"A Lady In Disguise" by Sandra Byrd (Book Review)

​In this intriguing novel of romance, mystery, and clever disguise set in Victorian England, a young woman investigates the murder of her own father.

After the mysterious death of her father, Miss Gillian Young takes a new job as the principal costume designer at the renowned Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. But while she remembers her father as a kind, well-respected man of the Police Force, clues she uncovers indicate he’d been living a double life: a haunting photograph of a young woman; train stubs for secret trips just before his death; and a receipt for a large sum of money. Are these items evidence of her father’s guilty secrets? His longtime police partner thinks so.

Then Gillian meets the dashing Viscount Thomas Lockwood. Their attraction is instant and inescapable. As their romantic involvement grows, Gillian begins to suspect even Lockwood’s motives. Does Lord Lockwood truly love her? Or is his interest a front for the desire to own her newly inherited property? And what should she make of her friend’s suggestion that Lockwood or men like him were involved in the murder of her father?

Soon Gillian is convinced that her father has left evidence somewhere that can prove his innocence and reveal the guilty party. But someone wants to stop her from discovering it. The closer she comes to uncovering it, the more menacing her opposition grows. With her life on the line, Gillian takes on an ingenious disguise and takes on the role of a lifetime to reveal the true killer—before it’s too late both for her and for those that she loves.

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​If you’d like to be transported into the late nineteenth century, "A Lady in Disguise" will certainly take you there.



This is a beautifully written Victorian Gothic romance novel that will hook you from the first page. I was immediately captivated and loved every delicious minute of this read. Sandra knows how to keep a reader engaged and on the edge of their seat. This was a book I had trouble putting down, and when I did, it stayed with me all day.



The story has a little bit of everything: mystery, intrigue, suspense, and romance. Her detailed description of Victorian England makes you feel as if you've traveled back in time. She masterfully weaves fact with fiction, leaving the reader captivated. Sandra’s true-to-life characters come alive on the pages, forcing you to fall in love with each and every one.



The heroine is delightful and admirable, not to mention strong in faith. She's very passionate about everything she does, whether it be her profession, her charity work, or investigating the death of her father.



This is a mystery with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way up to the end. A splendid and delightful read!