I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate—including Norland & Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father’s partner and protégé—to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London’s Barton Street.

But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery: a suspicious substance in their father’s teacup—one that can only be described as poison. And poison, as Marianne’s father taught her, always points to murder.

It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won’t bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father’s murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort—and it might even lead to love.

Short and Sweet Review

When Elinor Dashwood finds her father dead at his desk she knows that hardships are coming. The Dashwood sisters and their mother are forced out of the house by John, their half brother and his wife. Before they leave their house the girls discover a substance in their father’s teacup and now the girls are searching for a murderer.

Elinor and Marianne are our main characters here and we also see their younger sister Margaret in the mix. Elinor is the eldest and she likes to shield her family from things she thinks would be too painful for them to bear, she also the most responsible. Elinor wants to be a scientist she just hasn’t found something that she wants to specialize in. Margaret is the middle sister and she was working as her father’s partner at Norland & Company, the family’s private investigation firm. But when her brother and his wife take over Norland & Company, Marianne has no choice but to find new clients and prove herself as a worthy investigator. Once Marianne learns that her father could have possibly been murdered she and Elinor take this as a chance to investigate and find out who could have wanted their father dead. Margaret is the youngest sister and an aspiring writer. She’s younger and doesn’t always get to go out with Elinor and Marianne but she does provide them with good insight. There’s a few other characters we meet like Brandon, Edward, and Willoughby.

I liked that the girls had different interest like Science and Investigating. Both Elinor and Marianne were pivotal in solving what happened. It was fun following the girls around while they found clues and tried to decipher what they meant and how everything fit together. I will say that the culprit wasn’t who I was expecting. The ending was great but my favorite part was the epilogue. I’m excited to read the next book. Sense and Second-Degree Murder had me hooked from beginning to end, the characters are great and so is the mystery!