The Ninth Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Grave Robbery

It's been almost a year since I read the last Veronica Speedwell mystery, but with all the books I've read in-between, it seems so much longer than that.  I really wish these books came out more often, as I gobble them up, and once I'm done reading one book, I am ready for the next - but find myself having to wait a whole year before I can get my next fix of Veronica and Stoker!  But, of course, each book is well worth the wait.  Deanna Raybourn is a master storyteller, and her way with characters brings them to life like few other authors can.  One readily feels like they know (and love!) Veronica, Stoker, and all of the supporting cast who come and go throughout the series, and so when each new book comes along, it is merely like reacquainting one's self with a friend who has just returned from a long trip and is ready to share their latest adventure...

 

A Grave Robbery, thankfully, finds Veronica and Stoker back in their familiar relationship, enjoying their usual fun banter, when their host brings them the most unusual oddity - a waxwork woman that he wants Stoker to install with mechanical workings to make it appear as if the was figure is breathing as she sleeps.  Stoker is all too ready to perform this task, especially since it is for the benefit of their benefactor's young daughter, Rose. There is only one problem - when they begin to study the female figure, they are shocked to learn she is not a waxwork at all, but, rather, an actual human being, perfectly preserved - and most definitely dead! So, this raises the questions - how did she die? how was she so perfectly preserved? who was she? And most importantly - who did this to her?  Thus, Veronica and Stoker are off on their next great adventure, to solve the mystery of the waxwork beauty!

 

Raybourn has crafted a wickedly good tale, full of unexpected twists that remind the reader that with these mysteries, one never quite knows what will happen next.  Lord Rosemorran insists that no police be involved, as he does not want a scandal surrounding his purchase of what he thought was a waxwork figure. Thus, Veronica and Stoker must resort to more private means of learning the truth about the poor woman they have come to refer to simply as "Beauty" (after the obvious similarity to the sleeping fairy tale character); which is a perfect opportunity for Raybourn to bring back the oddities of Professor Pygopagus' Travelling Curiosity Show (after all, who else better to ask about the strange nature of waxwork figures than those odd individuals who made up the circus of which Stoker used to be a member!), as well as the beloved J.J. Butterworth, the lady reporter who was one of the few people in the world to know the truth of Veronica's heritage, and Detective Inspector Moraday, a member of the Special Branch of Scotland Yard who Veronica knows can be trusted despite his affiliation with the law. Besides, J.J. and Moraday's irritation with Veronica and Stoker's adventures is too much for Veronica to resist...

    Mornaday covered his face with his hands while J.J. gave me a level look.  "I swear before the almighty god, Veronica, if this is another of your ridiculous and outlandish investigations-" she began.

    "Oh, nothing like that," I put in hastily. "It is just that we seem to have acquired a body."

    Mornaday peeped through his fingers, clearly intrigued in spite of himself.  "A body?"

    "Whose body?" J.J. demanded.

    "That is what we were hoping you could help us discover," Stoker said.

    "But how?" J.J. asked.  "How does one simply acquire a body?"

    "Ours was purchased at an auction," I told her.

    Mornaday groaned again, and Stoker passed him the decanter as I rose.

    "Come along," I said briskly.  "Let us introduce you to the Beauty." (p. 98).

 And if that doesn't whet your appetite for this fun little mystery, I don't know what will!  Raybourn has a way with her characters and dialogue that bring them to life in such a way that you can't help but love each and every one of them.  They are all quirky in their own way, and it makes for a much more enjoyable read to have characters that are real, flawed, and come to life on each and every page.

 

The story takes a rather dark turn, as it involves scientific experiments that border on the fantastical fiction side of things, along the likes of Dr. Frankenstein himself.  Our intrepid investigators learn that one Julius Elyot was researching the ability to bring the dead back to life, with the help of his sister, Eliza, and the wealthy Lord Ambrose.  Unfortunately, Julius Elyot died fifteen years prior in a fire, and Eliza Elyot, despite her affinity for scientific endeavors, has never fully recovered from the death of her twin.  Lord Ambrose Despard, on the other hand, is more than willing to welcome Veronica and Stoker into his home, to show off his myriad of collections, including that of waxwork figures known as Anatomical Venuses, which, it turns out, were actual, life-sized wax figures of women used by universities as teaching aids to their medical students back in the late 18th Century and well into the 19th Century (Anatomical Venuses), showing Raybourn did her research when weaving this into her story.  Of course, Lord Ambrose clams up when Veronica and Stoker begin to question him a bit more, starting them on the path to uncovering the truth behind the Beauty and the madness that led to her creation!

 

Perhaps one of the most amusing scenes in the entire book (which does, incidentally, play a very important part in answering several questions about the mystery!) is when Veronica and Stoker attend a "tableaux vivant" at the Curiosity Club for Woman, in order to have an opportunity to meet Eliza Elyot and her companion, Undine Trevelyan (as Stoker so eloquently asks, "Why do they all have such unfortunate names? First Parthenope Fleet.  Now Undine Trevelyan.  Why do we never meet a Mary Smith?  I should like, just once, to meet a Mary Smith" [p. 168]).  Although "attend" is not really the proper word - "participate" is more appropriate, since the only way Veronica could get her and Stoker into the event was to agree to pose as one of the living portraits ("tableausx vivant" does mean "living picture" after all, and this type of performance art is a real thing, as well).  With Stoker dressed only in a loincloth and Veronica in a flowing silk gown of blue pose as Samson and Delilah, based upon a painting by a Basque artist named Echena (p. 174) - who just so happens to be a real artist by the name of Jose Ignacio Luis Echenagusia Errazquin (Jose Echena).  The reactions of the patrons, as well as what happens next when Veronica and Stoker attempt to meet up with Elyot and Trevelyan (while still in costume, mind you) will have you smiling, chuckling, and ultimately cheering!

 

I do sincerely hope that one of the new characters introduced in this story, Wilfred Plumtree, makes a return appearance at some point in the future.  He was fun and, like of the rest of them, quite quirky enough to fit in with the rest!

 

Raybourn will keep you guessing, bouncing back and forth between suspects, but there are a few subtle hints dropped along the way that will lead you to the right culprit if you really pay attention (although, to be honest, they did lead me to wrong person first, until a person thought dead is found to be alive, at which point, I realized what was really going on!).  This is another truly captivating story that will leaving you wanting for more by the end - and there had better be more adventures of Veronica and Stoker, because that last page has left me wondering if A Grave Robbery is the end of the rails for our dynamic duo! Please say it isn't so!!

 

RATING:  10  awls out of 10 for an inspired mystery of stolen corpses, horrific experiments, deadly weapons, and one exuberant little golden lion tamarin with a deep affection for Stoker!