Andrea Penrose

Bio I wrote about Andrea and her Wrexford and Sloane series. It was for a print publication and they have allowed me to post it here.

Andrea Penrose, a resident of Connecticut, is a well-known author who has been published in a dozen languages under the names of Cara Elliott (Regency period romance stories), Andrea Pickens (romance and science fiction), and Andrea Penrose (historical fiction mystery).  

As a USA Today best-selling author, she has been nominated, been a finalist, and won various awards and recognitions including a three-time RITA Award Finalist, two Gold Leaf Awards, and two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery.  

Ms. Penrose graduated from Yale University with an undergraduate double major degree in art and history. She stayed at Yale to earn her Master of Fine Art in graphic design.  

After reading Pride and Prejudice Ms. Penrose was smitten with the Regency England period in British history and has remained enamored with the idea of the swirling silks, seductions, against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and it was a time of so many new ideas, some being radical at times.
  
The Regency-era historical fiction mystery stories of Wrexford & Sloane are some of her very best selling novels. The Earl of Wrexford, an intelligent and unconventional scientist, is prideful with a brilliant mind, but his entitled life creates boredom and he’s inclined to reckless behavior.  

Charlotte Sloane, a widow with many unrecognized brilliant abilities, is an artist and talented writer. She has secretly assumed her deceased husband’s nom de plume of A.J. Quill, London’s very popular satirical cartoonist.  

When circumstances bring Lord Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane together, they forge an unlikely alliance that has the ability to expose immense evils lurking in Regency-era London.

The first novel of the Wrexford and Sloane series is Murder on Black Swan Lane. Lord Wrexford’s active, colorful life is frequently too reckless for the tastes of others. It has drawn the attention of the pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy, a pompous, opinionated clergyman.  

Holworthy publicly condemns the debauchery and character of Lord Wrexford, who has no tolerance for the unrequested opinions of the rigid reverend. Wrexford unsheathes his own rapier-sharp wit and publicly returns the attacks.  

Their war of words between these to two egotistical men grows to epic proportions and is irresistible to A.J. Quill who publishes his (her) own satire in cartoon form, running the both of them through with an equally sharp wit.  

The pompous Reverend Holworthy is found horribly murdered. His face is burned with acid and his throat is slashed ear to ear. It’s a vicious attack and appears to be highly personal.  

The ongoing, very public confrontations between the reverend and Wrexford places him square in the center as chief suspect. Wrexford discovers A.J. Quill’s true identity and Charlotte Sloane is anxious he will reveal her true identity to London.  

In a twist, Wrexford has a proposal for Mrs. Sloane. He wants her to use her connections to discover and reveal that the very pious reverend was not the unimpeachable man of God he presented himself to the world.  

Wrexford is sure Holworthy was involved in secret questionable scientific activities. The investigation could reveal the real murderer.  

Mrs. Sloane and Lord Wrexford are deep into the shady shadows of London’s enclaves of cunning intellectuals. The closer they come the greater risk they have of falling victim to this group’s next villainous experiments.

The second entry in the Wrexford and Sloane series is Murder at Half Moon Gate. Lord Wrexford finds a body in the middle of a London dark alley. He alerts the watchman and lets the authorities have at it.  

Before long, he finds himself pulled into the investigation. The victim’s wife appeals to Lord Wrexford for help. She knows her husband wasn’t a random victim of a violent robbery.  

She explains that her husband was an inventor of some renown, and had designs for a steam-powered engine that are now missing since the murder. The plans are likely very valuable and in nefarious hands, could be used as a weapon and be dangerous.  

Wrexford is feeling sorry for the widow and is also concerned with the possible danger, agrees to look into this case. He teams up again with the intelligent Mrs. Charlotte Sloane, knowing her sources will be the help he needs.  

The investigation is a mess of mazes, lies, secrets, and takes them into some of the most dangerous and dodgiest alleyways in London. There’s no lack of suspects. Assistants, investors, and jealous peers are all prime suspects. It’s a dangerous investigation and it will take a combination of the intuitive and well connected Sloane and the decisive, analytical mind of Wrexford for them to both find the culprit and to survive the investigation.

Novel number six in this fascinating series is Murder at the Serpentine Bridge. Charlotte would be so happy to spend a peaceful summer with her new husband and their eccentric friends and family.  

London does require attendance at some social obligations and the grand Peace Celebrations, celebrating the victory over Napoleon, is in full swing in London. When Wrexford and his two young wards discover a dead body in Hyde Park’s lake, Charlotte’s summer peace is shattered a bit.  

The victim, the late engineering genius, Jeremiah Willis, designed a top-secret weapon. Now the prototype has gone missing. The Royal Armory’s laboratory was responsible for the safekeeping of the invention and are desperately needing the brilliant help of the unmatched team of Wexford and Sloane.  

Of course, there are complications, unsettling family connections, and international intrigue. There is a race to keep this weapon from setting of another war.