The Tainted Snuff Box

Cross Agatha Christie with Georgette Heyer and what do you get? The Prince of Wales feels that some time spent away from London will calm his frazzled nerves. So he escapes to Brighton — where Beau Brummell joins him as a guest. With guards posted at every door, the atmosphere is tense — especially under the scrutiny of Sir Simon. Hired by the Prince as his personal "food-taster," the odious baronet is a poor substitute for the polite company of London society that Beau is used to. Some refinement appears in the form of a new blend of snuff prepared by Beau's good friend Petersham. Sir Simon insists on sampling it before the Prince — only to keel over dead. Now, Beau's friend is suspected of trying to assassinate the Prince. In order to clear Petersham's name, Beau will have to turn his quizzing glass on the crime.

It's the autumn of 1805, and the Prince of Wales, frightened by threatening letters, has moved with his entourage to Brighton to escape the unknown menace. There, during a walk on the beach, his friend Beau Brummell discovers the body of a young lady, whose identity he's moved to discover. Before he can make much progress, Sir Simon, an obnoxious parvenu who has ingratiated himself as the prince's food taster, samples a new blend of snuff belonging to Lord Petersham at a dinner party--with fatal results. Believing he was the intended victim, Prinny orders Beau to find out who put the poisoned snuff in Lord Petersham's box. Petersham himself is a suspect, and it will take the intervention of Brummell and his pet, Chakkri, "the only Siamese cat in England," to clear the lord's name. In the end, the chivalrous Beau risks social ruin to bring the real murderer to justice.

Stevens shows that her familiarity with the era has not bred contempt. Her mastery of the language and knowledge of the conventions and morals of the British aristocracy allow her story to ring true. With a cast of enjoyable characters both real and fictional, and a string of red herrings, hidden motives and plot twists as intricate as a well-tied cravat, this story will delight both historical mystery and Regency fans.

The author smoothly integrates the superficiality of the court with a darker undertone making THE TAINTED SNUFF BOX work as an historical novel and a window on contemporary society. While the tone is light, Stevens adds weight to a well-developed plot that is balanced with historical figures and fictional characters.

What makes this story so enjoyable are the author's characterizations and her effective use of the setting. Stevens knows the era of which she writes intimately and this knowledge enriches her tale.