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A review by esdeecarlson
Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden
5.0
**This book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review**
5 stars
The first book in Odden’s Inspector Corravan series was a best-of-the-year read for me, so to say that I had high expectations coming into the sequel was an understatement. Fortunately, the novel lived up to those expectations.
While the first novel was a rather straightforward serial killer mystery set in Victorian England, this second begins with a murder but quickly becomes a much more politically-oriented mystery, concerned with anti-Irish prejudice and terrorist attacks. I was curious as to how the political angle of these crimes would change the ‘feel’ of a Corravan mystery, but the prose is absolutely excellent, and Corravan such a compelling and consistent character, that the change in type of mystery served the narrative and proved utterly enthralling. I was engrossed from the start.
One of the things I’ve loved, about both the first book and this one, is that Corravan solves mysteries through solid, good police work. He isn’t a Holmesian genius, he doesn’t stumble upon MacGuffins and dash into climactic battles; he puts boots on the ground and chases down leads, and asks for help from many different sources, until he has enough pieces of the puzzle to put together.
I do wish that we’d had more of Belinda and Harry, who I loved in the first book, but I cheerfully look forward to their inclusion in later installments, especially as Harry’s medical knowledge progresses (Harry’s trip to Edinburgh makes me hope we get a Burke and Hare-inspired story in the next novel).
One hit may be a fluke, but two is a proven track record. I will certainly be reading the next installment in the series whenever it appears.
5 stars
The first book in Odden’s Inspector Corravan series was a best-of-the-year read for me, so to say that I had high expectations coming into the sequel was an understatement. Fortunately, the novel lived up to those expectations.
While the first novel was a rather straightforward serial killer mystery set in Victorian England, this second begins with a murder but quickly becomes a much more politically-oriented mystery, concerned with anti-Irish prejudice and terrorist attacks. I was curious as to how the political angle of these crimes would change the ‘feel’ of a Corravan mystery, but the prose is absolutely excellent, and Corravan such a compelling and consistent character, that the change in type of mystery served the narrative and proved utterly enthralling. I was engrossed from the start.
One of the things I’ve loved, about both the first book and this one, is that Corravan solves mysteries through solid, good police work. He isn’t a Holmesian genius, he doesn’t stumble upon MacGuffins and dash into climactic battles; he puts boots on the ground and chases down leads, and asks for help from many different sources, until he has enough pieces of the puzzle to put together.
I do wish that we’d had more of Belinda and Harry, who I loved in the first book, but I cheerfully look forward to their inclusion in later installments, especially as Harry’s medical knowledge progresses (Harry’s trip to Edinburgh makes me hope we get a Burke and Hare-inspired story in the next novel).
One hit may be a fluke, but two is a proven track record. I will certainly be reading the next installment in the series whenever it appears.