Tears of Pearl

Tears of Pearl takes Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily series to Ottoman Constantinople, where Emily and her new husband Colin Hargreaves are on a honeymoon that turns into an investigation when a young Englishwoman is found murdered in a harem they have been trying to gain access to. The setup is more ambitious than the previous three books, and the success is partial.

The harem scenes are where Alexander's research is at its most thorough, and the book is at its best when Lady Emily is talking with the women of the inner court rather than chasing the case. The investigation itself involves an English Embassy intrigue that I found less compelling than the domestic chapters.

Three stars. A pleasant read but not as tight as A Poisoned Season or And Only to Deceive. Recommended as part of the series rather than as a standalone.