I don’t read a lot of books set in Tudor England (I find it a rather dismal period) but I love a good historical mystery, and I really enjoyed this book, which was sent to me by author Mary Lawrence. I violated one of my reading rules by coming into this series at Book Three, … Continue reading
I loved the first book about Constance Kopp, Girl Waits with Gun, and this one thankfully gave me more of the same. In this book, Constance really wrestles with the responsibilities of her job as a female deputy sheriff in 1915, when a dangerous convict escapes on her watch. To make matters worse, the sheriff … Continue reading
If you’ve finished the Lady Julia Grey series, you’ll be excited about this new series by Deanna Raybourn. Raybourn seems to have started three other series in the last few years (A Blade of Summer Grass, City of Jasmine, and Night of a Thousand Stars), so I’m not quite sure if this one will stick. … Continue reading
Mysteries are a perfect genre for informing readers about difficult political or historical issues. The Unquiet Dead is a perfect example. It begins with a case about a Canadian man who falls off a cliff. But it delves into much more sensitive matter when it’s discovered that the dead man is actually a war criminal … Continue reading
I don’t usually review a Book 2 in a series, but I wanted to write about this one because I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the first. I love a good historical mystery, and Bess Crawford is a strong character as a British World War I nurse serving in France. The first book … Continue reading
This was a fun book that combines a 19th century mystery with fairy tale folklore and a good dose of modern-day snark. Ophelia and Prudence are friends traveling to Europe for an acting job. Along the way, they lose their jobs and lie their way into maid positions with Mrs. Coop, who has a castle … Continue reading
Twelfth Night is a novella in the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn. I’m not really a big fan of these novellas that all the series authors seem to be required to write. It just isn’t long enough to tell a satisfying story. And while I love the Julia Grey series, I’m equally as … Continue reading
This was the last book I finished in 2013, and it was a great way to close the year! I was struggling halfway through A.M. Homes, May We Be Forgiven, and needed something light, and Sweetness was on my shelf. To be honest, I’d put off reading this book in the fear it would be … Continue reading
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice is Laurie R. King’s take on Sherlock Holmes towards the end of his career. In this first book of a series, Holmes meet fifteen-year-old Mary Russell, an independent girl who is as clever and observant as he is. As the title suggests, he begins tutoring her in the ways of detective work, … Continue reading
I was excited about this book, because I’ve been looking for a good historical mystery to sink my teeth into for a while. I love the Monk series by Anne Perry, and I used to like C.S. Harris’ Sebastian series, but it’s gotten a little repetitive and less historical. The other books that get recommended … Continue reading
My book reviewing has been a little fluffy lately, and this won’t be an exception. I figure reading War and Peace gives me a pass for a while on the heavy stuff. This is book five of the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn. I reviewed the previous book, Dark Road to Darjeeling, here. … Continue reading
At this point in my mid-winter doldrums, it was definitely time for something fluffy. If you like Victorian mysteries with a little bit of romance, you can’t do better than Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series. Each of these books is better than the next, and it’s fluff I don’t feel too guilty about reading … Continue reading
