Scan barcode
A review by lennie_reads
A Restless Truth by Freya Marske
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.
'because when you're in a room I don't want to look anywhere else'
Like a lot of us I was initially a bit miffed when I realised Edwin & Robin weren't going to be the main characters in this sequel. However, I couldn't have been more wrong; if anything I may have liked this one a bit more than the first!
This book follows Maud, Robin's strong willed sister, as she accompanies another elderly member of the Forsythia Club on a ship from New York to the UK.
As with book one, the first chapter is a POV of the murder victim so there's no messing about, you're straight into the story.
Maud, with the help of a notebook full of Robin's visions, befriends Violet Debenham, an actress & magician with a complicated past, Ross, a journalist and Lord Hawthorn from Book 1, to get them to help her solve the murder.
Honestly I just absolutely loved this book. The titanic vibes (without the tragic ending) were immaculate - I could envision everything so clearly. The mystery itself was tense and intriguing, with something new always lurking around the corner. We also had the added benefit of the forced proximity aspect as it was set on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic so no escape for the murderers, and more time for Violet and Maud to get to know each other 👀
I adore Maud and Violet. They are so different to each other but they're both so brave and loving, and funny. I'm also very surprised that Markse managed to make Hawthorn likeable in this after how we meet him in Book 1.
If you want a murder mystery with Sapphic romance, heist style set ups and major titanic vibes (with no icebergs) then I very much recommend this book. You will have to read A Marvellous Light first to understand the magic system and world building but that is also an amazing book so it's a win-win!
I'm also so intrigued for book 3 and who the POV characters are going to be, I have a feeling it might be Hawthorn and Ross but we'll see! I need to know what's going to happen with Maud and Violet, and I guess also the Last Contract as well, but mainly I wanna see all these amazing characters some more.
CW: murder, sexual content, blood, violence, mentions of toxic parents
'because when you're in a room I don't want to look anywhere else'
Like a lot of us I was initially a bit miffed when I realised Edwin & Robin weren't going to be the main characters in this sequel. However, I couldn't have been more wrong; if anything I may have liked this one a bit more than the first!
This book follows Maud, Robin's strong willed sister, as she accompanies another elderly member of the Forsythia Club on a ship from New York to the UK.
As with book one, the first chapter is a POV of the murder victim so there's no messing about, you're straight into the story.
Maud, with the help of a notebook full of Robin's visions, befriends Violet Debenham, an actress & magician with a complicated past, Ross, a journalist and Lord Hawthorn from Book 1, to get them to help her solve the murder.
Honestly I just absolutely loved this book. The titanic vibes (without the tragic ending) were immaculate - I could envision everything so clearly. The mystery itself was tense and intriguing, with something new always lurking around the corner. We also had the added benefit of the forced proximity aspect as it was set on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic so no escape for the murderers, and more time for Violet and Maud to get to know each other 👀
I adore Maud and Violet. They are so different to each other but they're both so brave and loving, and funny. I'm also very surprised that Markse managed to make Hawthorn likeable in this after how we meet him in Book 1.
If you want a murder mystery with Sapphic romance, heist style set ups and major titanic vibes (with no icebergs) then I very much recommend this book. You will have to read A Marvellous Light first to understand the magic system and world building but that is also an amazing book so it's a win-win!
I'm also so intrigued for book 3 and who the POV characters are going to be, I have a feeling it might be Hawthorn and Ross but we'll see! I need to know what's going to happen with Maud and Violet, and I guess also the Last Contract as well, but mainly I wanna see all these amazing characters some more.
CW: murder, sexual content, blood, violence, mentions of toxic parents
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder