Review: Not a true novel in the series
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 08 13, 2012
I had read the first book in the Second Sons Inquirary Agency mystery series, "The Vital Principle" and was intrigued by the main character, Knighton Gaunt, the agency's founder. I wanted to read more about him and his agency and so purchased this book.  Unfortunately, he rarely appears.Sir Edward is involved in the death of his former mistress and hires Gaunt to investigate.  Edward's  nephew,  Charles Vance, becomes involved and it is he who appears throughout the book searching out clues, traveling about the countryside and eventually catching the murderer.  One gets the feeling that Gaunt belives that Sir Edward is guilty and can't be bothered.In the story, a romance develops between Charles and Ariadne Wellfleet, a florist,  who helps him in his investigations.  The murderer taunts the investigators by sending roses whose names indicate the next victim.  Her father, before dying, betrothed her to a man whom she loathes.From the start I found many of the plot lines rather silly. Charles finds a homeless waif on the streets, takes her to the house of a woman whom he has never met (Ariadne)  and she immediately takes the waif in. Most of the other plot lines seem equally far fetched.I can only hope that Sir Edward never paid Gaunt a dime for his non-investigation.  This is a Second Sons Inquirary Agency mystery novel in name only.