A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander

Lady Emily Ashton has recently come out of mourning for her husband, Philip. She becomes intrigued by the recent thefts of some of Marie Antoinette's possessions. When one of the theft victims is poisoned, Emily decides to search for the killer. Her investigation sets tongues in London wagging. Emily is very independent--with her disdain for the season's parties and her love of books and learning Greek. She is also wooed by a mysterious admirer, much to the concern of her possible love interest Colin Hargreaves, who works undercover for Buckingham Palace. Will Emily find the murderer or will her reputation be tarnished forever? A Poisoned Season is the second book in the Emily Ashton series and is as enjoyable as the first. The author combines a great deal of period detail with an interesting (although sometimes too modern) main character and a compelling mystery.