Bainbridge Island resident Tessa Arlen’s debut novel, “Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman,” was released this week by Minotaur Books and has already gathered praise from critics.

The novel is an elegant mystery tale filled with intriguing characters and fascinating descriptions of life in Edwardian era England.

Lady Montfort has been planning her annual summer costume ball for months with scrupulous care. Pulling together the food, flowers and a thousand other details for one of the most significant social occasions of the year is her happily accepted responsibility. But when her husband’s degenerate nephew is found murdered, it’s more than the ball that is ruined.

The author will host a launch party at Eagle Harbor Book Company in downtown Winslow at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22.

Visit www.eagleharborbooks.com for more information.

Arlen, the daughter of a British diplomat, has lived with or visited her parents in Singapore, Berlin, the Persian Gulf, Beijing and Delhi. She has made her home on Bainbridge for 20 years.