Madam Tulip and the Knave of Hearts by David Ahern

Madam Tulip and the Knave of Hearts is Book 2 of the Madam Tulip Book Series created by David Ahern.

When part of Dublin’s Palace Theatre collapses, out-of-luck American actress Derry O-Donnell finds herself unemployed again. To help with the fundraising to hasten the repairs on the Palace Theatre, Derry teams up with her mother to organize a celebrity art exhibition. The auction reunites Derry with supermodel Marlene O’Mara and gets herself booked in an engagement party in an English stately home as Madam Tulip, fortune teller to the rich and famous.

Derry, together with her friend Bruce, travels all the way to England and meets with the Dowager Countess of Berkshire, a former chorus girl at the Palace Theatre. They also meet with the Earl of Berkshire, his two daughters Lady Charlotte and Lady Bryony, Lady Charlotte’s fiancé Torquil and the family’s curator, Sebastian.

However, just when Derry and Bruce are starting to get settled, they find themselves caught in the middle of a gruesome and threatening situation. Derry’s gift, as subtle as it is, offers very little help and it’s up to Derry and Bruce to go around the situation they find themselves in.

Just like the first book, Madam Tulip: An Irish Cozy Mystery, this is just as exciting and just as enjoyable. The author’s description of the affluence of the English aristocracy arouses envy in a common reader like myself. Unlike the first book, however, I find this to have a slower pacing while not all newly introduced characters are well-developed. The ending, though, is quite a blast and I like it a lot. Finally, I’m expecting for Madam Tulip’s ‘gift’ to be more developed by now but it seems like I have to wait for the next book in the series to find out.

Despite my issues, I enjoyed this book immensely.

Congratulations to David Ahern (@DaveAhernWriter) on another great read! For more books by the author, click HERE.