Mistress of Fortune

Mistress of Fortune

2015 Left Coast Crime Rosebud Nominee

Mistress of Fortune

[Kindle | B&NKobo | iTunes]

London, 1678

Isabel, Lady Wilde, a mistress to King Charles II, has a secret: she makes her living disguised as Mistress Ruby, a fortune-teller who caters to London’s elite. It’s a dangerous life among the charlatans, rogues and swindlers who lurk in the city’s dark corners, but to Isabel, the risk is worth the reward.

Until magistrate Sir Edmund Godfrey seeks Mistress Ruby’s counsel and reveals his unwitting involvement in a plot to kill the king. When Isabel’s diary containing dangerous details of his confession is stolen, she knows she must find it before anyone connects her to Mistress Ruby. Especially after Sir Edmund’s corpse is discovered a few days later…

Isabel is sure that whoever stole her diary is Sir Edmund’s killer—and could be part of a conspiracy that leads all the way to the throne. But as she delves deeper into the mystery, not even the king himself may be able to save her.

[Read the first chapter of Mistress of Fortune]

Praise for Mistress of Fortune

“In her captivating debut, Mistress of Fortune, Holly West offers a skillfully re-imagined mystery set in late Stuart England. With a provocative and memorable heroine, West weaves a compelling tale of murder, intrigue and seduction.”—SUSANNA CALKINS, Macavity Award-winning author of the Lucy Campion historical mysteries

“Lady Wilde is a fascinating character dancing the razor’s edge as a commoner within the King’s circle, and her story kept me up nights. A thrilling new series by a strong new voice, Mistress of Fortune brings 17th Century London to life…”—THOMAS PLUCK, author of Bad Boy Boogie

“A perfect, transportive summer read.” —MARY VENSEL WHITE, author of The Qualities of Wood

“Based on a series of actual events, author Holly West brings these historical characters vividly to life, warts and all. She draws the reader into the harsh and frightening reality of late seventeenth century London. No one is above suspicion and the innocent are often punished for the sins of the guilty.” DHARMA KELLEHER, author of the Shea Stevens Biker series and the Jinx Ballou Bounty Hunter series