THE

SHADOW

OF

LONDON

SERIES

A Victorian Mystery Series

KM ROY

BOOKS

Main Characters

Characters

Kavanagh Family

Ashbourne Family

Devlin Michael Kavanagh

Journalist • Irishman • Professional Troublemaker

Age in Book One: 22
Born: Dublin, Ireland
Occupation: Printer and journalist; later owner of The Morning Chronicle
Known For: The Kavanagh grin, unruly brown hair, ink-stained fingers, fierce loyalty, an unreasonable attachment to muffins, and falling hopelessly in love with a woman considerably more dangerous than he anticipated.
Favorite Book: The Sherlock Holmes Series

Meet Devlin

Devlin Michael Kavanagh enters The Shadow of London as an ordinary young Irishman trying to make his way in London with ink on his hands, stories in his head, and very little idea that his life is about to become anything but ordinary.Warm, curious, intelligent, and wonderfully incapable of hiding what he feels, Devlin possesses the rare ability to move from serious journalist to complete gobshite in a matter of seconds.He is deeply compassionate without being solemn, romantic without meaning to be, stubborn when frightened, and fiercely protective of the people he loves. His emotions live openly across his face—particularly in his eyes—and when Devlin genuinely smiles, he smiles with all of it.That broad, almost childlike Kavanagh grin becomes one of his defining features.Behind the humor, however, is a man capable of extraordinary devotion. Devlin loves completely. He can challenge injustice in one breath, cry openly over his wife in the next, and shortly thereafter become embroiled in a personal argument with one of his children's toys.Such is Devlin Kavanagh.

Appearance

Devlin has a fuller, youthful face with strong but softened masculine features, expressive light eyes, naturally prominent brows, and a wide, slightly crooked smile.His brown hair carries a subtle natural wave. When combed, it is neat and professional; after a restless night, those same waves have a tendency to point in whichever direction they please.His beard is kept short and reasonably tidy—not because Devlin has cultivated a fashionable look, but because shaving has once again become something he intends to do tomorrow.

The Devlin Effect

Warm. Quick-witted. Curious. Playful. Emotional. Protective. Stubborn. Romantic. Occasionally ridiculous.Devlin does not possess the polished detachment of the traditional Victorian gentleman.He laughs loudly.He loves openly.He gets annoyed.He gets frightened.He cries.He makes terrible jokes.And when the people he loves are threatened, the lighthearted young journalist disappears remarkably quickly.

A Note From The Author

Devlin bears a rather suspicious resemblance to actor Jamie Dornan.This was not entirely intentional.Every time we attempted to redesign Devlin, change his features, broaden his face, alter his nose, adjust his jaw, modify his hair, or otherwise convince the AI that this man is not Jamie Dornan, Jamie somehow returned.We even brought in reinforcements.Different facial structures. Different noses. Different hair. Different cheekbones.Jamie returned.We have therefore concluded that Jamie Dornan has secretly rigged the AI to ensure that he remains Devlin Kavanagh.We have absolutely no evidence of this whatsoever.At this point, however, we're sticking with the theory.For the record: Devlin Kavanagh is an original fictional character. Jamie Dornan is simply refusing to leave his face alone.

Kelly Family

Vanella Louise (Kelly) Kavanagh

Patrick Arthur Kavanagh

Elizabeth Catherine Ashbourne

Aristocrat• The Gemini • Delightfully Curious

Age in Book One: 20
Born: London, England
Occupation: The Gemini — the Queen's Shadow
Known For: Striking green eyes, impeccable manners, an inconveniently curious mind, fierce protectiveness, a talent for disappearing into London's shadows, and discovering that stealing an Irishman's bowler hat is an extraordinarily effective method of flirtation.

