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foxon's review against another edition
2.0
Oy vey, how do you have a series with 4.5 books and literally only one likable character. It feels like every new entry simultaneously retcons the characters personalities while also having them in the exact same conflicts. Would you like to take a guess at what this book is about? Julia wants to investigate. Brisbane wont let her help for... reasons, honestly who the hell knows why he does these things. Oh, and he also reads her journal without permission. But he sooooo mysterious and brooding and we should love him because hes trying to protect her. Blah. At one point Julia faints after caching Brisbane in a lie and when she wakes up she says she wants a divorce which made me declare to an empty apartment Yeeees Girl. She doesnt follow through, which is truly a shame because the only thing he does in this book is lie to her.
This is getting 2 stars because I enjoyed all the natural history stuff.
This is getting 2 stars because I enjoyed all the natural history stuff.
vireogirl's review against another edition
4.0
The investigative partnership is very antagonistic in this series. I like it better in the Veronica Speedwell series—more time solving together and less time arguing. This one reminds me more of Thomas and his wife Charlotte, particularly the high society aspects.
readbooks_eatapples's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 really. This book had a lot of potential. I think she handled the exoticism angle relatively well, with Julia's typical snobby self awareness, and it was relatively engaging. As always, I love the complex interplay of the main character and her family, and the secondary characters are usually pretty interesting. The trouble I had was that there was a bit too much going on in the background, to the point where it both crept along and got a little overblown.
There is a trigger warning here, something that really really turned me off at almost the end of the story. SPOILER:
Oh the burying of the gaysssss. I love the potential of the character that was killed off with very little fanfare about five minutes before the end of the book. It didn't ruin the story for me, but it was very disappointing after all that had happened. I'll definitely read the next one, though I'm sad that it fell into this trope.
There is a trigger warning here, something that really really turned me off at almost the end of the story. SPOILER:
Oh the burying of the gaysssss. I love the potential of the character that was killed off with very little fanfare about five minutes before the end of the book. It didn't ruin the story for me, but it was very disappointing after all that had happened. I'll definitely read the next one, though I'm sad that it fell into this trope.
pygment's review against another edition
4.0
I was only going to give it 3 stars as I had a hard time being interested in the mystery itself, and then things got COMPLICATED and I could not put the book down. I read at traffic lights and while walking. The book even made me cry (damnit!). But there are 2 more books to read.
lizjane's review against another edition
3.0
Lady Julia takes her man Brisbane and her sleuthing skills on the road to India. I have a really good picture in my head of the tea plantation. Thanks to Deanna Raybourn for another historical romance that I am so happy to have read!
ladyhighwayman's review against another edition
4.0
Another great installment in the Lady Julia Grey series!
One of favorite things about this series is the mysteries surrounding Brisbane and one of my fears that with he and Julia married, that would end. Not so! I'm glad to say that Brisbane is as mysterious and as sneaky as ever.
Still on their honeymoon, Julia and Brisbane are surprised by a visit by Julia's siblings Portia and Plum. They are on their way to Darjeeling to visit Portia's now widowed ex-lover Jane, who is also pregnant. Portia has surmised from Jane's letters that her late husband was a victim of a murder and that Jane may be next. Portia convinces her sister and brother-in-law to travel with them to Darjeeling, but without revealing her true motive – helping to solve a possible murder.
Arriving on the tea plantation, Julia is introduced to the Cavendish family and the surrounding residents of the area, that includes a peculiar family, along with relatives of Julia's that may possibly have a motive for murder. Also lurking about is a man they call the White Rajah. Trying to solve a murder that may or may not have even happened is difficult for Julia, especially when there's a man-eating tiger on the loose! However, she weaves her way through all suspicious characters, finding that even with so few suspects, this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.
Julia also has other motives, she wants to solve this possible murder on her own, in order to gain her husband's respect and prove to him that she's an asset in his investigations. Through doing this, she discovers things about herself that she was unaware of, things about herself that she does not like.
I was completely gripped by this book. I saw absolutely nothing coming. I thought I had a few things worked out only to be completely wrong. And that Brisbane, still pops up with the surprises. He did not disappoint. This is one mystery series that shows no signs of slowing down.
One of favorite things about this series is the mysteries surrounding Brisbane and one of my fears that with he and Julia married, that would end. Not so! I'm glad to say that Brisbane is as mysterious and as sneaky as ever.
Still on their honeymoon, Julia and Brisbane are surprised by a visit by Julia's siblings Portia and Plum. They are on their way to Darjeeling to visit Portia's now widowed ex-lover Jane, who is also pregnant. Portia has surmised from Jane's letters that her late husband was a victim of a murder and that Jane may be next. Portia convinces her sister and brother-in-law to travel with them to Darjeeling, but without revealing her true motive – helping to solve a possible murder.
Arriving on the tea plantation, Julia is introduced to the Cavendish family and the surrounding residents of the area, that includes a peculiar family, along with relatives of Julia's that may possibly have a motive for murder. Also lurking about is a man they call the White Rajah. Trying to solve a murder that may or may not have even happened is difficult for Julia, especially when there's a man-eating tiger on the loose! However, she weaves her way through all suspicious characters, finding that even with so few suspects, this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.
Julia also has other motives, she wants to solve this possible murder on her own, in order to gain her husband's respect and prove to him that she's an asset in his investigations. Through doing this, she discovers things about herself that she was unaware of, things about herself that she does not like.
I was completely gripped by this book. I saw absolutely nothing coming. I thought I had a few things worked out only to be completely wrong. And that Brisbane, still pops up with the surprises. He did not disappoint. This is one mystery series that shows no signs of slowing down.