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kcherry's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
valefimbres's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
jaclynder's review
3.0
Gilded Deceit is the thirteenth book in the Malcolm and Suzanne Rannoch historical mystery series; something that can confuse new readers due to the name change midway through the series. However, if you do your homework it's a simple matter of understanding that Malcolm and Suzanne are spies and secret identities are just part of the spy genre.
At this point in the series, Malcolm and Suzanne have overcome some rather big hurdles. Discovering your wife married you to spy on you understandably puts a damper on the finer feelings in a marriage. Yes, this is something that the couple have been able to come to terms with even if it still complicates their lives and their family. Suzanne's past as a spy has been uncovered by Malcom's former spymaster and to protect Suzanne, the family has decided to flee to Italy. And naturally, the couple soon find themselves (and their friends) embroiled in an intrigue.
I have always enjoyed this series, but I did find that this most recent addition to have stretched the bounds of my belief and lent itself more of a "cozy" feel that I found absent from the earlier books in the series. Quite simply, I'm not sure that I buy all of Malcom and Suzanne's friends flocking to Italy to see them amidst a murder investigation. It just seems to convenient. As does the coziness that Malcolm experiences with his father and his rather complicated history with his family. As much as I enjoy Malcom and Suzanne's company of investigators, the circumstances of their coming together just seems too easy and lacking the depth of characterization that was evident in the earlier books of the series.
I enjoy keeping in touch with Malcom and Suzanne and their extended family, but Gilded Deceit is not my favourite book of the series. There are still a number of threads left dangling and I look forward to seeing how the author resolves them.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
At this point in the series, Malcolm and Suzanne have overcome some rather big hurdles. Discovering your wife married you to spy on you understandably puts a damper on the finer feelings in a marriage. Yes, this is something that the couple have been able to come to terms with even if it still complicates their lives and their family. Suzanne's past as a spy has been uncovered by Malcom's former spymaster and to protect Suzanne, the family has decided to flee to Italy. And naturally, the couple soon find themselves (and their friends) embroiled in an intrigue.
I have always enjoyed this series, but I did find that this most recent addition to have stretched the bounds of my belief and lent itself more of a "cozy" feel that I found absent from the earlier books in the series. Quite simply, I'm not sure that I buy all of Malcom and Suzanne's friends flocking to Italy to see them amidst a murder investigation. It just seems to convenient. As does the coziness that Malcolm experiences with his father and his rather complicated history with his family. As much as I enjoy Malcom and Suzanne's company of investigators, the circumstances of their coming together just seems too easy and lacking the depth of characterization that was evident in the earlier books of the series.
I enjoy keeping in touch with Malcom and Suzanne and their extended family, but Gilded Deceit is not my favourite book of the series. There are still a number of threads left dangling and I look forward to seeing how the author resolves them.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
vesper1931's review
2.0
1818 and the Rannochs are fleeing to Lake Como.
To me this is not a stand alone book in the series, there are just too many past events and people mentioned to make it so. This book might have been more interesting after having read the previous 12 books so that you have all the background information of these events, and information about the characters to make them more rounded.
For me there was much too much talk and description and not a lot of action or going forward with the mystery.
A NetGalley Book.
To me this is not a stand alone book in the series, there are just too many past events and people mentioned to make it so. This book might have been more interesting after having read the previous 12 books so that you have all the background information of these events, and information about the characters to make them more rounded.
For me there was much too much talk and description and not a lot of action or going forward with the mystery.
A NetGalley Book.
krisrid's review
3.0
I enjoy this series, both for the well-written, interesting characters and for the historical setting. This book was not my favourite of the series, but I did enjoy it.
For me, this book was over-loaded with the machiavellian relationship travails of the multiple couples who people this world. I do realize that the British aristocracy was rife with affairs and children born "on the wrong side of the sheets" and all manner of sexual carryings-on. But there was just way too much of the book focused on that for me. I don't mind some of that, but from about halfway this book felt like it was a romance novel rather than a historical mystery, which is what I expect when picking up a book in this series.
I will continue with the series, because I do like these characters and enjoy their adventures solving mysteries. I hope that now that so many of the relationship dramas have played out in this book, that there will be less of that moving forward.
For me, this book was over-loaded with the machiavellian relationship travails of the multiple couples who people this world. I do realize that the British aristocracy was rife with affairs and children born "on the wrong side of the sheets" and all manner of sexual carryings-on. But there was just way too much of the book focused on that for me. I don't mind some of that, but from about halfway this book felt like it was a romance novel rather than a historical mystery, which is what I expect when picking up a book in this series.
I will continue with the series, because I do like these characters and enjoy their adventures solving mysteries. I hope that now that so many of the relationship dramas have played out in this book, that there will be less of that moving forward.