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coraldraes's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
marilynw's review
4.0
Evil in Emerald (Harriet Gordon Mystery #3)
by A.M. Stuart, Olivia Dowd (narrator)
With this third entry in the Harriet Gordon Mystery series, changes are afoot. Harriet's friends, Inspector Robert Curran and his live in lover Khoo Li An are at a crossroads. Harriet has been spending a lot of time in the company of Simon Hume, an Australian journalist. And Harriet and her brother, Julian, hope to be sending their nine year old ward, Will, to school abroad, once the next school season starts.
For now, Harriet has a part in a local musical theatre production of the Pirates of Penzance, with the Singapore Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society. What a little hubbub of rumor, flirting, and silliness. So many of the girls and women seem to be vying for the attention of leading man, Tony Dowling. It's when there is a horrible murder of one of the production's cast members that Curran needs Harriet's help in assessing the circumstances of the murder. Harriet has a keen eye for observation and knows who was showing interest in the victim, who might have been angry with him, and who he might have stepped on with his trespassing ways.
Harriet has her hands full with her teaching duties and administration work but Curran also needs her to help him, in a more active way, with this investigation. We get to see, once again. the cultural divides in 1910 Singapore, and how Curran can never really break down the walls between himself and Li An. This series is so good and I feel like I've come to know and care about these characters. The story ends with loose ends that will surely be answered in the next book in the series.
Published March 29,2022
by A.M. Stuart, Olivia Dowd (narrator)
With this third entry in the Harriet Gordon Mystery series, changes are afoot. Harriet's friends, Inspector Robert Curran and his live in lover Khoo Li An are at a crossroads. Harriet has been spending a lot of time in the company of Simon Hume, an Australian journalist. And Harriet and her brother, Julian, hope to be sending their nine year old ward, Will, to school abroad, once the next school season starts.
For now, Harriet has a part in a local musical theatre production of the Pirates of Penzance, with the Singapore Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society. What a little hubbub of rumor, flirting, and silliness. So many of the girls and women seem to be vying for the attention of leading man, Tony Dowling. It's when there is a horrible murder of one of the production's cast members that Curran needs Harriet's help in assessing the circumstances of the murder. Harriet has a keen eye for observation and knows who was showing interest in the victim, who might have been angry with him, and who he might have stepped on with his trespassing ways.
Harriet has her hands full with her teaching duties and administration work but Curran also needs her to help him, in a more active way, with this investigation. We get to see, once again. the cultural divides in 1910 Singapore, and how Curran can never really break down the walls between himself and Li An. This series is so good and I feel like I've come to know and care about these characters. The story ends with loose ends that will surely be answered in the next book in the series.
Published March 29,2022
emilybordelovewrites's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
spaulk57's review
4.0
I’ve enjoyed all three of the books in this series. Harriet and Curran are well written as well as the other regularly featured characters in these books. A.M Stuart’s Singapore of the early 20th century is well described and easy to imagine. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
skconaghan's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
These are no simple cosy mysteries. They are full of interpersonal complexities and such vibrant historical settings, and it’s all South East Asia, which wins me EVERY TIME…*sigh*
[Side-note on Narrators: Yay. Griff is back as an actual Welshman. I do love a Welsh accent and am adamant that if you have Welsh characters you must hire a narrator who knows how to do a proper Welsh accent.]
This time, as Harriet distracts herself by joining a musical theatre company, the mystery lies not only in discovering the culprit of these murderous crimes, but also the confounding motive—there are several viable options that point the finger at a handful of worthwhile suspects. And we get hints throughout, and maybe we guess this one easier than the others, but the crimes at the forefront almost take a back seat to the real story developing behind the scenes…
We pull back the curtain on the ongoing not-so-secret life of Curren and Li An. We now know what happened to bring them together, but there’s more to it than what we’ve already learned, and Li An has scores to settle. Meanwhile, old ghosts have come to haunt Curren, and he too is drawn away from his duties and relationships to pressing personal matters we would urge him to pursue.
