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!

The Eighth Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Sinister Revenge

It seems like it has been a LONG time since the last Veronica Speedwell mystery was published, but looking back, it's only been a year since I read the sixth book in the series.  So, I guess it hasn't been as long as I thought.  Perhaps it is simply because I love these characters so much, I wish author Deanna Raybourn could provide me with their adventures more often!  But, alas, I will have to suffice with one book a year, and treasure each story until the next one hits the shelves.  Veronica and her paramour, Revelstoke Templeton-Vane (or, as we all know and love him - "Stoker") truly come to life under Raybourn's penmanship - both strong-willed, stubborn, determined, dedicated, and, above all else, loyal to a fault.  And after the ending of the last book, with Stoker taking off for parts unknown after finding out Veronica kept a prior marriage a secret from him ... well, let's just say, I was anxious to see where this mystery would take us!

A Sinister Revenge picks up months after Stoker left.  Veronica has filled her time by joining Stoker's brother, the Viscount Tiberius Templeton-Vane, on a traveling jaunt through Italy, enjoying an opportunity to capture and send home literally boxes of beautiful butterflies - after all, besides solving murders, Veronica is first and foremost a lepidopterist!  Veronica is determined not to reach out to Stoker, taking his long silence as a message that he does not wish to see her.  But her decision gets taken away from her when Tiberius approaches her one morning with the simple request:  "I wish to find Stoker ... I need him."

Of course, anyone who has been reading this series knows that the Templeton-Vane brothers are very independent and most certainly would never admit a weakness or a need for one another.  So, Tiberius' request throws Veronica off-guard.  Needless to say, the two head off to Bavaria, where they find Stoker (who has assumed the role of a werewolf of sorts, frightening the villagers as a means to be left alone).  It is here where the mystery really begins, as readers learn that Tiberius is concerned he may be the target of a killer, someone who wants revenge for something that happened two decades prior at the Templeton-Vane homestead when one of his friends fell to his death off the cliffs behind the grand house.  It had always been thought to have been an accident; after all, it had been a horribly stormy night, and Lorenzo d'Ambrogio had gone to the unstable cliff in an effort to try and save the dinosaur bones he had uncovered there.  But now, twenty years later, Tiberius has received a threat that makes him believe otherwise.  Two of his other friends from that same night have both died, and the message says he is next!

In true Agatha Christie style, a new dinner party is thrown, where Tiberius invites back everyone who had been at the house that fateful night - the remaining two members of Tiberius's group (the Seven Sinners), along with their spouses, and the Templeton-Vanes' neighbors, who had also been unfortunate enough to have attended the party all those years ago.  Tiberius is certain one of them is the killer, and he wants Veronica and Stoker to not only protect him, but also uncover the true identity of the killer.  Thus, despite the tension between them, Stoker and Veronica must put aside their personal problems and help Stoker's brother uncover the truth about what happened that night so long ago and stop a killer from striking again.

Raybourn weaves a truly intricate web of secrets and lies, as every guest has something he or she is hiding.  And just to keep things interesting (and keep Veronica hopping!), readers get treated to the return of J.J. Butterworth, that spunky female journalist who somehow seems to weasel her way into Veronica and Stoker's investigations.  This time, she's posing as a maid, having come to the Templeton-Vane residence with the foreign cook Tiberius has hired to prepare the elaborate meal for the dinner party.  Veronica is not pleased at all, but she knows J.J. could find out information only the staff of a grand house such as this would know, so she strikes a deal to work together with the journalist in the hope of uncovering the truth.  But one of the guests has a heart condition, and when she dies at the dinner party, Veronica and Stoker are left not only with a grieving husband, but with a ticking clock to determine who killed her and why, since she had not been present all those years ago - so why kill her now?  Trust me when I saw, Raybourn is a crafty one - just when you think you have it figured out, she pulls the rug out from underneath you, and you find you were following the wrong trail of clues all along!  I must applaud Raybourn for the excellent twists and turns - and for providing readers with an all-too-real cliffhanger for poor Veronica!

