Liberty Lane Books In Order

Publication Order of Liberty Lane Books

Liberty Lane series by Caro Peacock
Author Gillian Linscott writes the “Liberty Lane” series of historical mystery novels, which she publishes under the name of Caro Peacock. The series began publication in the year 2007, when “Death at Dawn” was released.

Liberty was born March 21, 1815 in a private traveling coach right outside Canterbury, Kent. It should’ve been back at home in London but she arrived early, having always been impatient. Her mom is Evelina (nee Thornmore) and her dad is Thomas Jacques Lane. Both parents are now dead.

She is a private intelligencer, which means she attempts solving other people’s problems for them. Unless the person is poor and wronged, she solves their problem in exchange for money. She too has to eat. If she disapproves of her client for any reason, she can fall back on teaching music, her other profession.

She is five foot six in height and weighs eight and a half stone. She has dark brown hair, inclined to be crinkly and is tough to pin down under a bonnet for too long. She has hazel eyes.

She is single, yet not for want of trying by her match-making buddies. She lives in Abel Yard, just off Adam’s Mews in Mayfair, London. First door on the right just after the carriage repairer’s works.

Her best feature, she thinks is her feet. They may be long, but also quite slim with high arches. Liberty believes it’s a pity there aren’t too many opportunities to go barefoot while in company.

Liberty loves the sun, yet if she isn’t careful, and she often isn’t, her hands and face will just as brown as a haymaker’s.

Derring-do, duelling, and dastardly deeds are all in a day’s work for Liberty Lane. She isn’t the best at following rules or doing what she’s told. The series is set during the 1830s.

“Death At Dawn” is the first novel in the “Liberty Lane” series and was released in the year 2007. June of 1837. She should’ve remained in the care of Chalke Bissett, her sour aunt, however Liberty Lane wasn’t one to ever just obey anybody’s instructions. Eager to be reunited with her beloved dad, she goes to Dover. Her hopes of surprising him when he steps off the boat are ruined by some anonymous note that informs her that he’s been murdered in a duel at Calais, and ordering her to stay where she is and not speak to anybody.

Thomas Jacques Lane, a devoted dad, republican, radical, romantic, scholar, and gambler led an unconventional life. His movements during his final days are a mystery. One thing Liberty’s sure of: he’d never take part in a duel, as it went against everything he believed in. If the author of that anonymous message expected her to just swallow this lie and meekly obey his orders to stay put, he underestimated Liberty immensely.

Without any resources except her wits, she sets sail for Calais immediately to get the truth, and her dad’s killer. While the nation prepares its celebration for young Queen Victoria’s coronation, Liberty reveals a treasonable plot that could lead to yet another ferocious civil war!

“Death of a Dancer” is the second novel in the “Liberty Lane” series and was released in the year 2008. Liberty Lane, who’s still in her early twenties, does her best just to make a new life for herself in London after she was bruised by treachery and loss. There is no opportunity for her to settle down as any conventional young lady.

First, Benjamin Disraeli, a strangely attractive young politician, wants her to use her contacts in the theater world to learn more about a prima ballerina with a notorious love life called Columbine. He hints that there are some vital interests could be at stake. But then he is murdered in her dressing room, after there was an on-stage brawl with a less successful and younger dancer, who is quickly the prime suspect.

Liberty is in the middle of this investigation due to one of her dearest friends, Daniel Suter, who is certain of the girl’s innocence and is willing to put his own neck in danger in order to save her. Liberty’s determination to save all of them from the gallows takes her out of the upper reaches of the aristocracy and into some of the lowlife haunts in London. It poses the question: just how for would somebody go to save their friend?

“A Corpse in Shining Armor” is the third novel in the “Liberty Lane” series and was released in the year 2009. Summer of 1839 in London. The temperature is starting to rise while Liberty Lane takes on her oddest case to date. Lord Brinkburn, a deranged aristocrat is close to death and his oldest son, Stephen expects to inherit this title. However Lady Brinkburn’s sudden announcement that Stephen’s illegitimate tosses the whole family into turmoil.

Tensions hit a boiling point between both the brothers, one of whom looks to gain everything. They come to blows in public, which is to the London Society’s amusement. Liberty is engaged privately in order to get the truth of this matter, however a macabre murder raises the stakes considerably. She finds her judgment being undermined by Lady Brinkburn. She is too aware time’s running out, and one of the brothers might be next, however which is it going to be?

“When the Devil Drives” is the fourth novel in the “Liberty Lane” series and was released in the year 2011. Autumn of 1839. While the nights in London darken, rumors spread about the devil’s chariot, which has preyed on young ladies who walk alone during the night.

Liberty Lane, novice private investigator, doesn’t have time for these horror stories, so when the poetic young man begs her to locate his missing fiancee, she agrees, and suspects there’s a more prosaic explanation.

At the same time, she’s engaged to help prevent a royal scandal that involves Prince Albert’s worldlier brother, Prince Ernest. Liberty starts working on both of these cases, however when young ladies start turning up dead, tales about the devil’s chariot don’t appear too ridiculous any longer.