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A review by helenh
England Expects by Sara Sheridan
5.0
Sara Sheridan has, in Mirabelle Bevan, created a character that will stay with the reader long after the last page of “England Expects.” In this, her third adventure (hopefully you’ll have read the first two; it isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s always good to get a thorough grounding in the dramatis personae), she is asked to look into the murder of a sportswriter by the man’s sister. Shortly thereafter, based on some interesting information (which becomes the theme of the story), she finds herself at a Brighton location when the building’s cleaner dies suddenly -- and Mirabelle can tell she’s been poisoned. There’s got to be a connection, she thinks, between these two deaths -- and she and Vesta Churchill, her debt collection coworker and sidekick, are off and running.
What everyone realizes from the get go is that the first murder isn’t quite as simple as the police would like you to believe -- and things evolve from there (notes at the back of the book explains the author’s research). Since this is a historical mystery, I appreciated the sense of time and place that’s evident, especially the information about the Royal Pavilion, which becomes a part of the setting.
What is paramount here is Ms. Sheridan’s ability to carry the story along while crafting intricate plotting and situations. Vesta and Charlie, Vesta’s boyfriend and would-be fiancé, and Bill, the ex-policeman at the firm, make contributions that keep the plot rolling. Superintendent McGregor is here, too. There’s much from him about his feelings towards Mirabelle, who remains as enigmatic a character as ever. I’m hoping that more will be revealed in future books. This is one of those stories that keeps you riveted to the pages, and I found myself reading it in one session. I think you might, too.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ebook copy I received, in exchange for an honest review.
What everyone realizes from the get go is that the first murder isn’t quite as simple as the police would like you to believe -- and things evolve from there (notes at the back of the book explains the author’s research). Since this is a historical mystery, I appreciated the sense of time and place that’s evident, especially the information about the Royal Pavilion, which becomes a part of the setting.
What is paramount here is Ms. Sheridan’s ability to carry the story along while crafting intricate plotting and situations. Vesta and Charlie, Vesta’s boyfriend and would-be fiancé, and Bill, the ex-policeman at the firm, make contributions that keep the plot rolling. Superintendent McGregor is here, too. There’s much from him about his feelings towards Mirabelle, who remains as enigmatic a character as ever. I’m hoping that more will be revealed in future books. This is one of those stories that keeps you riveted to the pages, and I found myself reading it in one session. I think you might, too.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ebook copy I received, in exchange for an honest review.