As always, we get some absolutely wonderful characters to enjoy as we make our way through this latest mystery.  We get treated to Stoker's youngest brother, Merryweather, who proves he can be up to any challenge where necessary.  We meet Stoker's Nanny, who takes an instant dislike to Veronica and gives rise to some wonderfully fun tete-a-tete between the two of them!  We have the chance to once again see Collins, the Templeton-Vane's butler who normally attends to Tiberius in his London residence - ever stoic, yet always caring.  And we mustn't forget Dr. Timothy Gresham and his wife, Elspeth - the not-quite-in-the-same-class neighbors who seem relatively out of place, and yet, they play such a pivotal role in the story.  Finally, we have the remaining members of the Seven Sinners - Pietro, the Conte di Salviati and his American wife, Beatrice, as well as Sir James and Lady Augusta MacIver, described as "the very picture of Scottish aristocracy."  The secrets these four hold ... well, let's just say, Raybourn is an expert at surprising her readers!

Overall, another wonderful adventure of Veronica and Stoker - and if you are wondering whether the two make up before the end of the book well ... you didn't really think I'd give that away, did you?  The only negative thing I can say about this book is that once it's read, it's going to be a whole 'nother year before you can read their next mystery!  (Unless, of course, you're willing to go out and purchase the hardcover version of the book - and being someone who is a stickler for conformity, I will patiently await the paperback, since all of the books in the series I have so far are all paperback.)  Thus, we must bid a fond farewell to our favorite sleuthing couple - until next time!

RATING:  10 bottles of heart tonic out of 10 for yet another engaging, well-written murder mystery that further proves Deanna Raybourn's expertise as a writer!

The Seventh Veronica Speedwell Mystery - An Impossible Imposter

It's been a while since I last visited with Veronica Speedwell and her paramour, Revelstoke Templetone-Vane (otherwise known as "Stoker"). I have been enjoying the adventures of Veronica and Stoker, from their first meeting in A Curious Beginning to their last book where they faced An Unexpected Peril.  Author Deanna Raybourn has taken these two on a turbulent journey, and they have certainly had their ups and downs - but here we are at book seven, and the two have finally reached a comfortable place in their relationship.  While each book features a fascinating (and fun!) mystery, it also allows the reader to follow along at the budding romance between the two lead characters.  So, it should be no surprise to anyone that I've been rooting for these two to get together.  But, as with any good drama, it's only a matter of time...

An Impossible Imposter opens innocently enough - and uniquely! Veronica and Stoker are headed home on a train ... with a baby!  Yes, you read that right.  A baby! Don't worry, though, you didn't miss anything.  The baby is not theirs.  No, they are simply bringing the baby home to its mother, a woman who could not acknowledge the baby as her own, being unwed, and so Veronica and Stoker had to facilitate a plan that would allow the world to think the woman was adopting the child and caring for it as if it were her own (all the while knowing it was her own!).  A rather odd beginning to a rather odd story.

Before you know it, Sir Hugo Montgomerie appears, asking Veronica to help him out with a private matter.  It seems a family with whom he is acquainted has a delicate situation for which they need some assistance - the Hathaway family has recently been surprised by the unexpected appearance of the first born son, who has been thought dead for over five years.  Jonathan Hathaway.  A man who Veronica happens to know.  Or knew.  She recalls that he died when a volcano erupted near Sumatra.  So, how then does a dead man suddenly reappear to his family?  Well, that is the very question Montgomerie would like Veronica to answer.  Thus, she and Stoker head off to the family estate, Hathaway Hall, so Veronica can see the young man for herself.  Only, Jonathan Hathaway is not the only thing "off" about this family.

Lady Hathaway may be old, but she still knows how to maintain a presence.  But her days as lady of the manor are numbered, as the current wife of her second child, Charles Hathaway, is determined to supplant her an fully take over the house.  And what Mary Hathaway wants, Mary Hathaway gets - including the suppression of Charles' younger sister's desires to study astronomy.  Euphemia wants to follow in her grandfather's footsteps, but Mary will not hear of it.  And then there's Jonathan Hathaway - the formerly deceased, now very much alive first son.  Who just so happens to be an imposter.  Oh, and did I mention that the imposter happens to be Veronica's husband?

Yes, this story definitely takes our favorite sleuthing duo on a lot of unexpected twists and turns (and you thought the last book placed them in unexpected situations!).  Veronica believed her husband dead, killed in the same volcanic explosion as Jonathan Hathway.  How was she to know he was still alive?  And how in the world can she explain this to Stoker?  Or will she be blackmailed into remaining silent to keep the imposter from revealing to the world Stoker's own secrets?  And what about that pesky little Eye of the Dawn jewel that is stolen from Lady Hathaway's chest of jewels?  Did the imposter take it?  Has Veronica been taken in by the imposter's lies yet again?  And will she and Stoker help him when the villains chasing after him show up at their doorstep, demanding the Eye of the Dawn in exchange for their own lives?

While there is no murder to solve in this book, Raybourn does not disappoint with a well-plotted mystery that has plenty of surprising twists.  This impossible imposter is definitely not who he appears to be, and the reader will find himself or herself constantly questioning what to trust and what not to trust.  But the story is thoroughly engaging, and the sudden appearance of Veronica's husband will certainly bring about some changes - whether they are good or bad, well, that remains to be seen.

A few elements of the story I did figure out, and I admittedly loved the "Baskervilles"-type setting (complete with the bog and the ghostly apparitions); but the constant questioning of Jonathan Hathaway's real identity, real motives, and his ultimate goal definitely kept me turning page after page.  Raybourn knows how to create suspense, and it's one of the reasons I love this series so much!  Can't wait for the next one to come out in paperback!

RATING:  10 Tasmanian tigers out of 10 for mystery, suspense, ghosts, imposters, and go many other Gothic elements that I can't help but love the story!

The FIfth Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Murderous Relation

I'm always thrilled when a really well-written series continues being published (when it seems so many that I enjoy end after only three or four books), so knowing that even though I have finished reading this fifth Veronica Speedwell mystery there are more to come is a great joy for me!  Author Deanna Raybourn has truly developed some fantastic characters with this series, and the world of Veronica Speedwell is one that I enjoy visiting again and again and again.  And while I'm not much of a romance fan at all, even I have to admit that following along as the relationship between Veronica and Lord Revelstoke Templeton-Vane (otherwise known simply as Stoker) has grown from reluctant allies to fierce friends to more than just partners in crime-solving mysteries.  In the last book, Veronica and Stoker finally admitted their true feelings to one another, and now, in this fifth adventure, the question is - will they or won't they?

A Murderous Relation is definitely the most provocative book in the series, and Rayburn certainly doesn't hold back (although I give her credit for keeping all of the sexuality referenced in 19th century terms!).  As those who have been reading this series already know, Veronica is an illegitimate child of the current royalty, and should her lineage come to light, it could create a great scandal!  Well, this book delves more into that part of Veronica's heritage, as she and Stoker are called to aid the monarchy by rescuing young Prince Albert Victor ("Eddy") from himself.  It seems he has gotten himself in quite a pickle by having his mother's jeweler craft a diamond start that he has given to the madame who runs a very exclusive and very private club in London (i.e., a polite way of saying "brothel" for the rich and famous!).  Should it be known that the prince frequents a club of this type, it could give those who oppose the monarchy just the ammunition they need to bring down the current government in the Empire!  Veronica turns down the job at first, but before you know it, she and Stoker are pulled into the thick of things and wind up in the middle of another murder mystery.

Veronica and Stoker's foray into the world of sexual deviants is definitely a whole new adventure for these two sleuths.  Raybourn puts her two protagonists into the most unusual and uncomfortable situation when they have to go undercover to try and find the prince's diamond, while at the same time, maintain their cover by pretending to be super-wealthy aristocrats who like to dabble in various sexual extracurricular activities!  And considering the sexual tension that has been brewing between Veronica and Stoker for some time now, one can only imagine how the two of them manage to make it through the night without giving in to their own impulses!  Of course, finding a dead body, having to save the prince from unwanted attention, and getting kidnapped as they make their escape might very well put a damper on those feelings.

The mystery this time is not so much "whodunnit," but more along the lines of how in the world Veronica, Stoker, and Eddy will escape their captors (who, as it turns out, have a very personal connection to Veronica!) and how they will manage to keep all of this from tarnishing the royal family.  Veronica's own secret connection to the royals manages to become known by Eddy, and Veronica surprisingly finds a friend in the young man, who bares his own insecurities to his newly discovered relative.  Of course, time is of the essence, as heir kidnappers have their own agenda to play out - but Veronica is never one to give in, and she plots a scheme to set the kidnappers against one another for a chance that they will be too busy distrusting each other to notice her and Stoker escape with the prince!  And Raybourn doesn't hold back with the suspense, as there are several tense moments during their escape that will nearly make the reader hold his or her breath waiting to see what will happen next!

Oh, and did I mention that all of this is going on while Jack the Ripper is on the loose?

Yes, there is a bit more romance in this novel than in previous ones; however, Raybourn manages to fit it in nicely with the actual mystery - so the reader never actually feels like there is any forced or unnecessary scenes.  And while he definitely writes some rather tantalizing scenes, she keeps it within the 19th century decorum so that the reader is not forced with "in-your-face" sex scenes (and one can imagine how difficult that is to do with a good one-third of the book takes place at a sex party!).  And one top of all of this, Raybourn keeps Veronica and Stoker very much in character, with Stoker's own stoic nature and Veronica's biting sarcasm ("Hello, Uncle ... The last time I saw you, you were on fire.  I see you have been extinguished." [p. 152]).  It's lines like that which make me smile and keep me coming back for more adventures of Veronica Speedwell and friends.

Can hardly wait for Veronica and Stoker's "unexpected peril" in the next book!

RATING:  10 full masks of dark blue velvet out of 10 for daring to take these detectives into a seedy yet sensual brothel all for the sake of saving the monarchy!

The Fourth Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Dangerous Collaboration

Time to catch back up with everyone's favorite lepidopterist, Veronica Speedwell, and her cohort and fellow crime solving partner, Revelstoke Templeton-Vane (although he goes simply by Stoker - I mean, seriously, with a name like Revelstoke, I think I'd prefer Stoker, too!).  It's been a while since I read A Treacherous Curse, and the fifth book has just come out in paperback, so I figured it was time to read the fourth mystery in this series and see where Veronica and Stoker find their latest murder to solve.  And this time, author Deanna Raybourn finally plays heavily on Veronica's chosen vocation of studying and collecting butterflies (I mean, you did know what a lepidopterist was, didn't you?).

A Dangerous Collaboration opens with Veronica and Stoker having a difficult time facing the fact they almost revealed their true feelings to one another. As usual, though, their ability to express themselves gets thrust to the back-burner when the latest adventures falls into their laps. Or, rather, into Veronica's lap. Lord Tiberius Templeton-Vane, Stoker's brother, shows up at their doorstep with an invitation to Veronica that she simply cannot refuse - a trip to a secluded island with a castle to visit one of Lord Templeton-Vane's old friends - a friend who just so happens to have a garden where the once-thought-extinct Romilly Glasswing butterfly still flourishes and who is willing to allow Veronica bring back some larvae for her own vivarium in London.  How could she possibly say no?  Plus, this will give her the opportunity to be away from Stoker and sort out her feelings regarding the man.  Stoker, of course, is none-too-thrilled with the idea of Veronica taking off to a secluded isle with his duplicitous brother, but Veronica chooses to go and nothing can change her mind.  Not even learning, on the train, that Lord Templeton-Vane has announced to his old friend that Veronica is his fiance!

