Dance on Blood, by Gillian Linscott (Virago, £9.99 in UK)

A seventh outing for suffragette sleuth Nell Bray, this one has her becoming involved in placing a bomb in a house belonging to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Lloyd George. But instead of being arrested for the offence, she finds herself invited to breakfast at 11 Downing Street by the devious Welshman himself. Seems some highly embarrassing letters have gone astray and he needs her to use her powers of ratiocination to get them back. This leads her into confrontation with barefoot dancer and spy Oriana Paphos and her carnivorous manager, Leon Sylvan. Throw in another fifth columnist, this time in the suffragette movement, and one sees that Nell has to move fast to stay ahead of the posse. Good humour, good writing, and believable characters make for a highly entertaining read. And the historical background adds relish to what is undoubtedly an appetising dish.