The storyline itself is intriguing – an emperor behind a conspiracy that will ruin England? I didn’t even know that happened so that was interesting to discover. The Emperor’s Conspiracy started with a lot of promise – the cover was well chosen attractive and simple in design, the fact that the woman’s face is unseen hints at mystery. When she meets Lord Edward Durnham, she becomes caught up in a web of conspiracy which could prove fatal. However, she is still very much attached to the lower classes through her association with her childhood protector, Luke Bracken (now the crime lord of London). The longer version describes the young woman, Charlotte Raven, as one who walks a tightrope between two worlds – once a chimney sweep whose parentage was unknown, she has been under the care of Lady Howe since she was 12 and the upper class accepts her as a wealthy, educated noblewoman.
The short summary is as follows: a spirited young woman and a nobleman investigating for the Crown unmask a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of its gold. Set in 19th-century London, the action moves between elegant ballrooms and high-society residences and the dark, menacing slums, where every shadow is a potential threat. That’s fine, if romance is not your thing, but for those who love a good romance novel, this may not be the book for you.
It’s not – the romantic element is sparse and barely develops past initial attraction. However, don’t be misled into thinking it’s a historical romance. As a historical novel, The Emperor’s Conspiracy, is a well-researched and solid piece of writing with a plot loosely based on factual events.
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