Harriet’s past has also resurfaced, and though it seems as though she might be able to keep it all under wraps for now, the threat of exposure leers on the next page. And if the façade is lifted, she might not survive the consequences. Not a second time. An alternative has been offered to her, which I don’t want her to take (does anyone?), but I have a feeling she’ll feel trapped and see no other way... although, I have learned that what I think might happen could be the furthest thing from fate (as in the hands of Ms. Stuart) and so I’m kept waiting to see how all these entanglements will be resolved.
There is a delightful labyrinth of shifting relationships behind these open-and-close murder mysteries. But the sun has set on everything cosy, and a heavy darkness has crept into the veins of the story as the underbelly of classist imperialism bares its crooked tea-stained teeth at our beloved cast of characters. We can only imagine that what lies ahead will indeed be terrifying.
With such unpredictable and sophisticated writing to enjoy, I have shamelessly turned into a compulsive and obsessed reader. Thank you, Ms. Stuart, for hours of acutely intelligent and arresting entertainment.
[As soon as the audiobook for Terror in Topaz is released, I’ll be the first to listen on my cloudLibrary app. In the meantime, I’ve placed an order at Indigo for all four beautifully designed books to be delivered in time for Christmas. Even the covers are gorgeous with the steamy humid feel of Singapore stamped in a fading art nouveau print, reminiscent of the pre-war era of the 1910s. I can’t wait to share them with my Dad. He’s going to flipping love them.]
canadianbookworm's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2023/08/evil-in-emerald.html
tostita's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Infidelity, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
cathmkay's review against another edition
5.0
Evil in Emerald is the third book in the Harriet Gordon mystery series by A. M. Stuart. I loved the first two books and immediately put this book on preorder as soon as it became available. It exceeded my expectations.
Harriet Gordon and Inspector Robert Curran are the main characters in this series, but there are a number of other engaging characters as well. The author also does an outstanding job of bringing the setting of Singapore in 1910 to life and making the reader feel like they are a part of that world.
I found the mystery interesting and although I managed to figure things out fairly early on, that did not bother me. A major part of this book focused on delving deeper into Curran's backstory. I can't wait to see where that will go moving forward.
There were some plot shifts that I really did not see coming and are setting up the next book in the series to go in very interesting directions for several of the characters.
So, here I am once again eagerly awaiting the opportunity to preorder the next book in this series.
Harriet Gordon and Inspector Robert Curran are the main characters in this series, but there are a number of other engaging characters as well. The author also does an outstanding job of bringing the setting of Singapore in 1910 to life and making the reader feel like they are a part of that world.
I found the mystery interesting and although I managed to figure things out fairly early on, that did not bother me. A major part of this book focused on delving deeper into Curran's backstory. I can't wait to see where that will go moving forward.
There were some plot shifts that I really did not see coming and are setting up the next book in the series to go in very interesting directions for several of the characters.
So, here I am once again eagerly awaiting the opportunity to preorder the next book in this series.
melmo2610's review
4.0
A really good mystery for Harriet and Robert to unravel in "Evil in Emerald." There were a couple of difficult moments in the read but the mystery captured my attention and made this book near impossible to put down. I need book 4 asap!
veereadstoomuch's review
5.0
Harriet is trying out new things and joined a dramatic society. Of course, it's full of dramatic people and interesting characters. There's a murder of one of the drama peeps, a young man who is known to the ladies - single or married. Curran gets involved because it's a murder and Harriet is involved because she works with Curran and can help (as much as she can unofficially). I do like how she does have a legit reason to be involved and investigate.
There's big changes in Curran's life (don't want to spoil anything) and it makes it really really interesting. I'm VERY excited about the next (last!) book in the series.
There's big changes in Curran's life (don't want to spoil anything) and it makes it really really interesting. I'm VERY excited about the next (last!) book in the series.