Books like 'A Heartless Design'
Readers who enjoyed A Heartless Design by Elizabeth Cole also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical suspense regency mystery
-
Taken to the Grave by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Bow Street Duchess Mystery series comes to a thrilling conclusion in the seventh and final book, Taken to the Grave.As Audrey Sinclair reaches the end of her mourning period, she and Hugh Marsden, the Viscount Neatham, are at long last looking toward their future together — and hoping for a respite from the dangerous criminal investigations they’ve found themselves entrenched in... -
A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA man dwelling in darkness...Lord Julian Caldicott has come home from the war in ragged health and with a reputation in tatters. All he wants is to recuperate in private without bringing any further scandal on the family’s good name... -
Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThe “rich period detail [and] riveting action”* C.S. Harris delivers in her Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series reaches new heights as the aristocratic sleuth navigates dangerous political waters to bring a murderer to justice… Regency London: July 1812. How do you set about solving a murder no one can reveal has been committed? That’s the challenge confronting C.S... -
No Life for a Lady by Adele Clee
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsAfter almost a year spent playing chaperone to Mr Daventry’s female enquiry agents, Miss Trimble knows she must find a new position. All his agents are married, and so what other reason could he have for calling her to his office late at night? Except her employer is a master matchmaker, a man who has discovered her true identity, knows her real name and her darkest secret... -
-
Nature of the Crime by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Bow Street Duchess Mystery series continues in January 2024 with the sixth Audrey Sinclair and Hugh Marsden investigation...When a fellow passenger is found dead on Audrey’s packet ship from France, a mysterious note on the body points to her as the killer... -
Vacancy: Viscount Preferred by Tammy Andresen
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsLady Priscilla is in trouble…When a cousin she didn’t even know existed inherits her father’s title, the new Earl of Purlington wants more than just the earldom, he want’s Priscilla too. Or at least, her dowry. What she needs is a hero. A man to swoop in and save her despite her cousin’s intimidating lurking...Categorized as:
mystery regency suspense historical victorian marriage of convenience length-short m-f -
What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe latest request for help from Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin--from the Archbishop of Canterbury, no less--is undeniably intriguing: The bodies of two men have been found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades. One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop's favored but controversial successor... -
The Devereaux Affair by Adele Clee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo lonely children form a bond.As the daughter of a famed courtesan, Julianna de Lacy had seen more than her share of heartbreak. As a child, her own heart was broken the night her mother dragged her from the Marquess Devereaux’s mansion and forced her into a stranger’s carriage... -
More than a Masquerade by Adele Clee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn enquiry agent seeking her first case.After spending weeks eagerly awaiting an assignment, Rachel Gambit is instructed to meet her potential new client at a Vauxhall masquerade. She’s been given a list of instructions: to wear red, to find the mysterious gentleman amongst the crowd, with no clue to his identity... -
The Lady's Last Mistake by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFor years, Lady Cassandra Sinclair has harbored a scandalous secret and a painful loss. Unwilling to trust a man again, and determined to remain single, Cassie throws herself into a confidential project—a private home for pregnant, unwed women. Hope House is now her sole purpose... -
The Lady's Last Mistake: A Bow Street Duchess Romance by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFor years, Lady Cassandra Sinclair has harbored a scandalous secret and a painful loss. Unwilling to trust a man again, and determined to remain single, Cassie throws herself into a confidential project—a private home for pregnant, unwed women. Hope House is now her sole purpose... -
The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe's doing what he can to save the Prince Regent's life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well? Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero--he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn't think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock...Categorized as:
suspense regency mystery christian historical marriage of convenience military length-medium -
The Dagger Dance by Elizabeth Bailey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLady Fan returns in another twisty murder case! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.Can Lady Fan unravel another mystery…?1793, EnglandAfter a not-so-relaxing holiday in Tunbridge Wells, Lady Ottilia and Lord Francis Fanshawe have returned to their home with a young orphaned girl, Pertesia ‘Pretty’ Brockhurst... -
When Falcons Fall by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAyleswick-on-Teme, England, 1813. Sebastian has come to this seemingly peaceful Shropshire village to honor a slain friend and to learn more about his own ancestry. But when the body of a lovely widow is found on the banks of the River Teme, a bottle of laudanum at her side, the village’s inexperienced new magistrate turns to St. Cyr for help... -
-
Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThe grisly murder of a West Indies slave owner and the reappearance of a dangerous enemy from Sebastian St. Cyr’s past combine to put C. S. Harris’s “troubled but compelling antihero” (Booklist) to the ultimate test in this taut, thrilling mystery.London, 1813. The vicious decapitation of Stanley Preston, a wealthy, socially ambitious plantation owner, at Bloody Bridge draws Sebastian St... -
Fall from Trace by Rebecca Connolly
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGone, but not forgotten...Alex Sommerville should have been dead. To the world, he had been dead for almost five years, and with him, the secrets he had carried as Trace, the most elusive member of the London League. When a chance to escape finally comes, Alex finds just enough life left in him to take it, and races off to return to the woman he loves... -
