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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The second book in the series picks up a few months after the end of the first book. Julia has been in Italy with two of her brothers and they are summoned home for the holidays. With a house full of guests a murder is the last thing on everyone's minds.
I liked this book a little more than the previous book in the series. The limited list of suspects was should have made the murderer easy to spot, but Deannna Raybourn did a great job of throwing in many twists and turns along the way. While I wasn't surprised about who the killer was, I was a little surprised at some of the events.
I enjoyed that we were able to see more of the March family. I find them a wonderful group of characters and I can only hope that more of them will be featured in stories to come.
So far I think this is a good series. There are moments that I wish certain events would move along quicker (ahem Julia and Brisbane), but regardless I'm happy to see where the story goes. Until Then!
I liked this book a little more than the previous book in the series. The limited list of suspects was should have made the murderer easy to spot, but Deannna Raybourn did a great job of throwing in many twists and turns along the way. While I wasn't surprised about who the killer was, I was a little surprised at some of the events.
I enjoyed that we were able to see more of the March family. I find them a wonderful group of characters and I can only hope that more of them will be featured in stories to come.
So far I think this is a good series. There are moments that I wish certain events would move along quicker (ahem Julia and Brisbane), but regardless I'm happy to see where the story goes. Until Then!
This book was signifigantly slower paced than the first in the series, with the who-done-it not actually occuring until halfway through the book. That being said I still enjoyed the characters and was amused by their going-ons during all the set-up at the abbey until there was an actual mystery on their hands. I find the meddling, well-meaning ways of her familiy to be equal parts exasperarting and endearing.
Brisbane's engagement felt like a very cheap and flimsy ploy to place between the two of them. For one because he essentially fesses up to the charade quite early on and also for the fact that his fiancée is conveniently annoyning and charmingly naìve (even though Julia is constantly charmingly naìve). I was able to guess that there was something off about his finacee's character and that her demeanor was a facade for something. But as for the person guilty of the murder itself, I was very close. I had guessed early on that Emma was compensating for something, but I wasn't certain whether it was she or Easterly's cousin that was at fault for the murder. Either way, I guess I was correct in the long run.
I cannot finish this review though without first addressing Brisbane's behavior toward Julia. I know that a relationship between the two has been foreshadowed since he was first introduced, but I don't see the evidence to support it. Yes, he gave her his medallion. No, he made no attempt to reach out to her during their long separation. Sure, maybe he was trying to give her space to process all that she went though and his guilt of her having been put in the line of danger. BUT NEVET CHASE AFTER A MAN, JULIA. Come on now.
Brisbane's engagement felt like a very cheap and flimsy ploy to place between the two of them. For one because he essentially fesses up to the charade quite early on and also for the fact that his fiancée is conveniently annoyning and charmingly naìve (even though Julia is constantly charmingly naìve). I was able to guess that there was something off about his finacee's character and that her demeanor was a facade for something. But as for the person guilty of the murder itself, I was very close. I had guessed early on that Emma was compensating for something, but I wasn't certain whether it was she or Easterly's cousin that was at fault for the murder. Either way, I guess I was correct in the long run.
I cannot finish this review though without first addressing Brisbane's behavior toward Julia. I know that a relationship between the two has been foreshadowed since he was first introduced, but I don't see the evidence to support it. Yes, he gave her his medallion. No, he made no attempt to reach out to her during their long separation. Sure, maybe he was trying to give her space to process all that she went though and his guilt of her having been put in the line of danger. BUT NEVET CHASE AFTER A MAN, JULIA. Come on now.
Another mystery with surprises. This one had sections which unfortunately veered more toward the romance genre but it was still fun.
Much better than the first book in the series! I am looking forward to the third book.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the second Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane novel by Deanna Raybourn, if you have not read the first then do so, though this book will fill in some of the background story you will not get the full picture of their relationship and all its underlying currents.
Lady Julia is recovering from her ordeal in the previous book in Italy with two of her brothers Plum and Ly, but their father wants them all back home for Christmas, and for Ly to bring his new Italian bride with him. They come home bringing with them Alessandro, a friend from Italy who harbours a secret passion for Lady Julia to their country pile Bellmont Abbey or March Manor, where they are greeted by many members of their rather funny and eccentric family as well as a surprise or two and the mysterious Lord Wargrave. But is he mysterious or does Lady Julia already know him?
What then transpires is something which brings all great detective novels together - a murder. Who has committed this murder and why? And why has one of the house guests and cousin of sorts to Lady Julia claimed sanctuary in the chapel attached to the abbey? Did they really commit the murder or are they protecting someone.
Brisbane investigates with some help from Lady Julia, who whilst helping in one investigation ends up causing friction in another - the real reason that Brisbane has descended on Bellmot Abbey. Everyone is under suspicion and as the snow closes any access in or out of the murder, items go missing and the body of the victim is stored (and a post mortem carried out) in the game larder. It rather puts some of the guests (and the cook) of the food!
Raybourn has brought the two characters of Lady Julia and Brisbane back to life again, and this book reads as a witty tale of (despite the murder) escape into life in Victorian England. Ten out of ten for capturing so much of the society by an author who is an American but not once does this book slip from what it is all about - England. If like me you love reading about that upper class society world in an age gone by and you are not averse to a bit of murder and intrigue then this is the series of books for you. Raybourn successfully leads the ending of the story into the next one and I cannot wait to read it.
Lady Julia is recovering from her ordeal in the previous book in Italy with two of her brothers Plum and Ly, but their father wants them all back home for Christmas, and for Ly to bring his new Italian bride with him. They come home bringing with them Alessandro, a friend from Italy who harbours a secret passion for Lady Julia to their country pile Bellmont Abbey or March Manor, where they are greeted by many members of their rather funny and eccentric family as well as a surprise or two and the mysterious Lord Wargrave. But is he mysterious or does Lady Julia already know him?
What then transpires is something which brings all great detective novels together - a murder. Who has committed this murder and why? And why has one of the house guests and cousin of sorts to Lady Julia claimed sanctuary in the chapel attached to the abbey? Did they really commit the murder or are they protecting someone.
Brisbane investigates with some help from Lady Julia, who whilst helping in one investigation ends up causing friction in another - the real reason that Brisbane has descended on Bellmot Abbey. Everyone is under suspicion and as the snow closes any access in or out of the murder, items go missing and the body of the victim is stored (and a post mortem carried out) in the game larder. It rather puts some of the guests (and the cook) of the food!
Raybourn has brought the two characters of Lady Julia and Brisbane back to life again, and this book reads as a witty tale of (despite the murder) escape into life in Victorian England. Ten out of ten for capturing so much of the society by an author who is an American but not once does this book slip from what it is all about - England. If like me you love reading about that upper class society world in an age gone by and you are not averse to a bit of murder and intrigue then this is the series of books for you. Raybourn successfully leads the ending of the story into the next one and I cannot wait to read it.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Really glad I read Veronica Speedwell first, but I am loving the Lady Julia books. Slow burn romance, quirky large family, heroine who is coming into her own strength, mysterious hero, twisty light mysteries. Right up my alley.