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milkteajeon's review against another edition
4.0
not sure how i feel about the romantic interests overall but rosalind is a delight to read about
lauratector's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was what I was looking looking for. A nice old timey mystery.
Content Warnings
Minor: Gore, Sexism, and Classism
rlse's review against another edition
3.0
Good mystery and leading lady, but I’m never a fan of using a stupid love triangle to try to bait interest in continuing a series.
laileanah's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was delightful, smart, and engaging. The mystery was actually mysterious.
The author clearly knows and understands this time period well in many ways but he is hopeless wrong in her knowledge of British Peerage titles and modes of address.
The mistakes in regards to the Duke are embarrassing and hopefully corrected in later installments in this series.
The author clearly knows and understands this time period well in many ways but he is hopeless wrong in her knowledge of British Peerage titles and modes of address.
The mistakes in regards to the Duke are embarrassing and hopefully corrected in later installments in this series.
emilybordelovewrites's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
colourfulthreads's review against another edition
3.0
A quick, easy read. It was a nice break from anything serious. The story moved along at a good rate. I did not predict the ending. And I forgot everything about it within days of reading it.
samoflarsen's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
cleheny's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the introduction to this series. Rosalind Thorne is a baron's daughter (probably--the title is never identified, he's referred to as "Sir Roger," and is nobility) whose family has fallen from grace. Her father ruined the family and fled in disgrace with her older sister, leaving Rosalind and her mother to face their creditors and Society's scorn. And because her mother refused to face what happened, it was really Rosalind alone. Thanks to the kindness of her godparents--Lord and Lady Blanchard (mostly the latter)--Rosalind was not left homeless. But--several years later--she survives through a combination of charity from the Blanchards and making herself "useful" to Society--she uses her knowledge of etiquette and the Ton to counsel people on how to launch or elevate themselves into Society or manage a scandal (like a broken engagement). It is a parlous and economically perilous existence. For all of her grace under pressure, Rosalind knows that she could lose the little she has if she places a foot wrong.
Wilde takes time to set up the mystery, and, as a result, we get a good introduction to how Rosalind manages to maintain herself and her self-respect. We also get an introduction to other characters, several of whom show up in later books. Rosalind has maintained some friends in her reduced circumstances--Alice and George Littlefield, gently-born siblings whose father squandered their fortune, and who now support themselves through journalism, and Sanderson Faulks, a gentleman of leisure and style, who was a friend to Rosalind's family in their pre-disgrace days. Rosalind also has a housekeeper/cook/maid, Mrs. Kendricks, who was in service to Rosalind's family before their fall, and who remained loyal to Rosalind, after.
The reader also meets the Aimesworth family--Lord and Lady Edmund and their children, Jasper and Honoria. Honoria can't be considered Rosalind's friend--she's been unfeeling about Rosalind in the past. But she's a woman who doesn't want what Society demands of her; she is strong-willed and opinionated. In her own way, she is as trapped as Rosalind--Honoria's parents expect her life to follow a path that she does not want, and she has no ability to free herself from those expectations. It is also widely anticipated that she will shortly be engaged to Devon Winterbourne, the Duke of Casselmaine, who, before Rosalind's fall, was in love with Rosalind (who returned his feelings).
We learn in the first chapter that Rosalind's godmother, Lady Blanchard, one of Almack's lady patrons, is going to resign her post because her husband is taking a diplomatic position overseas. Rosalind soon discovers that Lady Edmund wants Rosalind to assist her in becoming Lady Blanchard's replacement. Things are complicated, however, when Jasper Aimesworth is found dead in Almack's ballroom (during the day, when it is not open to the anyone other than the lady patronesses, the staff, and vendors delivering goods). Honoria asks Rosalind to find Jasper's killer; although Rosalind first doubts the wisdom of this request, she acknowledges that her personal and professional circumstances put her in a position to ask questions of both servants and members of society.
