A Rannoch Fraser Mysteries novella



October 1820. As London simmers over the scandalous royal divorce trial, a pistol shot aimed at the Duke of Wellington's carriage shatters the peace of the autumn night. When Malcolm and Mélanie Rannoch learn their friend Robby Simcox has been arrested for the crime, they are convinced it is a miscarriage of justice, but it will require all their resources as former spies to uncover the truth. The race against time to save Robby from the gallows takes the Rannochs across the breadth of London, from the slums of St. Giles to elegant Mayfair to lively Covent Garden, and to Wellington's glittering home at Apsley House. But the culprit proves cleverly elusive. The consequences of their investigation could rip Robby's sister Bet from her aristocratic true love–and may also reveal secrets that threaten all Malcolm and Mélanie hold dear...



Tracy Grant studied British history at Stanford University and received the Firestone Award for Excellence in Research for her honors thesis on shifting conceptions of honor in late-fifteenth-century England. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her young daughter and three cats. In addition to writing, Tracy works for the Merola Opera Program, a professional training program for opera singers, pianists, and stage directors. Her real life heroine is her daughter Mélanie, who is very cooperative about Mummy's writing time. She is currently at work on her next book chronicling the adventures of Malcolm and Suzanne Rannoch. Visit her on the web at www.tracygrant.org