If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eagerly awaiting Miss Scarlet and the Duke Season 4! And, if you’re that much like me, you are probably already craving more stories with its dynamic.
Eliza and William are, without a doubt, one of our favorite ships on TV right now. The appeal isn’t just their slow burn in a world where networks cancel shows willy-nilly and slow burns never actually spark. It’s their shared history, their shorthand, their ability to annoy each other one moment and comfort each other the next. It’s watching William become completely undone by the revelation that he loves her and seeing Eliza fight against being vulnerable, even though her own heart is telling her otherwise.
In other words: it’s the good stuff, folks.
So what else is a romance lover like me to do, but pull together a list of reading recommendations? I’ve scoured my shelves for some old favorites and new discoveries perfect for Miss Scarlet fans. Get your shopping list or library card ready, and happy reading!
Hell’s Belles series by Sarah MacLean
We think Eliza Scarlet would get along very well with MacLean’s merry band of feminist vigilantes. Loosely inspired by the exploits of a real-life, all-female gang in Victorian London, the series features a group of women who buck what society expects of them. Instead, they turn their considerable talents to righting wrongs, protecting the downtrodden, and taking care of business when the rest of society looks the other way.
The series kicks off with Bombshell. Sesily, a titled lady with a scandalous reputation, uses that reputation for acts of protection or revenge. That, of course, frustrates Caleb, her sister’s business partner. The next, Heartbreaker, follows Adelaide, a thief-turned-wallflower who helps women get out of unwanted matches, and Henry, a duke who is pursuing the same quarry as Adelaide. The third book, Knockout, is the one that will really speak to Miss Scarlet and The Duke fans! Imogen, a lady of privilege (and considerable explosives and investigative talents), has a head-butting relationship with ever-exasperated Scotland Yard detective Thomas. Solving crimes and protecting the downtrodden with a healthy helping of slow-burn romance — this series has it all.
Find Bombshell, Heartbreaker, and Knockout on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Ladies Most Scandalous series by Manda Collins
Collins’s novels take place nearly 20 years before Eliza Scarlet and William Wellington solve crimes and trade yearning gazes. Still, the energy of this historical romance-meets-mystery series is exactly right for Miss Scarlet and The Duke fans. The first book in the series, A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, features Lady Katherine, a young widow and intrepid newspaper columnist. Her reporting leads to an arrest in a murder case, only to set off a new series of dangerous events. When she witnesses another crime, she comes up against Detective Inspector Andrew Eversham, who is not impressed by her wit and insights (spoiler: he totally is, actually).
The following three books are all packed with plenty of banter and romantic tension alongside solving crimes. There’s An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire, in which exes have to trust each other to solve a kidnapping. A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes features a false identity, a murder accusation, and a fake betrothal. A Governess’s Guide to Passion and Peril (out March 26) is a second-chance romance between longtime friends set against the backdrop of solving a murder.
Find A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire, A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes, and A Governess’s Guide to Passion and Peril on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller
We’ve got a heroine stumbling to save her struggling family business, a hero trying to solve a mystery, and a whole lot of feelings that neither of them is willing to address head-on. And if that doesn’t sound like exactly what Miss Scarlet and the Duke fans are used to! This historical romance-mystery hybrid whisks readers to 1870s Vienna, where Maria’s family has long owned a glittering hotel, but it’s fallen on hard times and is no longer the center of society it once was.
It is, however, the center of a mystery that has drawn American spy Eli Whittaker to Vienna. In pursuit of a double agent selling American secret codes, he turns up at Maria’s hotel, where he saves her life — twice! — from the mysterious assassins targeting her. They flirt, fight, and investigate an intercontinental plot, all while trying to keep each other out of danger. William and Eliza would absolutely approve.
Find Hotel of Secrets on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise
Lovise’s new book (out January 23) is the start of a new series, The Secret Society of Governess Spies, centering on… well, exactly what the name says. We meet an underground network of spies trained and placed as governesses in prominent households across Britain. Rather than a PI like Eliza, our heroine is Emily, a con woman with a dark past who is recruited into the network by a mysterious woman with her own secrets.
Emily goes on assignment to work in the household of a prominent family of the ton, just as a serial killer goes on the loose, targeting working-class women and sex workers in particular. Soon, she begins looking into the mystery, but that’s not all. She also connects with Zach, a police detective with a railroad fortune that forces him into ballrooms he hates. Fast-paced and full of romantic tension, it’s a great pick for anyone longing to see more crime-solving team-ups between capable women and the men who not-so-secretly think they’re amazing.
