Reviewed by Alyssa Elmore for Readers' Favorite

Lady Evelyn Carlisle is back in another thrilling Lady Evelyn Mystery! A Darker Shore by Malia Zaidi is a historical mystery novel set in the mid-nineteen twenties. Lady Evelyn Carlisle has been staying at her cousin Briony's house in Crete. The last few months of Crete's magic and Briony's tender love have slowly removed the all too painful memories of the murder that brought she and Daniel Harper together. Surrounded by the love of Jeffery and Briony's new family and Daniel's carefree ways, Evelyn begins healing from her painful past. Wishing she could always live in the paradise of Jeffery and Briony's home, the only person strong enough to draw her away from the warmth of her new family is Daniel.

When Daniel receives a troubling letter, he confides in her, confessing that he must leave the island immediately and travel to France. Daniel surprises her further by asking her to be his traveling companion. Evelyn can't imagine life without Daniel and wants to support him as he bravely faces demons from his painful past, so she agrees. Suddenly she finds herself on a journey so tense and confusing she begins to question her relationship with Daniel, and her unwillingness to face her own unpleasant past. Upon arriving at their mysterious destination, a small French town, they are met with more horror, murder, and tangled webs of deceit. Will Evelyn and Daniel be able to solve the mystery and locate a missing piece of Daniel's past before it is lost forever? How does the murder tie in with Daniel's secret? Will Evelyn and Daniel be able to solve the murder, or will they be haunted by its terrible memories forever?

The second book in the Lady Evelyn Mystery series, A Darker Shore by Malia Zaidi is a beautifully written historical novel with light romantic undertones. I loved the characters, the author's writing style, and her chosen time period. This book brings the Great War to life in ways most movies struggle doing. The author's characters were true to life in that they were struggling to keep their morality whilst keeping up with the times. I loved how the author richly described the scenic town of Amiens and the various other places throughout the book, while still keeping the reader enthralled in the characters' stories. The story line was well developed, and although the book was well over four hundred pages, I didn't want to put it down until I had finished reading it! Even though this is the second book in the series, I had no trouble understanding what had transpired in the previous book. Though the story is missing a death by poison (as most Agatha Christie books have), I would recommend this book to Agatha Christie fans. I can hardly wait to read the next Lady Evelyn Mystery!