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byrdy's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I would have enjoyed this more if it had been a bit shorter. I think that would have helped tighten up the plot just a bit.
mbenzz's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the first two Lady Ashton Mysteries, but this book, for the first time in the series, felt a little forced and unbelievable. In the previous books, you believed everything that was happening COULD, actually happen. Emily playing the sweet yet unconventional aristocrat looking for answers felt realistic. In this story though, it was very clear that Emily was in way over her head, and I just don't think she would have gotten as far as she did...especially since she was up against someone as ruthless as Mr. Harrison.
Also, I felt Lord Fortescue's behavior was just a little over the top. As the man who's supposedly 'Running England' and who is as close to the Queen as they say he is, I find it highly unlikely that she (the Queen) would condone such horrific behavior and manners. Ok, I get that he doesn't like Emily, but to talk to her the way he does, and to out and out threaten to ruin her in front of other people seems a little much, not to mention his treatment and blackmailing of many of England's most powerful men.
As for the mystery itself...who killed Lord Fortescue and why...it was a good one, though so much of the information Emily was searching for seemed useless in the end. She went from trying to exonerate her best friends husband, to being caught up in a Viennese attack plan that could possibly start a war. I just had a very hard time believing that anarchist Gustav Schroder would have given Emily even a minute of his time, let alone trust her in any way with sensitive information. And if Mr. Harrison REALLY wanted her dead, he would have just done it. Why was he wasting his time leaving her bullets everywhere as a warning? As we later see, if he wants someone eliminated, he eliminates them. How convenient that Emily managed to escape such a fate.
Also, the love woes between Emily, Colin, Countess von Lang, and Jeremy were at times interesting but quickly got old. My patience for Jeremy was completely gone by the end of the book. He grew up with Emily, had had PLEEEENTY of time to decide he wanted to marry her. Instead, he chose to be the forever lazy 'Bachelor Duke'. Now that she's engaged to Hargreaves he's turned into a sulking child who doesn't get what he wants. And Colin only pops in and out of the story occasionally. He's not at all reliable for Emily in any way.
Overall, while I liked the book, I certainly didn't love it. I do recommend reading it since it's part of the series, but you may be disappointed. Some of my favorite secondary characters (Cecil, Margaret, Ivy) were hardly around at all, and, while the conclusion to the mystery was a satisfactory one, you can't help but wonder why Emily had to leave the country at all. 90% of the information she used to solve the murder could have been found in England just by talking to Sir Julian. I'm definitely bummed that this book wasn't as good as the first two, but that sometimes happens with a series. I still look forward to book 4 and seeing what trouble Emily comes across this time. Hopefully, she comes across it in a more believable manner.
Also, I felt Lord Fortescue's behavior was just a little over the top. As the man who's supposedly 'Running England' and who is as close to the Queen as they say he is, I find it highly unlikely that she (the Queen) would condone such horrific behavior and manners. Ok, I get that he doesn't like Emily, but to talk to her the way he does, and to out and out threaten to ruin her in front of other people seems a little much, not to mention his treatment and blackmailing of many of England's most powerful men.
As for the mystery itself...who killed Lord Fortescue and why...it was a good one, though so much of the information Emily was searching for seemed useless in the end. She went from trying to exonerate her best friends husband, to being caught up in a Viennese attack plan that could possibly start a war. I just had a very hard time believing that anarchist Gustav Schroder would have given Emily even a minute of his time, let alone trust her in any way with sensitive information. And if Mr. Harrison REALLY wanted her dead, he would have just done it. Why was he wasting his time leaving her bullets everywhere as a warning? As we later see, if he wants someone eliminated, he eliminates them. How convenient that Emily managed to escape such a fate.
Also, the love woes between Emily, Colin, Countess von Lang, and Jeremy were at times interesting but quickly got old. My patience for Jeremy was completely gone by the end of the book. He grew up with Emily, had had PLEEEENTY of time to decide he wanted to marry her. Instead, he chose to be the forever lazy 'Bachelor Duke'. Now that she's engaged to Hargreaves he's turned into a sulking child who doesn't get what he wants. And Colin only pops in and out of the story occasionally. He's not at all reliable for Emily in any way.
Overall, while I liked the book, I certainly didn't love it. I do recommend reading it since it's part of the series, but you may be disappointed. Some of my favorite secondary characters (Cecil, Margaret, Ivy) were hardly around at all, and, while the conclusion to the mystery was a satisfactory one, you can't help but wonder why Emily had to leave the country at all. 90% of the information she used to solve the murder could have been found in England just by talking to Sir Julian. I'm definitely bummed that this book wasn't as good as the first two, but that sometimes happens with a series. I still look forward to book 4 and seeing what trouble Emily comes across this time. Hopefully, she comes across it in a more believable manner.
annalisa4's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
willbefunorelse's review against another edition
3.0
I've wasted nearly 600 words on a) a chipped tooth, b) how that tooth was originally broken, and c) how that affects my blog posting schedule; I don't have far to slide on my "shitty" scale.
