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A review by allaboutfrodo
A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
3.0
A Beautiful Blue Death is set in Victorian London. Charles Lenox is a gentleman with an interest in solving crimes. Lady Jane Grey is his good friend from childhood, now a widow.
This book reminded me of Anne Perry's mysteries and of the stereotypical perception of Sherlock Holmes. However, I never felt I got to know Lenox or Lady Jane very well. There are extremely subtle hints of a possible romance, but nothing of note happens in this book.
The book is very readable, but I found it a bit slow, and the mystery convoluted but not clever. In particular, the last chapters after the climax felt – well, anti-climactic. The historical details seem well researched. I had a hard time believing Lenox's familiar relationship with his butler. Lenox's good friend Thomas McConnell is somewhat of a cardboard cut-out of a doctor who drinks. We are told that McConnell’s marriage to his wife Toto is pretty much over, but that's not how it comes across the rest of the book. The police inspector of course is not clever enough to solve anything without Lenox's help. The book feels like a cookie-cutter Victorian mystery.
My favorite character was Sir Edmund, Lenox's brother and a baronet, but also an eager partner in investigating with Charles.
This series is now up to eight books, so it must be popular and fairly well received. I'm not sure whether I will give the second book a shot or not. I might, for Edmund’s sake.
Also, seriously, the main character has the same first name as the author?
This book reminded me of Anne Perry's mysteries and of the stereotypical perception of Sherlock Holmes. However, I never felt I got to know Lenox or Lady Jane very well. There are extremely subtle hints of a possible romance, but nothing of note happens in this book.
The book is very readable, but I found it a bit slow, and the mystery convoluted but not clever. In particular, the last chapters after the climax felt – well, anti-climactic. The historical details seem well researched. I had a hard time believing Lenox's familiar relationship with his butler. Lenox's good friend Thomas McConnell is somewhat of a cardboard cut-out of a doctor who drinks. We are told that McConnell’s marriage to his wife Toto is pretty much over, but that's not how it comes across the rest of the book. The police inspector of course is not clever enough to solve anything without Lenox's help. The book feels like a cookie-cutter Victorian mystery.
My favorite character was Sir Edmund, Lenox's brother and a baronet, but also an eager partner in investigating with Charles.
This series is now up to eight books, so it must be popular and fairly well received. I'm not sure whether I will give the second book a shot or not. I might, for Edmund’s sake.
Also, seriously, the main character has the same first name as the author?