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juliavdelft's review against another edition
5.0
This is the 3rd Portia Adams book. For some reason I thought it was the last so I expected things to wrap up a lot more quickly - particularly her relationships, whether family or friends - but unfortunately, I have to wait for more books!
I really enjoyed it! Portia is so smart and a bit quirky, but she does change and grow in this book, particularly because she has become a more public figure. I like reading about London (and in this book, Italy) in the 1930s because it's like reading historical fiction and a mystery at the same time. I don't even usually read mysteries, but I like Portia. I also like the way Misri writes. It's sometimes funny, and sometimes very mysterious and suspenseful. For instance, there are parts where Portia knows what is happening, but despite it being told from her point of view, the reader is left in the dust just like her friends until the end, when she explains what she was doing. Once in a while we get to see her strong emotions, because her relationships go through a lot of changes.
I recommend it for anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes or mysteries with a smart female lead, as well as anyone who likes historical fiction set in the 30s. Misri writes a lot of strong female characters who are pushing to show their worth as women to society, which is very interesting.
I really enjoyed it! Portia is so smart and a bit quirky, but she does change and grow in this book, particularly because she has become a more public figure. I like reading about London (and in this book, Italy) in the 1930s because it's like reading historical fiction and a mystery at the same time. I don't even usually read mysteries, but I like Portia. I also like the way Misri writes. It's sometimes funny, and sometimes very mysterious and suspenseful. For instance, there are parts where Portia knows what is happening, but despite it being told from her point of view, the reader is left in the dust just like her friends until the end, when she explains what she was doing. Once in a while we get to see her strong emotions, because her relationships go through a lot of changes.
I recommend it for anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes or mysteries with a smart female lead, as well as anyone who likes historical fiction set in the 30s. Misri writes a lot of strong female characters who are pushing to show their worth as women to society, which is very interesting.
stephybara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
kpeninger's review against another edition
4.0
Another excellent book in the Portia Adams series. I am very grateful to the author for sending me a copy.
As is usual with the Adams books, it is divided into three sections, each with its own case, though there is an overarching story line. I think I enjoyed the first case, taking place in Italy and dealing with Italian royalty, the most. I love seeing Portia surrounded by women, and her friendship with Elaine Barclay is a treasure.
I believe I would have enjoyed the second case more (given its references to one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes stories) if it hadn't been interspersed with romantic relationship drama. But that is the preference of this reader, and should not deter others- if you enjoy romance and the like in your stories, you will certainly enjoy the bits and bobs that appear. But it was not for me, and largely I just worried about Annie and Portia and their friendship (which is incredibly important to me, and I hope to see more of). The case itself was engaging, though sometimes a bit scattered, imo. Nonetheless, thoroughly enjoyable.
I loved the third case, particularly for the way it explored how Portia deals with grief, and some of her biases that impact her ability to work with others. Again, it was sometimes a bit scattered, interspersed with short little stories of other cases Portia was working on that didn't seem to have any clear connection to the main story, and I felt it could have been tighter. But I loved it, nonetheless, and appreciated the emotional resonances.
I adore the Portia Adams series, and am looking forward to seeing what the author puts in the fourth book. I am hoping we'll receive more details about some of the things left unanswered: Gavin? Bruiser Jenkins? a potential master mind? I am not worried, however; Ms. Misri truly makes this a series where knowledge of the previous books isn't just handy, but necessary. Threads from all the books are interwoven, and I think it's useful to view the series as less of a string of single mysteries with certain ongoing themes, and more as a single, continuous story broken apart by different book covers.
Such a treat of a book, and I am so happy that I was able to read it.
As is usual with the Adams books, it is divided into three sections, each with its own case, though there is an overarching story line. I think I enjoyed the first case, taking place in Italy and dealing with Italian royalty, the most. I love seeing Portia surrounded by women, and her friendship with Elaine Barclay is a treasure.
I believe I would have enjoyed the second case more (given its references to one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes stories) if it hadn't been interspersed with romantic relationship drama. But that is the preference of this reader, and should not deter others- if you enjoy romance and the like in your stories, you will certainly enjoy the bits and bobs that appear. But it was not for me, and largely I just worried about Annie and Portia and their friendship (which is incredibly important to me, and I hope to see more of). The case itself was engaging, though sometimes a bit scattered, imo. Nonetheless, thoroughly enjoyable.
I loved the third case, particularly for the way it explored how Portia deals with grief, and some of her biases that impact her ability to work with others. Again, it was sometimes a bit scattered, interspersed with short little stories of other cases Portia was working on that didn't seem to have any clear connection to the main story, and I felt it could have been tighter. But I loved it, nonetheless, and appreciated the emotional resonances.
I adore the Portia Adams series, and am looking forward to seeing what the author puts in the fourth book. I am hoping we'll receive more details about some of the things left unanswered: Gavin? Bruiser Jenkins? a potential master mind? I am not worried, however; Ms. Misri truly makes this a series where knowledge of the previous books isn't just handy, but necessary. Threads from all the books are interwoven, and I think it's useful to view the series as less of a string of single mysteries with certain ongoing themes, and more as a single, continuous story broken apart by different book covers.
Such a treat of a book, and I am so happy that I was able to read it.
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