This is the first installment of the Art Deco Mystery series that I have read. Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for this e-ARC for an honest review.

As the is the first installment of the series that I have read, I was a little confused at first about character background. However, I do not think it is necessary to read the other two installments first.

The Pearl Dagger follows Lane Sanders, the aide to NYC Mayor La Guardia. However, there is more to lane than just her day time job at a desk. Pearl Dagger starts out with Lane and her investigator report friend Rourke following and later being chased by two men. After climbing out on a ledge about Grand Central Station, The Pearl Dagger shifts to Lane later being sent to London with her boyfriend and NYC Cop Finn by Mayor La Guardia to dig into what is going on with a troublesome woman named Daphne, who is apparently the heir to a gang/mob/troublesome group called the Red Scrolls.

Along the way, Finn has to battle with family drama that he left behind in England after coming to New York. While there, Lane and Finn find about more about not just his family, but hers as well as they meet with people from her parents' passed that are also connected to Daphne.

In London we see cameos from Mr. Winston Churchill (before he was PM), J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Things heat up as Lane and Finn return to NYC, where they are both targets of Daphne and her crew. Between a coworker's funeral, Valentine's Day and some Voodoo MacBeth, will the two live to see another day?

As someone who loves cozy little art deco mysteries, like this I am glad that I got the opportunity to read and review this book.

It reminded me a bit of Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series set around the same time in London. I can't wait to read the first two installments of this series in order to understand more of the character development.