Hmmm. I really couldn't separate these from the Lady Julia Grey books. They were both set in very similar places, and they're both about murder mysteries. I like the LJG ones better because I like the protagonist more, but I think they're both just not shallow. A bit more than light reading. Not much more than "meh", even without the originality problems.

And whatever you do, don't read the Kirkus review for The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets because I have NEVER read a more spoilery review in my life. Ever. Quite positive but what were they thinking?