Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

Alice’s Shameless Spinster’s Society by Charlotte Stone

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)3 Comments

Alice’s Shameless Spinster’s Society (The Spinster’s Society) (A Regency Romance Book)
Barbara’s Rating:  4 of 5 stars
Series: Spinster’s Society #2
Publication Date: 9/13/17

Another awesome pairing between the Spinster’s Society and the Men of Nashwood. The first book in the series, Lady Lorena’s Spinster’s Society, introduced us to the spinsters and the Men of Nashwood. The Spinster’s Society is growing in number – and their newest member, Alice Wilkins, is our heroine in this book. The story is fast-paced and a real page-turner. You won’t be able to put it down because you’ll just have to see what is going to happen next.

Alice Wilkins’ father is the owner of a gentleman’s club named Wilkins. He is a widower and has raised Alice alone for many years. Alice’s aunt, who is in society, decides that Alice should marry – and marry well – so she has been chaperoning her at a number of balls. Alice doesn’t care for the balls but attends to please her aunt and also to spend time with her cousin Rose who is also out in society.

Alice has been in love with Calvin Lockwood since the first time he walked into her father’s gentleman’s club. He notices her as well but doesn’t let on that he does.

Calvin and his brother Frank have a very low opinion of women and marriage since their mother had many paramours and often left them for long periods of time. Calvin appreciates women for the bed-sport they provide and he’s worked his way through most of the ton – but – things change drastically on the night Alice discovers him in bed with her cousin. Just after that, Alice is shot while trying to protect him.

On the same night Alice is shot, her father goes missing. You’ll love solving the mystery of who tried to kill Calvin and what happened to Alice’s father. You’ll also love watching Alice and Calvin dance around each other on their way to a commitment.

The gentlemen who make up Men of Nashwood are:
Hugh Vance, Marquess of Edvoy;
Sir William Tift
Aaron Walsh, Earl of Jeanshire;
Emmett Starr, Earl of Ashwick and hero of the first book
Julius Hext, Marquess of Darvess;
Francis Cullip, Duke of Valdeston;
Morris Kidd, Duke of Cort;
Rollo Kerry, rich landed gentry;
Franklin Lockwood, very rich landed gentry and older brother to Calvin;
Calvin Lockwood, very rich landed gentry and our hero in this book

“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.”

An Echo of Murder by Anne Perry

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

An Echo of Murder (William Monk, #23)An Echo of Murder by Anne Perry

Barbara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: William Monk #23
Publication Date: 9/19/17

William Monk just keeps on getting better. In many series that have run this long, the stories become repetitive and predictable, but not so with this series. Each new book is exciting and interesting and you never know where it will lead because it is always filled with twists and turns that will keep you guessing right up until the end.

Monk is called out early in the morning to a warehouse near the river. The crime is a grisly murder that has some resemblance to it being ritualistic. The victim is an immigrant from Hungary who was well respected and well liked within his community. Who would want to kill him?

After a week or more of investigation there are no leads and Monk is worn totally out. Then, another early morning call and yet another grisly murder – of a well-liked Hungarian immigrant. Then, they just keep coming – all respectable, well-liked men of the Hungarian immigrant community. Is it somebody with a vendetta against Hungarians? Immigrants? Or are they just random? Monk is sure they are all the work of the same killer because they are all identical.

Hester, Monk’s wife, gets involved because of a very old friend that she thought had died 16 years earlier. Is that old friend the madman killing Hungarians? Surely not – he’s a sweet gentle man. Hester and Monk’s ward (for lack of a better word) also becomes involved in the case because he has befriended and come to admire Fitz, Hester’s old friend.

Did Fitz commit the murders? If not, who did and can they prove any of it? You’ll just have to read it to see because I don’t want to tell too much and spoil the story for you.

I’m already looking forward to Monk #24.

“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.”