A waltz on the wild side

A missing-person case animates Ridley's raucous and somewhat overcrowded sixth Wild Wynchesters Regency (after Hot Earl Summer). Aspiring playwright Vivian Henry, 28, devotes much of her life to looking after her idealistic 18-year-old cousin, Quentin, the illegitimate, mixed-race son of a nobleman. Quentin idolizes the Wynchesters, a famed adoptive family of "do-good scoundrels" with a hodgepodge of extraordinary talents, while Viv, an immigrant from Demerara (present-day Guyana), where she was enslaved, resents the Wynchesters' privilege and apparent disregard for the consequences of their heroics. When Quentin goes missing, however, Viv turns to the Wynchesters to track him down--and feels immediately drawn to "insufferably handsome" Jacob, an animal handler and a pseudonymous poet. He's eager to help, but a frustrating lack of follow-up questions during the initial meeting leads to miscommunication and a mid-book revelation that feels obvious from the jump. Meanwhile, Viv and Jacob are in lust at first sight, and it's fun, if somewhat dizzying, to watch as Viv's case dovetails with several other zany crimes the Wynchesters are looking into. Underneath the chaotic hijinks runs a current of thoughtful social commentary as Ridley emphasizes how her Black leads' contrasting life experiences have given rise to differing relationships to power and oppression. Despite some hiccups this time out, Ridley remains very good at what she does. (Aug.)

A fiery playwright and a quiet poet work together to find a missing cousin. Unlike the rest of London, Vivian Henry isn't impressed by the Wynchester family, though her younger cousin Quentin is obsessed with them. Viv's more focused on making ends meet with her daily advice column, keeping the house in working order, and sending her plays to every theater in London, to no avail. But when Quentin disappears, she realizes that the only people who can help are those irritating Wynchesters. Jacob Wynchester is generally more interested in poetry and animals than other people, but he's instantly captivated by Viv, despite her prickliness, and takes the lead on the search. After some miscommunication and mishaps, the Wynchesters finally make progress on the case, thanks in part to help from the extremely observant Viv, who finds that she fits in much better with the family than she ever would have guessed. And though the search for Quentin is becoming increasingly desperate, everyone but Viv and Jacob can tell that an attraction is building between them. Ridley's Wynchesters are now a beloved family of historical romance, and they more than live up to their madcap reputation throughout this chaotic ride of a book. Jacob's quiet warmth provides a much-needed counterpoint to the intensity of the story; in addition to Quentin's kidnapping, the book centers Viv's history of having been enslaved on a plantation in Demerara (now known as Guyana) and her escape to England, both key to understanding her character. Thanks to Ridley's skillful writing, the story deftly balances the serious parts of the plot against the classically zany Wynchester antics and, eventually, steamy intimate scenes. Jacob seems likely to be the last of the six Wynchesters to find his happily-ever-after, and though new readers might be a little overwhelmed, fans will be glad that the series ends on a high note. Another well-written, complex story about Regency London's most accomplished (and unusual) fictional family. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.