Book excerpt: What connects a jilted bride, the death of a miser, and an eccentric businessman? Fireworks – perhaps. Or maybe the answer is simple. After all, when old Mr Spenning died, his widow inherited everything. But she does not live a life of ease and luxury now. Instead, she huddles in a draughty old house on the wild east coast of England. She hates and shuns the locals; they return the sentiment. Lord and Lady Calaway are called to investigate the truth behind the miser’s death. It happened a year ago, and clues are rare, but other strange occurrences in the area suggest that the next victim could be closer to home. The answers lie in the deep dark waters of the Norfolk Broads – but stretch out to the British colonies in Hong Kong. The murderer knows the net is tightening and they have nothing more to lose. The truth is explosive. Literally. The Lady’s Scandalous Secret is the seventh book in Issy Brooke’s Victorian murder mystery series, The Discreet Investigations of Lord and Lady Calaway. If you are looking for authentic British history with a dash of humour and a traditional style, then you’ll love this new novel. Try this book now, or start with book one, Murder at Mondial Castle, for a diverting escape into a simpler past…