Death Comes to London is a satisfying historical cozy with a likeable characters.  It's the second mystery in the Kurland St. Mary mysteries but the first one that I've read.  Not reading the first one didn't affect my understanding of this book.  Everything I needed to know was explained clearly without feeling like there was a lot of exposition.  I think that takes some skillful writing.  All to say, this can definitely be read as a stand alone.

Lucy and her sister Anna have come to London for a "season" to try to find Anna a husband.  Even though Lucy thinks she is too old for the debutante scene, she would also like to find a husband if possible.  Their friend and Lucy's ex-employer, Major Kirkland, ends up in London at the same time because he is being rewarded (reluctantly on his part) a baronetcy. While making the rounds of the social scene, they all become acquainted with the Broughtons, the son of the family having served with Kurland.  The Dowager Lady Broughton is a very unpleasant woman but when she drops dead at one of the most fashionable balls, the question has to be asked.  Who dislikes her enough to kill her?

The band of amateur detectives are intelligent and pleasant to read about.  They manage to run their investigation with no TSTL moments and the police aren't investigating the case so we don't have the really annoying interference with police that plagues so many mysteries. There is some good information about the state of scientific investigation at the time. I always find that intriguing. The killer becomes apparent before the end but not early enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book.  My overall summation of this book is good plot, likeable characters, interesting setting. I'll be looking for the first book in the series and I'll be waiting for the 3rd one.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.