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lille_in_the_ville's review against another edition
3.0
The setting, a tea plantation in Sikkim, made for an interesting change in backdrop for Lady Julia and the mystery was intricate. I get tired of Julia's petulance and the lack of honest communication with Brisbane, but it feels very true to period.
karaelise's review against another edition
4.0
Entertaining, but not as magnetic as the previous three in the series. That being said, I liked the mystery and there were definitely some intriguing twists and shocks. As always, Brisbane brightens up the book every time he appears...worth reading just to "be around" him. BUT: Still worth reading if you are a Lady Julia Grey fan. Looking forward to the next one!
Spoiler
I was especially disappointed with the ending. I loved Jane! How unnecessary to kill her off!! Poor Portia.erin1066's review against another edition
4.0
This 4th book in the Lady Julia Grey series took me quite a while to get into and I expected I’d only give it 3 stars. However, it starts really picking up halfway through and finished very strongly.
onetrooluff's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable entry in this series, although I got a bit sick of Julia and Brisbane sniping at each other. Also, Julia says things "nastily" way too often.
The mystery was okay, with lots of red herrings, and I didn't figure it out ahead of time. I have one more book in this series plus a few novellas.
The mystery was okay, with lots of red herrings, and I didn't figure it out ahead of time. I have one more book in this series plus a few novellas.
toni_nb's review against another edition
4.0
Another soundly good read.
Julia, Brisbane, Portia and Plum travel to India to reunite with Jane, Portia’s lover, who is recently widowed and pregnant by her deceased husband. It’s a long story, but Jane wanted to desperately have a child and therefore decided to marry and leave Portia.
It appears that Jane’s husband was murdered and it’s up to Brisbane and Julia to find out who, why and how.
We meet an interesting cast of characters, least of all Brisbane’s own estranged father, Black Jack. He is not a very nice man at all. Poor Brisbane.
Julia and Brisbane have their power struggles throughout the story. Julia wants to be involved in the investigation and is somewhat oblivious to the danger involved. Brisbane only wants to protect Julia as she is naive and doesn’t realize the potentially dangerous situations she gets herself into. Brisbane comes in heavy handed at times as I found myself bristling and annoyed just like Julia.
Tragedy and more death than the previous novels. The body count is higher and one particular loss is very great to all of them but I shan’t say who. Looking forward to reading the last novel.
Julia, Brisbane, Portia and Plum travel to India to reunite with Jane, Portia’s lover, who is recently widowed and pregnant by her deceased husband. It’s a long story, but Jane wanted to desperately have a child and therefore decided to marry and leave Portia.
It appears that Jane’s husband was murdered and it’s up to Brisbane and Julia to find out who, why and how.
We meet an interesting cast of characters, least of all Brisbane’s own estranged father, Black Jack. He is not a very nice man at all. Poor Brisbane.
Julia and Brisbane have their power struggles throughout the story. Julia wants to be involved in the investigation and is somewhat oblivious to the danger involved. Brisbane only wants to protect Julia as she is naive and doesn’t realize the potentially dangerous situations she gets herself into. Brisbane comes in heavy handed at times as I found myself bristling and annoyed just like Julia.
Tragedy and more death than the previous novels. The body count is higher and one particular loss is very great to all of them but I shan’t say who. Looking forward to reading the last novel.
tillyj92's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I have been enjoying this romantic historical mystery series, and while at first this fourth instalment seemed like just the previous book’s cast of suspicious characters translated into a different setting, I found the eventual solution to the mystery to be quite compelling. Lots of red herrings in this one, as we follow Lady Julia Grey and Brisbane to a tea plantation in the Sikkim region of India, investigating a mysterious death at the behest of a family friend. As always, nothing is as it seems, and dark secrets are uncovered, along with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Some of the tension and momentum of the previous books was missing in this one, which made for a slow start, but I appreciated that our main characters finally got vulnerable and honest with each other, amidst all of the exciting plot revelations. And I continue to love the sisterly dynamic between Julia and Portia, ever each other’s bulwarks in any storm. Not my favourite in the series, but Deanna Raybourn consistently delivers a satisfying mystery.
zbmorgan's review against another edition
4.0
Another entry in this terrific series that skirts several genres, the mystery here is good enough to keep you reading, but the eccentric Victorian characters, the lush Indian setting, and the continually complex relationship between Lady Julia and her husband will keep you turning the pages.
bbckprpl's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite of the series, so far: the relationship between Lady Julia & Brisbane bits, particularly. I don't know if they shall ever coming to an understanding, but I like to watch them try.
winemakerssister's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Lady Julia, Brisbane, Portia, and Plum journey to India to help Jane solve the murder of her husband.
I'd like to see Lady Julia and Brisbane communicate a little better. They withhold so much information from each other! I know a lot of it is them learning to live with each other, but it seems like this has been going on for too long. Other than that, I am really enjoying this series!
Lady Julia, Brisbane, Portia, and Plum journey to India to help Jane solve the murder of her husband.
I'd like to see Lady Julia and Brisbane communicate a little better. They withhold so much information from each other! I know a lot of it is them learning to live with each other, but it seems like this has been going on for too long. Other than that, I am really enjoying this series!
celiapowell's review against another edition
3.0
I haven't read any of Raybourn's books in a while - and I think I only ever read the first two in this series. (Checks back on reviews - yep, the first two, and I enjoyed them apparently). I like Lady Julia and her family of eccentrics.
In this book, Julia and Brisbane join Julia's brother and sister (Plum and Portia, respectively) on a trip to India, to visit Portia's ex-girlfriend who believes her husband may have been murdered. Got that? OK. So, Julia and Brisbane busily investigate this potential murder separately, spend most of the book distrusting each other, and only really tell each other everything towards the end. This didn't bother me all that much, but I think it would have if I'd read all four books in quick succession.
The resolution to the murder is a bit convoluted - or perhaps I should say the path there is fairly convoluted - and the ending suitably tragic and heart-wrenching. I enjoyed it, but I can't say I'm anxious to rush back to the next book. They're nice fluffy weekend reads (if you like a bit of heart-wrenching tragedy in your fluff weekend reads).
In this book, Julia and Brisbane join Julia's brother and sister (Plum and Portia, respectively) on a trip to India, to visit Portia's ex-girlfriend who believes her husband may have been murdered. Got that? OK. So, Julia and Brisbane busily investigate this potential murder separately, spend most of the book distrusting each other, and only really tell each other everything towards the end. This didn't bother me all that much, but I think it would have if I'd read all four books in quick succession.
The resolution to the murder is a bit convoluted - or perhaps I should say the path there is fairly convoluted - and the ending suitably tragic and heart-wrenching. I enjoyed it, but I can't say I'm anxious to rush back to the next book. They're nice fluffy weekend reads (if you like a bit of heart-wrenching tragedy in your fluff weekend reads).