Virtual Book Tour Review and Giveaway: To Catch a Thief-Taker by Lilia Birney

(A full length historical romance published by Night Shift Publishing)

This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Lilia is giving away a $50 Amazon GC to one lucky commenter during his tour, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

When Lady Penelope Annand's trusted servant goes missing, she is determined to get to the bottom of the matter. Even if that means hiring a thief-taker to track down her maid's whereabouts. But when the darkly smoldering Pierce Howe takes charge of the situation, Penelope finds herself growing more attracted to him by the second--even if she's infuriated by his high-handed manner. She doesn't trust any man--not after the way her first husband wronged her--so why is she so quick to believe in a thief-taker?

Pierce Howe has made a name for himself as one of London's most reliable thief-takers, leaving behind his family's sordid past to create a life of his own. But when Viscountess Annand, known in society as The Ice Goddess, demands that he track down her wayward maid, all his carefully-constructed defenses begin crumbling. As the Ice Goddess shows that she does indeed have a melting point, the thief-taker must decide if he can risk it all and tell her the truth about his past.


This is a really delightful and fun Regency mystery romance.

This story revolves around the search for a missing maid. Lady Penelope hires a Thief-Taker, Pierce Howe, to help her find her maid. And I do mean "help". She has no intention of sitting back and letting him do all the searching. This thief-taker has a secret he is hiding, but so does Lady Penelope, a widow.

Together they begin the search for her missing maid. It is so much fun watching them spar with each other, each trying to outdo the other person, and trying not to get involved despite their obvious attraction.

Lady Penelope has two friends, Jane, a writer and Elizabeth a free spirited, single woman. Together they have formed a group called the Liberated Ladies. Later, a courtesan joins their group. The characters are described beautifully and sometimes you feel as though you are actually in the same room with them.They were three-dimensional and alive.

There are many exciting adventures as Pierce and Penelope search, mixed with arguments, lots of misunderstandings, and unexpected romantic interludes. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, I would start to giggle, and then something very intense would happen.

I really enjoyed this story. The heroine is not a weak, helpless female, and there are times when she is the hero of the story, but this is a fun, interesting and very well written romantic mystery. I would highly recommend it if you are a fan of the regency mystery romance.

5/5 flowers

Lilia is a reader and writer of historical romance. While the Regency is her favorite era, she loves anything from the Revolution to the 1940s, with a special interest in American history. Her first novella, From Air to Eternity, was published by Night Shift Publishing in 2011. Her newest series, The Liberated Ladies, explores the lives of four very independent women in Georgian England.

Lilia lives in New Bern, North Carolina.
Twitter: @liliabirney
Email: liliabirney@hotmail.com 
Blog: http://www.canyonlandpress.com/