recipe for Treason (2012) – England, 1814. Lady Arianna Hadley and her husband want nothing more than to savor a quiet life embellished by the occasional cup of the finest chocolate. However, when they receive orders to travel to Scotland and capture an elusive traitor, they feel their duty to the Crown must come first. Racing against time, Arianna and Saybrook pursue their most cunning and dangerous adversary yet through a complex network of intrigue involving exotic chocolates, daredevil aviators, a missing inventor, and a secret recipe that must be recovered at any cost…

4. The Stolen Letters (short, story 2017) – An unexpected late night visit from The Dragon–Saybrook’s feisty and independent great aunt–puts Lady Arianna Hadley in the middle of a very difficult dilemma… Constantina confesses that some very private personal letters, along with some sensitive diplomatic documents, have been stolen from her French paramour. She’s desperately hoping Arianna can help get them back, but says it must be discreetly and without anyone knowing–including Saybrook. Yes or No? The task is made even more daunting when Arianna discovers that the political intrigue may entangle her with some very dangerous old enemies…
5. Smoke & Lies (2018) – Now that peace reigns in Europe and Napoleon has been exiled to the island of Elba, Lady Arianna and her husband, the Earl of Saybrook, are determined to put government sleuthing aside. But the head of British security has other ideas… Rumors are rife that Napoleon may be plotting to take back the French throne and plunge the Continent into another war. So when Saybrook learns that his Spanish cousin has gone missing on the island under mysterious circumstances, he and Arianna feel they have no choice but to undertake a secret mission to Elba for the government and unravel the serpentine tangle of truth and lies.
6. A Question of Numbers (2019) – With the threat of war looming over the Continent now that Napoleon has re-seized the throne of France, London is abuzz with intrigue as diplomats from the European powers gather to negotiate a military alliance against him. But Lady Arianna and her husband, the Earl of Saybrook, are intent on staying clear of the conflict, deciding it’s a battle for nations and armies to fight…Until things turn very personal. When a Prussian diplomat is murdered, two items found in his pocket force Arianna and Saybrook to once again become reluctant allies with the shadowy head of British security and undertake a rescue mission to Brussels, where lies and deceptions swirl within the ballrooms of the British expatriate community as the armies of Wellington and Napoleon prepare to clash.

7. A Tangle of Serpents (2020) – With the epic victory at Waterloo behind them, Arianna and Saybrook are looking forward to a quiet summer of scholarship, far from the turmoil of war and politics. But the shocking news that Lord Grentham, the steely minister of state security, has been accused of treason and is on the run from arrest takes them and their close circle of friends by surprise. Arianna and Saybrook don’t want to believe it. Despite their fraught past with the minister, they’ve developed a grudging friendship. Or has Grentham deceived them? They’re shown damning evidence that proves his guilt beyond question. And yet, their friend Sophia Kirtland refuses to accept it. Arianna can’t help but have her doubts, too-even when a midnight encounter with the fugitive minister tells her otherwise. Saybrook is less certain, but his sense of honor compels him to join their quest to prove him innocent…
8. A Swirl of Shadows (2022) – A traumatic personal crisis has left Lady Arianna bedeviled by guilt and questioning whether she has lost her nerve. Saybrook and her circle of friends can’t seem to help rekindle her fire. Even a challenge from Lord Grentham, Britain’s shadowy head spymaster, to undertake a vital mission to Russia in aid of her old friend, Tsar Alexander, fails to spark any interest… Until Grentham mentions that Arianna’s half-brother has gone in her place and may be in mortal danger. Arianna is furious. Resentful of the minister’s attempt to manipulate her emotions, she still refuses to be drawn back into the fray. But when the murder of a mysterious Russian baroness in London entangles her friend Sophia in the byzantine intrigue surrounding a stolen Imperial medallion and a legendary curse that may topple the Tsar from his throne if it’s not recovered, Arianna finds she can’t turn her back on family and friends-especially as the tensions within her close-knit circle are threatening to fray the bonds of all she holds dear.

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Reading the Wrexford & Sloane Series in Order (aka the Quill Mystery series)

1. Murder on Black Swan Lane (2017) – The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church-his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear-and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect. An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume, A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal-use her sources to unveil the clergyman’s clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London’s intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary.
2. Murder at Half Moon Gate (2018) – When the eminent scientist Lord Wrexford discovers the body of a gifted inventor in a dark London alley, he promptly alerts the authorities. But Wrexford soon finds himself drawn into the murder investigation when the inventor’s widow tells him that the crime was no random robbery. Her husband’s designs for a new steam-powered engine went missing the night of his death. Joining Wrexford in his investigation is Charlotte Sloane, who publishes scathing political cartoons under the pseudonym A. J. Quill. Her extensive network of informants is critical for her work-and for tracking down the occasional killer. The suspects include ambitious assistants, greedy investors, and even the inventor’s widow. And when another victim falls, Wrexford and Sloane know they are on the trail of a cunning and deadly foe.
3. Murder at Kensington Palace (2019) – Though Charlotte Sloane’s secret identity as the controversial cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man’s innocence. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer’s madness seizes another victim.

