Scan barcode
littletaiko's review against another edition
4.0
It's London, late 1930's and Olivia is living a fairly nice life with her husband Reggie. When he is murdered, her life is turned upside down. The police think it was suicide but she knows that it couldn't have been. She starts investigating and finds out the there was way more to Reggie than she could have imagined. This is the first in a series and I really liked Olivia, she's not afraid to face hard facts and is immensely practical. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
katreader's review against another edition
4.0
DEADLY SCANDAL by Kate Parker
The First Deadly Mystery
Olivia Davis is the young wife of a mild mannered member of the Foreign Office in 1930s London as the Nazi Party is gaining power. Olivia's carefree life is turned upside down when her husband is found dead of an apparent suicide. More scandals quickly follow as Olivia realizes it would have been impossible for Reggie to kill himself in the manner in which he died. But who would have murdered him, and why? Forced to take a job so as to remain independent and not move back with her father, Olivia becomes a society reporter. However, her job is more than talking about ladies fashions and birth announcements. Due to her knowledge of people in the Foreign Office, Olivia is also given special assignments to see what certain German officials are doing and who in the Foreign Office just may be a Nazi sympathizer. Olivia discovers her husband is not the man he seemed. Surely he wasn't a traitor, but what did he know that got him killed, and could she be the next target? Unlikely allies are formed and old friendships are questioned as Olivia searches for the truth.
As England draws inexorably towards war, so Olivia is drawn into a new life filled with intrigue. DEADLY SCANDAL takes a look at prewar days and social mores. Scandals abound in this new series opener as Olivia Davis is confronted with an apparent suicide, murder, homosexuality, women in the workplace, appropriate mourning behavior and more! There are also Nazis!
Kate Parker has created a historical mystery which combines espionage with the flavor of a cozy mystery. The combination is seamless and compelling with a distinct sense of time and place. One feels for Olivia as her way of life comes to end end, yet seems to bring out the best in her. No longer "just" the young wife, she becomes her own person with drive and ambition and a thirst for justice. Just as life is about to change for the world, so Olivia's life has changed, but she's proving that she's more than up for the challenge!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
The First Deadly Mystery
Olivia Davis is the young wife of a mild mannered member of the Foreign Office in 1930s London as the Nazi Party is gaining power. Olivia's carefree life is turned upside down when her husband is found dead of an apparent suicide. More scandals quickly follow as Olivia realizes it would have been impossible for Reggie to kill himself in the manner in which he died. But who would have murdered him, and why? Forced to take a job so as to remain independent and not move back with her father, Olivia becomes a society reporter. However, her job is more than talking about ladies fashions and birth announcements. Due to her knowledge of people in the Foreign Office, Olivia is also given special assignments to see what certain German officials are doing and who in the Foreign Office just may be a Nazi sympathizer. Olivia discovers her husband is not the man he seemed. Surely he wasn't a traitor, but what did he know that got him killed, and could she be the next target? Unlikely allies are formed and old friendships are questioned as Olivia searches for the truth.
As England draws inexorably towards war, so Olivia is drawn into a new life filled with intrigue. DEADLY SCANDAL takes a look at prewar days and social mores. Scandals abound in this new series opener as Olivia Davis is confronted with an apparent suicide, murder, homosexuality, women in the workplace, appropriate mourning behavior and more! There are also Nazis!
Kate Parker has created a historical mystery which combines espionage with the flavor of a cozy mystery. The combination is seamless and compelling with a distinct sense of time and place. One feels for Olivia as her way of life comes to end end, yet seems to bring out the best in her. No longer "just" the young wife, she becomes her own person with drive and ambition and a thirst for justice. Just as life is about to change for the world, so Olivia's life has changed, but she's proving that she's more than up for the challenge!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
nevclue's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
Hmm I don't quite know what to think of this. There are elements of this that I really liked, but the pacing was off. Olivia investigates the murder of her husband Reggie, who worked for the Foreign Office. The setting of the late 1930s in the lead-up to WWII and rising German bellicosity was interesting. Olivia was a bit of a blank slate for me, her motivations a bit underdeveloped, the romance rushed. May or may not read another one.
Hmm I don't quite know what to think of this. There are elements of this that I really liked, but the pacing was off. Olivia investigates the murder of her husband Reggie, who worked for the Foreign Office. The setting of the late 1930s in the lead-up to WWII and rising German bellicosity was interesting. Olivia was a bit of a blank slate for me, her motivations a bit underdeveloped, the romance rushed.
Spoiler
Also I really didn't like that both queer characters were killed (Reggie at the beginning, and then his lover in the middle).bibliophelia's review against another edition
4.0
It’s a good mystery series ala Agatha Christie but I did this on audible. The narrator was awful. She sounded as though she had a new retainer in most of the book; and she made all the male characters sound as though they were robocalls. Dreadful to say the least.
mxinky's review against another edition
2.0
Not a great plot. The main character is a woman who is often silly and cares more about trivial things than the Nazis who are in England. I read a great deal of homophobia in the plot and there are many slurs used.
dmwhipp's review against another edition
2.0
An okay book to pass the time, but the protagonist's relationship with her husband and father were irritating and her attempting to solve a murder a bit unbelievable at times.
daniellet140's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Antisemitism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death
storiesforhisglory's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
There was a lot to unpack, but it was a fun, fast paced read. Fascinating read with the intrigue, spying, and secrets. I liked that Olivia was willing to go after the truth, and I enjoyed that she ended up working with the newspaper. All very believable. And Adam and Abby and Sir John were all very good characters.
vesper1931's review
4.0
September 1937 London and Olivia Denis life is changed when her husband Reginald is found dead. But Olivia is the only person who thinks he was killed and was not a suicide. What secrets will she uncover as she tries to discover the who and why.
An enjoyable well-written mystery with some varied and likeable characters. A good solid start to the new series
An enjoyable well-written mystery with some varied and likeable characters. A good solid start to the new series