Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - A Grave Robbery

As this is my introduction to this series, I don't really have any other books to compare it to, but I definitely found it an interesting read. I feel like the main characters of Veronica and Stoker, along with the many facets to their relationship and their flaws, are explored well, and the many historical details to be found within were captivating enough to keep me reading (I actually looked up what an anatomical Venus was to have a reference for the book and holy crap, uncanny valley to the extreme). I also love the detail of Veronica having an interest in butterflies, as that's a side of scientific study you don't see being dealt with in literature that often. That being said, all the characters seem to talk in the exact same diction and style quite often, and so many of them got introduced that it was a bit hard to keep track of who was who at certain points. The ending of the story felt a bit rushed to me as well, like there was a complete 180 in tone out of absolutely nowhere.

That being said, it was a captivating book and the characterization was intriguing enough for me to consider reading the others in the series, so it has that going for it.

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sarahmorgan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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overflowingshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

CW: Body horror; murder; death; fire/fire injury; physical abuse; toxic relationships; sexism; references to forced institutionalization; animal abuse

I’m absolutely obsessed with the Veronica Speedwell series. Even nine books in, I’m still so giddy and excited to see these characters and learn what adventure Deanna Raybourn has in store for our intrepid lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian beau Stoker. A Grave Robbery was so hard to put down, and I loved the gothic horror vibes of this!

More so than Veronica and Stoker’s other adventures, the mystery in A Grave Robbery was deliciously creepy – it would make a perfect Halloween read! With incredibly life-like wax figurines, talk of reanimating the dead, and an abandoned necropolis railway, this book delivered eerie vibes. But I also loved how Raybourn grounded the creepiness in science and fact.

At the center of the mystery is a waxwork figurine, which turns out to be a dead body. The wax figurine leads Veronica and Stoker deep into an exploration of Anatomical Venuses – wax figurines of women crafted during the 18th century that were anatomically correct and used to teach anatomy when cadavers were in short supply. I’ve always found waxworks creepy, but the Anatomical Venus takes it to another level and adds a whole extra level of creepiness to this story (I highly recommend looking up what they look like while reading). Even the talk of reanimating the dead in this book is grounded in science and very interesting when you remove the fact that they’re trying to reanimate corpses.

The mystery in this was engaging and compelling, even though it gave me gothic horror vibes. I loved all the twists and turns in the mystery, as plenty of red herrings kept me on my toes throughout the book. And while I put together some of the pieces, I was still SHOCKED at how everything was wrapped up. The big confrontation was high-stakes drama and action, and I was utterly enthralled.

I also loved how this story felt like a journey through the past, as the mystery takes Stoker and Veronica back to where it all began with a visit to the traveling show from A Curious Beginning. There were also a ton of other callbacks to previous adventures and so many familiar faces that fans of the series will immediately recognize.

As with every book in the Veronica Speedwell series, I adore the writing style. Raybourn perfectly balances the serious with the whimsical through Veronica’s journal-style narration. Veronica’s wit and humor shine through when needed, but she can be gravely serious and self-reflexive at other times. I swear this book had me laughing out one moment and then getting misty-eyed a few pages later.

When it comes to Veronica and Stoker, I loved their dynamics in this! After being on rocky footing after An Impossible Impostor and dealing with the fallout of that in A Sinister Revenge, they’re back to being partners in every sense of the word. Their relationship has progressed to a point where they’ve put the past in the past and are moving forward together, making a new future.

I’ve always loved the romance in this series, and it is so lovely to see them happy and lovey-dovey after hitting a rough patch in the last few books. I loved how easily phrases like “my love,” “my heart,” and “beloved” flowed from not only Stoker’s but Veronica’s lips, considering how SCARED Veronica had been to voice her emotions to Stoker before. I was so happy to see them happy (even if I do miss some of the slow-burn tension that doesn’t really have a place anymore in the story, considering where their relationship is). And Stoker – my lord. This man still has a way with words that makes me SWOON every time with his romantic declarations.

I loved that Veronica and Stoker could just be themselves in this book. They’ve come a long way since their first adventure together and feel more mature and sure of themselves. But I also loved how vulnerable Veronica and Stoker were to each other in this – and that they actually voiced it to each other instead of keeping it in. Veronica has always struggled with relying on others and expressing her fears, but she’s incredibly honest and open with Stoker in this, which I appreciated.

I also loved that we got to see more of J.J. and Mornaday in this! They play a heavy hand in the investigation, making this adventure feel a bit more like an ensemble piece, which was a bit of a different vibe for a Veronica Speedwell series but one I liked.

In many ways, this book felt like it might be the last of Veronica and Stoker’s adventures as it has a whiff of nostalgia, and the ending was tied up a bit more neatly than I’d expected. But thank god it’s not over, as I am not ready to say goodbye to all the fantastic characters in this series!

A Grave Robbery is another delightful addition to the Veronica Speedwell series. Fans of the series are sure to appreciate all the callbacks to previous adventures and enjoy the twists and turns in this delightfully creepy tale. Plus, it’s so great to finally see Veronica and Stoker happily in love after rooting for them to get together for so long! I know I’m already eagerly awaiting their next adventure and hope this series never ends as I could read about them solving mysteries for many more years to come.

Thank you to Berkley/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas. and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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