Scan barcode
A review by melissasbookshelf
Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden
4.0
“My hand crept up to land on my chest, as if the ballast were a physical thing that I could hold in place. Let me not lose this, I thought, and my plea was as desperate as any I’d ever made. For I have earned it honestly, and it is mine.”
Enjoyed this second book in the Inspector Corravan series. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to going back and reading the first book in the series. I’d compare her writing style to Anne Perry. It’s a Victorian mystery based on actual events that drew me in from the beginning.
Meet Inspector Michael Corravan or Mickey as his adopted family calls him. He’s a reformed street urchin/thief who was taken in by the Doyle family after his mother went missing. As an Irishman, he’s constantly aware in Victorian England of the prejudice harbored against him as the debate over Irish Home Rule intensifies.
When a collision between The Princess Alice passenger boat and the coal carrier Bywell Castle results in hundreds of people dead, Inspector Corravan is called in to head up the investigation. Is it an accidental tragedy or sabotage? As the clues keep piling up, it’s looking like it could be a plot by the IRB or Irish Republican Brotherhood as the newspapers are insinuating, but Michael has his doubts. His investigation will lead him to the highest rungs of society and with so much at stake, he can’t afford to get this wrong.
There’s also his adopted brother Colin who seems to have fallen in with the wrong people and whose resentment of him is palpable. As violence in Whitechapel increases with various Irish gangs warring for control, Michael is torn between helping the people he loves and solving the boating accident. But could they be related?
This story really kept me turning the pages as the mystery unraveled. Just when you think you may have figured it out, new motives and clues emerge which change the whole direction. Michael is a likable character who’s passionate about uncovering the truth. He’s a savvy investigator but also a caring man haunted by regrets and his past. His love interest Belinda helps him in his investigation as well as Inspector Stiles, Sgt. Hammond and Director Vincent. The side characters were as interesting as Michael and I look forward to getting to know them better in future books.
Though this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. Having not read the first book, I felt like the author did a fantastic job giving enough backstory so I could dive right into the story and understand what’s going on. Highly recommend to historical mystery fans! There is some mild swearing including taking God’s name in vain, though it’s infrequent. There are also descriptions of the explosion and dead bodies sensitive readers may want to be aware of. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
Enjoyed this second book in the Inspector Corravan series. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to going back and reading the first book in the series. I’d compare her writing style to Anne Perry. It’s a Victorian mystery based on actual events that drew me in from the beginning.
Meet Inspector Michael Corravan or Mickey as his adopted family calls him. He’s a reformed street urchin/thief who was taken in by the Doyle family after his mother went missing. As an Irishman, he’s constantly aware in Victorian England of the prejudice harbored against him as the debate over Irish Home Rule intensifies.
When a collision between The Princess Alice passenger boat and the coal carrier Bywell Castle results in hundreds of people dead, Inspector Corravan is called in to head up the investigation. Is it an accidental tragedy or sabotage? As the clues keep piling up, it’s looking like it could be a plot by the IRB or Irish Republican Brotherhood as the newspapers are insinuating, but Michael has his doubts. His investigation will lead him to the highest rungs of society and with so much at stake, he can’t afford to get this wrong.
There’s also his adopted brother Colin who seems to have fallen in with the wrong people and whose resentment of him is palpable. As violence in Whitechapel increases with various Irish gangs warring for control, Michael is torn between helping the people he loves and solving the boating accident. But could they be related?
This story really kept me turning the pages as the mystery unraveled. Just when you think you may have figured it out, new motives and clues emerge which change the whole direction. Michael is a likable character who’s passionate about uncovering the truth. He’s a savvy investigator but also a caring man haunted by regrets and his past. His love interest Belinda helps him in his investigation as well as Inspector Stiles, Sgt. Hammond and Director Vincent. The side characters were as interesting as Michael and I look forward to getting to know them better in future books.
Though this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. Having not read the first book, I felt like the author did a fantastic job giving enough backstory so I could dive right into the story and understand what’s going on. Highly recommend to historical mystery fans! There is some mild swearing including taking God’s name in vain, though it’s infrequent. There are also descriptions of the explosion and dead bodies sensitive readers may want to be aware of. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.