Adam Harkness, principal officer of Bow Street who is tasked with investigating Jasper's death, also recognizes Rosalind's value as an ally in his investigation. The two of them complement each other's skills, and they also discover an attraction that is socially impossible.
The blurbs for this series continually describe it as "inspired by Jane Austen," but there's nothing in the books themselves--other than their setting in Regency England--to justify that description. Wilde, to her credit, doesn't try to channel Austen's wit or prose style, and Austen's heroines, although frequently economically disadvantaged, are never in such tenuous circumstances as Rosalind. Further, much as I love Austen, her romances are generally conservative in nature. Gentlemen's daughters marry gentlemen; those that marry beneath them don't have successful marriages (such as Fanny Price's mother). The attraction between Rosalind and Adam would not exist in an Austen novel, unless it was to signal some weakness in, or poor judgment of, Rosalind.
The mystery was well thought out, though I don't know that it fully hung together for me. Still, I appreciated how the solution was tied to social intricacies that Rosalind, but not Adam, would appreciate. I really enjoyed the characters, and I look forward to reading more about them.
Wilde takes time to set up the mystery, and, as a result, we get a good introduction to how Rosalind manages to maintain herself and her self-respect. We also get an introduction to other characters, several of whom show up in later books. Rosalind has maintained some friends in her reduced circumstances--Alice and George Littlefield, gently-born siblings whose father squandered their fortune, and who now support themselves through journalism, and Sanderson Faulks, a gentleman of leisure and style, who was a friend to Rosalind's family in their pre-disgrace days. Rosalind also has a housekeeper/cook/maid, Mrs. Kendricks, who was in service to Rosalind's family before their fall, and who remained loyal to Rosalind, after.
The reader also meets the Aimesworth family--Lord and Lady Edmund and their children, Jasper and Honoria. Honoria can't be considered Rosalind's friend--she's been unfeeling about Rosalind in the past. But she's a woman who doesn't want what Society demands of her; she is strong-willed and opinionated. In her own way, she is as trapped as Rosalind--Honoria's parents expect her life to follow a path that she does not want, and she has no ability to free herself from those expectations. It is also widely anticipated that she will shortly be engaged to Devon Winterbourne, the Duke of Casselmaine, who, before Rosalind's fall, was in love with Rosalind (who returned his feelings).
We learn in the first chapter that Rosalind's godmother, Lady Blanchard, one of Almack's lady patrons, is going to resign her post because her husband is taking a diplomatic position overseas. Rosalind soon discovers that Lady Edmund wants Rosalind to assist her in becoming Lady Blanchard's replacement. Things are complicated, however, when Jasper Aimesworth is found dead in Almack's ballroom (during the day, when it is not open to the anyone other than the lady patronesses, the staff, and vendors delivering goods). Honoria asks Rosalind to find Jasper's killer; although Rosalind first doubts the wisdom of this request, she acknowledges that her personal and professional circumstances put her in a position to ask questions of both servants and members of society.
Adam Harkness, principal officer of Bow Street who is tasked with investigating Jasper's death, also recognizes Rosalind's value as an ally in his investigation. The two of them complement each other's skills, and they also discover an attraction that is socially impossible.
The blurbs for this series continually describe it as "inspired by Jane Austen," but there's nothing in the books themselves--other than their setting in Regency England--to justify that description. Wilde, to her credit, doesn't try to channel Austen's wit or prose style, and Austen's heroines, although frequently economically disadvantaged, are never in such tenuous circumstances as Rosalind. Further, much as I love Austen, her romances are generally conservative in nature. Gentlemen's daughters marry gentlemen; those that marry beneath them don't have successful marriages (such as Fanny Price's mother). The attraction between Rosalind and Adam would not exist in an Austen novel, unless it was to signal some weakness in, or poor judgment of, Rosalind.
The mystery was well thought out, though I don't know that it fully hung together for me. Still, I appreciated how the solution was tied to social intricacies that Rosalind, but not Adam, would appreciate. I really enjoyed the characters, and I look forward to reading more about them.