4. Murder at Queen’s Landing (2020) – when Lady Cordelia, a brilliant mathematician, and her brother, Lord Woodbridge, disappear from London, rumors swirl concerning fraudulent bank loans and a secret consortium engaged in an illicit trading scheme that threatens the entire British economy. The incriminating evidence mounts, but for Charlotte and Wrexford, it’s a question of loyalty and friendship. And so they begin a new investigation to clear the siblings’ names, uncover their whereabouts, and unravel the truth behind the whispers.
5. Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens (2021) – At a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a visiting botanist suffers a fatal collapse. The traces of white powder near his mouth reveal the dark truth-he was murdered. Drawn into the investigation, Charlotte and Wrexford learn of the victim’s involvement in a momentous medical discovery. With fame and immense fortune at stake, there’s no shortage of suspects, including some whose ruthlessness is already known. But neither Charlotte nor her husband-to-be can realize how close the danger is about to get-or to what lengths this villain is prepared to go…
6. Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (2022) – Charlotte would like nothing more than a summer of peace and quiet with her new husband and their unconventional family and friends. But when Wrexford and their two young wards, Raven and Hawk, discover a body floating in Hyde Park’s famous lake, that newfound peace looks to be at risk. The late Jeremiah Willis was the engineering genius behind a new design for a top-secret weapon, and the prototype is missing from the Royal Armory’s laboratory. Wrexford is tasked with retrieving it before it falls into the wrong hands. But there are unsettling complications to the case-including a family connection. Soon, old secrets are tangling with new betrayals, and as Charlotte and Wrexford spin through a web of international intrigue and sumptuous parties, they must race against time to save their loved ones from harm-and keep the weapon from igniting a new war…

7. Murder at the Merton Library (2023) – Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford’s name was mentioned. As they delve deeper into the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte begin to realize that things are not what they seem. An evil conspiracy is lurking in the shadows and threatens all they hold dear-unless they can tie the loose threads together before it’s too late…
8. Murder at King’s Crossing (2024) – Celebration is in the air at Wrexford and Charlotte’s country estate as they host the nuptials of their friends, Christopher Sheffield and Lady Cordelia Mansfield. But on the afternoon of the wedding, the festivities are interrupted when the local authorities arrive with news that a murdered man has been discovered at the bridge over King’s Crossing, his only identification an invitation to the wedding. Lady Cordelia is horrified when the victim is identified as Jasper Milton, her childhood friend and a brilliant engineer who is rumored to have discovered a revolutionary technological innovation in bridge design. That he had the invitation meant for her cousin Oliver, who never showed up for the wedding, stirs a number of unsettling questions.

Reading Other Novels by Andrea Penrose

• The Diamond of London (2024) – Even with her privileged life, Lady Hester Stanhope knows that claiming the adventurous life she truly wants will not be easy, thanks to her eccentric father’s stifling grip. With the help of her renowned statesman Uncle William Pitt the Younger, she takes on the glittering, treacherous heights of London Society. Her formidable intelligence, outspoken opinions, and headstrong determination gain the favor of the beau monde’s leading taste-maker Beau Brummell—and she quickly learns to bend the rules of the ton to her own advantage. And as her uncle’s hostess, she astutely uses her skills to preside over—and give advice to—the most influential figures of her day, rising to a position unequaled in society…But when it comes to holy matrimony, Hester will settle for no less than a passionate match of equals. Her affair with a charismatic naval officer tempts her with forbidden pleasures—even as it threatens her reputation. Her love for a sophisticated, brilliant diplomat offers the marriage of her dreams… and unsuspected betrayal. And as England is plunged into war, Hester’s world changes forever, causing her to find courage and strength amid loss, chart a completely unexpected future—and make a glorious legacy forever hers…

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Published under the name Andrea Pickens

Lessons in Love Trilogy

1. The Defiant Governess (1998)
2. Second Chances (2000)
3. The Storybook Hero (2002)

Intrepid Heroines Quartet

1. Code of Honor (1998)
2. The Hired Hero (1999)
3. A Stroke of Luck (2003)
4. Pistols at Dawn (2014)

Scandalous Secrets Trilogy

1. The Banished Bride (2002)
2. A Lady of Letters (2000)
3. The Major’s Mistake (2000)

Dangerous Liaisons

1. A Diamond in the Rough (2001)
2. Sweeter Than Sin (2014)
3. Devil May Care (2015)

Merlin’s Maidens

1. The Spy Wore Silk (2007)
2. Seduced by a Spy (2008)
3. The Scarlet Spy (2008)

Novellas

• Christmas By Candlelight (2016)

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Published under the name Cara Elliott

Circle of Sin

1. To Sin with a Scoundrel (2010)
2. To Surrender to a Rogue (2010)
3. To Tempt A Rake (2011)

Lords of Midnight

1. Too Wicked to Wed (2011)
2. Too Tempting to Resist (2012)
3. Too Dangerous to Desire (2012)

Hellions of High Street

1. Scandalously Yours (2014)
2. Sinfully Yours (2014)
3. Passionately Yours (2014)

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Published under the name Andrea DaRif

• The Tiger’s Mistress (2003)
• A Kiss of Spice (2004)

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If you like the Andrea Penrose reading order, you may also want to see our Anna Lee Huber reading order, or our guide to the Sebastian St. Cyr series by C.S. Harris. Don’t hesitate to follow us on Twitter or Facebook to discover more book series.