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serenityofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
**3 & half stars**
Bestselling author Val McDermid aptly labels Holly Adams' Dangerous Women as the “ultimate locked-room adventure”— a spot-on portrayal of a historical sea-bound murder mystery in my opinion.
ABOUT THE BOOK
“Kezia Hayter knows these women aren't dangerous.
One hundred and eighty petty convicts, all sentenced to transportation to Australia.
On board the Rajah , Kezia makes it her duty to redeem them, enlisting a select few to create an intricate quilt. With each stitch, they are tied closer together.
But when one woman is murdered, Kezia's work is threatened. She maintains faith in their innocence, even when the men leading the investigation do not.
But if she can't find the killer, how can Kezia save them?
Based on a real-life voyage, Dangerous Women is a sweeping tale of confinement, hope and the terrible things we do to survive.”
Dangerous Women is based on the true 1841 voyage of the Rajah to Australia. The Rajah Quilt, created during the journey, now resides in the National Gallery of Australia and learning more about it after the book was interesting. The murder mystery plot line kept me engaged, making everyone a potential culprit. While some parts felt repetitive, the book was still enjoyable. Managing the characters was a challenge, but once I identified the main ones, the story flowed better.
Enthusiasts of historical fiction with suspense will relish this, and I'm glad for the insight into the harsh historical snapshot it offers.
Bestselling author Val McDermid aptly labels Holly Adams' Dangerous Women as the “ultimate locked-room adventure”— a spot-on portrayal of a historical sea-bound murder mystery in my opinion.
ABOUT THE BOOK
“Kezia Hayter knows these women aren't dangerous.
One hundred and eighty petty convicts, all sentenced to transportation to Australia.
On board the Rajah , Kezia makes it her duty to redeem them, enlisting a select few to create an intricate quilt. With each stitch, they are tied closer together.
But when one woman is murdered, Kezia's work is threatened. She maintains faith in their innocence, even when the men leading the investigation do not.
But if she can't find the killer, how can Kezia save them?
Based on a real-life voyage, Dangerous Women is a sweeping tale of confinement, hope and the terrible things we do to survive.”
Dangerous Women is based on the true 1841 voyage of the Rajah to Australia. The Rajah Quilt, created during the journey, now resides in the National Gallery of Australia and learning more about it after the book was interesting. The murder mystery plot line kept me engaged, making everyone a potential culprit. While some parts felt repetitive, the book was still enjoyable. Managing the characters was a challenge, but once I identified the main ones, the story flowed better.
Enthusiasts of historical fiction with suspense will relish this, and I'm glad for the insight into the harsh historical snapshot it offers.
booklifter's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I felt that it was rather dull and was the same thing over and over again. Obvious who would be suspected and who was guilty of the crime.
lucyreads_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
macmower's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
jgorkaya15's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
justkay3's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jennoneill2019's review against another edition
So boring. Characters didn’t keep me interested
kleonard's review
4.0
This is a well-written and compelling historicization of an actual trip made by women convicted of crimes in England and transported to Australia, with a good solid murder mystery thrown in. The author does a good job of describing the difficulties of life for women at the time and how gendered laws and social conventions frequently forced them into crimes both small and large in order to survive. The account of women sewing on board made me look up the real quilt that was made--it is stunning. All in all, a good historical mystery.
etakloknok'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0