 

Stoker, of course, is not one to be left behind on any adventure, so, sure enough, he shows up at the boat that is set to take Veronica and Lord Templeton-Vane over to the Romillys' island paradise and joins his irritated brother and his faux fiance. It doesn't take long after their arrival to realize that something is amiss, and that Malcolm Romilly has an ulterior motive for inviting his oldest friend to the island.  It seems that three years prior, Malcolm's bride disappeared without a trace on their wedding day, only moments after saying their vows! Rumors abound on the small island, and Malcolm has spent the last three years in turmoil, never knowing what really happened to his bride.  There are secrets everywhere within the Romilly castle homestead, and despite their confused feelings for one another, Veronica and Stoker must work together to uncover all of the secrets and figure out once and for all what really happened to Rosamund Romilly!

It's a fantastically written mystery, and like a good Agatha Christie tale, each one of the cast has a secret that could spell disaster if revealed, and many of them have strong motive for wanting Rosamund out of the way!  Malcolm's sister, who wants her son to inherit the Romilly fortune ... Malcolm's nephew, who needs that family fortune to support his dreams of being on stage ... Malcolm's sister, whose garden of deadly plants was going to be taken away by Rosamund ... Malcolm himself, who has a bad temper that can flare at any time ... and Lord Templeton-Vane seems to be harboring some deep secrets of his own that could hold the key to uncovering the truth of it all!

 

The ultimate revelation of who was behind Rosamund's disappearance may come as quite a surprise! I had my suspicions about this person early on, but it wasn't until nearly three-fourths of the way through the book that I was able to confirm my suspicion as reality.  Raybourn gives readers plenty of suspects and motives to keep you guessing right up until the end, and I think the only reason I was able to make the educated guess that I did is because from all the mysteries I have read over the years, I have learned that it is usually the least-likely person who turns out to be the culprit (although often-times it is the reasoning behind the crime that comes as a surprise!).

Raybourn provides a superbly-plotted tale that not only tells a creative mystery set in a spooky, hidden passage-filled castle, but also continues the budding relationship between Veronica and Stoker - will they? won't they? are they just friends? are they more than friends? There's a strong passion between those characters that reminds me of Remington Steele, Moonlighting, and other female/male detective stories where the sexual/romantic tension adds some intensity to the stories.  Where will this passion lead?  I am guessing Raybourn will keep teasing us with each book that comes out!

RATING:  10 crystal dishes of rose sorbet out of 10 for crafting a 19th century mystery filled with all the excitement, passion, and twists of a present-day crime!

The Third Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Treacherous Curse

I am thoroughly enjoying Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series. Not only is the title character a strong-willed, sarcastic, independent woman in the 19th century, but she is dedicated, loyal, and determined when it comes to solving a mystery. I also enjoy the soap opera elements of the series, with the slowly-budding relationship between Veronica and Stoker, as well as the gradual revelation of secrets about not only Stoker's past, but also Veronica's own royal connections.  Raybourn is creating a very believable world of characters and places, which makes for an enjoyable get-a-way when one sits down with her books.

A Treacherous Curse drops a new mystery in their lap by way of The Daily Harbinger, the local news rag that Veronica enjoys perusing. It seems an Egyptian expedition by the Tivertons has ended early, with the Tivertons returning to London with their finds much earlier than expected, all due to the curse of a long-dead princess.  Of course, neither Stoker nor Veronica believe in curses, but something definitely strange is going on - the excavation director has died, a priceless artifact has gone missing, and the Tivertons' photographer in the expedition has disappeared, leaving his wife in a frantic state. Veronica would have simply moved on after reading the story if it weren't for two small facts - the photographer who disappeared, John de Morgan, was a close friend of Stoker's back in the day, and the wife Mr. de Morgan left behind happens to be Stoker's ex-wife!

