Vanessa Riley


Lady Worthing Mysteries

Bringing a vibrant edge and welcome diversity to the Regency genre, this exciting historical mystery series, Lady Worthing Mysteries, features an engaging heroine with an independent streak, a notorious past, and a decided talent for sleuthing . . .
 
Smart, witty, and refreshingly diverse, this new Regency-set series from acclaimed author Vanessa Riley combines her signature emotional richness and attention to detail in a historical mystery featuring a strong, clever, and captivating heroine . . .
 
Latest Book in the Series:  Murder in St. James's Park  (September 1, 2026).
 
"In a time when Black and mixed-race people were marginalized and overlooked, the author brings these voices to the forefront through vibrant and well-developed characters. Readers will enjoy the Bridgerton-esque setting and dialogue and will keep working to uncover the clues." --Library Journal
 
"Riley's Regency Era thriller diverges from most period mysteries in two respects: The heroine's first-person narrative is brisk and economical, and the whodunit plot is woven into Abigail's story of survival in a judgmental society. An Author's Note provides much interesting background information on people, places, and history.
 
Not your grandma's period mystery." --Kirkus
 
"With impeccable attention to period details, a vividly evoked setting, a cast of richly nuanced characters, and a captivating plot that fully embraces the challenges and oft-overlooked diversity of the Regency era, Riley's second stunning addition to her Lady Worthing series, following Murder in Westminster (2022), is a delight." --Booklist

 

When Till Death do you part comes early...

Perfect for readers who love Bridgerton with a dark twist—a vibrant historical mystery series that embraces the true diversity of the Regency era.

 
Confessions from beyond the grave throw Lady Worthing into turmoil . . .
 
London, 1807. Lady Abigail Worthing’s marriage of convenience to James Monroe, the Lord Worthing, is over. But James is out of her life quicker than Abigail anticipated when she finds his body in St. James’s Park.
 
Shocked by her husband’s brutal murder, Abigail is determined to catch his killer. But when she discovers that James’s transgressions ran far deeper and darker than she thought possible, Abigail questions her own judgment. Did she make a terrible mistake when solving a past crime, and does the key to James’s death lie in the letters he was writing shortly before his demise?
 
With her neighbor and good friend Stapleton Henderson by her side, Abigail confronts jealousy, resentment, and stunning betrayal that will shake her to her core . . .
 
This sharply observed, captivating Regency mystery series featuring a smart and fearless mixed-race aristocrat heroine with a notorious family history is a must-read for historical mystery fans.