Category: Historical Mystery

Violet and the Bow Street Runner by Emily Larkin

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

Violet and the Bow Street Runner (Garland Cousins #2)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Garland Cousins #2
Publication Date: 2/20/22
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 456

Whew! This was a truly entertaining read and it was just what I needed in this very stressful year. The characters are bright, funny, entertaining, smart, and serious, and they’ll make you laugh out loud, smile, chortle, guffaw, and shake your head. You could feel the chemistry between Perry and Violet coming right off the page, and when you add an excellent mystery on top of that – well – you just won’t be able to put the book down.

Lady Violet Garland, the spinster daughter of the Duke of Sevenash, shares a secret with all of the ladies in her family. At the age of twenty-one, she and each of her sisters were given a ‘gift’ by a mean-tempered fairy godmother, Baletongue. Violet chose the ability to fly as her gift and she has loved flying over London every night for the last few years. It is exciting and exhilarating, and the majesty of the city below leaves her breathless. She is in the air one night when she sees a person she knows leaving a ball – and he is being followed by someone. Hmmm – she wonders why that is and with unbridled curiosity sets about following the follower. That works fine, but he senses her – and he traps her! Nobody has ever had a clue she was above them before – how did he know? What is he going to do?

Periander (Perry) Wintersmith was raised within the ton as the nephew of a Viscount – until his father gambled away their fortune and killed himself. The Viscount was so scandalized and disgraced that he snatched Periander and his two brothers up and put them in the military where they were immediately sent to India. Perry was the only one of them to survive and he’s only back in England because he promised his mother he’d leave the military and stay where it was safe. His mother is now deceased, he’s barely making enough money to keep the most meager roof over his head, and he’s considering joining his old military unit again.

Sir Mortimer, Bow Street Magistrate, has pulled Perry from his regular clerical duties and made him a temporary Principal Officer to handle a case brought to them by Lord Abbishaw. It appears that Lord Abbishaw collects very naughty mechanical clocks – and somebody is stealing them. Oh! My! Perry has narrowed the suspect list down and will start with the top of the list and follow him until he determines guilt or innocence – and then move on to the next. As he is following his suspect, his scalp tingles – and he keeps getting impressions of some distortion reflected in the windows. What can it be? Well – he’ll just find out by trapping whatever it is. Oops – imagine his surprise when what he catches is a beautiful woman.

Violet and Perry begin to work together – and play together. They run across roofs and develop tools to make it easier and they follow suspects. Their time together brings them together emotionally as well – but, nothing can ever come of it – after all, he is a Bow Street Runner and she is a duke’s daughter.

I loved violet’s exuberance for life and her insatiable curiosity. I also loved watching Violet and Perry learning to love and trust each other. This was a delightful read; I hope you will love it as much as I did.

View all my reviews

The Curse of Morton Abbey by Clarissa Harwood

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

The Curse of Morton AbbeyBarbara’s rating: 3.6 of 5 Stars
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: 10/26/21
Period: Victorian
Number of Pages: 361

The Curse of Morton Abbey is Clarissa Harwood’s third novel, but it is the first of hers I’ve read. For me, it wasn’t a quick-paced, exciting read, but it was a slow and steady build to a tingling end. This is a book that was crying for an epilogue because the ending was just so abrupt, I found myself sitting there with my mouth open asking – Is this it?

Vaughan Springthorpe grew up in her father’s law office learning the law at his knee. The time spent in those law offices was the best of her life because her mother and sisters were dismissive, condescending, and full of criticism and pity for her. She was as good a solicitor as her father was, but, of course, at that time women didn’t become solicitors. When he passed away, Vaughan finished up all of his legal work for him and was then determined to find a job for herself rather than live with her older sister and mother. Wasn’t she lucky that the perfect opportunity presented itself in the form of Sir Peter Spencer? He hired her, sight unseen, to put his estate, Morton Abbey, into shape so he could sell it and she couldn’t wait to get started. Should she tell him she is a female? Maybe . . . later.

Morton Abbey is certainly an eye-opener for Vaughan. When she arrives, she finds a cold, forbidding, unwelcoming edifice populated with people who definitely do not welcome her. Granted, it is winter, and most places look stark and cold in the winter, but there is something more sinister about Morton Abbey. The door is opened by Bedford, the scowling, unwelcoming butler who reminds her of a specter hovering in the entry. Mrs. Wilson was the pink-cheeked, round-faced housekeeper who seemed more welcoming, but distrustful. Were they the only two people in residence? No, Sir Peter’s sickly brother Nicholas (Nick) Spencer was also in residence. Then, as the only bright spot, there is Joe Dixon, the gardener.

Somebody is trying to frighten Vaughan away, but she’s having none of it. She is steady and pragmatic and doesn’t believe in ghosts. Yet, the nightly crying – by a child is unsettling. Could it really be a ghost? Perhaps the ghost of Nick Spencer’s deceased child?

Vaughan perseveres in her task for Sir Peter as she makes friends with Nick and Joe. Still, everyone isn’t who they seem. What is going on at Morton Abbey? Why? The answer will surprise you as there is more than one villain.

I enjoyed the story, but I did feel it was a bit draggy in places and I found myself skimming. Then, there was the ending – it was just too abrupt, too quick. I always love an epilogue, but this book just begged for one – especially since I just didn’t buy the fact that the couple was devotedly in love if she could just leave as she did and he didn’t contact her for almost a year. No, the end was definitely dissatisfying for me. I will recommend the story as it was interesting – but I’m not recommending it as enthusiastically as I normally would. This story didn’t make me want to go back and read the previous books by this author nor did it make me want to seek out future books.

View all my reviews