Category: Historical Mystery

Review: Deadly Curse by Carla Simpson

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Deadly Curse (Angus Brodie & Mikaela Forsythe #11)Barbara’s rating: 3.7 out of 5 Stars
Series: Angus Brodie & Mikaela Forsythe #11
Publication Date: 1/28/25
Period: Victorian London – 1892
Number of Pages: 226

In 1892, the whole world was enamored with exploring ancient Egypt. Archaeologists and Egyptologists are thick on the ground digging for antiquities. Sir Nelson Lawrence is one of the few who doesn’t want to exploit Egypt for personal gain. He wants to show their ancient history to the world and teach others to love it as he does. It’s too bad he won’t ever get that chance since his body has been discovered at the base of a large floor-to-ceiling statue of Ramses II. Is it due to a curse? Or a rival archaeologist? Or a collector who wants the artifacts for himself? Or a family member who feels he’s been cheated? Or . . .

The tension mounts as more bodies turn up and Mikaela is attacked. They check out clue after clue and learn little – but just enough to move them forward by a single step. Then, things get even more stirred up when a leader in London’s underworld offers assistance. Is his information good or is he leading them into a trap? If his information is good and proves helpful, what will he want in return?

I always enjoy Mikaela and Brodie along with their entire ensemble cast. We had a couple of new characters added this time and I wonder if they will have recurring roles or if this was a one-and-only for them. First, we had Inspector Todd with the Metropolitan Police. He seems as nasty as Chief Inspector Abberline but with less power. The other new addition was the underworld boss, Mr. Brown, who appears to have a grudging respect for Brodie – but his interests seem entirely self-serving. So, two somewhat interesting characters appeared and it will be interesting to see if they reappear.

While this was an interesting story and the mystery was good, it was not my favorite book of the series. I found it to be more plodding and less exciting than the other books – probably more like a real-life investigation would be. 😊

If an ancient Egyptian curse runs shivers down your spine, you should give this book a try.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Review: The Matter of the Secret Bride by Darcie Wilde

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Matter of the Secret BrideBarbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Useful Woman Mystery #8
Publication Date: 12/24/24
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 448

London is awash in political intrigue with everyone choosing sides in the divorce proceedings between King George IV and his Queen. Some will go to any lengths to help their side win – even murder. Rosalind Thorne, a useful woman who makes her way in the world by assisting ladies with delicate problems, wants no part of any political intrigue. However, it is dumped in her lap and she has to deal with it. If Rosalind is dealing with it, so are her close friends, and it was a delight to visit with them.

I thought the mystery of the disappearance of Mrs. Fitzherbert’s proof of her marriage to the king was good, but things quickly spun out in so many tangents that it was hard to keep up with it all – and I love convoluted mysteries. All the factions pulling one way or another was almost like buckshot – going in every direction. Because there was so much buckshot, I found it difficult to ‘feel’ the stress, doom, and sense of urgency Rosalind felt for herself and her friends.

I enjoyed the page time with Rosalind and Adam and was glad to see some movement there – even if it did wait until the epilogue. This romance has been entirely too slow-burn for my taste and it still isn’t satisfyingly settled after eight books.

I was disconcerted by the portrayal of Stephen Lavender in the book. He was a real-life, renowned Bow Street principal officer frequently in the news because of the cases he solved. This story portrays him in a very unflattering light, so I’m not sure if this author just chose a name from history and didn’t do much research on him – or if she thoroughly researched him and just got a different view. There is another author who writes a historical mystery series based on his real-life cases and the two presentations of the man are very different.

Overall, I enjoyed the mystery and will probably read the next book to see how Adam and Rosalind’s relationship grows (or doesn’t). The mystery had a great premise, but too many tentacles to keep them all straight. It also appeared to me this author might have some sort of hang-up with race, though I fail to see what it might be. Upon introduction, every character is given a race or color, and those labeled ‘white’ get the word with the capital ‘W’. If you are an avid fan of historical mysteries, as I am, you will probably enjoy the basic mystery but will lament the labyrinthine twists and turns it takes. As for me, I wouldn’t read the book a second time and probably wouldn’t purchase it as a gift for a friend without giving explanations.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.