For the full, actual review about the third installment in the Lady Emily series, follow the link to That's What She Read.
For the full, actual review about the third installment in the Lady Emily series, follow the link to That's What She Read.
tjazz's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
alanaleigh's review against another edition
3.0
A Fatal Waltz would be the third in the "Lady Emily Ashton" series that Tasha Alexander writes. I read the first book because there was something on the cover about "if Jane Austen wrote mysteries" and my mom bought it for me as a joke. I read the second because a friend's father somehow wound up on the cover recommending it (not exactly his type of literature...). I read the third because, having just finished a dreadful book, I needed something that I knew would be fun. And that's exactly what it was, provided that you don't want you fun to come at the cost of thought or energy.
Lady Ashton has succumbed to the suit of Colin Hargreaves (the best friend of her first husband, whose murder formed the focus of the first novel) and the pair are engaged, but somehow, they can't quite manage to make the wedding happen. First, Colin is called away for business (he's a spy dontcha know!) and then the most powerful man in England swears that he'll do all in his power to put an end to it, as he despises Lady Ashton. Well, when he winds up murdered, you'd think that might at least pave the way for the wedding (and provide the basic plot of the novel as Lady Ashton seeks to exonerate her friend's husband, who winds up as the prime suspect), but then the Queen decides that as a favor to Lady Ashton's mother, she will lend the location and her presence... next summer.
I put the basic plot of the novel in parentheses there because I'm not fooling myself... I know why I'm reading these. I like the romance of it all, and the mystery comes second. And it's hard not to put the romance first in this one, because it's not just their cute banter as to when they can get married ("I'm free this afternoon."), but we see a bit of Colin's past as a former flame turns up. She may be married and she may be Austrian, but that only makes her more of a threat to poor Emily, who's worried that she might not measure up to such a glamorous creature... particularly when the woman tells Emily outright that when Colin proposed to *her*, she turned him down because she selflessly didn't want him to become sloppy in his work and risk his life. Despite the melodrama, I was pleased that Colin was given this past love who clearly meant something to him and he doesn't try to deny it. After all, the first novel had the intriguing premise of a young woman who didn't particularly know her husband well, but when he dies, in her search for answers, she finds that she was dearly loved... and she can't help but fall in love with him as well. It was poignant and here, we see Colin allowed to have something, too. I'm not sure I appreciated it when it was blatantly pointed out the phrase being something like "we're both people who've lived" or somesuch, but it leveled the playing field. And lest ye think that the drama ended there, oh no... we've got a case of hopeless love, multiple cases of familial revenge, and a baby on the way whose father might be executed. And the whole murder case thing. We also get to run around Vienna for a while, which is nice if you've been to Vienna so you have visuals for the copious amounts of historical touchstones and location references. Just like tourists now, they couldn't get out of Wien without sampling sachertorte.
I only wish that these books didn't bother to make an appearance in hardcover, as the third novel just made its debut in paperback and the fourth is out, but I simply can't justify the purchase. So if historical romance mystery floats your boat and you enjoyed the first two, then certainly try the third. You won't be surprised by anything that happens, but you'll certainly feel satisfied.
Lady Ashton has succumbed to the suit of Colin Hargreaves (the best friend of her first husband, whose murder formed the focus of the first novel) and the pair are engaged, but somehow, they can't quite manage to make the wedding happen. First, Colin is called away for business (he's a spy dontcha know!) and then the most powerful man in England swears that he'll do all in his power to put an end to it, as he despises Lady Ashton. Well, when he winds up murdered, you'd think that might at least pave the way for the wedding (and provide the basic plot of the novel as Lady Ashton seeks to exonerate her friend's husband, who winds up as the prime suspect), but then the Queen decides that as a favor to Lady Ashton's mother, she will lend the location and her presence... next summer.
I put the basic plot of the novel in parentheses there because I'm not fooling myself... I know why I'm reading these. I like the romance of it all, and the mystery comes second. And it's hard not to put the romance first in this one, because it's not just their cute banter as to when they can get married ("I'm free this afternoon."), but we see a bit of Colin's past as a former flame turns up. She may be married and she may be Austrian, but that only makes her more of a threat to poor Emily, who's worried that she might not measure up to such a glamorous creature... particularly when the woman tells Emily outright that when Colin proposed to *her*, she turned him down because she selflessly didn't want him to become sloppy in his work and risk his life. Despite the melodrama, I was pleased that Colin was given this past love who clearly meant something to him and he doesn't try to deny it. After all, the first novel had the intriguing premise of a young woman who didn't particularly know her husband well, but when he dies, in her search for answers, she finds that she was dearly loved... and she can't help but fall in love with him as well. It was poignant and here, we see Colin allowed to have something, too. I'm not sure I appreciated it when it was blatantly pointed out the phrase being something like "we're both people who've lived" or somesuch, but it leveled the playing field. And lest ye think that the drama ended there, oh no... we've got a case of hopeless love, multiple cases of familial revenge, and a baby on the way whose father might be executed. And the whole murder case thing. We also get to run around Vienna for a while, which is nice if you've been to Vienna so you have visuals for the copious amounts of historical touchstones and location references. Just like tourists now, they couldn't get out of Wien without sampling sachertorte.
