A royal scandal’s connection to a brutal serial killer threatens London in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure from New York Times bestselling and Edgar® Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.Autumn 1888. Veronica Speedwell and her colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to stop a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a … monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, and the proprietress, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve it from the club before scandal can break.
Worse yet, London is being terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper—and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.
Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Auroreʼs high-class brothel, where a body soon turns up. Secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family—and it is up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it is too late for all of them.
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The latest in Raybourn’s historical mystery series featuring Veronica Speedwell — clever, fast-paced, intriguing characters and sharply plotted intrigue.
I am enjoying this fun, thrilling, intense, and even romantic series so very much. The writing is intelligent, the plots are excellently done, and the romantic tension between the two main characters will leave you panting for breath. I have to admit, I couldn’t put the book down and inhaled it from beginning to end – in one sitting. I mean – honestly – when the first line in a book is “What in the name of flaming Hades do you mean his lordship wants me to officiate at the wedding of a tortoise?” – you just know you are going to love it! BTW – you’ll absolutely giggle every time Stoker curses – he is so very inventive – luckily, he curses often. You can read this as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading at least the first book of the series, A Curious Beginning, so you become familiar with the characters and their backgrounds, how they meet, etc. – you’ll love the book and it will give you a good foundation for the rest of the series.
Victorian London is in an uproar because of a series of grisly, horrific murders in the Whitechapel area. News sheets are calling for those in power to resign because they cannot apprehend the perpetrator. Those same news sheets are sensationalizing the murders. One lone reporter, J. J. Butterworth, is featuring the actual victims in her column – humanizing them, telling their stories rather than just calling them prostitutes. You’ll love J. J. as a recurring character.
Stoker and Veronica are called to see the formidable Lady Wellingtonia (Wellie) Beauclerk (a recurring character). They are asked to see about retrieving an expensive and inappropriate gift that Prince Albert Edward has given to a very exclusive courtesan. That gift is readily traceable back to the prince and should it become known; it would cause a scandal that could bring the monarchy down – especially in these times with a horrendous murderer about. When they refuse to do Wellie’s bidding, she has a heart seizure and they quickly come to realize that there is more to the story than they originally thought.
The mystery is filled with many twists and turns and not everyone is who they appear to be – and some returning from the dead. With murders, kidnappings, rescues, plots, and plots-within-plots, you’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout the entire read. I certainly recommend the read and hope you will love it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I LOVE the Veronica Speedwell series. The heroine and her counterpart, Revelstoke Templeton-Vane have a delicious slow-burn relationship that only adds to the adventure and mayhem they always seem to find themselves in. Highly recommended!
Once again Veronica Speedwell embarks on an adventure that includes palace intrigue and murder with the backdrop of Jack the Ripper’s mayhem in the dark alleys of London. These books are so much fun and so brilliantly written, as a writer, they make me envious! If you haven’t met Veronica yet, begin with the first book to enjoy the full scope of this wonderfully inventive series that has drama, melodrama, wit, meticulous research, lushly described settings, and a spirited romance bounding from the pages!
This isn’t ground breaking but it is a good read. I am a sucker for costume dramas and this fits reasonably within that framework IF woman behaving this way were tolerated. She seems interesting, he’s hunky so, there you have it. It’s better than a romance, worse than a mystery and generally entertaining.
Characters get better with each book.
Love the characters in this series of books and their escapades!
I am enjoying this series very much. I am reading them in order, but they could each be read as a stand alone mystery. Veronica and Stoker get involved in a mystery involving Veronica’s half-brother, at the request of Lady Wellingtonia, but at first had declined her request. Jack the Ripper is also active at the time of this story, so the police are very busy with trying to solve those murders. This story moved along at a good pace and held my interest. I can’t wait to see what Veronica and Stoker get involved in next.
An interesting take on history and historical figures
Way to sloooowly bring us to the culmination of Veronica and Stoker’s relationship. I loved that Mornaday got more of a role, and JJ Butterworth showed up again (I’m hoping the next book will bring her in, and I’m not so secretly hoping that JJ will make a bit more of a move on Veronica… if only because I want to read about Stoker’s face turning bright red). Amazing series!
This book and this whole entire series is pure gold. I could not love it more!!
