Review of MURDER WEARS A HIDDEN FACE by Rosemary Simpson

MURDER WEARS A HIDDEN FACE (A Gilded Age Mystery #8) by Rosemary Simpson will be released on November 28, 2023 by Kensington Books.

Prudence MacKenzie and her investigative partner Geoffrey Hunter are attending the grand opening of a Chinese art exhibit at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art when the guest of honor, Chinese cultural attaché Lord Peng, is stabbed to death in front of his family and the other grandiose guests. Prudence and Geoffrey immediately offer up their investigative services to help the Peng family find Lord Peng’s murderer. While their cases have taken them all over the city, this is the first time Prudence and Geoffrey have ventured into Chinatown. They are faced with cultural differences and are forced to work with the leader of the newly established Tong that is about to take control of Chinatown as they search for the assassin who is looking to murder the rest of the Peng family in revenge for something that happened years ago back in China.

MURDER WEARS A HIDDEN FACE is a solid addition to the Gilded Age Mystery series. I’ve followed the series since WHAT THE DEAD LEAVE BEHIND, and have followed Prudence’s personal and professional growth. She is now a competent—though still a bit rash—private investigator. Geoffrey’s experience as a Pinkerton helps balance her out. It was interesting to see both of them so out of their element in Chinatown. The cultural differences between the investigators and their clients causes some extra drama in the case. And their secretary, Josiah, really has to adjust to their new circumstances as they go undercover as missionaries in Chinatown. Overall, I thoroughly adored MURDER WEARS A HIDDEN FACE. The various points of view gives the reader a well-rounded look at the story through the minds of many characters. My one complaint is that Prudence and Geoffrey are still dancing around their feelings for each other. The novel is left on a cliffhanger that makes it appear their personal relationship might be moving forward. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.