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lauraellis's review
4.0
The third in the Julian Kestrel mystery [series]—more like the first one because Julian’s on his own again, and among the aristocracy, so you get to see more of his dandified manners [a plus in my book]—also he is continuing his relationship with Phillipa Fontclair—who I am convinced will be his future wife. I kept seeing things way ahead of Julian—but it didn’t spoil the enjoyment for me.
2020 note: The author died young, after book four, so I never got to read about Julian and Phillipa (once grown) falling in love, but I am convinced it happened.
2020 note: The author died young, after book four, so I never got to read about Julian and Phillipa (once grown) falling in love, but I am convinced it happened.
emtobiasz's review
4.0
I've read three of Kate Ross's Julian Kestrel mysteries in the past week, and they're really growing on me. I hadn't read a good mystery in a while and this is reminding me why I spent so much time on them before.
alesia_charles's review
4.0
Picking books off the shelves in the used bookstore often leads to great discoveries. I have a quibble or two with the plot that keeps me from giving the book 5 stars, but overall it was excellent. Julian Kestrel is a fascinating viewpoint character/investigator, the later Regency setting is well realized without larding on extra detail for its own sake, the cast in general is very interesting and well-drawn, and the basic writing is very fine indeed.
It's the third volume in a series, but that doesn't do it any harm. Charming Alexander Falkland, the victim, is already dead when the novel begins, which is just as well because I really think I didn't want to get to know him. Kestrel is definitely very lucky in his employer - the victim's father - almost but not quite unbelievably so, in fact. For once, characters from this time period are actually willing to face the truth and suffer at least some public scandal, which was refreshing.
The middle of the book did bog down a bit in collecting more and more details that didn't seem to add up to anything, but was saved (as mysteries often are) by the characters and a few teasing, if confusing, revelations. The improbable aspect(s) (depending on how you count them) of the whodunit are nearly overwhelmed by the other revelations and, again, the characters.
I wondered how I'd missed this author before, until I looked at the author info in my copy: Ross only had four books published before she died in 1998. She was the same age I am now, and that was a big splash of cold water over my enthusiasm, let me tell you. F*ck cancer, as they say.
It's the third volume in a series, but that doesn't do it any harm. Charming Alexander Falkland, the victim, is already dead when the novel begins, which is just as well because I really think I didn't want to get to know him. Kestrel is definitely very lucky in his employer - the victim's father - almost but not quite unbelievably so, in fact. For once, characters from this time period are actually willing to face the truth and suffer at least some public scandal, which was refreshing.
The middle of the book did bog down a bit in collecting more and more details that didn't seem to add up to anything, but was saved (as mysteries often are) by the characters and a few teasing, if confusing, revelations. The improbable aspect(s) (depending on how you count them) of the whodunit are nearly overwhelmed by the other revelations and, again, the characters.
I wondered how I'd missed this author before, until I looked at the author info in my copy: Ross only had four books published before she died in 1998. She was the same age I am now, and that was a big splash of cold water over my enthusiasm, let me tell you. F*ck cancer, as they say.
ericwelch's review
4.0
Ross’s detective is Julian Kestrel, a rake who, with the help of Dipper, a reformed pickpocket, solves crimes that leave the Bow Street Runners (Scotland Yard’s predecessors) baffled. Naturally, I wanted to read the earlier Kestrel novels and I’m pleased to report that Ross’s first novel, Cut to the Quick (both in the paperback collection) lived up to my expectations. Julian has been invited to be best man at the wedding of Hugh Fontclair. He soon realizes something is amiss. The wedding is a forced one. The Fontclairs, members of “quality,” the English upper crust, would normally never stoop so low as to have one of their members marry the daughter of a mere tradesman, and one who had been forced from their service years before. Dipper finds himself in a fix, when a young woman is found murdered in Kestrel’s bed, behind locked doors. No one knows who the woman is, and Dipper is imprisoned for the crime when it is revealed that he had lied about his location at the time of the murder. Julian’s investigation uncovers a myriad of motives and secrets in the lives of the Fontclairs that they would sooner have remain hidden. No more clues. Ross’s novels take place in the early nineteenth century, and she has obviously done a lot of research into the language and morals of the class-based and hypocritical English society.
rachel_b_824's review
4.0
I've been read through the Julian Kestrel series very slowly, because there are only four books and the author is dead. This is #3. Great series.
elusivity's review
4.0
3.5 STARS
Enjoyable.