Yes, readers finally learn all they need to know in this mystery about Caroline, that elusive woman whose name Stoker inadvertently spoke while being intimate with Veronica.  Raybourn has been teasing readers for the past two books about Stoker's past, but in this book, we finally get the payoff, as the truth behind Stoker's relationship with Caroline, his failed marriage, and the real reasons she left him are brought to light - and, as with any good mystery, not everything is what it seems.  For instance, from all appearances, John de Morgan stole the jeweled diadem, ran back home with his wife, but disappeared before they reached London. His wife, Caroline, claims they took separate rooms at an inn, and when she went to find him the next morning, not only was he missing, but his room was decorated completely different, as if he had never been there! The police can no longer question her, as she has become hysterical and out of sorts. 

Surprisingly, Veronica and Stoker are brought into the investigation by Sir Hugo Montgomerie, head of the Special Branch, who has developed a begrudging respect for the detecting pair. It seems he has word that Stoker's past with de Morgan is about to be brought to light, so it is in his best interest to solve the case quickly.   The investigation seems to be thwarted at every turn, as Veronica and Stoker interrogate Mr. Tiverton, his wife, his daughter Figgy from his first marriage, his assistant Patrick Fairbrother, his former partner Horus Stihl, Horus's son Henry, and ultimately Stoker's ex-wife Caroline de Morgan (which is quite the fun read, for Veronica does not hold back her snippy comments from the woman!). No one is who they truly seem to be (which is not a surprise in a good mystery story), and while I admit that I pegged at least one of the people involved in the whole thing, I was surprised by what really happened to John de Morgan, and the final confrontation was anything but expected!

Raybourn interjects plenty of humor into her books - and let's face it, Veronica's quick wit, biting sarcasm, and unwillingness to be anyone but who she is (no matter what others may think!) is probably the main reasons why I love the character so much. A cross between Nancy Drew and the Vancome Lady - the perfect detective! And, c'mon, let's face it - any author who can open her book with her protagonist from the 19th century going through a crate filled with an array of phalluses definitely knows how to set the tone for her stories.  I am now waiting anxiously for the fourth book to come out in paperback and hope, beyond hope, that there will be a fifth book and more beyond that!

RATING:  10 coiled papier mache snakes out of 10 for humor, danger, mystery, and sarcasm all rolled into one, making this book a perfect read!

The Second Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Perilous Undertaking

It's always a treat when you read the second book of a series and find it to be just as enjoyable, if not even more so, than the first!  I have been fortunate in a lot of series I've picked up in recent years, that the authors have been able to meet and exceed my expectations with more than just the first book (it's just a shame that the publishers for some of those series didn't want to do more than three books in the series, which seems to be the magic number these days...)

And Deanna Raybourn certainly did not disappoint with A Perilous Undertaking, the second Veronica Speedwell mystery.  Veronica and her not-quite-the-gentleman friend, Stoker, find their success in solving the previous murder mystery has made them people of interest - particularly to a mysterious Lady Sundridge, who asks them to vindicate a man condemned to hang for the murder of his mistress - but Lady Sundridge firmly believes he is innocent.  And Veronica and Stoker wouldn't let an innocent man to go the gallows, would they?

Raybourn builds on the budding relationship between Veronica and Stoker as they get sucked into yet another game of cat and mouse, where lies abound on every side, and no one is completely honest with them.  The sarcasm, quick wit, and playful barbs that bounce back and forth between the two protagonists make the characters more alive than simply stilted dialogue, and that underlying sexual tension building between the two keeps my rooting for them to eventually get together.  And their good cop/bad cop routine (who is good and who is bad depends wholly on the situation) manages to elicit any number of clues to lead them on the path to the real killer.

The story once again brings Veronica's royal connection into play, and readers also learn a bit more about Stoker and his past and family.  We also discover to just what lengths Veronica and Stoker will go to help each other, as well as protect each other.  And do so they must, as someone (in true Nancy Drew fashion) is leaving warning notes, threatening them off the case - and after a rather senses-enlightening interview with a suspect, they very nearly end up in jail!

