Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch | Book Review

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Children of the Shadows

Title: Children of the Shadows
Series: Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries #3
Author: Erica Vetsch
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: October 23, 2023
Genre: Christian Regency Mystery

Detective Daniel Swann and debutante Juliette Thorndike once again team up to solve a dangerous mystery–while trying to keep their growing romance secret.

Someone is preying upon the street children of Regency London. They seem to think no one will notice when urchins go missing–and even if they are noticed, who will care?

Daniel needs to do something about the missing children. But with recent revelations about his past and an unexpected, somewhat unwelcome inheritance to deal with, this is a terrible time to dive back into the seedy underbelly of the crime world. Nevertheless, he’s still a Bow Street runner, and his partner Lady Juliette is sensitive to the plight of these wayward youngsters. They’re on the case, searching shadowed alleys and coal-drenched streets to find the missing.

But the tangle of expectation and the dynamics of power cannot be easily ignored, even if there are children in danger. When Daniel’s past threatens to overwhelm his future, he will need a miracle and the help of his friends to both apprehend the villain and unravel his tangled family web. And it may be that his new responsibilities demand that he leave the children of the shadows to their terrible fate–or lose everything.

Erica Vetsch’s popular Regency mystery series concludes with a bang, sure to satisfy readers who have hung on every page since book one.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

My review of Children of the Shadows

Children of the Shadows marks the final book in the Thorndike and Swann series. While that makes me so sad, I’m excited to read whatever series Vetsch writes next! Many of the books I share with you can be read as a standalone, but don’t do that with this series. You’ll miss way too much! I devoured these books quickly, so you can easily read them all in a week or two depending on what type of reader you are. I think they’re all really hard to put down! 

As much as I love Juliette Thorndike, I think that having the focus mainly on Daniel Swann during Children of the Shadows made this my favorite novel in the series. The Debutante’s Code, the first book, was mainly about Juliette and her family’s secrets. In the second book, Millstone of Doubt, Juliette and Daniel share the spotlight as they solve the case together. However, the end becomes more about Daniel’s secret benefactor who’s been supporting him since childhood. Children of the Shadows reveals much more about Daniel, his benefactor, his mother, and more. 

Daniel has harbored so much bitterness over the years that when he discovers the truth, he wrestles with being able to forgive the people in his past. As a child, he felt abandoned and unwanted, and he’s held onto all of the pain. Forgiveness is a hard thing for us. We allow it to fester inside and allow it to control our thoughts. Even when Daniel learned the truth, forgiveness was still hard. It was hard to just let go of his preconceived notions about why his mother sent him away as a child. I love how Vetsch “preaches” the gospel to us without preaching to us! She weaves it into the story naturally, and it is beautiful. 

I was enthralled by Daniel’s investigation. It reveals lots of twists and turns and just totally unexpected stuff! I’ve loved getting to know the characters throughout this series. Juliette’s personality shines whenever she is around. I absolutely love Juliette’s uncle and the dowager who takes on the role of Juliette’s chaperone when her parents are away. Cranky old ladies are my favorites! I literally could type paragraphs about the magnificent characters in these novels. They each contain well-written side characters who only play a role in a particular book. I felt like I was in the dirty streets of Regency London as well as in the upper crust neighborhoods and townhouses where the wealthy and titled lived.

Children of the Shadows wraps up the Thorndike and Swann series so well! I was laughing. I was crying. Words just don’t do this novel justice. It’s beautiful, magnificent, convicting, exciting, and so much more all at once! I highly recommend it! 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

More in This Series

About the Author

Connect with Erica by visiting ericavetsch.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a complete paperback set of the Thorndike and Swann series, and a $10 amazon gift card

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 23, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 30, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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