A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsSebastian Gage returns home to battle the ghosts of his past and prevent them from destroying his future with Kiera in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.July 1831. It's been fifteen years since Sebastian Gage has set foot in Langstone Manor... -
The Secret of the Lost Pearls by Darcie Wilde
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsBeyond the glittering ballrooms and elegant parties of Regency London lurk all manner of unexpected dangers. In Darcie Wilde’s captivating mystery series inspired by the novels of Jane Austen and written with the wit of “Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s cheeky asides in Fleabag” (Bookpage), no one is better equipped to help ladies who find themselves wronged than “useful woman” Rosalind Thorne.. -
Mystery Loves Company: Another John Pickett Mystery by Sheri Cobb South
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsReturning to London after his honeymoon (For Deader or Worse), Bow Street Runner John Pickett soon discovers wedded bliss is not without its pitfalls, as he finds it galling to be financially dependent on Julia, his aristocratic bride... -
The Orphan in the Peacock Shawl by AnneMarie Brear
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsYorkshire Dales 1850As a terrible storm rages, Annabelle Wallis is shocked to find a distressed young woman at her cottage door, heavy with child. Moments later a baby girl is born. But by dawn, the mother has vanished, leaving behind the helpless child wrapped only in a silk peacock shawl... -
The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHollywood Star Turns Spy In 1943, Movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the ‘Casablanca of the North... -
The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNewlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice... -
An Artless Demise by Anna Lee Huber
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsLady Darby returns to London with her new husband, Sebastian Gage, but newlywed bliss won't last for long when her past comes back to haunt her in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.November 1831. After fleeing London in infamy more than two years prior, Lady Kiera Darby's return to the city is anything but mundane, though not for the reasons she expected...Categorized as:
mystery regency suspense historical victorian pregnancy heroine sleuth length-medium -
The Unlikely Chaperone (Dorothy Mack Regency Romances) by Dorothy Mack
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA captivating Regency adventure! Perfect for fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Jane Aiken Hodge and Jane Austen. Can Alexandra reach the end of the season without losing her heart? Regency England At twenty-eight, Alexandra Farrish has no hopes of marrying... -
-
Mine at Midnight by Adele Clee
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWhen Miss Eliza Dutton discovers her first case for the Order involves helping a lord who has a gambling habit, her instinct is to refuse. The fact her father lost his fortune and his life at a gaming hell is the reason she despises Lord Roxburgh. But Eliza is given an ultimatum: help the handsome rogue or find work elsewhere... -
A Tangled Ruse by Laura Beers
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter a failed abduction attempt, Lady Rachel is sent into hiding on her uncle’s estate near the sleepy village of Rockcliffe on the shores of Scotland. As she struggles to cope with the nightmares of her past, she unwittingly stumbles into even greater danger than she left behind. And this time, Shadow isn't around to save her... -
The Vengeance Trail by Elizabeth Bailey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJoin Lady Fan in her most dangerous case yet! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.Is someone from her past trying to kill Lady Fan…?1796, EnglandWhen Lady Ottilia Fanshawe finds herself launched into a river and fighting for her life, she becomes convinced someone pulled her under the water... -
A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLeft with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father's death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a private investigation firm marketed to the elite . . . to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon becomes the go-to for the crème of society when they want answers delivered surreptitiously... -
What the Devil Knows by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSebastian St. Cyr thought a notorious killer had been brought to justice until a shocking series of gruesome new murders stuns the city in this thrilling historical mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Who Speaks for the Damned.It's October 1814. The war with France is finally over and Europe's diplomats are convening in Vienna for a conference that will put their world back together... -
Betting Against The Scoundrel by Mariah Stone
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"I'll be your scoundrel, not your hero."Broken and devastated, the former Duke of Grandhampton, Lord Spencer Seaton, returns home from the war to find he has lost everything. His only goal is to exact vengeance upon the man who took everything from him.Nothing will stop Spencer... except, Miss Joanna Digby—intelligent, cunning, and mysterious...Categorized as:
regency mystery suspense tortured hero forced proximity historical from hate to love length-medium -
An Appearance of Goodness: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery Variation by Heather Moll
Can a Derbyshire meeting lead to love or will Pemberley be plunged into mystery?In the rainy summer of 1812, Mr Darcy returns to Pemberley with a large party with the hope that coming home will help him recover from his disappointment. He lost Elizabeth Bennet’s good opinion, but Darcy did all he could to rectify his errors... -
Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey by Abigail Wilson
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn this new Regency romance, Elizabeth knows she must protect her heart from the charm of her new husband, Lord Torrington. She is not, however, prepared to protect her life. When the widowed Lord Torrington agreed to spy for the crown, he never planned to impersonate a highwayman, let alone rob the wrong carriage...Categorized as:
suspense mystery regency historical christian medieval marriage of convenience length-medium -
A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLady Kiera Darby and her husband Sebastian Gage are looking forward to relaxing with new friends at an exciting yearly soiree, but they soon learn that murder never takes a holiday in the latest riveting installment in this national bestselling series. Scotland 1832... -