I only wish that these books didn't bother to make an appearance in hardcover, as the third novel just made its debut in paperback and the fourth is out, but I simply can't justify the purchase. So if historical romance mystery floats your boat and you enjoyed the first two, then certainly try the third. You won't be surprised by anything that happens, but you'll certainly feel satisfied.
rachel_anne_krauz95's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
cheesygiraffe's review against another edition
5.0
Very thrilling. Emily was in more danger in this one than the first 2 combined. I can't wait to read the next one. I guess I'm going to the library for it. ;)
ktaylor1164's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this installment in the series--not only in terms of the vivid settings and characters, but mainly because of the beautiful development of the relationship between Colin and Emily. What a pleasure to read a late 19th century novel that acknowledges the complex social fabric of gender relationships and provides a romance that moves beyond the conventional. While all of the Lady Emily mysteries fall more into the mystery category, I love these two characters. Their partnership in this unlikely historical context is refreshing.
lifeand100books's review against another edition
4.0
In A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander, the third novel in the Lady Emily mystery series, we find ourselves again in Victorian England with Lady Emily Ashton. This time, we follow Lady Emily to a house party in the country, hosted by Lord Basil Fortesque. Unfortunately for Lord Fortesque, he winds up dead as the recipient of a bullet from a dueling pistol. Lady Emily sets her mind to discovering who the killer is after the husband of one of her good friends is erroneously implicated as the murderer. Unfortunately Lady Emily has little to go by, as the only clue is a letter sent to the deceased that references a political assassination. Acting on the information contained in the letter, Lady Emily travels to Vienna, where she must dig up new details and place together new clues. Fortunately she gets to spend some time with her fiance, Colin Hargreaves (an undercover agent for the crown). She is also involved in an interesting twist when she must make friends with his former lover, Kristiana Von Lange, in order to get out of a difficult situation. With all of the twists and turns thrown at Lady Emily it begins to seem as if the murder will never get solved! Will her engagement end now that Kristiana is back in Colin’s life? Will Emily be able to make a breakthrough in the case before it’s too late?
Immediately after finishing A Poisoned Season, I picked up A Fatal Waltz ready to jump into another mystery with Emily and Colin. I couldn’t wait to read not only how their relationship progressed, but also the tongue-in-cheek humor that I’ve come to expect from Alexander’s writing. While Waltz moved a bit slower than the first two in the series, it did NOT disappoint on the mystery front. I was guessing the entire time, thinking myself a better sleuth than I actually was! I failed miserably, guessing completely wrong. Hopefully by the sixth book in the series I’ll have picked up some detective skills from Emily that help me figure out whodunit before the story ends (I can only hope).
As in the previous novels of the series, Emily is a modern-thinking woman, keen on keeping her independence and freedom. She’s an absolutely fascinating heroine to follow, as she really gives a big middle finger to the social restrictions on women. She reminds me of Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice in multiple ways. She allows her wit and intelligence to ease the way for her non-traditional values and decisions. Most of the people she meets are enthralled by her and for the most part come around to her way of thinking. Maybe they don’t 100% agree with her, yet they respect her views enough to allow for the freedom of discussion about them. She’s a heroine I’m proud to like, and I think that anyone who gives these novels a chance would definitely appreciate her mind and find themselves growing quite attached to her. Not only this, But I’m willing to bet that once you begin to read the first novel in this series, you won’t be able to stop until the sixth and most current novel ends up in your “finished” pile. They’re that good!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Kl
Immediately after finishing A Poisoned Season, I picked up A Fatal Waltz ready to jump into another mystery with Emily and Colin. I couldn’t wait to read not only how their relationship progressed, but also the tongue-in-cheek humor that I’ve come to expect from Alexander’s writing. While Waltz moved a bit slower than the first two in the series, it did NOT disappoint on the mystery front. I was guessing the entire time, thinking myself a better sleuth than I actually was! I failed miserably, guessing completely wrong. Hopefully by the sixth book in the series I’ll have picked up some detective skills from Emily that help me figure out whodunit before the story ends (I can only hope).
As in the previous novels of the series, Emily is a modern-thinking woman, keen on keeping her independence and freedom. She’s an absolutely fascinating heroine to follow, as she really gives a big middle finger to the social restrictions on women. She reminds me of Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice in multiple ways. She allows her wit and intelligence to ease the way for her non-traditional values and decisions. Most of the people she meets are enthralled by her and for the most part come around to her way of thinking. Maybe they don’t 100% agree with her, yet they respect her views enough to allow for the freedom of discussion about them. She’s a heroine I’m proud to like, and I think that anyone who gives these novels a chance would definitely appreciate her mind and find themselves growing quite attached to her. Not only this, But I’m willing to bet that once you begin to read the first novel in this series, you won’t be able to stop until the sixth and most current novel ends up in your “finished” pile. They’re that good!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Kl