Captain Gabriel Lacey, "White Knight" to an alarming number of damsels in distress, sallies forth integrity intact, once again.  This time he rescues a mysterious woman, obviously every inch a lady, even if she is where no lady should be, from a knife-wielding robber who attacks her on an unfinished bridge in one of the more sordid parts of Regency London.  He offers to escort the distraught lady back to her home but no, not there!  Then how about to the home of his good friend the very respectable Mrs. Brandon, which brings on hysterics and, "You may take me to Hell if you like, but not home and not to Mrs. Brandon for God's sake!"  So he takes her to his home and thus unfolds the story of Lydia Westin, very recent widow of Colonel Westin who had been coerced into confessing to a murder he did not commit!  She begs Lacey to help her clear her husband's name and discover the truth -- though it's quite obvious that she isn't telling all of the truth herself!

Captain Lacey, unjustly cashiered from the Cavalry, is nevertheless very high on honor, duty and justice and instantly offers his help even though he will be in grave danger and will have to put himself even further into debt to a man he despises, a crime lord who deals in information, favors and God knows what else!  Enlisting the aid of his rich and famous friend, Grenville;  his former Sergeant Pomeroy -- now a Bow Street Runner; and even his former friend/mentor Colonel Brandon, knives slash, necks break and bullets fly as Lacey leads the crusade to clear the beautiful Mrs. Westin's late husband, wondering if he'll escape with his life

He's back!  Eager to save the world (or at least the ladies of the world), from crime, injustice and abuse, cashiered Captain Gabriel Lacey returns by the grace of author Ashley Gardner, in A REGIMENTAL MURDER, to wreak havoc on the personal lives of his friends, visit violence upon the baddies and bullies, while he rescues the latest of  his damsels in distress, while naturally enough, falling in love with her.

Our Captain Lacey is a rather complicated character.  He is at times romantic, charming, compassionate, witty -- even perhaps noble once in a while.  But at other times he's a whiny, self-centered prig constantly complaining about money -- or his lack thereof -- and how everybody's always stealing his candles!  Given that he suffers from frequent bouts of "melancholia", that take him two weeks in bed to get over, perhaps he has every right to appear to be a contradiction of his own self.  "The endless green hills, ribbon of road that dipped between hedgerows, and emerald fields dotted with sheep and country cottages", he finds to be a little tiring!  Now that strikes me as about as melancholy as you can get!  Then how does he cope with an obviously distraught somewhat feeble-minded heroine?  Plies her with copious amounts of brandy, puts her to bed and then doses her up with laudanum!  Perhaps that's why he's such a fascinating character! 

Colonel Brandon and his charming wife, Louisa, are still favorites of mine;  he for his bumbling, all-too-human foibles, and her for her great strength and understanding.  The enigmatic underworld villain, James Denis, though obviously evil, is still a puzzle to me.  Why does he want to "own" Captain Lacey?  Offering more and more favors -- vital information -- while "making another entry in Lacey's debit column!"  I'm intrigued with him and would like very much to see him in the next Captain Lacey adventure!  I certainly can't say the same for the character of Lydia Westin;  she's a bit of a wimp, bit of a victim, bit of a bore actually!

A REGIMENTAL MURDER is an exciting, read- it-in-one-sitting novel, thoroughly enjoyable with genuine edge-of-the-seat suspense, and the Allandale finale was great poetic justice -- even though it might have caused another "entry in Lacey's debit column"!  Yes, an eminently satisfying conclusion.  Can't wait to read the next!