#cara devlin

Hazard of the Pursuit may well be one of my favourite Spencer & Reid mysteries yet. Cara Devlin continues to raise the bar with this series, delivering another intelligent, emotionally-layered Victorian mystery that balances crime, character growth, and relationship development beautifully. Once again, I loved the use of dual mysteries running in parallel. The official Scotland Yard case (involving Leo’s dramatic discovery that a supposedly deceased heiress is very much alive) is compelling in its own right and feels grounded in the period. Running alongside it is a much murkier, more personal investigation tied to Jasper’s past and his Carter ex-family’s criminal connections. The contrast between these two strands works exceptionally well, showcasing both Leo’s and Jasper’s different strengths and the complexities of the world they operate in.

What truly stood out to me in this installment was the deeper focus on Leo and Jasper’s relationship. The emotional stakes feel higher than ever, and the trust between them continues to evolve in realistic, sometimes messy ways.

REVIEW

Hazard of the Pursuit by Cara Devlin

Spencer & Reid Mystery #6

~ Deceit, death, and detectives who search for truth and justice ~ Leonora and Jasper are up to the task as they deal with more than one case this time ~

What I liked:

* Leonora “Leo” Spencer: parents and siblings murdered when she was nine, taken in by Uncle and Aunt, morgue assistant to Connor Quinn, eidetic memory, bright, unconventional, puzzle solver, strong, not easily cowed, survivor, being courted by Jasper Reid * Jasper Reid: Detective Inspector, an orphan adopted from the streets by Chief Superintendent Gregory Reid, bright, educated, intelligent, intriguing, courting Leonora

* Watching the relationship between Jasper and Leo continue to move forward

* The police procedural aspects of the story and following Leo and Jasper follow the clues to find out who was killing women to steal their wealth

* Jasper’s side investigation into what happened to a gangster’s relative

* That the story feels “of the era” and educates while entertaining * Nivedita “Dita” Brooks: Leo’s friend, works for a private investigator, dating Connor Quinn * Connor Quinn: Coroner, works with Leo, in a relationship with Leo’s friend Dita

* That all of the threads followed were neatly tied up and cases solved with no threads left hanging * The ending that sees a burden removed from Jasper’s shoulders and the positive hopeful ending

What I didn’t like

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about how evil, amoral, ruthless, callous, and wicked some of the characters in this story were

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

REVIEW

Tears for the Forsaken by Cara Devlin

Spencer & Reid #5

~ Another excellent addition to a fascinating historical mystery series ~ Thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading what comes next  ~

What I liked:

* Leonora “Leo” Spencer: difficult backstory, orphaned at nine, lost parents and two siblings, taken in by Uncle Claude and Aunt Flora Feldman, morgue assistant to Connor Quinn, photographic memory, bright, unconventional, puzzle solver, strong, not easily cowed, survivor, in a relationship with Jasper

* Jasper Reid: Detective Inspector, adopted by Chief Superintendent Gregory Reid when young, from the streets, an orphan, bright, educated, intelligent, intriguing, away from London on a case for a few months, officially courting Leo at the end of this book

* The reading of the will and what transpired afterward

* The Opium issue that cropped up and how it played into the story

* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing

* That the story feels “of the era” and educates while entertaining

* Dita Brooks: Leo’s friend, lost her fiancé in a previous book, working undercover, Might be ready to move on with a potential suitor – Connor from the morgue

* Connor Quinn: Coroner, works with Leo, had a previous fiancé show up in the morgue, works to find out how she died, sees Dita and is immediately attracted to her

* That all of the mysteries were solved and murderers found by the end of the book

* The hopeful ending

What I didn’t like: * Who and what I was meant not to like,

* How twisted the Stroud, Cowper, Dalton family dynamics were

* Thinking about how difficult it would be to marry other than for love and even if for love to be expected to change to meet the expectations of the partner’s professional advancement

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

Well, I was expecting October to start off as a more productive month, but here we are, nearly halfway through, and I am just now getting around to recapping my September reads. Let’s not even think about how far I am behind on reviews currently (spoiler: it’s a lot!) Working in a field that requires me to write all day can definitely leave me feeling burnt out when it comes to drafting blog…

