A bride mysteriously disappears on her wedding day in the newest Veronica Speedwell adventure by the New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey series.Lured by the promise of a rare and elusive butterfly, the intrepid Veronica Speedwell is persuaded by Lord Templeton-Vane, the brother of her colleague Stoker, to pose as his fiancée at a house party on a Cornish isle owned by his … Cornish isle owned by his oldest friend, Malcolm Romilly.
But Veronica soon learns that one question hangs over the party: What happened to Rosamund? Three years ago, Malcolm Romilly’s bride vanished on their wedding day, and no trace of her has ever been found. Now those who were closest to her have gathered, each a possible suspect in her disappearance.
From the poison garden kept by Malcolm’s sister to the high towers of the family castle, the island’s atmosphere is full of shadows, and danger lurks around every corner.
Determined to discover Rosamund’s fate, Veronica and Stoker match wits with a murderer who has already struck once and will not hesitate to kill again.…
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Love this series!
Well developed characters. A little predictable but a fun mystery.
4th book in a wonderful and inventive series. I would recommend beginning with the first book, it will help your understanding of this one. The main character is not like the usual 19th century female. She is a very strong, independent woman. How she gets in and out of predicaments is very entertaining.
Enjoyable Victorian mystery.
Another Terrific Adventure for Veronica Speedwell
Mature audiences
Books 1 – 3 should probably be read first, but this book could stand alone.
No sex, but plenty of wishing for it without specific detail
Little or no objectionable language
Language appropriate for the times: Instead of a character saying, “WHATever!” she would say “Feathers!” I found this delightful.
No gory violence
Tense situations and intrigue
Plot no spoilers:
Veronica, her business partner Stoker, and Stoker’s older brother travel to a remote island off the the English coast at the invitation of a friend. They arrive to find that 3 years after her death, the owner of the estate wants further investigation into the disappearance of his wife on their wedding day.
The author, Deanna Raybourn, sweeps us along with humor and fast-paced action. This is the kind of book that I almost didn’t want to end because I enjoyed it so much.
Oh, absolutely, yes. Read this and others in the series.
Finally!! So the case was okay not as exciting as previous cases. Veronica and Stoker now that is what this whole book is about. I am happy to see where the story has finally gone too. I can’t wait to see what happens next with the two of them.
Absolutely loved the third book. I am hoping for more exploits with Veronica and Stoker, and all the other odd characters that inhabit their lives.
A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn, Narrated by Angela Masters
I’m late to discovering the genius that is Deanna Raybourn. My first book with her being A Curious Beginning, the first of the Veronica Speedwell series, but I have since devoured all of her books I can find. While I was awaiting A Dangerous Collaboration, I discovered the Lady Grey series, another example of a strong female character worth reading.
Intrigued by Stoker’s sybarite brother, Lord Templeton-Vane, who claims to have access to a rare butterfly for Veronica’s atrium. She agrees to go with him to visit an old friend, Malcolm Romilly. But upon the Cornish Isle, Veronica and stowaway, Stoker, learn it is not just a house party or the butterfly that gained them their invitations.
Tasked with uncovering the mystery of Malcolm’s missing bride, Stoker and Veronica must discover the truth before becoming the next victims.
Raybourn brings readers to the edge of their seats, holding their breath and turning the pages as we rush to discover what will happen next. This series is great for anyone who loves historical thrillers and exciting intrigue. It’s not exactly a romance but there are romantic elements. It appeals to both my romantic and adventurous sides.
My favorite of this series, A Dangerous Collaboration has a mysterious disappearance, an old castle with hidden passageways, a seance, and family secrets: mystery, adventure, and romance! Excelsior!
Although most book series have their ups and downs, no one explained that to Deanna Raybourn. This 4th book in the Veronica Speedwell series–like the other three–is simply “up.” A haunted castle, smugglers caves, sexual tension that steams off the page, and a brilliant, unapologetic heroine. What’s not to love?
The best part of this novel wasn’t the whodunnit, though that was well done, but seeing the interaction between Veronica, Stoker, and Stoker’s brother. We saw Stoker and Veronica’s relationship tested further, and we also learned about some of the tensions in the Templeton-Vane family that led to Stoker’s estrangement from his home.
It’s a great series with a heroine for our times–a scientist, an explorer, a woman who embraces her own sexuality–and the hero who appreciates her. I look forward to more Veronica Speedwell mysteries and many hours of reading enjoyment in months to come!
Veronica is larger-than-life, incredibly ahead of her time, stubborn, and highly intelligent with a sharp tongue and wit. Stoker (Mr. Ravelstoke Templeton-Vane) is her sleuthing partner. He is cranky and reclusive, and growing more frustrated with Veronica’s avoidance of any romantic relationship with him. Tiberius, Stoker’s estranged brother and ardent suitor of Veronica, has to face his feelings for the missing bride and his less than honorable actions in the past. Malcom, the lord of the castle, is a mysterious host at best. Mertensia, Malcom’s sister, is the eerie relative who prefers gardening and her poisonous plants more than people. Helen is the widow of Malcom’s brother Lucian who also is known as Madame Helena who does séances. The missing bride is ever present and the more you learn about her, the more the suspects pile up.
A foreboding ancestral castle with multiple hidden passageways, rainy and dreary weather, the ominous “Three Sisters” rocky protrusions just off the coast, and a séance make this a Gothic masterpiece. I loved the great use of the setting as a character in itself.
The plot develops and twists as the family and staff are all developed and the sexual tension between Veronica and Stoker increases. Pacing was expertly managed and made this a page turner. The climax was thrilling and hair raising with great character touches included. Kudos!! The wrap-up was very satisfying.
