The Confounding Case of the Carisbrook Emeralds: 6 (Casebook of Barnaby Adair)

#1 New York Times-bestselling author Stephanie Laurens brings you a tale of emerging and also established love and the many facets of family interwoven with mystery and murder.A young lady accused of theft and the gentleman who elects himself her champion enlist the aid of Stokes Barnaby Penelope and friends in pursuing justice only to find themselves tangled in a web of inter-family tensions and secrets.When Miss Cara Di Abaccio is accused of stealing the Carisbrook emeralds by the infamously arrogant Lady Carisbrook and marched out of her guardians house by Scotland Yards finest Barnaby Adairs cousin Hugo Adair takes umbrage and descends on Scotland Yard breathing fire in Caras defense.Hugo discovers Inspector Stokes has been assigned to the case and after surveying the evidence thus far Stokes calls in his big guns when it comes to dealing with investigations in the ton--namely the Honorable Barnaby Adair and his wife Penelope.Soon convinced of Caras innocence and given Hugos apparent tendre for Cara needing to clear her name Penelope and Barnaby join Stokes and his team in pursuing the emeralds and most importantly who stole them.But the deeper our intrepid investigators delve into the Carisbrook household the more certain they become that all is not as it should be. Lady Carisbrook is a harpy Franklin Carisbrook is secretive Julia Carisbrook is overly timid and Lord Carisbrook otherwise a genial and honorable gentleman holds himself distant from his family. More his lordship attempts to shut down the investigation. And Stokes Barnaby and Penelope are convinced the Carisbrooks staff are not sharing all they know.Meanwhile appointed Caras watchdog until the mystery is resolved Hugo fascinated by Cara as hes been with no other seeks to entertain and amuse her...and increasingly intently to discover the way to her heart. Consequently Penelope finds herself juggling the attractions of the investigation and the Adair familys demands for her to actively encourage the budding romance.What would her mentors advise? On that Penelope is crystal clear.Aided by Griselda Violet and Montague and calling on contacts in business the underworld and ton society Penelope Barnaby and Stokes battle to peel back each layer of subterfuge and step by step eliminate the innocent and follow the emeralds trail...Yet instead of becoming clearer the veils and shadows shrouding the Carisbrooks only grow murkier...until abruptly our investigators find themselves facing an inexplicable death with a potential murderer whose conviction would shake society to its back teeth.A historical novel of 78000 words interweaving mystery romance and social intrigue.Praise for the works of Stephanie LaurensStephanie Laurens heroines are marvelous tributes to Georgette Heyer: feisty and strong. Cathy KellyStephanie Laurens never fails to entertain and charm her readers with vibrant plots snappy dialogue and unforgettable characters. Historical Romance ReviewsStephanie Laurens plays into readers fantasies like a master and claims their hearts time and again. Romantic Times Magazine