When two murders strike the sleepy Victorian town of Clun, England, an unlikely partnership forms. But can the killer be found before there is a third? Lovely Digits is the town oddity . . . Quirky spinster Lucy Wycliffe prefers to ignore gossip and embrace her position as the town’s layer out of the dead, despite how her parents’ deaths thrust her into such unlikely work. Lovely Digits, as she’s … Lovely Digits, as she’s known to the local townspeople, no longer dreams of marriage, but takes pride in providing dignity to the dead. Desperate to hold on to her family’s cottage and support her widowed sister and young niece, an unexpected offer of employment as assistant to the constable arrives at the perfect time.
Former sailor John Brodie is the mysterious new constable . . .
John Brodie is far from a stranger to Clun or the events of its past. Accepting the position as constable in the small town is a double-edged sword meant to heal his past and redeem his future. Falling for the beautiful and intelligent Lucy Wycliffe was never part of his plan.
As the killer closes in, will John reveal his secret and risk losing everything to save Lucy’s life?
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Barbara’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: None Listed, but I think it is meant to be
Publication Date: 6/12/19
Number of Pages: 210
** Maybe 4.5 **
This was one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a long time. The writing is excellent the plot is complex and well-executed, and the characters are fully-fleshed and very relatable. I was particularly pleased to find that there was both a romance and a mystery and both were really well done. Besides, what could be better than a wonderful story that didn’t have a single aristocrat in it? Well, John might be related to a title of some sort since his family crest was mentioned – but since he’s been disowned, that wouldn’t count even if it were true.
Lucy Wycliffe is a layer-out of the dead, a path she embarked upon after her parents were murdered. Some in her village, Clun, consider her unnatural because of her occupation, but it has supported herself and her sister – barely. It has been ten years and she still feels the guilt for her parent’s deaths – not that she should, it is just survivor’s guilt, but she feels it strongly. Now, she’s beginning to feel a bit desperate with the banker, Fiske, demanding payment of the note on their home by the end of the month or she will be put out in the snow. So, when an offer to act as an assistant to the new constable is made, she quickly accepts.
John Brodie is a haunted man who is filled with secrets. His goal in Clun is forgiveness and redemption. While he’s not sure how that is going to happen, it is still his goal. Many things have happened in John’s life during the last ten years and few, if any, were good. Now, after being a successful detective in London’s police force, he is assigned to this sleepy Victorian village that currently has two vicious murders of beautiful, beloved young women and it is up to John to find the murderer.
As John and Lucy work together, they come to know, respect, and finally, to love each other. Although there was an instant attraction, the love came as respect for each other grew. I loved that John cared for ALL of Lucy – even her chosen profession.
Can John, an outsider, gain the trust of the people of Clun and solve the murders? Not without Lucy’s help. As the investigation continues and the clues to the murderer become more and more perplexing, John and Lucy find themselves in danger as well. Can they find the murderer and save themselves at the same time?
This excellently well-written novel will lead you on a merry chase from beginning to end. The resolution is exciting and may surprise you – or not. While this novel is listed as a standalone, I believe the author means it to be part of a series. There is an excellent set-up for it to be a series and I definitely hope that will be the case. That said, this book was published almost a year ago and I don’t see any mention of further books, so I guess the jury is still out on whether it will be part of a series.
Her job description just became more dangerous.
For the last ten years, and out of necessity, Miss Lucy Wycliffe has been the layer out of the dead in her small community. A job that is needed, but one that others think is unsuitable for a woman to perform.
For the last ten years, Mr. John Brodie has been feeling the shame and guilt of the crime he covered up and the hurt it has caused others. If all goes well, hopefully he can bring a little relief to the victims and heal his own soul.
Although I have yet to understand the title, Lovely Digits by Jeanine Englert is still a well written and engrossing romantic mystery with plot twists and a creepy villain.
