In this thrilling new addition to the New York Times bestselling series, Lady Emily Hargreaves and her dashing husband Colin travel to Paris, where they struggle to unmask a murderer amid a case of assumed identities and shadowy figures

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After an odd encounter at a grand masquerade ball, Emily becomes embroiled in the murder investigation of one of the guests, a sometime actress trying to pass herself off as the mysterious heiress and world traveler Estella Lamar. Each small discovery, however, leads to more questions.  Was the intended victim Miss Lamar or the imposter?  And who would want either of them dead?  

As Emily and Colin try to make sense of all this, a larger puzzle begins to emerge:  No one has actually seen Estella Lamar in years, as her only contact has been through letters and the occasional blurry news photograph. Is she even alive?  Emily and Colin’s investigation of this double mystery takes them from London to Paris, where, along with their friends Cécile and Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge they must scour the darkest corners of the city in search of the truth.

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"The Lady Emily mysteries have only strengthened as the series continues, combining fascinating historical details with vivid descriptions bringing the Victorian period to life." - RT Book Reviews, Top Pick

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"Witty, well-plotted and rich with historical detail, The Counterfeit Heiress is an engaging chapter in Lady Emily's story and an evocative glimpse into Victorian London." - Shelf Awareness

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"This ninth Lady Emily novel is a near-perfect blend of period mystery, melodrama and romance...Emily feels as if she's been "dropped into a book of the best sort of historical fiction." This could be a tagline for Alexander's novel." - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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"Alternating her story line between the current mystery and what happened to the true Estella, Alexander skillfully builds the tension as the action crosses from one perspective to the next and the intertwined truth is slowly revealed. For series fans, all their favorite characters have a part to play with a fairly big surprise at the end for one of the leading men." - Library Journal

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"An aristocratic sleuth takes on a highly unusual case...The Victorian detail enhances the difficulties of proving someone dead or alive and discovering a killer with none of the usual motives for murder." -Kirkus Reviews

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"Rich with details of life in London and Paris, the characters move in their world of strict class divisions but with a sensitivity and complexity that makes them real. Emily is an equal partner with her husband in his work as a special investigator for the Queen, but it is clear they could only accomplish this in the upper class world in which they live...This is a tensely written novel with satisfying twists and turns in the plot. The ending, although hinted at throughout the novel, is still surprising and believable enough to be immensely gratifying." -Suspense Magazine

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"Tasha Alexander’s beloved Lady Emily returns here in her ninth escapade. The Lady Emily mysteries reach out to far more than just the feminists among us. As historical cozies, they appeal to a much larger audience. As a bonus, they inform as well as entertain. Toward the end of the 19th century, a woman had many constraints placed upon her, so playing detective, even when accompanying her handsome husband, could be highly problematic. But in THE COUNTERFEIT HEIRESS, once again Lady Emily proves up to the task...Written in period language and nuanced with historical events, THE COUNTERFEIT HEIRESS is every bit as enjoyable as all of Tasha Alexander’s romps into Europe’s past. Lady Emily’s moxie stands out, assuring readers that she must have been based on a woman of extraordinary valor and forethought, a woman far ahead of her time. She and Colin are perfectly paired for sleuthing, and they make this one wild ride." -Bookreporter