The Duchess of Albemarle has been found dead in her cloakroom at her house while the Prince of Wales is attending the reception hosted by herself and her husband, the Duke of Albemarle. She has two puncture wounds in her neck and a young acquaintance of Oscar, Rex LaSalle, also in attendance at the reception has recently revealed to Oscar Wilde that he is a vampire. Oscar and his side-kick, Arthur Conan Doyle, are asked by the Prince to investigate the death. The utmost discretion is needed to preserve the privacy of the Prince of Wales and to keep his association with the Duchess and his presence at the reception, from the press.

Bram Stoker makes an appearance in the story in the role of the manager of theatre where the next victim is found murdered, again while the Prince of Wales is present.

The setting is, of course, before the trial that resulted in Oscar Wilde's imprisonment and disgrace and when the reputation of the Prince of Wales as a philanderer and a cost to the public purse was well established.

This is the fourth novel of the series. I found the setting rang true. It is period of history that I know enough about to know the bare underlying facts of the main characters are true. It is an easy light read, not laugh out loud but enough to raise a chuckle now and again.

Susan White, England
October 2011