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A review by weaselweader
The Companion by Ann Granger
4.0
If Sandra Brown’s novels had been set in Victorian England …
Upon the death of her father, Lizzie Martin found herself quite penniless. Necessity spoke and Ms Martin was happy to accept a situation as a lady's companion to her late godfather’s widow, Julia Parry. Immediately upon her arrival in the intimidating city of London, the odd events begin to accumulate. Ms Martin witnesses the transport of a newly deceased body to the morgue and also quickly discovers that her predecessor in Mrs. Parry’s employ left the house under, well, we’ll call it unusual circumstances. In these kinds of mysteries, the oft-repeated Sherlock Holmes aphorism, “The game is afoot” applies and Ms Martin soon finds herself up to her neck in the investigation of her predecessor’s disappearance.
THE COMPANION is a thoroughly enjoyable character driven historical mystery and romance that pushes on the boundaries of what one would characterize as slightly less than cozy without ever venturing into the realities of violence, sex, or profanity. Murder, deaths, danger and post mortems, for example, are completely real but never fully revealed by pulling aside the narrative curtains behind which they take place. The personalities of the household above stairs and the staff below stairs are brilliantly described and they very much come to life in Ms Granger’s skilled hands. Ms Martin’s courageous and forthright ability to deal with the blunt misogyny that she encounters from all of the men around her, not to mention the irritating and outrageously sanctimonious religious preaching of Dr Tibbett, an erstwhile assistant curate and schoolmaster, is wonderfully entertaining and uplifting.
Quick, fun, and easy reading, THE COMPANION is the debut appearance of Lizzie Martin in a series. A MORTAL CURIOSITY, the second novel in the series, is a definite addition to my reading list.
Paul Weiss
Upon the death of her father, Lizzie Martin found herself quite penniless. Necessity spoke and Ms Martin was happy to accept a situation as a lady's companion to her late godfather’s widow, Julia Parry. Immediately upon her arrival in the intimidating city of London, the odd events begin to accumulate. Ms Martin witnesses the transport of a newly deceased body to the morgue and also quickly discovers that her predecessor in Mrs. Parry’s employ left the house under, well, we’ll call it unusual circumstances. In these kinds of mysteries, the oft-repeated Sherlock Holmes aphorism, “The game is afoot” applies and Ms Martin soon finds herself up to her neck in the investigation of her predecessor’s disappearance.
THE COMPANION is a thoroughly enjoyable character driven historical mystery and romance that pushes on the boundaries of what one would characterize as slightly less than cozy without ever venturing into the realities of violence, sex, or profanity. Murder, deaths, danger and post mortems, for example, are completely real but never fully revealed by pulling aside the narrative curtains behind which they take place. The personalities of the household above stairs and the staff below stairs are brilliantly described and they very much come to life in Ms Granger’s skilled hands. Ms Martin’s courageous and forthright ability to deal with the blunt misogyny that she encounters from all of the men around her, not to mention the irritating and outrageously sanctimonious religious preaching of Dr Tibbett, an erstwhile assistant curate and schoolmaster, is wonderfully entertaining and uplifting.
Quick, fun, and easy reading, THE COMPANION is the debut appearance of Lizzie Martin in a series. A MORTAL CURIOSITY, the second novel in the series, is a definite addition to my reading list.
Paul Weiss