To Love a Spy by Laura Beers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFreed from the clutches of her cruel, traitorous mother and impostor husband, Lady Camden wants to rebuild her fractured life. But the years of terror and pain she endured at their hands continue to grip her heart in an iron vice...Categorized as:
regency mystery suspense historical christian victorian political-intrigue length-medium -
-
The Candlelit Coffin by Elizabeth Bailey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA thrilling mix of mystery and romance! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen. Murder lurks behind the scenes… 1791, England Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe have suffered a devastating blow. With Ottilia sunk deep into a depression, Francis is desperate to get his beloved wife back... -
The Mortal Blow by Elizabeth Bailey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe intrepid Lady Fan is back! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen. Lady Fan is back to full health but can she solve the trickiest case yet…? 1791, England Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe are on their way home when their coach comes to a sudden stop. A woman is standing in the middle of the road — covered in blood... -
The Unfortunate Debutante by Laura Beers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMiss Emma Pearson lives the most remarkable life for the daughter of a constable. Because of her brother’s heroics in Scotland, she has astonishingly become the ward of the Marquess of Downshire. Now, she wears only the finest clothes and mingles with members of high Society... -
A Deceptive Bargain by Laura Beers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHiding from the horrors of her past, Miss Martha Haskett is content living her days serving as a lady's maid to her friend Eliza, the Marchioness of Lansdowne. But then her father, the new Earl of Waterford, shows up, with the shocking news that she is now a titled lady. Further turning her life upside down, he proposes a bargain... -
Jane and the Year without a Summer by Stephanie Barron
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIf you have a Jane Austen-would-have-been-my-best-friend complex, look no further . . . [Barron] has painstakingly sifted through the famed author's letters and writings, as well as extensive biographical information, to create a finely detailed portrait of Austen's life--with a dash of fictional murder . . . Some of the most enjoyable, well-written fanfic ever created... -
The Unwanted Corpse by Elizabeth Bailey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat do you do when a dead body lands on your doorstep…?1794, EnglandWhen a body is unceremoniously dumped outside her home, Lady Ottilia Fanshawe is once more drawn into a murder case.Ottilia is recovering from the birth of her first child and her husband, Lord Francis Fanshawe, is worried that she has finally taken on more than she can handle.But Ottilia will not be diverted... -
A Man of Good Fortune: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Ali Scott
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA RIDE ON A STORMY DAY has disastrous consequences for Fitzwilliam Darcy, who finds himself grievously injured and bedridden–and with no memory of Elizabeth Bennet, the woman to whom he has been married for several years. Recovery is slow as his head injury has made it difficult for him to read and write, and a suspected fracture in his leg has made walking painful... -
When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds... -
Fitzwilliam Darcy, Master Spy: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Jennifer Joy
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNo mission is impossible for this Agent of the Crown... until he meets his match! Fitzwilliam Darcy is the Crown's most formidable secret weapon—a Master Spy. His latest mission will test his limits when he's assigned to protect England's foremost code decipherer, Mr. Thomas Bennet… and his wife and five unmarried daughters...Categorized as:
regency mystery suspense friends to lovers contemporary humor historical length-medium -
The Missing Diamond by Lynn Morrison, Anne Radcliffe
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn Regency London's glittering ballrooms, a well-made match can mean the difference between power and ruin.London, 1813: With his reputation and inheritance on the line, Lord Percy is determined to win the heart of the coveted diamond of the season. When that beautiful woman vanishes, his failure seems all but certain.Unless, that is, he can find her... -
-
Captivating the Earl by Audrey Harrison
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIf nice things come in small packages, surely lovely things come in larger ones?In the unforgiving world of Regency-era London, Isabelle Carrington bears the weight of society’s harshest judgments. Her ample curves and gentle nature make her a target of ridicule in a world obsessed with superficial beauty... -
Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens by Andrea Penrose
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe upcoming marriage of the Earl of Wrexford and Lady Charlotte Sloane promises to be a highlight of the season, if they can first untangle—and survive—a web of intrigue and murder involving the most brilliant scientific minds in Regency London.. -
A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsNew parents Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage look forward to introducing Sebastian’s father to his granddaughter, but instead find themselves investigating an attempt on his life...Yorkshire, England. August 1832. Relations between Sebastian Gage and his father have never been easy, especially since the discovery that Lord Gage has been concealing the existence of an illegitimate son... -
Never a Duke by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDespite having humble origins and a criminal past, Ned Wentworth has learned to dress, waltz, and express himself as elegantly as any lordling. When Lady Rosalind Kinwood’s maid goes missing, her ladyship turns to Ned, precisely because he still has friends in low places and skills no titled dandy would ever acquire, much less admit he possesses... -
A Peculiar Courtship by Laura Beers
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLord Jonathon Beckett's mission is simple: retrieve Lady Hannah and place her under the protection of the Crown. But he isn't prepared for the havoc she inflicts on his world, making him question whether his duty as an agent of the Crown should always come before his heart. Lady Hannah's father has uncovered evidence exposing a French traitor to the Crown... -
The Innkeeper's Daughter by Michelle Griep
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA London officer goes undercover to expose a plot against the Crown Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue. . .until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.