And yet, the victim had such extreme personality that he became a cardboard version of a cliche. Plot is rather convoluted--although masterfully so--but some of the twists defies belief.
As usual, Regency details and atmosphere masterfully rendered. The living characters are all unique and vivid, act and react in ways that makes sense for who they are. A very good locked drawing room mystery.
It feels kind of a cheat that the victim turned out to be such a terrible creature, having zero redeeming quality and basically asking to get killed.
Alexander Falkland was a narcissistic, sadistic sociopath who only cared about having everyone love him. He appeared charming and delightful, accomplished at everything. In private he was petty and mean, have no compunction to blackmail, torment, or murder. He married his proper wife because she's the most beautiful, but found her boring so mostly ignored her. In secret, he kept a mistress who procured a stream of young women for him. It was hinted that he beat them up as part of sex.
He blackmailed the young lawyer, Mr. Clare, to write learned letters to his father. He wanted to go into politics or something, and wanted to win his father to his side and promote his career. Mr. Clare's secret was that he was in fact a she, a female twin who is accomplished actress and was classically educated exactly as her brother. When the real Mr. Clare died of a fever, she took his place.
Meanwhile, Alexander spent and speculated wildly, and eventually lost a fortune. David Adams, a rich Jewish moneylender/business man, managed Alexander's finances and knew his vices, hated him, and loved Mrs. Falkland. He bought up Alexander's IOUs and absolved them in exchange for a chance to sleep with her. Alexander plotted with his mistress and tricked his wife into going off into some corner, where Adams became overcome with emotions and raped her. She became pregnant as result, and later rigs things so her horse threw her, causing her to lose the fetus.
Alexander wanted to get rid of evidence of the wife-exchanging scheme, so he drugged his mistress and committed her to a private insane asylum in the dark of night. He returned to murder the maid, and threw her body in a field with her face bashed in and obliterated.
This was because, for amazing coincidence, that maid was the identical twin sister of Mrs. Falkland's own maid servant! and he did not want a corpse from his secret life to draw the attention of people in his "real" life. This maid servant discovered Alexander killed her sister, and took the first good opportunity to bash his head in with a poker.
Julian Kestrel prevails and discovers all these crazy things. The maid gets sent to Australia, which is not bad for having committed murder. Mr. Falkland was disillusioned about his son, but finds love with now-Miss Clare. Mrs. Falkland will travel to the Continent with her younger brother. Julian wins his bet and gets 500 lbs.
Isn't this crazy convoluted???
Enjoyable.
And yet, the victim had such extreme personality that he became a cardboard version of a cliche. Plot is rather convoluted--although masterfully so--but some of the twists defies belief.
As usual, Regency details and atmosphere masterfully rendered. The living characters are all unique and vivid, act and react in ways that makes sense for who they are. A very good locked drawing room mystery.
Alexander Falkland was a narcissistic, sadistic sociopath who only cared about having everyone love him. He appeared charming and delightful, accomplished at everything. In private he was petty and mean, have no compunction to blackmail, torment, or murder. He married his proper wife because she's the most beautiful, but found her boring so mostly ignored her. In secret, he kept a mistress who procured a stream of young women for him. It was hinted that he beat them up as part of sex.
He blackmailed the young lawyer, Mr. Clare, to write learned letters to his father. He wanted to go into politics or something, and wanted to win his father to his side and promote his career. Mr. Clare's secret was that he was in fact a she, a female twin who is accomplished actress and was classically educated exactly as her brother. When the real Mr. Clare died of a fever, she took his place.
Meanwhile, Alexander spent and speculated wildly, and eventually lost a fortune. David Adams, a rich Jewish moneylender/business man, managed Alexander's finances and knew his vices, hated him, and loved Mrs. Falkland. He bought up Alexander's IOUs and absolved them in exchange for a chance to sleep with her. Alexander plotted with his mistress and tricked his wife into going off into some corner, where Adams became overcome with emotions and raped her. She became pregnant as result, and later rigs things so her horse threw her, causing her to lose the fetus.
Alexander wanted to get rid of evidence of the wife-exchanging scheme, so he drugged his mistress and committed her to a private insane asylum in the dark of night. He returned to murder the maid, and threw her body in a field with her face bashed in and obliterated.
