Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe Mystery #5
Publication Date: 10/10/23
Period: Victorian Edinburgh
Number of Pages: 276
This was an exciting, breath-holding adventure from the first page to the last. We’ve known since the first book that Angus Brodie was born in Edinburgh and lived on the streets surviving any way he could. This story brings us from London back to Edinburgh in search of a murderer – except the murder happened thirty years ago – and the victim was Brodie’s mother. Oh! My!
Needless to say, the murderer doesn’t wish to be caught and goes full-out to stop Brodie, Mikaela, and Brodie’s friend Munro. This murderer has a lot to lose and enough power to stop our sleuths in their tracks – or does he? He certainly goes full-out trying. He’s certainly not averse to murdering again – after all, he’s good at it. With more murders, kidnappings, and arson, you can see how exciting every page is. You’ll hold your breath as Brodie is attacked – then Mikaela – and . . .
I loved that we learned so much more about Brodie in this book. With the life he led, you can only marvel that he escaped and made himself into the man he is. I also loved that Brodie finally made his feelings for Mikaela known – but – she didn’t actually reciprocate – though we know she feels the same. Sadly, the book ended about two, maybe three, paragraphs too soon for me! This sly author ended the book at just the right spot to ensure we come back for more in the next book. Of course, I would have been back anyway.
This book has an exciting, hold-your-breath, mystery, a toe-curling romance, and characters you wish to meet in real life. I love that Mikaela is strong, intelligent, determined, and can take care of herself, yet she is learning to see and show that softer side of herself. This is most definitely a recommended read and I hope you’ll love it as much as I did. Happy Reading!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Uncovering a web of conspiracy that intertwines past and present, can Lady Beatrice and DCI Richard Fitzwilliam catch a killer and unveil the truth of her husband’s death at long last?
BREAKING NEWS Second Senior Police Officer Dies Within a Week
A senior officer from the Protection and Investigations (Royal) Services died unexpectedly yesterday. His death comes hot on the heels of Detective Inspector Ethan Preece (43) from City Police, who died of a suspected heart attack last week. Although he’s not yet been named, the dead officer was a greatly respected public figure, who had served in policing for over thirty years. A PaIRS spokesperson has confirmed that ‘neither men’s death is being treated as suspicious at this time’.
With the senior PaIRS officer dead, so is any hope of reopening the inquiry into Lady Beatrice’s husband’s accident fifteen years ago. Unless, of course, there is something that links the two men to the Earl’s fatal car crash?
Can she and Fitzwilliam, along with their friends, work together to unravel the mystery and catch a killer before the truth is buried forever?
Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in a small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.
I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.
It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes
This is definitely my favorite book of the series so far. Things are going off in every direction and you’ll need your head on a swivel to keep up. It is interesting, engaging, exciting, and a tad bittersweet for Lady Beatrice. With murders, spies, cartels, and things from the past to swat at you, you’ll be so engrossed you’ll lose all track of time.
One of my favorite things is that it was more of an ensemble cast this time around. It wasn’t Lady Beatrice and Perry Juke stumbling across a dead body and then running roughshod over the police investigation to solve the crime themselves. As a matter of fact, this book probably gave Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam as much page time as Lady Beatrice – and their relationship was actually cordial rather than adversarial. I am delighted to see the burgeoning relationship between the two and will be happy to see where it leads.
City Police Detective Inspector Ethan Preece was shot (wounded) during a protection detail for a member of the royal family – but then – he was murdered in his hospital bed. Not many days later, a senior officer with the PaIRS, Protection and Investigations (Royal) Services, was also murdered. DCI Richard Fitzwilliam doesn’t like coincidences, and two police inspectors being murdered within such a short time is just too much of a coincidence for them not to be related. But how? They didn’t work in the same departments. They weren’t friends, though they’d been in the same department many years ago. Fitzwilliam is pretty sure he isn’t going to like the answers when he finds them. He sure is right about that!
Lady Beatrice is interested in the investigation but sees no reason to be involved in it. Except, both of the men were involved in the investigation of her husband’s death more than fifteen years earlier. She’s never been at ease with that investigation and has sought more and more information as the years have passed – but now, with those two officers gone, her inquiries are also at a dead end.
Lady Beatrice, Perry Juke, and Simon Lattimore make a formidable investigating team in this series – and they continue in this book. They are also joined by Emma and Izzy McKeer-Adler whom we’ve also previously met. We also have a short visit with Brett Goodman of the CIA whom we met in the last book. DCI Fitzwilliam and Detective Sergeant Spicer round out the crew along with a new character, Detective Sergeant Hardwick. Can that illustrious lot of folks put the clues together, identify the bad guys, and then thwart them? You bet they can – and they do. Goodness, what an ending!
I can definitely recommend this exciting, well-written, nicely-paced book. If you love a good mystery, red herrings, and seeing the bad guys get their comeuppance, this book is for you.
Does Beatrice get her answers or is this the end of her chance to do so? After all these years, does it really matter? You’ll just need to read the book to see.
Happy Reading!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
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