Category: Victorian Era (1837-1901)

In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardian period, and its later half overlaps with the first part of the Belle Époque era of continental Europe.
Preceded by: Regency era
Followed by: Edwardian era
Monarch: Victoria

Book Blitz – Murder In The East End by Jennifer Ashley

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

Murder in the East End (Kat Holloway Mysteries #4)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Kat Holloway Mysteries #4
Publication Date: 8/4/20
Number of Pages:320

The ONLY problem with devouring this book in one sitting – as I did – is that I now have to wait a year for the next one. I always have great intentions – of reading the books in this series slowly and savoring each word – but I’m weak and can never put them down once I start reading. The writing is excellent, the plot is tight and perfectly paced, and the characters are full and interesting. I love that we learn more and more about Kat and Daniel in each new book – and their relationship deepens. Daniel is one of the most enigmatic characters I’ve ever read and I can hardly wait to learn his full story. Then, of course, there are the returning secondary characters that we already love, but get to know better with each new book. Definitely, a wonderful ensemble cast within a compelling and exciting mystery.

Kat Holloway is a gifted cook in an aristocratic home – and she also has a soft, giving heart and a penchant for solving mysteries. When Kat learns that it is suspected that children are missing from London’s Foundling Hospital, she determines to get to the bottom of the mystery. Are the children missing, or aren’t they? If they aren’t missing, then, where are they? If they are missing, then, where are they and how did they end up missing? Kat’s greatest fear is that they’ve somehow ended up in the clutches of flesh peddlers and she’ll stop at nothing to rescue them from that fate.

Kat knows she cannot do it alone and asks for help from Daniel McAdam. Daniel has been her friend for several years and yet she still doesn’t know his full story. She knows she admires him; she knows he has some loose connection to Scotland Yard, but she knows very little of his early history. She’ll learn more in this book and even meet his ‘brother’. (It will be interesting to see in that brother has any roles in upcoming books.)

The search intensifies when a lovely nurse from the foundling home disappears. What could have happened to young Nurse Betts? Several days later, Daniel discovers that her body is in the morgue at Scotland Yard. She was literally beaten to death and Daniel’s brother, Errol Fielding, a vicar, is incensed because he had a tendresse for the young woman.

Kat and Daniel definitely have their hands full trying to keep Fielding in check and still uncover the fate of the children as well as the murderer of Nurse Betts. They’ll need all of their friends to help them – James, Bessie, Tess, Lady Cynthia, Mr. Elgin Thanos, Bobby – and new friend Miss Townsend. Of course – all of the investigating and crime-solving have to be worked around so Mrs. Bywater, Kat’s employer, is unaware of what is happening below stairs in her home.

This was an exciting, unputdownable read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You certainly cannot go wrong when you have such engaging characters solving such intriguing mysteries. I did like that there was move movement on the romantic front between Kat and Daniel, but it is definitely moving too slowly to suit me. I can hardly believe that I now have to wait a year for the next installment!

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

An Illusion of Love by Patricia Rice

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)3 Comments

An Illusion of Love (School of Magic, #3)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: School of Magic #3
Publication Date: 7/21/20
Number of Pages: 332

I am really enjoying this series – and I always enjoy this author. I have followed the Malcolm and Ives families through ALL of their generations and they are all delightful. I loved that our Malcolm heroine in this book is a very exotic mix of Indian (India) and English. As with any Malcolm lady, she has her ‘talent’, but she is finding hers later in life. I also enjoyed that our hero had a mixture of Ives and Malcolm in him – poor fellow.

Azmin Dougall had to wait until adulthood before she even began to see what her Malcolm psychic gift might be. Probably because it had to do with photography – and that hadn’t been invented earlier in her life. However, once she began to discover what the gift was, it also gave her her life’s calling. She’d rescue women who are in abusive marriages – and her photography gift will tell her who those women are.

Azmin’s first rescue is Keya whose husband is a very powerful man in India. Once the decision was made to rescue Keya, Azmin knew she’d have to leave India and return to her family home in Edinburgh, Scotland – and she’d have to bring Keya with her. So, here they are, in Scotland, honing Azmin’s photography skills and refurbishing her father’s townhouse into a photography studio. Will Keya’s husband just let her go? Will he come after her and drag her back to India as he has every legal right to do? While they are waiting for the photography studio to be ready, Azmin is teaching art classes at her Malcolm aunt’s school.

Dr. Zane Dare (how do you like that name?) was once a carefree, rogue. Now, he’s a stodgy, dull professor and researcher at the medical school. What changed him? He watched his sister die of a fever she’d gotten from her young child – and Zane, as a doctor, couldn’t save her. His niece survived, but she was left with weakened lungs and heart – again, something Zane couldn’t fix. His niece is now in his custody and he’s spent years searching for something that will help his niece. Will he ever find the cure?

Zane and Azmin have a history. They were friends when she was sixteen and he was twenty-four – well – each of them wanted to be more than friends, but Zane felt like a pervert for being attracted to Azmin. When he did a stupid thing and she immediately left for India, each felt abandoned by the other. So, imagine Zane’s surprise when he goes to the Malcolm School to seek a governess/companion for his niece, and Azmin is sent to him. OH!

He rescues Azmin on more than one occasion – even though she insists she didn’t need rescuing. The more she’s around, the more he’s smitten – but neither of them wants to be smitten. They waltz around each other, rescue each other, rescue others, fight off bad guys, and finally – finally – realize they are made to be together.

I must say I was puzzled about Zane’s family. His distant uncle is an Earl and his father is the heir to that earl. Yet, somehow, his father is a viscount. It sounds as if he is a viscount because he is the heir to that distant uncle who is an earl. Since that couldn’t be the case – because the only one who would get the courtesy title would be a direct male descendent of the earl. Heirs presumptive don’t get courtesy titles. So – maybe you can figure that part out when you read it. I’m still confused.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it is a really good addition to the Malcolm family collection.