I couldn’t help but consider this as a fantastic tribute to or take on the Daphne du Maurier’s classic Rebecca. If you have read previous books in this series, the dance between Veronica and Stoker moves toward resolution and I was happy with how that worked.
Rating: Near Perfect – Couldn’t Put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend.
An isolated island, a mysterious disappearance, Stoker and his handsome brother, and a rare butterfly. What more could Veronica Speedwell ask? This latest Veronica Speedwell Mystery is a terrific blend of a murder mystery and ghost story, with a dash of romance to boot.
Veronica and Stoker have left the safety of their museum jobs to vacation on a distant island. The setting is perfect for this pair of scientists who profess they are only work partners. While we have the stock characters, the Lord, the impoverished relatives, the housekeeper, we also meet a witch, a fake fortune teller, and a missing bride. The mystery is a great who-dun-it. Only we are not quite sure if a crime has actually occurred.
This series is a joy. The relationship between Veronica and Stoker is inevitable and sometimes frustrating. The premise of two scientists playing detective in Victorian England is innovative and interesting. Hopefully Veronica and Stoker have lots of mysteries to explore!
4.75 stars
A DANGEROUS COLLABORATION, though not my favorite book in the Veronica Speedwell series, is still very good. With its trademark banter and well paced mystery, I am sure it will be one of my best books of the year. There is less action and more introspection within these pages as Veronica and Stoker consider how they should move forward with their relationship, if they allow it to change at all. To me, this is the focus of the tale, and the mystery is secondary. Uncharacteristic of Raybourn’s books, I was able to pinpoint the bad guy very early on, but it is still gratifying to follow along as Veronica and Stoker unearth the truth. There are some genuinely marvelous bits in the book, including a declaration worth swooning over. I really enjoyed getting to know Stoker’s older brother Tiberius. I impatiently await the next installment in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
A DANGEROUS COLLABORATION by Deanna Raybourn
Suspense, mystery, dangers, a poison garden, hidden passages, priests’ holes, and life lessons fill this book. Misplaced love leads to painful lessons in following one’s heart, speaking honestly, and trusting the right people . . . but how to know whom? I gripped the book more tightly as I read on, and was pleased to discern whom NOT to trust just a bit before it was revealed. It takes deft work planting clues to make that happen. A bonus for me is to have a bit of new vocabulary:
tantalus — liquor cabinet
inanition (death from lack of nourishment)
This is book 4 of a series that began with A CURIOUS BEGINNING, if you like reading in order.
Veronica Speedwell and her partner Stroker are manipulated into accompanying Stroker’s brother Lord Templeton-Vane to St. Maddern’s Isle to solve the disappearance three years ago of Rosamund, the new bride of Malcolm Romilly. As in the previous books, nothing is as it appears, and only their cunning minds and keen observation skills keep them alive to solve the mystery. Artfully developed characters and an intriguing plot make this page turner a riveting read.
Fantastic book
Veronica Speedwell and Stoker are at it again. Being called away with the promise of an elusive butterfly, Veronica travels with Stoker’s brother and of course, Stoker refuses to be left behind. They travel to an island with a widow who is looking for answers to what happened to his wife. Never one to walk away from solving a mystery they work to find out what happened to her and in the course of solving the mystery they uncover many others mysteries of the Romilly Estate.
I love the detail to the settings that Deanna Raybourne uses while writing her books. I can picture the trains they took, the towns they passed through, and the castle that they stayed in. Add to that the amazing characters with their fun and unique quirks and you have a winning story. I enjoyed learning about the secondary characters and kept trying to picture them as the reason that Lord Malcolm’s wife was missing, presumed dead.
The first part of the story was slower but never did I not want to finish. The closer to the end the faster the story went, they more action the characters saw, and the more the clues came together leading the reader down the right path to solve the mysteries. I loved the undercurrents of romance coming between Stoker and Veronica.
I am a fan of the Veronica Speedwell series and am always excited when a new book is being released. This is part of a series. The books can be read as stand alone but as with many series, they are fun to read in order.
At a house party on a secluded island with her partner Stoker and his brother Lord Templeton-Vane, Veronica and Stoker find themselves enmeshed in the mystery of the vanishing bride of their host Malcolm Romilly. This novel intertwines the electric attraction between Stoker and Veronica with the story behind the disappearance of Rosamund. The building tension as they discover each clue and fight their feelings for each other escalates until I was eagerly flipping pages to reach the climax of this story.
As the fourth novel in the series, A Dangerous Collaboration is on the cusp of finally giving the reader what we’ve been waiting for… the end of Veronica and Stoker dancing around their feelings for each other. Well, at least that’s what I’ve been waiting for! Each novel has also had a great mystery for them to solve, and this one is no different. Adding in the personal element of Stoker’s brother Tiberius’ relationship with both the bride and groom and this made for a great whodunnit. However, I continue to eagerly pick up these novels because of the tension filled dialog between our two main characters. This novel did not disappoint in that regard.
I’ve admired Veronica through this series for her modernity, her pursuit of a career, and her intelligence. I’ll admit to being just a little frustrated with her desire to talk herself out of her feelings for Stoker wanting that aspect of this series to speed up. Especially how the last novel ended with their feelings revealed! BUT, this was such a great follow up and true to Veronica’s personality that I can’t stay mad for too long that I didn’t quite get what I’d been looking for from the two of them… I can only hope that day will come soon!
The supporting characters in this book gave this novel a more Agatha Christie feel to the mystery. Unlike the previous novels which were mostly set in a big city, A Dangerous Collaboration was set in a remote island location and the characters were simpler or more country which added charm to what had been a more urban feeling series. I really enjoyed the change of scene and the Clue-like aspect to the mystery. Was Rosamund killed in the observatory with a candlestick? I’ll never tell!
Love the Veronica Speedwell and Stoker characters and their relationship! Can’t wait for more.