About the Book

Book: The Juliet Code

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release Date: December, 2023

Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving

Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine) rumored to hold a secret code to an underground vault of similarly treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery and their beloved Detective Jack disappears, can they use their wits and work as a team to find the thieves and Jack before it’s too late.

The Juliet Code is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse.

My Review:

Oh, Freddy and Grace! I just love this husband and wife sleuth duo. Grace has the imagination to look at all kinds of possibilities as to who might be behind the thefts of the Juliet paintings. Freddy is the logical, methodical partner who can eliminate ideas that are not likely to have happened. Grace leaps, then looks, and of course, Freddy does the opposite. Together, they are perfect in solving this crime.

The Venetian setting and the surrounding islands lends an air of mystery to the case as Freddy, Grace, and their friend, Jack Miracle, must find the paintings and the clues to a rumored treasure before more tragedy strikes. I could imagine seeing the manor home and thought it the perfect place to investigate.

Seeing Grace and Freddy grow in their relationship with each other makes this book more than just a mystery. Grace finds Freddy even more attractive as he uses investigative terms when talking about the Juliet paintings. Freddy discovers even more reasons to love about Grace when they are uncovering clues. I can’t wait to see what other cases they will be solving in the future.

There are so many things to love about this story. Here are some of my favorites:

The City of Masks

Clues to a hidden treasure

A curse

Theatrics

False Identities

The Island of Dreams

Seaside caves

I highly recommend this book. it can be read as a standalone, but reading the other books in the series will give you background information about Freddy and Grace, plus they are really fun to read. You’ll want to read this if you enjoy whodunits, an adorable sleuthing couple, interesting suspects, new friends, and possible romantic relationships.

I received this advanced reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. I was not obligated to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

More from Pepper

The Ever After

I’ve always loved fairytales.

Especially the romanticized version (#romancewriter).

The wonderful sense of a two people meeting, overcoming obstacles to be together, and then the happily-ever-after?

Well, those are some of my favorite reasons to read and write fiction. However, I didn’t realize the challenge I took on when I agreed to write a second and third book with the main characters staying the same!

You know what I mean?

In most series, the main characters from book one become secondary characters in the consecutive books so that the secondary characters in book one can become the main characters in book 2 (everybody still following along? )

One of my favorite book series that do this so well is the Amelia Peabody series. I fell in LOVE with Amelia and Emerson in book one, but just loved watching their continued dynamic as a couple grow with each new book. I felt as if I got to know them so much better in their “ever after” while they engaged in all sorts of adventures together.

So…that’s what I hoped to accomplish with Freddie and Grace.

Where The Mistletoe Countess ends with a happily-ever-after, The Cairo Curse and The Juliet Code take over to show us more of the…ever after – my attempt at showing how two main characters continue to grow beyond the end of book one.

I didn’t realize what a daunting feat it would be. Watching two characters meet, fall in love, and show some growth in book 1 was what I was used to doing. But how was I supposed to continue that character growth in consecutive books?

Well, I had to grow myself as a writer to understand how small changes can make lasting differences especially when writing about a beloved couple.

I think The Juliet Code shows a little of that growth – of our Freddie and Grace have not only matured spiritually and, in Grace’s case, experientially, but also as a couple.

Do you have a series that you love where the main characters stay the same?