This was because, for amazing coincidence, that maid was the identical twin sister of Mrs. Falkland's own maid servant! and he did not want a corpse from his secret life to draw the attention of people in his "real" life. This maid servant discovered Alexander killed her sister, and took the first good opportunity to bash his head in with a poker.
Julian Kestrel prevails and discovers all these crazy things. The maid gets sent to Australia, which is not bad for having committed murder. Mr. Falkland was disillusioned about his son, but finds love with now-Miss Clare. Mrs. Falkland will travel to the Continent with her younger brother. Julian wins his bet and gets 500 lbs.
Isn't this crazy convoluted???
ladyhighwayman's review
4.0
London dandy Julian Kestral is fast becoming known as a successful amateur sleuth. He has already solved two separate murder cases. However, those murder cases were cases that Julian took upon himself to solve. This time, he is actually being sought out to solve a murder.
Sir Malcolm Falkland has reached out to Julian to help solve the murder of his son, Alexander, who was found with his head smashed in by a fire poker in his own study. Julian is hesitant, not sure if Sir Malcolm will be able to see it though, but agrees to help.
Julian comes across a vast variety of interesting characters, all it seems with something to hide (what fun would it be if they didn't?). We have Alexander's wife, her half brother, a few mysterious friends and some secretive servants.
Through his investigation he discovers that the Alexander the world saw was not the real Alexander. He also suspects that Alexander's death is connected with another murder that occurred a week before, a murder of a woman who had her faced smashed in, making her unrecognizable.
Julian realizes that the real Alexander has crossed someone, and that someone paid him back. Julian has to race against time to solve the case - he has 500 pounds riding on it!
Ross perfectly captures 1820s London. We see all aspects of life, from the upper to the lower class, and everything in between. I can't explain how absorbed I get while reading her books. It's almost like I'm there, following Julian around on his investigation and before I know it, an hour has gone by! These are the kind of books I never want to end, but yet, I can't wait to find out the ending, because I can never see it coming!
This is definitely an A+ historical mystery series. Unfortunately, only one more book to go, and from what I hear, the fourth installment is the best of the series!
Sir Malcolm Falkland has reached out to Julian to help solve the murder of his son, Alexander, who was found with his head smashed in by a fire poker in his own study. Julian is hesitant, not sure if Sir Malcolm will be able to see it though, but agrees to help.
Julian comes across a vast variety of interesting characters, all it seems with something to hide (what fun would it be if they didn't?). We have Alexander's wife, her half brother, a few mysterious friends and some secretive servants.
Through his investigation he discovers that the Alexander the world saw was not the real Alexander. He also suspects that Alexander's death is connected with another murder that occurred a week before, a murder of a woman who had her faced smashed in, making her unrecognizable.
Julian realizes that the real Alexander has crossed someone, and that someone paid him back. Julian has to race against time to solve the case - he has 500 pounds riding on it!
Ross perfectly captures 1820s London. We see all aspects of life, from the upper to the lower class, and everything in between. I can't explain how absorbed I get while reading her books. It's almost like I'm there, following Julian around on his investigation and before I know it, an hour has gone by! These are the kind of books I never want to end, but yet, I can't wait to find out the ending, because I can never see it coming!
This is definitely an A+ historical mystery series. Unfortunately, only one more book to go, and from what I hear, the fourth installment is the best of the series!
stellar_raven's review
5.0
Loved this book. Loved it!
This series just gets stronger and stronger with each passing novel. Sadly, I only have one left to read, and I can't help but wonder where Julian, Dipper and all the rest would be today had the author not passed on.
I love the fact that I can never figure out who the guilty party is...I'll think I'll have it figured out and there's some twist the throws my whole theory out of the window.
This series just gets stronger and stronger with each passing novel. Sadly, I only have one left to read, and I can't help but wonder where Julian, Dipper and all the rest would be today had the author not passed on.
I love the fact that I can never figure out who the guilty party is...I'll think I'll have it figured out and there's some twist the throws my whole theory out of the window.
randommichelle's review
5.0
This is a fascinating look at public versus private lives, and how even 200 years ago, the private would eventually come out.
singinglight's review
3.0
I liked this one a bit better than Broken Vessel, although it’s also sad and gritty. It was really nice to get a bit more background about Julian, which helped to make him a lot more real than before. [Nov. 2010]