Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
Charles Lenox is a gentleman of the highest class. Aristocratic birth and old money allow him to live a life of leisure in one of London’s best neighborhoods. For Lenox, leisure means sipping tea in front of a cozy fire, studying Roman antiquities, and—and this is what separates our Charles Lenox from the other rich but dull members of high society—solving mysteries. Lenox is an amateur detective; his wealth allows him to take pleasure in solving the crime rather than in getting paid to do so. He attracts people from the poor lower classes and, because of his status as a gentleman, the aristocracy trusts him to solve their mysteries as well. So when Lenox’s neighbor and close friend Lady Jane Grey learns that her former maid has committed suicide, she asks Lenox to investigate. The maid, Prue Smith, was poisoned, and Lenox quickly deduces that it’s murder. The poison is rare, Prue’s master George Barnard is the Director of the Royal Mint, and there’s a house full of guests who make excellent suspects. It’s a worthy mystery, but its first-time author Charles Finch’s finely-drawn portrait of the life and times of Lenox that will keep readers turning the pages. Lenox is a sleuth of the finest order and Finch gifts him with a complex character and a fully realized history. Lenox has a couple of unconventional relationships in an age where rigid class and gender roles keep gentlefolk separate from their servants and men separate from women that add complexity and charm to the already engaging story, one a sincere friendship with his butler Graham and the other a cozy camaraderie with Lady Jane. With precise writing and Victorian atmosphere a-plenty, this is a true-blue mystery series in the making. An Agatha Award nominee in the tradition of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, A Beautiful Blue Death is a quality whodunit to be savored slowly, preferably in front of a roaring fire with a hot cup of tea.
no complaints, except that I read this over the course of ~1.5 weeks and I lost track of who some of the characters were. but still quite fun.
** I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion **
A Beautiful Blue Death is not a beautiful book. In fact, the book is so un-beautiful, that I couldn't even finish it. Allow me to explain.
The book is set in the 1800s. That doesn't bother me so much. It's also set in London, again, not something that bothers me particularly. The main character, Charles Lenox is an amateur detective who just happens to be a boring sort of fellow. One of the other characters, George Barnard is such an obnoxious jerk, you can't help but hate him. I suppose that's a good thing, since there always seems to be at least one character the reader just can't stand.
The main problem with this book is it moves far too slowly. I got to Chapter 19 and the investigation had barely begun. Lenox had only spoken to two or three suspects, had made a trip to a couple of apothecaries, and sent his butler to do some investigating for him. Other than that, he's had quite a bit of tea and food.
This book has literally no action. There are no "uh oh" moments - at least not in the first 18 chapters. But if there isn't any action by the 40% mark of a book, I can guess that action is not going to be forthcoming. I honestly wonder how it became an Agatha Award Nominee, considering I used to devour Agatha Christie books in a day and there was far more action in those books than in this one. They were much more interesting too.
One star for this book and that's being generous.
A Beautiful Blue Death is not a beautiful book. In fact, the book is so un-beautiful, that I couldn't even finish it. Allow me to explain.
The book is set in the 1800s. That doesn't bother me so much. It's also set in London, again, not something that bothers me particularly. The main character, Charles Lenox is an amateur detective who just happens to be a boring sort of fellow. One of the other characters, George Barnard is such an obnoxious jerk, you can't help but hate him. I suppose that's a good thing, since there always seems to be at least one character the reader just can't stand.
The main problem with this book is it moves far too slowly. I got to Chapter 19 and the investigation had barely begun. Lenox had only spoken to two or three suspects, had made a trip to a couple of apothecaries, and sent his butler to do some investigating for him. Other than that, he's had quite a bit of tea and food.
This book has literally no action. There are no "uh oh" moments - at least not in the first 18 chapters. But if there isn't any action by the 40% mark of a book, I can guess that action is not going to be forthcoming. I honestly wonder how it became an Agatha Award Nominee, considering I used to devour Agatha Christie books in a day and there was far more action in those books than in this one. They were much more interesting too.
One star for this book and that's being generous.
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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:
No
mysterious
slow-paced
Super cozy book. Won't set your heart racing or hold you in suspense but will make you long for a fireplace and English tea.
mysterious
relaxing
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:
No
Overall a fun book, with a lot of similarities to Sherlock Holmes. There were a few incongruencies (Lenox mentions how great his memory is, but a few pages later has no recollection of the maid that worked next door to him for three years at a house he visited regularly, he tells his butler to have the carriage ready before lunch because he's lunching with someone, but then he eats lunch at home and visits them afterward, etc.) but they do not really detract from the story too much, just cause some confusion at times.
An enjoyable Victorian mystery with a gentleman detective! Likeable characters with a well contrived story. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed this book via NetGalley.
I voluntarily reviewed this book via NetGalley.
This book was a little bit too 'first book a series' for my tastes. There was a lot of unnecessary description, exposition and dialogue, clearly setting the tone for sequels. This bogged down the actual story, to a distracting degree. While the mystery was fairly good, the book felt more like an outline than a standalone.