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rotkrox1521's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The romantic development between the main couple felt unearned & its pacing was unrealistically quick (from first meeting to love). Not so much a collection of mysteries/cases as a collection of daring rescues of vulnerable women and children. The book is quite the juxtaposition of the light tone of the London nobility and the darkness of the crimes that the Colebrook sisters encounter. Also some interesting historical tidbits, like mastectomies were already being done in the early 1800s.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Kidnapping
Minor: Rape
pianorunner421's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
robin122's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
sherwoodreads's review against another edition
A pair of middle-aged sisters solve crimes, mostly against women.
The research is solid--only one thing pinged me (unfortunately, given the violence in the novel, it cropped up often) which was the use of the word "gun" for pistol, in a time when guns were specifically artillery pieces, that is, cannon. Other than that, wow, a deep dive into the underbelly of Regency-era life and crimes.
My problem with it lies not at all with the book, or the story Goodman wanted to tell. She did an admirable job not only with the research, but in crafting Gus, our narrator, in particular, who reminds me a great deal of Mary Wollstonecraft. My problem is that the covert art, and the title, as well as the ad language, caused me to expect a comedy of manners.
Nope. Murder, breast cancer, slavery, human trafficking, etc etc are vital subjects, but not ones I want to read fiction about. I read enough real history about the dark side of human nature, and of course there is the news and daily life to provide plenty of misery and anxiety, which is why I want my fiction to make me smile. I lauded the sisters' good work, but I didn't smile much while reading this, which is a fault with me as a reader, and not with the writer.
The research is solid--only one thing pinged me (unfortunately, given the violence in the novel, it cropped up often) which was the use of the word "gun" for pistol, in a time when guns were specifically artillery pieces, that is, cannon. Other than that, wow, a deep dive into the underbelly of Regency-era life and crimes.
My problem with it lies not at all with the book, or the story Goodman wanted to tell. She did an admirable job not only with the research, but in crafting Gus, our narrator, in particular, who reminds me a great deal of Mary Wollstonecraft. My problem is that the covert art, and the title, as well as the ad language, caused me to expect a comedy of manners.
Nope. Murder, breast cancer, slavery, human trafficking, etc etc are vital subjects, but not ones I want to read fiction about. I read enough real history about the dark side of human nature, and of course there is the news and daily life to provide plenty of misery and anxiety, which is why I want my fiction to make me smile. I lauded the sisters' good work, but I didn't smile much while reading this, which is a fault with me as a reader, and not with the writer.