A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

Veronica has an opportunity to collect a very rare butterfly and bring it to her museum at home.  She's going to stay on an island with the family that lives there and Stoker's brother is going to accompany her.  Stocker wants to go, too, but his brother tells him to say home...

Berkley sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It was published yesterday.  

Veronica is told she will have to act as his fiance during the stay so they don't scandalize the family.  She's not much worried about her reputation but she agrees.  It's hard for her, though.  He works on trying to charm her and get her in his bed but she turns him down.  She's in love with Stoker but isn't sure what to do about it.  Neither does he.  So they investigate together and remain friends.  She's not surprised when he shows up on their journey and goes to the island with them.

There's a mystery here, too.  Three years ago, Malcolm married a young woman.  She disappeared on her wedding day.  Did she run, did the sea get her, or was she murdered?  No one knows but Veronica wants to find out.

The family is odd, has strange habits and even has odd motivations.  Malcolm's little sister has a poison garden.  The housekeeper is weird.  Malcolm has become a recluse.  Whatever secrets are hidden here are hidden deep.

As they search the buildings, the outside, priest holes and caves, they find nothing.  But then Malcolm goes missing...

This is a tense dramatic tale with romance stitched in.  I love this series and am glad that Stoker and Veronica have admitted they love each other.  They're already on to the next case but maybe one day they'll have enough time talk about their future...