Category: Historical Mystery

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro

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

The Highgate Cemetery Murder (Tate and Bell Mystery #1)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Series: Tate and Bell Mystery #1
Publication Date: 2/29/24
Period: 1858 – Victorian London
Number of Pages: 383

I have enjoyed reading this author’s Redmond and Haze Mysteries series, so I was happy to see another series. I do hope that a new series doesn’t mean that Redmond and Haze hasn’t ended.

Gemma Tate is a strong, resilient young woman who served in Crimea with Florence Nightingale. The horrors she saw there did not prepare her for the news she received on November 1, 1858. Her twin brother, Victor, had fallen and was crushed beneath the wheels of an omnibus. Accident or murder? Gemma is quite sure it was murder, but will the police pay any attention to her?

Inspector Sebastian Bell is walking a very thin line at Scotland Yard and he knows the high-profile case he has just been given could very well be his last. A beautiful young woman was discovered in Highgate Cemetery – hanging on a cross with a heart hanging around her neck. Who is she? Whether a prostitute or a Lady, she is referred to as The Angel. Her death was not an easy one – and Sebastian could only wonder what sort of monster could do such things to another human. He desperately wants to solve this case – not to save his career, but because he wants justice for the victim.

I really liked Gemma and Sebastian and look forward to seeing them work together to solve future cases. Sebastian has many demons and it will be interesting to see Gemma help him cast those demons out. The antagonist in this book was one of the nastiest I’ve read and I was gleeful when they were apprehended – along with the accomplices.

If you enjoy a good mystery, this is an excellent selection and I hope you will try it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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A Gentleman in Pursuit of Truth by Grace Burrowes

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

A Gentleman in Pursuit of Truth (The Lord Julian Mysteries #4)Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Lord Julian Mysteries #4
Publication Date: 2/27/24
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 243

I absolutely love this series. It has a unique premise in that the protagonist has come home from the Napoleonic wars as a very broken man – mentally and physically. He holed himself up in a darkened house for almost a year after his return. He was taken prisoner and tortured by the French and somehow managed to escape but wandered injured and helpless through the Pyrenees until he reached friendly territory. His hair has turned pure white, his eyesight is poor and cannot tolerate bright light, he is emaciated, and . . . worst of all . . . his fellow citizens have branded him a traitor and accused him of leaving his older brother to die in the prison camp. He is not a traitor – but the rumors persist nevertheless. I believe that you should read the whole series, in order, so you get and follow the entire background of the characters and their relationships.

Lord Julian, who has solved several mysteries lately, has been summoned to the estate of Osgood Banter to solve the disappearance of a large, prized, foxhound named Thales. Yes, we have the case of the Purloined Puppy. However, when he arrives at the estate and meets all the players, Lord Julian realizes there is much more to solve than a missing canine. Tensions are high – both on the estate and in the surrounding village. It seems the dog’s owner is not greatly esteemed by any of the residents – at home or in the village. So, if Thales’s owner – Anaximander (Nax) Silforth (I know, it is a mouthful, right?) is so disliked by everyone, why is Osgood Banter leaving Nax in total charge of his vast, wealthy estate while he travels the continent? Hmmmm – you will just need to read the story to see, but it is a doozie!

In this book, we have a bit less page time with Arthur, the Duke of Waltham (Julian’s brother), Hyperia (Perry) West (Julian’s love interest), Lady Ophelia (Julian’s Godmother), and Atticus, Julian’s pint-sized outspoken Tiger. They were there but just didn’t have a lot of page time. I really love it when Julian and Perry are bouncing thoughts and ideas off each other.

Trigger warnings – the Duke of Waltham and Osgood Banter are male lovers. I love their relationship as it is longstanding, true, mature, and thoughtful – and that is what is focused on. I also love that the author depicts what a same-gender couple had to deal with during that time rather than writing like it was all buttercups, unicorns, and roses with everyone accepting and celebrating the relationship. Being in a same-gender relationship during that time often got you hanged, but if it didn’t, you were socially ostracized by all levels of society. This author shows that without being preachy about it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the others in the series. I am already anxiously awaiting the next book,
A Gentleman In Search of A Wife. Happy Reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews