Constantine Capers
London 1888
You wouldn’t expect a detective with Sherlockian deductive skills to have amnesia.
But Byron Constantine is hardly the detective you’d expect.
The Pennington Perplexity
Aspiring artist Mira Blayse isn’t concerned with upper-tier society or conforming to Victorian expectations—she has a murder to solve. At least, she thinks it was murder. Her parents’ deaths in 1870 couldn’t have been by accident, but the more she investigates, the less she seems to find. Sitting at a café, she sketches a mysterious stranger, not realizing that she’s penciling in the features of the man who will help her solve the case once and for all.
Byron Constantine lives day-to-day, desperately trying to hold onto his memories, only for them to slip through his fingers. Some days, he doesn’t even know that he’s lost four years of his life. As he manages to continue his work as a private detective, he realizes that maybe he doesn’t need his memory after all. That is until he wants to remember Mira Blayse.
With her keen eye for detail and his remarkable deductive skills, the two become entangled in a criminal investigation. As they uncover the secrets of the past, they must work together to stop history from repeating itself again.
15th Annual Whitney Awards Finalist
Flashes of Memory
The last time Byron Constantine took a case from Her Majesty, he lost his memory. But even he knows not to refuse Queen Victoria.
When Mira Blayse agreed to be a personal secretary to an amnesiac detective, she never expected to be invited to Buckingham Palace, yet here she is meeting with the Prime Minister. They are assigned to protect the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. But neither knew that this would lead to murder, espionage, and not one, but three mysteries.
After an encounter with a woman from his past, Byron begins to regain his memory bit by bit. At first Mira is overjoyed at his recovery, but it soon becomes apparent that he still forgets her each time he wakes up.
This new development, family expectations and the ever looming Order of Circe all threaten their unique partnership, the truth, and their lives. With Mira’s heart pulled every which way, she struggles to accept that the man she loves will never remember her.
16th Annual Whitney Awards Finalist
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Byron Constantine is a detective with Sherlockian deductive skills. So why can't he figure out his own little mystery? From the black eye that appeared overnight to the abrupt change in seasons, something isn't adding up.
What are Readers Saying?
Alayna
I loved the setting, story, and surprises in this novel! It's a fun take on some classic tropes and I loved joining these characters on their unforgettable adventures (well, MOSTLY unforgettable). The story has a little bit of everything (adventure, mystery, romance) so every reader will have something to enjoy.
Rebecca
Natalie Brianne has written charming, believable characters you can’t help but cheer on as they solve the mystery of Clement Pennington’s murder. The pages are filled with intrigue, clever deductions, and a pure Victorian charm worthy of a reread time and time again.
Michelle
Natalie's characters, including her rich, descriptive settings, are beautifully created and came to life soon after I started reading. Her use of red herrings, carefully placed clues, and a complex storyline had me turning the pages faster and faster. Such a great read! If you love Sherlock-onion stories and a bit of romance and mystery-solving danger, you'll absolutely love this book.
Alexis
The mystery is well developed, captivating and intense, but the strong part of this book, for me, is the characters.
All of them are well described, with a unique voice. The historical part, and even the fantasy/steampunk one is well researched. I totally recommend this book to all the historical fiction lovers! And I can't wait for a new installment!
Sarah
The memory loss made for a very different and unique style to the murder mystery angle that read differently from others I have read. And so for someone who reads a whole lot of murder mysteries in different variations, it's lovely to stumble onto one with an element I haven't read before and on that fact alone I would recommend it to fans of historical mysteries.
Rachel
Every page of this story kept me wanting more. I absolutely loved the twist of an old-timey detective with short term memory loss. In fact, there were a few fabulous twists involving Byron's memory that gave this story some big payoffs. I really can't recommend it enough.
