THE POISON PUZZLE (An Emma Langley Victorian Mystery #2) by Emily Organ will be released on July 23, 2025, by Storm Publishing.
Tracking the secret society that her late-husband belonged to leads Emma Langley straight into another murder investigation. Emma and her friend, Penny Green-Blakley, find another member of the society just as he is succumbing to a laudanum overdose. The police initially rule the death a suicide, but Emma and Penny are convinced that Lord Charles Harpole was poisoned. Following a set of clues that will allegedly lead them to a long-buried treasure, Emma and Penny must stay one step ahead of the lord’s brother, his fiancé, and the other members of the secret society if they hope to find the treasure before they fall victim Harpole’s killer.
THE POISON PUZZLE was a fantastic follow-up to THE WHITECHAPEL WIDOW, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The novel is maze of suspenseful moments, red herrings, and unexpected twists and turns. There are plenty of suspects and suspicious characters. The murderer came as quite a surprise. While still cautious and in need of Penny’s guidance, Emma takes more of a lead this investigation. I was a huge fan of Penny Green, and I’m glad to have her back. She and Emma make a great team, and I can’t wait to read about their next adventure. I highly recommend the Emma Langley Victorian Mystery series to anyone who enjoys thrilling, historical mysteries.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.