Cloaked in Deception Cara Devlin Publisher: First Cup Press Publication Date: September 13, 2025 Series or Standalone: Spencer & Reid Mysteries #4 Links: Amazon – Goodreads – StoryGraph Rating: MY REVIEW CW: Gun violence; abandonment; kidnapping; brief mention to physical/mental abuse  I swear, Cara Devlin keeps upping her game with each new book in the Spencer & Reid series. If you’re…

REVIEW

Cloaked Deception by Cara Devlin

A Spencer & Reid Mystery #4

Superb addition to a fascinating historical mystery series ~ Loved it and can’t wait for more ~

What I liked:

* Leonora “Leo” Spencer: difficult backstory, orphaned at nine, lost parents and two siblings, taken in by Uncle Claude and Aunt Flora Feldman, morgue assistant to her uncle, photographic memory, bright, unconventional, puzzle solver, strong, not easily cowed, survivor, attracted to Jasper * Jasper Reid: Detective Inspector, adopted by Chief Superintendent Gregory Reid when young, from the streets, an orphan, bright, educated, intelligent, intriguing, his past intrudes on his present at the end of this book and may impact his future, attracted to Leo * The plot, pacing, setting, and writing

* Knowing already that there were “baby” enterprises in this time that were money makers and that not all of them were beneficial to the parents or the children and seeing how it plays out in this book * That the story feels “of the era” and educates while entertaining

* The powerful impact of the dinner robbery, the murder, and how Leo & Jasper managed to follow the clues to find the culprits behind the event * The supporting characters and wondering how they will play into future stories while also wondering how some previous characters are faring and if they will show up in later books

* Watching the development of the relationship between Leo & Jasper, knowing that they are perfect for one another, and wondering how they might be able to thwart those from their past that might want to do them harm

* All of it really except having to wait for the next book

What I didn’t like: * Who and what I was meant not to like

* Those that took advantage of and preyed on others – old and young

* Thinking about how difficult it probably was to live in the era this book was set in

* Thinking about the odors that must have been in the streets and especially in the morgue

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author and Bookfunnel for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

ARC Review: Cloaked in Deception by Cara Devlin

After the previous book, I was wondering how Cara Devlin would handle this latest return without sacrificing the mystery whilst preventing us readers from languishing due to my new fave sleuthing duo’s ‘glacier-speed’ romance that keeps simmering. And she absolutely does not disappoint in what I think is one of the best books yet in this continuing mystery series, which is a huge achievement for the fourth installment!

In ‘Cloaked in Deception,’ we find morgue assistant, Leonora (Leo) Spencer, and her long-time ‘childhood friend/reluctant crime-solving partner/definitely something more,’ detective inspector, Jasper Reid, encountering one another again at a charity dinner for orphans of police officers killed in action. Ms Devlin captures their delicious tension and mutual pining adeptly as the pair haven’t really spoken or seen one for a month since their tête-à-tête from Book 3. Terror erupts at the dinner as it is taken over by a group of masked men, and then Leo and Jasper are pulled into this new investigation after one of the guests is publicly killed. The case leads them to look into an original family of siblings from the orphanage’s founding with treacherous results.

As I’ve alluded to, I really liked this story and found myself pulled into the unique mystery as much as I was eagerly soaking up Leo and Jasper’s slow dance towards each other, especially when we hear their individual perspectives:

“She had missed him. It was difficult to put into words the feeling of ease, of frank reassurance, whenever she was with Jasper. Even when they didn’t agree, or when he was being obstinate, Leo would rather be squabbling with him than not speaking to him at all.”

Their investigation countered their longing in that it was fast-paced and true to Leo and Jasper’s style of investigating, and it felt believable as they managed to do so professionally for the most part…until they didn’t (how’s that for a teaser?) to the delight of those of us ‘shipping’ them. I also liked getting to know more of the other secondary characters including Connor Quinn, the new assistant coroner, who seemed to be quite decent and another rare and enlightened male who was supportive of Leo’s intelligence and abilities. We also get re-introduced to previous secondary characters such as Jasper’s interesting viscount friend, Lord Oliver Hayes, and Jasper’s ex, Constance, who play a more integral part to the story.

Overall, I was sorry to reach the end of this extremely satisfying book, and it has definitely sustained my thirst for the next one due to the author’s skillful storytelling that has kept this series unpredictable and fresh. 

P.S.  I am grateful to BookSirens for giving me an advanced reader’s copy of this story for which I am voluntarily writing this honest review.