Reviewing The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree by Selina Kray.

The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree (Stoker & Bash #2) by Selina Kray 5*
BLURB: When will She open Rebecca Northcote’s box?
Finding lost poodles and retrieving stolen baubles is not how DI Tim Stoker envisioned his partnership with his lover, Hieronymus Bash. So when the police commissioner's son goes missing, he's determined to help, no matter what secrets he has to keep, or from whom.
When a family member is kidnapped, Hiero moves heaven and earth to rescue them. Even if that means infiltrating the Daughters of Eden, a cult of wealthy widows devoted to the teachings of Rebecca Northcote and the mysterious contents of her box. The Daughters' goodwill toward London's fallen women has given them a saintly reputation, but Hiero has a nose for sniffing out a fraud. He will need to draw on some divine inspiration to rattle the pious Daughters.
Like weeds gnarling the roots of Eden's fabled tree, Tim and Hiero's cases intertwine. Serpents, secrets, and echoes from Hiero's past lurk behind every branch. Giving in to temptation could bind them closer together—or sever their partnership forever.

My Review: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. This had all the things I liked about book one and then added a little more on top. An excellent read for anyone who likes melodramatic Victorian mystery novels with a dash of romance. However be warned it does incorporate a lot of factual history that won't be to everyone's taste (SPOILER: baby farming and child murder) . As in the previous book, the two heroes make the story so enjoyable, they fight and love in equally passionate measure and I don't think the whole story would have worked as well without the author's talented depictions of these two men. I must warn you though that this needs to be read after Fangs of Scavo as it is a direct follow on to that book.