Court of Mystery

Murder is a royal affair in this enchanting series by Sarah E. Burr. Welcome to the Realm of Virtues, where mystery and intrigue await. Before the Court of Mystery, Jacqueline Arienta Xavier reigned as the Ducal Detective.

Before the Court of Mystery, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier reigned as the Ducal Detective. Murder is a royal affair in this enchanting prequel series by Sarah E. Burr. In this captivating novella introducing the realm of virtues, Jacqueline Arienta Xavier is the newly crowned Duchess of Saphire after her parents' carriage is found overturned on their way to a knights' tournament. While at first the tragedy is deemed an accident, the Duchess discovers a sinister plot in the heart of her own duchy.

For her first official trip as Duchess of Saphire, Jacqueline Arienta Xavier arrives at the Duchy of Mensina, home to her fierce and cunning grandfather, the duke. What starts off as a celebration for tournament champions takes a ghastly turn when a reclusive knight is found dead in his tent. The duchess must race to apprehend the culprit before those closest to her pay for the crime....

Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier is looking forward to the maiden voyage of the Rose of the Sea, a grand luxury ship commissioned by Isla DeLacqua, an island duchy and ally of Saphire. What is meant to be a reunion of old friends quickly takes an eerie turn when mysterious disappearances begin happening aboard the new ship.

As winter settles across the land, Jacqueline Arienta Xavier travels north to Lysandeir to discuss the future of the infamous wilds of Cetachi. When a young woman unexpectedly dies the night the Saphire delegation arrives at the summit, the duchess senses a darkness looming over the gathering. While others dismiss the woman's death as accidental, Jax knows something more sinister is afoot.

As her royal wedding approaches, Jacqueline Arienta Xavier cannot help but feel a shadow of unease in her mind. Surrounded by her dearest friends, she is horrified to learn her lady-in-waiting has been attacked and kidnapped by unknown assailants just days before the ceremony. Determined to bring Uma back home safely, the Duchess begins to question the loyalties of all her guests, even her fiancé, Perry. Can Jax track down the culprits before they do something drastic, or is Uma only the first victim in a rebellion against the throne?

With her new husband by her side, the Duchess looks to reform the Realm of Virtues, promoting equality and advancement for all. Her vision, while pure at heart, is seen as a play for power by other leaders, and opposition grows fierce. Will the Duchess be able to restore peace throughout the Realm of Virtues, or will she be forced to retreat into the shadows?

What's a little blood among brothers? The Duchess is forced to find out in Burdened Bloodline, the next chapter of the Court of Mystery saga. Still coming to terms with the deadly events of her romantic getaway at Ogdam Oasis, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier is eager to leave the deserts of Kwatalar behind. She rides to her allies in the Duchy of Pettraud, determined to put the War Council in motion.

Leaving behind her newly crowned husband to oversee Pettraud, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier returns home to Saphire for the first time in months. While the War Council looms ever closer, the Duchess is eager to get back to work upon her return to the duchy. Yet, soon after her homecoming, a harrowing attack within the halls of the palace forces Jax to flee from court.

In Crown of Chaos, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier makes her way north to the wilds of Cetachi to attend the long-awaited War Council. After spending the last several months evading her enemies, Jax is ready to face her adversaries head-on to fight for equality and freedom throughout the Realm of Virtues. With the sovereigns of the realm gathered together for the first time in recent memory, Jax is prepared for anything to happen...except stumbling across a grisly murder.

Barely recovered from injuries sustained during battle, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier heads south to the Duchy of Hestes to claim its vacant throne. As she prepares for her upcoming coronation, she receives troubling news from a professor at the realm's famed Academy. Newly discovered documents have been unearthed, suggesting the throne of Hestes may indeed belong to another.

A cryptic letter arrives at the Kwatalarian capital after Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier has claimed her throne. Weeks after her mysterious disappearance, Jax's aunt has finally been spotted. The good news ends there. Saphire's spies report that Lady Amia is being held captive somewhere deep in the jungles of Zaltor. With tensions between Duke Percival Pettraud nearing their boiling point and Captain George Solomon off scouring the Beautraudian wilds, Jax decides to throw caution to the wind and sets out to rescue her aunt on her own.

With the grim aftermath of the War Council behind her at last, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier is ready to head home to Saphire. Now seated on the thrones of Hestes, Kwatalar, and Crepsta, Jacqueline longs to return to her beloved duchy to regroup with her allies and extinguish the threat growing within Pettraud. Yet, on the eve before her departure, Jax receives an invitation from Duchess Persephone, the new sovereign of Tandora.

Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier has returned to Saphire at long last. After months of being away from her homeland, Jax is looking forward to spending her days working to better the lives of her people. Yet, shortly after her return to court, Jax receives a letter from the Earl of Croxfordshire, requesting her presence at an engagement party for the Earl's nephew, Yanis, and Lady Uma Dorrow. Happy to celebrate Uma's upcoming nuptials, Jax, Perry, and their friends set out for what is sure to be a joyous weekend full of love and laughter.