Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Veronica Speedwell #10
Publication Date: 3/3/26
Period: Victorian
Number of Pages: 336
Stoker and Veronica find themselves in a rare state of ennui, brought on by a disappointing lack of recent adventure. Veronica, in particular, is wishing for a bit of excitement to come their way—and Inspector Mornaday of Special Branch delivers exactly that. He arrives with a most unusual case: a young aristocrat found dead, his body completely drained of blood, with two small puncture marks along his jugular. Officially, the death has been ruled natural causes, and Mornaday has been expressly forbidden from investigating. Naturally, that doesn’t sit well with anyone involved. What?!
The case takes an intriguing turn when Veronica argues—quite seriously—that vampires may exist, while Stoker firmly insists they do not. Their resulting wager adds a layer of amusement, even as the mystery deepens. There is, after all, a man who presents himself very much like a vampire (without ever quite saying so), accompanied by a self-proclaimed witch. People seem to fall under their influence—but how?
The path to the truth is long and winding, weaving through a wide array of characters: aristocrats, eccentric American millionaires, retired schoolteachers, and struggling newspaper journalists. Each plays a role in unraveling the mystery. But time is running short, and the stakes rise dramatically as it becomes clear that Stoker himself may be the next target.
I love this series, but I have to admit I experienced a bit of my own ennui for much of this book. The pacing felt slow, and the story didn’t fully engage me—though that may have been a matter of my reading mood at the time. That said, things pick up significantly around the 80–85% mark, and from there it’s a rush of nonstop action leading to a truly whiz-bang finale.
One element that particularly frustrated me was the handling of a certain villain, who is not only allowed to escape but whose actions are, to some extent, defended. WHAT?! Considering what nearly happened to Stoker—an unconscious man with a knife poised over his heart—it’s hard to accept that outcome.
While this is my least favorite book in the series and not one I’m likely to revisit, it does offer some interesting development among the supporting characters. I’m curious to see how those threads play out in future installments.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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