Emily L. Finch Books In Order

Publication Order of Samantha and Wyat Mysteries Books

Besides writing, Emily L Finch is a tea aficionado, history lover, and the author of the Samantha and Wyatt mystery series.
The first book in the series introduces us to Samantha Kingston, an orphaned young woman in Victorian England. She is under the guardianship of her uncle Sir Arthur, a man married to her aunt. Sam has been living with her uncle for as long as she can remember, and right from the start, her uncle’s place doesn’t sound like a happy home for her. Arthur is a domineering man; he’s abusive to her and her aunt and has a son he abandoned. He manipulates Sam for his gains and most likely grooms her to have a marriage with the most significant advantage to him.

At the same time, Arthur has been getting what seems to be blackmail notes, but they do make Samantha curious and nervous at the same time. True to Samantha’s instincts, their home is broken into one night when she is alone with the intention of kidnapping her. Luckily, she manages to thwart these kidnappers by hiding. Her uncle comes up with a devious plan to trap these kidnappers, which involves sending the servants to their homes and hiding Sam, his wife, and himself in a townhouse in London under new identities.

Unfortunately, the plan doesn’t go as expected, and Arthur and his family are discovered. Arthur, his wife, and one of their servants are killed, while Sam barely manages to come alive. She goes back to the townhouse to find out what exactly happened, only to find the bodies of her relatives and then is caught red-handed at the crime scene by the police. She becomes the first main suspect in the homicide case and fears spending the rest of her life in prison, hence running away.
With no one to turn to, she ends up in the streets to fend for herself and survive. While in the streets, she meets with V.T. Wyatt, the son of an aristocrat who turned into a private investigator to make a living. Despite her destitute nature and a new way of life for survival, Wyatt recognizes that Samantha isn’t a bad person and is raised gently. Wyatt offers to help her even though she never trusts him with her true story.

Masquerade in London is a well and beautifully crafted novel that will have you hooked right from the first page to the last. You will like the characters, both the primary and the secondary, and their interactions. You will love the strength, courage, and wily intelligence depicted by Samantha when she resolves to survive in the streets. She picks up some odd jobs that a noble lady wouldn’t dare- for example, she ends up working in the pub and fights with drunk men over the abuse of a wife, which gives her a black eye. The street living aspect of the novel contributes significantly to Sam’s strength and fortitude.

The main character, Samantha, is delightfully strong. Despite coming from a noble family and ending up in the streets, she faces every challenge that comes her way with grace and dignity. She looked and fended for herself when it was extremely difficult for a woman. When Wyatt comes into the picture, he plays a supporting role rather than a savior who instantly makes her problem vanish. And while most of the people in the story keep telling her just to chill out and let them handle things, Samantha hears none of it; instead, she takes control of her destiny, which is quite satisfying to read.

Emily L. Finch also did a fantastic job creating an engaging dialogue between Samantha and Wyatt, his cousin, and Lord Aston. Such dialogues help lighten up the story’s moods and allow the reader to connect effectively with the characters. Additionally, there are some fascinating twists in the relationships depicted in the books and the underlying murder mystery and the subsequent crimes. You will appreciate the developing truest relationship between Sam and Wyatt.
Ghosts in the Abbey is the second novel in Samantha and Wyatt Mysteries by Emily L. Finch. The novel takes place in Derbyshire in 1861, and we meet Samantha Kingston, still haunted by the previous novel’s events. She finds her retreat to the country less peaceful and restful than anticipated.

She has conflicting emotions when V.T. Wyatt is reintroduced into her life during a house party following a three-month hiatus. They must maintain their distance to halt the spread of rumors, which is detrimental. However, it becomes hard to maintain their distance after Samantha finds the body of a familiar person whose demise she suspects she might have contributed to. Samantha and Wyatt must once more collaborate to solve a murder that becomes increasingly challenging as more information comes to light. But how can one track down a murderer who seems to have gone into thin air?

If you enjoyed the first book in the series, this second novel is even better. She’s still the strong and courageous woman we first met in the first novel. Her growth doubles in this second installment as she gets to work a homicide case with one of the best private investigators in town. And despite not being romantically a couple, there have been rumors that the two are lovers, hence the three months separation.

The second novel in Samantha and Wyatt Mysteries creates a very fun dynamic between Wyatt and Samantha right from the moment he helps her gain her trust. Finally, Wyatt falls in love with her even when she’s unsure she wants to be with him. Now they once again work a murder case, will Samantha repel the attraction Wyatt has toward her, or will she give in to the pressures? Overall, Ghosts in the Abbey is a fun read set during the Victorian era.

Fans of historical mystery books set in the Victorian era will appreciate Emily L. Flinch’s books. They feature a good plot, beautiful characters, and a heroine who never bows down to anyone, especially when women were highly despised.