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erincataldi's review against another edition
3.0
Calling this a Christmas story is a bit of a stretch. It's pretty much a little Victorian murder mystery novel that just so happens to take place during the holiday season.
Claudine and her husband (he's awful, a total wanker) attend an ill fated Christmas party where an un-virtuous young lady (i.e. prostitute) is murdered on the terrace . Things like this simply do not happen at high society parties. Three young man who were on the terrace claim that the drunken welch poet beat her to death, but Claudine thinks otherwise. She briefly talked to the poet earlier in the evening and although he may have been drunk he certainly didn't seem like a killer. Claudine vows to get to the bottom of this and discover who really murdered the girl. Quite a Christmas story eh?
For fans of historical mystery novels.
I received this book for free from Library Thing in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
Claudine and her husband (he's awful, a total wanker) attend an ill fated Christmas party where an un-virtuous young lady (i.e. prostitute) is murdered on the terrace . Things like this simply do not happen at high society parties. Three young man who were on the terrace claim that the drunken welch poet beat her to death, but Claudine thinks otherwise. She briefly talked to the poet earlier in the evening and although he may have been drunk he certainly didn't seem like a killer. Claudine vows to get to the bottom of this and discover who really murdered the girl. Quite a Christmas story eh?
For fans of historical mystery novels.
I received this book for free from Library Thing in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry
Have read the author's other Christmas works and enjoyed them.
This one is about a party at Christmas but the events lead to a death. Someone has brought along a woman of the streets and there is a fight and she ends up dead.
Claudeen has gone outside for a breath of air when she comes upon the scene and Derek appears with a lot of blood all over himself and quite drunk.
She doesn't realize til the next day at things are not what they appear. She proceeds to find more clues and talk to many more and she does find them in time.
Will it be enough to free the wronged man from jail a Christmas hope when that's all that is left....
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Have read the author's other Christmas works and enjoyed them.
This one is about a party at Christmas but the events lead to a death. Someone has brought along a woman of the streets and there is a fight and she ends up dead.
Claudeen has gone outside for a breath of air when she comes upon the scene and Derek appears with a lot of blood all over himself and quite drunk.
She doesn't realize til the next day at things are not what they appear. She proceeds to find more clues and talk to many more and she does find them in time.
Will it be enough to free the wronged man from jail a Christmas hope when that's all that is left....
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
aprilfitz's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe 2.5 but I feel bad putting 2 because I didn't dislike it
bookhussy's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
indianajane's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book as a review copy, so I supposed I'd better review it! I really like Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries, but I had never read any of her Christmas series. After this one, I will.
Claudine is a comfortable, well-to-do lady who is only really happy when she is volunteering at Hester Monk's clinic, a place very familiar to Perry fans. In this story she stands up to society to save the life of a man wrongfully accused of murder. The story was well-done and enjoyable.
Claudine is a comfortable, well-to-do lady who is only really happy when she is volunteering at Hester Monk's clinic, a place very familiar to Perry fans. In this story she stands up to society to save the life of a man wrongfully accused of murder. The story was well-done and enjoyable.
judyward's review against another edition
2.0
Claudine Burroughs lives an empty life. She is like a strangr to her openly ambitious husband and she dreads the society parties, balls, and teas of her wealthy, socially prominent friends. The only joy she has is in her volunteer work at a women's clinic for poor women which her husband sees as a poor use of her time and he seems to be always on the verge of forbidding her to continue to work there. At a holiday party, Claudine meets the poet Dai Tregarron and she is horrified when an hour later he is accused of beating and killing a young prostitute who had been smuggled into the party. Claudine believes in Tregarrron's innocence and believes that the upper class has closed ranks to protect the guilty party and she sets out to discover the truth.
froydis's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars -
I quite enjoyed this little mystery! It was a bit on the brief side, and would have benefited from being a bit longer and having a bit more depth. But I enjoyed the main character and the mystery itself was entertaining. I'd like to know what happens after the book ends with the main character and her husband - perhaps Perry addresses this in a later book. Anyway, its an enjoyable little read.
I quite enjoyed this little mystery! It was a bit on the brief side, and would have benefited from being a bit longer and having a bit more depth. But I enjoyed the main character and the mystery itself was entertaining. I'd like to know what happens after the book ends with the main character and her husband - perhaps Perry addresses this in a later book. Anyway, its an enjoyable little read.
felinity's review against another edition
4.0
A Christmas party, an unexpected death, an obvious suspect... and a woman who won't give up till the truth is known, no matter what it costs her.
A Christmas Hope is about more than just death, it's also about judging by appearances, the double standard of society, and the attempt of a woman - penned in by the expectations of society and her husband - to do what is right rather than what is appropriate. Claudine says, "Virtue is not always an easy or a comfortable thing... Sometimes it comes as a high cost", but the question here is: Who will pay that cost?
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Christmas Hope is about more than just death, it's also about judging by appearances, the double standard of society, and the attempt of a woman - penned in by the expectations of society and her husband - to do what is right rather than what is appropriate. Claudine says, "Virtue is not always an easy or a comfortable thing... Sometimes it comes as a high cost", but the question here is: Who will pay that cost?
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.