A Lethal Trace

Lady Darby must discover if a duke's murder is tied to the secret code in an executed king's messages. . . .

September 1833. Autumn’s first chill is in the air, and Lady Kiera Darby, her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, and their young daughter are bound for London to indulge in the whirl of the little season. But their plans are disrupted by the arrival of a courier bearing an insistent letter from their friend Lord Marsdale. After a prolonged illness, Marsdale’s father, the Duke of Norwich, has died. Except Marsdale fears the duke did not die of natural causes. He begs Kiera and Gage to investigate, even knowing that the loud row Marsdale had with his father the night before he died will undoubtedly make him a suspect.

Marsdale feels certain his father’s death has to do with the recent revelation Norwich made in his life’s pursuit—deciphering the letters of the beheaded King Charles I. For almost two hundred years, scholars have struggled to unravel the code used by the doomed monarch in his missives that were smuggled out of his place of captivity before his execution. Marsdale’s father claimed to have succeeded, but only the duke’s fellow researchers—whom he summoned to his bedside before he died—might know the truth, and they refuse to divulge either the cipher’s meaning or whether they had a hand in Norwich’s ultimate demise.

It's up to Kiera and Gage to unravel the mystery of how the duke died and whether he’d truly cracked the king’s cipher, but someone is equally determined that both riddles remain unsolved and prepared to resort to the direst of measures to ensure it.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs