Media Coverage

KIRKUS REVIEW: THE HARLOT OF ST. CECELIA'S

AN INSPECTOR GARRETT MYSTERY

by Darcy Graves ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2026

An excellent 1920s-set whodunit with not a (cropped) hair out of place.

"This novel consistently delights, from the spicy title to the last page. Graves excels at throwing in small details (especially regarding apparel) to ground readers in 1923, vividly rendering feathered headbands and cunning silver bugle beads while observing that England is really not the ideal climate for the new, sleeveless fashions. While not written as a gut-busting comedy, the book’s laugh lines land well, as in the description of a disapproving woman who has a face 'so filled with Edwardian displeasure, it appeared to be folding in on itself.'” 

"The motive is credible and the answer clear, with no need to flip back, brow furrowed, to try to understand a convoluted solution. Readers are likely to clock the killer just before the characters do, which is just fine: They’ll get to feel clever while watching the pennies drop for the sleuths. A few minor plot points read as setups for a sequel or series, and if this novel gets the readership it deserves, those follow-ups will surely come. The denouement is perfectly timed, hinting at the possibility of happy endings for the innocent survivors without overselling them. Cozy mystery fans and those eager for an escape to interwar London will find just what they’re looking for in these pages.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/darcy-graves/the-harlot-of-st-cecelias/