But persistence pays off, and through a rather intricate web of entanglements, Raybourn leads her sleuths to the ultimate showdown in the most unlikely of places for those living in 19th century Victorian times!  The characters are fun and engaging, the mystery is so well-plotted - it definitely kept me guessing, and the continued subplots leave the reader with some answers, but even more questions about both Veronica and Stoker. 

I readily love the fact that this is a period piece, as it allows the author to lead her protagonists through old fashioned means of solving a murder - no cell phones, no computers, no easy access to all information.  And the fact that she has made Veronica so forthright and blunt makes it all the more fun, reading about the reactions of those Victorian hypocrites who are appalled at her speech.  Any book that can make me smile as I read it like there Veronica Speedwell books do are definitely high on my reading list!

RATING:  10 bloodstained dancing slippers out of 10 for showing the world that even in Victorian England, a female sleuth can still gain the upper hand on her male counterparts!

The First Veronica Speedwell Mystery - A Curious Beginning

A Curious Beginning, indeed!  I am not familiar with the author, Deanna Raybourn, at all, but this book had such great reviews, and - well, let's face it - I'm a sucker for a mystery series with a strong female protagonist. And, it seems lately, I'm also becoming a fan of female detective stories set in the 19th century - first there was the Lilly Long series, then the Change of Fortune series, and now the Veronica Speedwell series.  So long as these authors provide such enjoyable reads like this, I'll continue to be a fan!

From the very first chapter, it was clear that I was going to absolutely love Veronica Speedwell - not just the book itself, but the character.  Raybourn provides readers with a very outspoken, blunt, and undeterred young lady who is set upon making her own destiny and will not allow anyone to try and change it.  This becomes quickly apparent in just the first eight pages when Veronica must confront the unwelcome plans of the vicar's wife.

"Oh no, Mrs. Clutterthorpe.  I never mean to shock anyone.  It simply happens.  I have a dreadful habit of speaking my mind, and it isn't one I look to curb..." (p. 7)

And that one simply quote pretty much sums up Veronica's nature.  Of course, considering the fact that just as she loses her last aunt, the only caretaker she had left, she finds her home ransacked, she is nearly kidnapped, she is whisked off to London by a man she doesn't know, she is thrust into the care of an ill-tempered historian, and she suddenly finds herself the target of person or persons unknown, that rather impudent disposition of hers definitely serves her needs time and time again.

Raybourn spins a really intriguing mystery of who killed the Baron Maximilian von Stauffenbach (you gotta love these character names in the book!), why did they kill him, how does it connect to Veronica and her past, and why, oh why, do they now want to kill Veronica?  It seems it is up to Veronica and her new comrade-in-arms, Stoker (a/k/a Revelstoke Templeton-Vane) to figure it all out before it's too late.  But, they find themselves on the run, hiding out in the most unlikely of places (including a traveling oddities show of which Stroker used to be involved).  While both Veronica and Stoker's pasts are shrouded in mystery, as the story progresses, Raybourn reveals bits and pieces.  And the budding friendship (possibly more?) between Veronica and Stoker definitely provides plenty of tension throughout the tale, as they never know whether to scream at each other or take the other in his or her arms.

The ultimate resolution of this mystery is just a bit of a stretch, but it does make sense in a very fictional sort of way.  And Raybourn is careful not to reveal all of her characters' secrets, leaving her readers wanting for more (which I am sure will come in future books - A Perilous Undertaking is already out in hardback, but my cheap self will wait for the paperback to hit the shelves).  This book is clear evidence of why Raybourn is a New York Times bestselling author.  The story is perfectly paced, with plenty of action and characterization to pull readers in and keep them engaged in the story, and the mystery is well plotted, with clues scattered throughout if you know how to recognize them (plus, knowing a bit of history helps, since the author manages to utilize some real historical facts mixed in with her fiction).

A Curious Beginning is just that - a beginning!  I anxiously await to see where Veronica and Stoker will go next!

RATING:  10 butterfly nets out of 10 for proving that even in the 19th century, a woman can be intelligent, independent, and utterly incorrigible - and still be enjoyable to read!