Tag: Lynn Messina

A Lark’s Conceit by Lynn Messina

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

A Lark's Conceit (Verity Lark Mysteries #3)Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Verity Lark Mystery #3
Publication Date: 2/29/24
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 333

Verity Lark and her many alter egos are in a snit. If you remember, we ended the last book with Colson Hardwicke very boldly pledging to his pursuit of Verity. It seems he carried through on that pledge – until he didn’t. This book begins just a few days after the other one ends – and already Colson is feckless. Or is he? Verity has nothing but his own words to judge by – and those words say he is. First, he cancels their outing – then, he seemingly cancels their relationship. Oh! My! Word! Colson, Colson, Colson, you really should know better.

As Verity lies abed one evening, unable to drift off to sleep, she hears a floorboard creak. With all her senses alert, she lies there in the dark awaiting her attacker. She’s prepared and isn’t fearful, but maybe her attacker should be. She quickly disables the man and takes him captive. Since he won’t tell her anything, she contrives to hold him until she is prepared to follow, then allows him to escape. She follows him to, of all places, the French embassy. What in the world could they want with her?

Verity quickly begins her investigation into her attempted kidnapping only to discover Hardwicke is also investigating the goings-on in the embassy. Do their two cases intersect? Of course, they do. Can Verity relent enough to work with him? Maybe? To some degree anyway – but she will not trust him. Even after he gives his reason, she is unrelenting. Working together to thwart the French won’t be easy, but surely their combined talents will prevail.

So far, I am not a fan of Verity. I understand her horrible beginnings – but her friends had those same beginnings and they aren’t like her. I agree with Hardwicke when he says, “You are being deliberately obtuse and you bloody well know it. You think nothing is beyond your abilities. You think you can overcome any challenge, master any difficulty, solve any problem, find any buggering priest hole in any buggering cellar! You admit no frailties, allow no weaknesses, and are seemingly incapable of asking for help. And your confidence—it is astounding. I am sorry, Verity, but no, you are not as remarkable as you believe you are. Nobody is, for your conceit is beyond anything the human world can contain.” I was delighted to see what I thought could be some character growth for Verity in this book and I am looking forward to getting to know a more open and trusting Verity – if it lasts.

Filled with this author’s signature wit and humor, along with a first-rate mystery, this book will suck you in and not let you go until the last page. I believe there is character growth for Verity and that is a good thing for her because she cannot possibly live a happy life long-term with the kinds of trust issues she has. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. Happy Reading.

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 Lark’s Flight by Lynn Messina

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

A Lark's Flight (Verity Lark Mysteries #2)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Verity Lark Mystery #2
Publication Date6/2/23
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 325

I enjoyed this interesting, fast-paced tale better than the first entry in the series. But I knew I would because that first book had to set up all the characters, the formats, the settings, and pay the proper amount of homage to the sister series, Beatrice Hyde-Clare while still managing to set up an interesting mystery. The first book seemed to fall a tad short in the mystery department and oversell in the sister series department. This book seems to have hit its stride with its many fewer mentions of ‘Her Outrageousness’ while still presenting an excellently delivered mystery. Oh! And lest I forget – Verity Lark meets – face to face – her half-brother – the Duke of Kesgrave. I think the author handled that part of the book wonderfully and left us all to guess what will happen next between brother and sister. We get a hint of what Kesgrave might want in the 11/3/23 release of A Murderous Tryst from the Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mystery series, but even that doesn’t tell us for sure. We’ll just have to put on our waiting shoes and pace the floors for a while.

In the first book, we met (and loved) Lord Colson Hardwicke, the disgraced son of a Marquess. Has he redeemed himself or was he never what people believed him to be? Verity was unsure at the end of the first book, so she’s still unsure at the beginning of this book, but she knows he intrigues her – and he challenges her. How dare he! Well, he didn’t realize it was a challenge, but Verity, being Verity, took it as a challenge and set off to beat him at his own game. Yes! You will definitely love both Verity and Hardwicke.

Northern England has seen much unrest among its population with the advent of the Luddites and people losing skilled jobs to machines. The upper echelons of the British government are afraid the unrest and insurrection are headed to London in the guise of the formerly peaceful Society of Yarwellian Philosophers and have placed a spy within the organization. Of course, the government being the government, they also placed a spy to spy on the spy. 😊 Who is Arnold Fitch? Is he a true patriot?

As one does, 😊 Verity is going about her normal information gathering and comes across the body of a man who has been stabbed to death, in his own bed, in a shabby rooming house. Hardwicke is in the room as well – but Verity is sure (isn’t she?) that he didn’t commit the murder. So, who did? Was it Arnold Fitch? If not him, who? There are lots of Yarwellians out there, would they murder a defenseless old man to protect their mission? Or, are those Yarwellians just exactly the peaceful society they claim?

Goodness, such excitement! You’ll be flipping pages as fast as you can read them to see what happens next. Then, Hardwicke disappears just when Verity has vital information to impart. Where can he be? How can she pass the information along to those who desperately need it? And what, in heaven’s name, is she supposed to do with the brother who has just knocked on her door? Enlist his help, of course.

This was such an engrossing, exciting, witty, and fun read! If you love intelligent, challenging, likable, and engaging characters along with a mystery that sucks you in, then you’ll enjoy this book. Happy Reading! Now, I just have to wait for what will seem like forever, for the next book to become available.

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