Death at the Wedding Feast

A mismatched marriage ends in tragedy, and a mystery for Apothecary John Rawlings, in this historical set in eighteenth-century England.   February, 1768. Apothecary John Rawlings has travelled to Devon to be by the side of his mistress, Marchesa Elizabeth di Lorenzi, who is due to give birth to their child. Leaving his shop—and his new carbonated water business—in good hands, John arrives at Sidmouth House to a surprise.   While Elizabeth is recuperating, John learns that Lady Sidmouth’s cousin, Miranda, is to marry the elderly Earl of St. Austell, who is more than fifty years her senior and has a cruel reputation. As the wedding day approaches, John feels increasingly uneasy, and before too long his worst forebodings are realized . . .   Death at the Wedding Feast is the fourteenth book in the John Rawlings Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.   “The latest in Lake’s long-running series continues to mix period detail and a sound mystery with a hint of romance.” —Kirkus Reviews