Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

A Duke In The Night by Kelly Bowen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

A Duke in the Night (The Devils of Dover, #1)A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Devils of Dover #1
Publication Date: 2/20/18

I believe this was my first book by Kelly Bowen and I did enjoy it. However, all-in-all, I wouldn’t really class it as a Regency – it ‘feels’ much too modern. It is more like a modern story dressed up like a Regency. I’m giving it 4-stars because I really did enjoy the story. The heroine, Clara Hayward, is very much a contemporary woman, forward-thinking, ‘experienced’, etc. and all of the people surrounding her are very ‘modern’.

August Faulkner, Duke of Holloway, never expected to be a Duke. His father was in debtors prison and August, as a boy of fifteen, spent two years living on the streets. That experience hardened him and he was determined to provide for his sister – not just provide for her, but assure, beyond all measure, that she would never, ever be in reduced circumstances again. August learned to make money and became ruthless in buying businesses and making them successful. He has no room for anything in his life other than the acquisition of money and property. He’s not a bad man, he just has no time in his life for relationships.

Clara’s family is now in reduced circumstances, but they have managed to keep it quiet. The ton still thinks that they are enormously rich. Clara owns and is headmistress of, Haverhall School for Young Ladies. She treasures the school because it was left to her by her mother – but – in order to keep their shipping line afloat, she has to sell it. She doesn’t know that August is the one who has bought it.

Buying the school just whets August’s appetite. He always does a thorough check on the people and businesses he’s planning to buy and when he was checking on the school, he also learned that the Hayward’s were in financial difficulties and thought he’d buy a share of their shipping line. He’s totally shocked when they turn him down.

When August’s sister sneaks off in the middle of the night to attend a summer school in Dover, August takes off after her. He wanted to go to Dover anyway to meet up with the Hayward’s. August definitely gets his eyes opened as he learns more and more about what this school is teaching. Definitely NOT what you’d find in the Regency era!

August and Clara are definitely attracted to each other and have been since they first met ten years ago. They go through a lot of slips and slides before they get their relationship off the ground. Lots of excitement with soldiers, kidnappings, misunderstandings, etc. before they finally get their HEA.

One thing that seemed to be left hanging was – what happened with August’s sister and his man-of-business? They were in love – but no resolution in this book.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

The Woman In The Water by Charles Finch

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Mystery, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Victorian Era (1837-1901)1 Comment

The Woman in the WaterThe Woman in the Water by Charles Finch

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW! I am in awe of Charles Finch and his writing and I’d give this book more than 5-stars if I could. This has to be the absolute best book of the Charles Lenox Mystery series so far. While it is shown as book #0 in the series because it is a prequel, it is actually something like the thirteenth if you count the novellas. The writing is superb, the characters are fully developed and relatable, and the story is fast-paced, engrossing and detailed.

We are introduced to a young Charles Lenox, just twenty-three years of age and newly living in London on his own. He desperately wants to be a detective, but his few forays into it and his interactions with Scotland Yard have been very disappointing. However, being the tenacious young man that he is, Charles perseveres by honing his knowledge of crimes in London, how they are solved and the details behind them. He does that by buying copies of all of the newspapers and cutting all of the crime related articles out and filing them away.

When one of those newspapers carry the text of a letter claiming that the writer had already committed one ‘perfect’ murder and would be committing another soon, Charles knew he had to be involved. He and his valet, Graham, use the timeline given in the letter and find the case the letter writer must be claiming as his perfect crime. They are off to Scotland Yard to show them their conjecture and to offer their services. Of course, Scotland Yard wants no part of their help, but that doesn’t deter Charles. As he digs and learns more and more – he shares it all with Scotland Yard.

While the murder plot was interesting, detailed and engrossing, I think my favorite parts of the book were the more personal parts. Those are skillfully written and poignant, heartwarming, emotional and sad. We meet Charles’ mother and father and learn of the father, Edward’s, medical diagnosis. How Charles, his mother, and brother Edmund – his father too – deal with that is so bittersweet and lovely. I absolutely adored his father and the efforts he made to ensure that he spent time with each of the family members individually and that they knew he loved them. I loved the descriptions of his fence painting – and I loved that when he finally spoke to Charles about his leaving them he said – “The hardest part of losing a person, Charles, is that grief is only an absence. There is nowhere to go to touch it.”

It was fun to meet the younger, more immature versions of people we’ll get to know and love throughout the series. There is Jane, of course. She’s married to someone else and Charles is heartbroken over that. Graham, of course, is one of my favorite people. Then, we meet a very young and very mischievous John Dallington.

I usually don’t read prequels, especially if I know that someone doesn’t last through the series – especially because of a bad end. I am so very, very happy that I made an exception for this book. It is so well written, so well developed and just such a wonderful read that I cannot imagine having missed it.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”