Meet Eliza

Lady Eliza Ashbourne enters The Shadow of London as a young aristocratic woman who appears to have everything Victorian society expects of her.Beauty. Breeding. Wealth. Education. Impeccable manners.And absolutely no interest whatsoever in finding a husband.Eliza has other things to do.Beneath the gowns, laughter, and easy charm is the Gemini—the Queen's Shadow, an inherited position that has shaped her life since childhood. Trained to observe, investigate, protect, and when necessary fight, Eliza moves comfortably between aristocratic drawing rooms and the darker corners of London.Yet the Gemini is only part of her.The woman behind the title is warm, playful, intellectual, mischievous, and endlessly curious. She laughs easily, loves deeply, notices nearly everything, and has inherited enough of James's sense of humor to occasionally say things no respectable Victorian lady ought to say aloud.Then she notices Devlin Kavanagh across a ballroom.And for the first time, Eliza's legendary curiosity becomes considerably less professional.

Appearance

Eliza is petite, with a compact, toned build that gives very little indication of the physical training beneath her gowns. Her face is youthful and expressive, with full cheeks, dark brows, a softly shaped nose, and striking green eyes that have an unfortunate habit of revealing her amusement.Her long, dark brown hair is meticulously maintained. In society, it is usually pinned or half-pinned in the elegant styles expected of a young aristocratic woman.When Eliza becomes the Gemini, her hair is drawn into a long braid. What began as practicality eventually became ritual—a small, familiar act that helps quiet her mind and center herself before stepping into the shadows.

The Eliza Effect

Elegant. Warm. Curious. Playful. Intellectual. Protective. Stubborn. Mysterious. Sneaky. Occasionally inappropriate.Eliza has the poise of an aristocrat without the inclination to behave like a snob.She laughs.She teases.She asks questions.She notices what other people overlook.She will happily disappear from a tedious conversation.She has very little patience for bullies.And if someone cannot defend themselves, Eliza has an unfortunate tendency to place herself between them and whoever intends to cause harm.What she finds considerably harder is allowing someone else to do the same for her.When Eliza is hurt, frightened, or overwhelmed, she retreats. She buries herself in work, seeks solitude, and would much rather regain her composure privately than allow anyone to see her vulnerable.Then Devlin Kavanagh arrives and begins making that strategy remarkably difficult.

A Note From The Author

Eliza bears a rather suspicious resemblance to actress Jenna Coleman.This was not entirely intentional either.We tried changing her.Her nose changed. Her eyes became green. Her face became fuller. Her build became smaller and more athletic. Her hair was pinned, braided, curled, restyled, and repeatedly rescued from the inexplicable winds that apparently follow Victorian women everywhere.We even attempted to blend her features with other faces.Jenna kept coming back.Eventually, we surrendered.Apparently, Devlin has spoken.That's his Eliza.

Author

Kimberly Roy is a writer and creator based in Plymouth, Massachusetts, who writes under her pseudonym KM Roy. She never set out to become an author; she began by writing her parenting blog, Tea With Honey, after years of other parents asking how she raised such remarkably well-behaved children. What started as practical advice turned into something deeper — a memoir written for her own kids, giving them a chance to know her not just as their mother, but as a woman shaped by her past. The process was healing, honest, and unexpectedly transformative.From there, Kimberly discovered her love for storytelling. A lifelong fan of mysteries, scandals, love stories, and especially historical fiction, she built the Shadow of London series from her fascination with England, Ireland, and Scotland — places she fell in love with through true history and her own genealogy research. Readers often tell her that her characters feel like real people: they argue, tease, gather around dinner tables, and love each other with the kind of fierce devotion that only comes from family.That’s no accident. The Kavanaghs and Kellys are inspired by the joyful chaos of Kimberly’s own household — a home filled with laughter, Nerf dart ambushes, and the kind of warmth that makes newcomers instantly part of the family.
When she isn’t writing, Kimberly runs her design studio, KMRoy Designs, where she creates digital graphics and designs her own book covers. She shares her home with three dogs whose personalities could fill a novel on their own: Sophie and Miley, two Cavachon princesses with opinions, and an Aussie Labradoodle who watches TV and gets into trouble with impressive creativity.Easy going, quick to laugh, and allergic to negativity, Kimberly writes stories that feel like home — full of love, resilience, and the kind of family you can’t get enough of. She hopes readers fall for the Kavanaghs, Ashbournes, and Kellys the same way she did: completely and forever.