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bookishbetty003's review against another edition
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.5
Lady Katherine doesn’t want to marry, and she made a wager with her father, a detective, that if she could solve the Pink Ribbon Killer case by her 25th birthday, she would win her dowry.
After the murders ended the London Season early, there is only one house party before everyone goes to their country estates. Luckily for Lady Katherine, she has the perfect cover for the event, as a matchmaker. Lady Katherine and her charge flock to the last house party; her charge is eager to find a suitable husband, and Lady Katherine spends her time looking for clues and trying to solve the case. Oh, and her dog, Emma, is in tow, causing chaos.
——
I didn’t really enjoy this book at all. It was a short enough book that I finished it, but I probably won’t be reading any more in the series.
Lady Katherine is a self proclaimed amateur sleuth, but is constantly surprised by people sneaking up on her. One of the victim’s diaries is stolen right from under her nose by another woman at the house party after reading it in the garden! Lady Katherine also seemingly forgets her charge and her cover at every turn. It was quite frankly exhausting.
After the murders ended the London Season early, there is only one house party before everyone goes to their country estates. Luckily for Lady Katherine, she has the perfect cover for the event, as a matchmaker. Lady Katherine and her charge flock to the last house party; her charge is eager to find a suitable husband, and Lady Katherine spends her time looking for clues and trying to solve the case. Oh, and her dog, Emma, is in tow, causing chaos.
——
I didn’t really enjoy this book at all. It was a short enough book that I finished it, but I probably won’t be reading any more in the series.
Lady Katherine is a self proclaimed amateur sleuth, but is constantly surprised by people sneaking up on her. One of the victim’s diaries is stolen right from under her nose by another woman at the house party after reading it in the garden! Lady Katherine also seemingly forgets her charge and her cover at every turn. It was quite frankly exhausting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
ribbonquest's review against another edition
Second-hand embarrassment. Bug-obsessed debutante, annoying dog, slapstick.
tctimlin's review
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
romanici's review against another edition
3.0
Audiobook. Did not love the narrator’s male voices. Story was fine, and I liked the set up for the series. Will definitely read the next one.
susloswing61's review against another edition
4.0
Nice Victorian murder mystery
I loved that this book was from the perspective of a Victorian lady spinster who wants to solve mysteries like her father. She has to pose as a matchmaker and is good enough at both to b successful at both.
I loved that this book was from the perspective of a Victorian lady spinster who wants to solve mysteries like her father. She has to pose as a matchmaker and is good enough at both to b successful at both.
nik_reads02's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
Lady Katherine dreams of being a detective and living her best life unfettered by societal expectations. Her father promises to release her dowry if she can solve a murder (which seems...dangerous?) and she settles on the Pink Ribbon Killer. Wrangling an invitation to a house party based on her matchmaking skills she proceeds to try and solve the case -and marry off her charge- with the help of/despite a cast of characters. And a small dog of course.
Katherine is a perfectly serviceable main character, she is not offensive or awful. She has several friends that pop up during the book who are interesting in their own right, and a nemesis who it seems is clearly being set up as a romantic interest. What she isn't is a competent investigator. In fact I would say that she is a stone cold idiot. She blunders her way around the case, missing incredibly obvious clues and.
I'm going to give the next one a go to see if she gets better.
Lady Katherine dreams of being a detective and living her best life unfettered by societal expectations. Her father promises to release her dowry if she can solve a murder (which seems...dangerous?) and she settles on the Pink Ribbon Killer. Wrangling an invitation to a house party based on her matchmaking skills she proceeds to try and solve the case -and marry off her charge- with the help of/despite a cast of characters. And a small dog of course.
Katherine is a perfectly serviceable main character, she is not offensive or awful. She has several friends that pop up during the book who are interesting in their own right, and a nemesis who it seems is clearly being set up as a romantic interest. What she isn't is a competent investigator. In fact I would say that she is a stone cold idiot. She blunders her way around the case, missing incredibly obvious clues and
Spoiler
doesn't solve it so much as almost gets murdered herselfI'm going to give the next one a go to see if she gets better.
eastofthesunwestofthemoon's review against another edition
2.0
2 1/2 stars. This was a fun and fast read. The story was OK and the characters were OK, but the mystery wasn't all that challenging so the end came as no surprise. I spotted quite a few anachronisms and places where my suspension of disbelief wore relatively thin - particularly the rather blatant and extreme lack of real chaperonage and the number of young women invading other people's bedrooms. I might read a followup in the series if it fell into my lap, but I doubt I'd seek it out.
hellie1234's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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? No
4.0
seriouslybookish's review
1.0
30% and skimmed the rest...
I'm sorry but I just find Lady Katherine a complete bore. She's judgmental, insufferable and has a stick wedged firmly up her ***. I don't think I can read another page without being bored to tears. I am all for woman pushing boundaries and being ahead of their time but it has to be believable. Lady Kathrine was not what I would call a forward thinking woman but rather one who just wanted to be different from her peers. She calls herself and investigator but her methods leave a lot to be desired. The methods she uses are not effective but more so, they are just plain stupid with a tendency to latch on a suspect if she finds even a small clue. *cue eye roll*
This book leaves a lot to be desired and it's not just Lady Katherine I find to be boring. Every single character is just as boring as she. I would not recommend not even when your bored.
I'm sorry but I just find Lady Katherine a complete bore. She's judgmental, insufferable and has a stick wedged firmly up her ***. I don't think I can read another page without being bored to tears. I am all for woman pushing boundaries and being ahead of their time but it has to be believable. Lady Kathrine was not what I would call a forward thinking woman but rather one who just wanted to be different from her peers. She calls herself and investigator but her methods leave a lot to be desired. The methods she uses are not effective but more so, they are just plain stupid with a tendency to latch on a suspect if she finds even a small clue. *cue eye roll*
This book leaves a lot to be desired and it's not just Lady Katherine I find to be boring. Every single character is just as boring as she. I would not recommend not even when your bored.
katiya's review
4.0
Lady Katherine Irvine has wagered her father that she can solve a crime before her 25th birthday. Alas, time is running short and, should she fail, he will retain control of her dowry. In order to gain her independence, she must find the murderer who uses pink ribbons to strangle his victims.
I've never been terribly fond of the Regency era so it's to the authors' credit that I remained as invested in this story as I did. Dobbs & Williams have brought an interesting heroine to life, imbued her with an intriguing backstory, and granted her accomplices who enhance her character by being unusual themselves. As a detective, Katherine is a neophyte who scrambles around desperately looking for a clue to the murderer's identity. She allowed many distractions to draw her away from her target, but in the end, she did succeed - a feat surely worthy of praise.
Recommended.
I've never been terribly fond of the Regency era so it's to the authors' credit that I remained as invested in this story as I did. Dobbs & Williams have brought an interesting heroine to life, imbued her with an intriguing backstory, and granted her accomplices who enhance her character by being unusual themselves. As a detective, Katherine is a neophyte who scrambles around desperately looking for a clue to the murderer's identity. She allowed many distractions to draw her away from her target, but in the end, she did succeed - a feat surely worthy of praise.
Recommended.