Find Never Blow a Kiss on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales
There’s a level of quirkiness in this mystery that differs from Miss Scarlet and The Duke‘s gritty Victorian setting. But if you’re here for a feisty crime-solving woman teaming up with a grumpy detective, this is a great choice for you! The book gleefully parodies Regency tropes in the all-too-proper town of Swampshire. Crime-obsessed Beatrice sticks out like a sore thumb, but her fascination with solving crimes comes in handy. She, her family, an assortment of neighbors and strangers, and one mysterious detective, find themselves in a locked-room murder mystery. If you love elements of Miss Scarlet but usually prefer comedies, try this one on for size.
Find A Most Agreeable Murder on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
The Secret Scientists of London series by Elizabeth Everett
Rather than professional detectives, the heroines of Everett’s series are members of a club for female scientists in Victorian London. They all share connections with men who are stoic and guarded except for when they are a Total Mess over the women they love. Love watching William slowly become a hot mess (in every sense) over Eliza? Buckle in for a new favorite series!
The series starts with A Lady’s Formula for Love. Clandestine scientist and noblewoman Violet and reserved protection officer Arthur must put up with each other. Soon, however, threats to Violet’s secret society could send all her hard work up in smoke. A Perfect Equation follows Letitia, a mathematician who loves romance novels, and Grey, the viscount who once insulted her and now is an emotionally-closed-off spy. A Love by Design brings engineering into the equation, with widowed engineer Margaret and George, her first love. Plus, a bonus: 2024 will see the release of The Love Remedy, a similar new series from Everett starring a female apothecary and the single-father PI she hires!
Find A Lady’s Formula for Love, A Perfect Equation, A Love by Design, and The Love Remedy on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
A Talent for Duplicity by Alissa Johnson
Miss Scarlet and the Duke Season 4 finally shows us how William started out his career with Eliza’s father (and Eliza herself) in a well-publicized flashback episode. If that kind of backstory intrigues you, check out Johnson’s historical romance-plus-mystery. Years ago, Scotland Yard detective Owen earned acclaim for a case, but no one knew that he worked with an infamous thief and his daughter Lottie. Now, years later, Owen is a private investigator and reappears in Lottie’s life. They’re still on opposite sides of the law, but the tension between them hasn’t faded with time — if anything, it’s grown even stronger.
Find A Talent for Trickery on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn
Set around the same era as Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Raybourn’s series introduces us to Veronica Speedwell. She’s an Eliza-esque heroine with a complicated family history and an ability to kick plenty of butt. In the first book, A Curious Beginning, she sets off to pursue science and romance, only to thwart her own kidnapping. Throughout the series, Veronica pursues knowledge and solves mysteries, alongside a quirky supporting cast.
Of course, Veronica isn’t without her share of romance. She finds an unlikely ally in Stoker, a grumpy and reclusive natural historian. Anyone who loves Eliza and William’s slooooow burn will love watching Veronica and Stoker’s relationship unfold. It’s a lengthy series, clocking in at nine books and counting, but it’s worth the time commitment!
Find A Curious Beginning and the rest of the Veronica Speedwell books on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas
The Lady Sherlock series is exactly what it says it is! Thomas’s historical mysteries retell the classic Sherlock mysteries, but with an upper-class lady, Charlotte Holmes, at the center. Charlotte, like Eliza Scarlet, has an inquisitive mind and a big heart. When her family comes under suspicion of a crime, she investigates, with the help of some eccentric allies.
Many of the mysteries riff on classic Holmes tales, while others are more original. And, yes, there’s romance to be had, too. Charlotte shares an angsty, star-crossed connection with one Lord Ingram, a man stuck in a loveless marriage. The series contains eight books so far, so buckle in for another slow burn! It’s a true mystery series but with a complicated romance dynamic beyond a basic will-they-won’t-they.
Find A Study in Scarlet Women and the rest of the Lady Sherlock books on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
Hear me out on this one! Alyssa Cole’s Loyal League series isn’t a Victorian romance nor a mystery. It’s the story of Elle, a formerly enslaved woman who spies for the Union during the American Civil War. While on assignment, she meets Malcolm, a detective on a similar mission. Although they soon fall head over heels, they also have hard decisions to make. Should they fight for their love — or for the fate of the nation?
One of the most intriguing dynamics in Miss Scarlet and The Duke is that Eliza, not William, is the one who holds back more emotionally. Why is that? It’s because she has a clearer picture of the costs and the forces against her. It takes time for William to truly understand her fight, rather than just being exasperated by it. By virtue of her gender, she always has more to lose. Elle’s arc reminds me of Eliza’s, in a way. Even though Malcolm works to understand her and is furious on her behalf, he can never know what she knows as a Black, formerly enslaved woman. She has more at stake, so it’s harder for her to “let go” and feel risky feelings. This book isn’t quite as “cozy” as Miss Scarlet, but its rich history and characters are worth the read.
Find An Extraordinary Union on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Are there any books on your list similar to Miss Scarlet and The Duke that we should check out? Let us know in the comments below.