I would recommend any of Deanna Raybourn’s historical mysteries, but I particularly loved this one. Veronica and Stoker’s relationship takes some significant turns, and the ties between Raybourn’s fictional characters and real-life historical events are fascinating.
Out of the frying pan into the fire. No sooner have the duo returned from their last adventure, with barely a chance to decompress, they are tasked by Lady Wellie to retrieve an expensive gift that Veronica’s half brother Eddy (who she has never meet) gave to the owner of an exclusive private club.
At first Veronica refuses, but eventually agrees to go undercover. All of this against the background of London being terrorized by Jack the Ripper. Could sweet Eddie be he? Veronica finally does get to meet her brother the prince and while being kidnapped, then escaping thanks to Stoker’s acrobatic skills when he had run away to the circus, with bullets flying, she becomes quite fond of Eddy and realizes that she is in love with Stoker. However, I think most readers picked up on the ruse toward the end and were thinking “don’t fall for it”.
Told in the first person by Veronica, the story is spell binding. Lots of history, easy banter, and vivid descriptions of London in the year 1888 make this a fascinating read. And don’t pass up the Author’s Notes at the end.
Veronica Speedwell has a brush with relatives (both good and bad), members of an exclusive sex club, and Jack the Ripper in her latest excellent adventure!
A Family Shouldn’t Use Its Members as Pawns
For Mature/Adult Readers
Sex – not described in detail, but references within the plot-line to lewd behavior, fetishes, and debauchery
Some mildly strong language – no F-bombs
Plot no spoilers: Veronica, who has always been a free spirit, has finally admitted to herself that she truly loves Stoker, and it is clear he feels the same. Just when it would seem that they were going to be able to act upon their feelings, Veronica’s Irish relatives embroil them in a political ploy to overthrow the the British throne.
Plenty of action, humor, and a some good historical background about Jack the Ripper.
Recommended.
Another supremely satisfying Veronica Speedwell tale from Deanna Raybourn, illustrating once again that not all Victorian ladies were cut from the same cloth as Queen Victoria. Our intrepid lady lepidopterist and her faithful companion Stoker have another mystery to unravel, this one involving Victoria’s not-so-secret relations, the royals. Jack the Ripper being out and about complicates things further, but after a series of unfortunate incidents our heroine emerges not only triumphant, but satisfied.
I don’t know if there will be more of these stories, but they’ve been a breath of fresh (OK, sooty, London) air in a time of stress, and a welcome diversion from the daily “Dear heavens, what fresh new hell awaits us?” of life in 2020.
A MURDEROUS RELATION by Deanna Raybourn
Diamond star given by prince to unsuitable woman,
Jack the Ripper terrorizing London,
Murder, kidnapping, a chase over rooftops . . .
A frantic adventure in a house of mirrors, in which few are as they appear.
Delightful!
Once again Ms. Rayburn has taken us on an historic trip.
Great characters, some sharp as a fresh razor and some a bit dim. But all fascinating in their own way.
Multiple intrigues.
Rapidly heating up relations between the main characters.
Old “friends” (frenemies?) showing up and adding to the mayhem.
Great stuff all around.
This latest Veronica Speedwell mystery starts out as a cautious update of what Veronica and Stoker have been up to since their last adventure. But don’t be fooled! We’re about to be tossed into the turmoil of 1888 London: Jack the Ripper, Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, (Veronica’s undeclared father), her half brother Eddy, who may well be the aforementioned Ripper. A typical week in this lusty pair’s lives.
I just love this series. Veronica, who is a passionate world traveler and collector of butterflies, works with Stoker, a once doctor, now taxidermist, collating a historical collection of Lord Whomever. They are quickly pulled into intrigues not of their own making, but which they feel they must resolve. The plots are intricate with lovely twists.
We do, finally, see some progress in the romance of this pair. But even here they are thwarted. I do so enjoy following the evolution of the characters throughout these books.
This works well as a stand-alone, but I guarantee you’ll have to find the first four books! You don’t want to miss out on what these two have been up to!
Sure, the subject matter (murder) is dark, but it also made me giggle, just to be back in the company of these characters. I thought the book was going to have more to do with Jack the Ripper than it ultimately did, which was a little bit disappointing (I am fascinated by the Ripper cases, though what is portrayed here definitely offers a very welcome and different viewpoint than is normally offered on the subject), but I adore this series and this was another solid addition— gosh I hope there will be more!