A Most Intriguing Lady (Buccleuch Family) by Sarah Fergusen – Review

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5 stars, Book Review, historical, historical mystery, historical romance, mystery, romance, series, Victorian England

Review of A Most Intriguing Lady

A Most Intriguing Lady starts quickly by revealing two intriguing characters.  Lady Mary, a young woman who prefers to keep to her quiet ways, enters the story by performing a balance beam act on the castle parapet.  She is seen only by Colonel Trefusis, whose past will not leave him alone.  Both are very likable characters, looking for their place in life. 

Mary is observant, discrete, quiet and often overlooked by her family and everyone around her.  Which makes her the perfect person to solve a domestic mystery, with some assistance from Trefusis.  

After solving one mystery, Mary’s services are in demand, keeping her busy and giving her purpose.  Meanwhile, Trefusis has his own secret mission which keeps him away from Mary.  The two part, meet again, and learn more about each other as they solve more mysteries and then part again.  They cycle continues, keeping the two apart, while at the same time bringing them closer together. 

This book is a romance, which means that someday, somehow, Mary and Trefusis are bound to get together.  But this long term, slow burn courtship is doomed to failure until they both grow enough to find a clear give-and-take path that leads to their happily ever after.  I found their steadfastly growing relationship to be quite refreshing.  The added mysteries strengthened the characters and the plot, and made for a very satisfying story!

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book.  My review is my honest opinion.

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About A Most Intriguing Lady by Sarah Fergusen

Victorian London was notorious for its pickpockets. But in the country houses of the elite, gentleman burglars, art thieves and con men preyed on the rich and titled. Wealthy victims—with their pride and reputation at stake—would never go to the police. What they needed was a society insider, one of their own, a person of discretion and finely tuned powers of observation, adept at navigating intrigue. 

That person was Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott, the youngest child of Queen Victoria’s close friends the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch. Bookish, fiercely intelligent, and a keen observer, Mary has deliberately cultivated a mousey persona that allows her to remain overlooked and significantly underestimated by all. It’s the perfect cover for a sleuth, a role she stumbles into when trying to assist a close friend during a house party hosted by her parents at their stately Scottish home, Drumlanrig Castle. 

It is at this party where Lady Mary also meets Colonel Walter Trefusis, a distinguished and extremely handsome war veteran. Tortured by memories of combat, Walter, like Mary, lives a double life, with a desk job in Whitehall providing a front for his role in the British Intelligence Service. The two form an unlikely alliance to solve a series of audacious crimes—and indulge in a highly charged on-off romance. 

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To Capture His Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen – Review

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5 stars, Book Review, mystery, Nancy Campbell Allen, romance, Victorian England

Review of To Capture His Heart

To Capture His Heart features Eva Caldwell, photographer, in the Victorian era.  A successful independent woman in a male-dominated profession and male-dominated society is sure to draw attention.  Some of that attention comes from Nathan, who belongs to her circle of friends, but has not let on that he is attracted to her. 

Nathan Winston’s mother is throwing a week-long party in the county and needs a photographer.  Eva fits the bill for the job.  Plus they can pretend they are a couple to avoid Mom’s matchmaking designs.  It just happens that Mrs. Winston is very supportive of independent women like Eva, so she is perfect for the party.

Lots of things happen at the party.   The relationship between Eva and Nathan begins to change from pretend to capturing each other’s hearts.  But other things start to go terribly wrong at the party.  Mean girls try to make things difficult for Eva.  And Eva’s very charming young assistant, Sammy, gets into trouble while worming his way into everyone’s heart. 

This book is about good people: independent women, and the men that support them.  It includes information about the evolving technologies of photography and the slowing changing Victorian society.  To Capture His Heart is tied to The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart (review here), but both books stand alone.  If you are looking for a delightful wholesome historical romance, Nancy Campbell Allen has lots to offer.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.

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About To Capture His Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen

Seaside, England, 1886

Eva Caldwell is an accomplished and well-known photographer who often works with the local constabulary to assist in documenting crime scenes, which means she also often works alongside the handsome and charming detective, Nathan Winston. She appreciates his intellect and how he treats her like an equal, but Eva’s heart is still healing from a past relationship, so, for now, she decides to keep her feelings for Nathan a secret.

One evening, Nathan arrives on her doorstep asking for a personal favor. Would Eva be available to photograph his mother’s legendary, week-long dinner party and matchmaking event? The catch is that Eva would also have to pretend they are courting in order for Nathan to avoid the many single women seeking his attention.

Though wary of the charade, Eva agrees. Spending a week with the two things she loves most—her detective and her camera—sounds simple enough. And if she wants to imagine that Nathan’s pretend courtship of her is real, well, what’s the harm in that?

But when a criminal from Nathan’s past threatens revenge on the detective, Nathan must be extra vigilant to keep his mother and the rest of the partygoers safe. He confides in Eva, and as the two work together to solve the mystery and apprehend the criminal, they find that they might capture more than they expected—each other’s heart.

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The Secret of Bow Lane (A Below Stairs Mystery, #6) by Jennifer Ashley – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, historical, Jennifer Ashley, mystery, romance, series, Victorian England

Review

This is the book Kat Holloway fans have been waiting for.  I’ll tell you why, but first….

In The Secret of Bow Lane, the mystery is about Joe Bristow, the man Kat thought she was once married to until she found out he was already married to someone else.  The death of her ‘husband’ left Kat in poverty, but it is also what led her to become the best cook in all of London.  While he died many years ago, his actual wife contends that he left a fortune somewhere and she needs help finding it. Bow Lane is Kat’s old neighborhood and there is more than one intriguing secret to uncover there.

Joe’s ability to pretend he was something he was not, reminds her a little too much of her friend Daniel McAdam, who is a master of the many disguises he uses in his investigative work.  So, when Daniel tells Kat how he feels about her, she pulls back.  There is nothing to be done, except find out more about the real Daniel.

In her life, there are two men that Kat has gotten close to.  Joe and Daniel.  Throughout the story, the details of both of their lives are slowly brought to light, revealing all the sordid details of one and the worthy details of the other.  So, you see, Kat Holloway fans, this book is for you.

The mystery the Kat must solve in this tale is just as fascinating and twisty as it always is.  Also, all of Kat’s helpers are there to make sure they uncover every necessary clue while still allowing Kat to see to her cooking duties and her daughter.  And Daniel is ever present to give his support, friendship, and a kiss now and then.  I recommend you enjoy this historical mystery with a nice cup of hot tea and a biscuit.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book.  My review is my honest opinion.

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About The Secret of Bow Lane by Jennifer Ashley

A stranger who appears on Kat’s doorstep turns out to be one Charlotte Bristow, legal wife of Joe Bristow, the man Kat once believed herself married to—who she thought died at sea twelve years ago. Kat is jolted by Charlotte’s claims that not only was Joe murdered, but he had amassed a small fortune before he died. Charlotte makes the cook an offer she cannot refuse—if Kat can discover the identity of Joe’s murderer, Charlotte will give her a share of the fortune Joe left behind.

With the help of Daniel McAdam, her attractive and charismatic confidante, Kat plunges into her own past to investigate. When it becomes apparent that the case of Joe’s death goes far deeper than simple, opportunistic theft, Kat and Daniel’s relationship is put to the test, and Kat herself comes under scrutiny as her connection to Joe is uncovered. She must race to catch the real killer before she loses her job and possibly her life.

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