In Deadly Fashion

By Rosemary Simpson

Heiress Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter are about to become more than partners as investigators--they are to be wed at Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. But a killer has designs on ruining the wedding as well as their lives . . .

AUGUST 1891: Prudence has her heart set on wearing her mother's wedding gown on the happy day, but she soon discovers the material has deteriorated so badly that it cannot be refurbished. With time running out, she decides to seek out a new American designer, a woman who trained in the House of Worth, the makers of the original dress in Paris, who now has a shop in New York City.

The gown is nearly complete when the expert seamstress overseeing the project is found dead in the studio, with Prudence's wedding dress slashed to ribbons and scattered over the body. The murder incites a scandal, as client after client deserts the now struggling designer. Now not only must Prudence find the murderer, she must rescue the talented young couturi re's reputation--all while another gown is being hastily sewn.

The police suspect the seamstress's disgruntled lover. Prudence wonders about other designers competing in the cutthroat world of high fashion. But when additional wedding plans start to go awry, it's clear there is an elaborate campaign of sabotage and that either Prudence or Geoffrey or both are being targeted.

Once again they must work as a team to expose whoever is determined to ruin their lives--before the future they've so long dreamed of is left in tatters . . .

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1496741080
• ISBN13: 9781496741080
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A dress to die for

Prudence, the daughter of a judge whose family is of The Four Hundred in NYC society is also newly admitted to The Bar in New York state. Geoffrey, a former Pinkerton man is her partner as a Private Investigator (along with their secretary, an ex-NYPD cop, and others). They are to be married shortly and the dress is under construction (that's another story) by the seamstresses in an up-and-coming new fashion house. They come to see the seamstress, but find her bludgeoned to death, the dress slashed, and blood everywhere. Then the investigating begins and is all I hoped for from this marvelous author! Excellent mystery read and a glimpse into early problems of establishing oneself as a fashion designer. Riveting! I requested and received a temporary uncorrected electronic proof copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Oct 28, 2025 *****review #bookbub #goodreads #thestorygraph #librarything #InDeadlyFashion by #RosemarySimpson #GildedAgeMysteryBk10 @kensingtonbooks #cozymystery #historicalfiction ##goldenagemystery #murderinvestigation #privateinvestigators