Both of the lead characters are flawed but likable. They are intelligent and brave, but with a bit of uncertainty. Even the supporting characters are interesting and add spice to this unusual story. This page-turner has a bit more introspection then I like, but there is enough dialogue to move the scenes forward and to balance the descriptions
The ending answers all the questions and solves the mystery. It is also very sweet and romantic, but I wish there had been an epilogue that extended out a few years.
Content 411: This book contains a mild amount of swearing, some kissing and some violence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful romantic suspense. For my taste, there are too few historical romantic suspense novels. What sets this novel apart is the lovely prose. Such a pleasure to read Ms. Englert’s thoughtful, well-crafted writing.
This is a gem of a book- it’s a Victorian era romantic suspense. Lovely Digits is the nickname the townspeople of Clun, England give Lucy Wycliffe, the layer out of the dead. Suddenly there is a death in the sleepy town and the new constable John Brodie solicits Ms. Wycliffe’s help. John Brodie has a past that he’s not yet ready to reveal to her. Can these two work together to catch a killer?
Lovely Digits
Jeanine Englert
https://www.facebook.com/JeanineWrites/
Release date 6/12/2019
Publisher Soul Mate Publishing
Blurb :
When two murders strike the sleepy Victorian town of Clun, England, an unlikely partnership forms. But can the killer be found before there is a third?
Lovely Digits is the town oddity . . .
Quirky spinster Lucy Wycliffe prefers to ignore gossip and embrace her position as the town’s layer out of the dead, despite how her parents’ deaths thrust her into such unlikely work. Lovely Digits, as she’s known to the local townspeople, no longer dreams of marriage, but takes pride in providing dignity to the dead. Desperate to hold on to her family’s cottage and support her widowed sister and young niece, an unexpected offer of employment as assistant to the constable arrives at the perfect time.
Former sailor John Brodie is the mysterious new constable . . .
John Brodie is far from a stranger to Clun or the events of its past. Accepting the position as constable in the small town is a double-edged sword meant to heal his past and redeem his future. Falling for the beautiful and intelligent Lucy Wycliffe was never part of his plan.
As the killer closes in, will John reveal his secret and risk losing everything to save Lucy’s life?
My review :
What will they do as secrets to be revealed and dangerous shadows are lurking in the dark, ready to pounce on them …
I discovered this author along a Facebook event in an historical romance group. Sure it is more a suspense story with a romantic side than a romance but it is the interactions between the two main characters that sew the mystery and romance parts together.
And Wow, just wow!
The opening scene just did it, it glued me to the story!
The heroine was such an unusual woman, from the profession she embraced to her straightforward personality, she is decidedly one of a kind. Mrs Jeanine Englert did an amazing job to move her from ink to blood and flesh, Lucy is strong and resilient, she tried to not let the past haunts her, still it shaped her in a formidable woman with a rare acuity for details and analysis.
It makes her the perfect candidate for a constable’s assistant.
John Brodie made my heart ache for him, he bore his guilt tattooed in his soul for ten long years, trying in every way to redeem himself for what he sees as his past failures.
Who can throw stones to him when in his young mind he was protecting his kin, he was aware of his sin, and he paid dearly when he tried to right the wrong done.
Now he is there, with only in his mind, to find a way to atone for his faults.
He never expected to fall for Lucy, the one woman who hold his future in her lovely digits.
Of course, I suspected quite rapidly who was the culprit, but as the clues pieced together, I was at loss of the why.
Here was the talent of Mrs Englert, like an episode of Columbo with missing hints, how would she mend the past with the present then offer a future when betrayal brings a rift between them.
The romance part is light in this read but still, the emotions grow quite soon in the story, it then lingers everywhere in a gaze, a light touch, a thought, the confidence in one another, the unsaid …
This first tale by Mrs Jeanine Englert is a wondrous enigmatic story of two peoples who long for normalcy in spite of their peculiar occupation or past guilt or shame. It is their go for a brighter or a darker avenir.
5 stars.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/463177984271378?sfns=mo
This book is such a nice surprise, and for a debut novel, I can only imagine this author getting better and better. The descriptions have you stepping in the snow with Lucy and John, and taking in the stars. This is such an original concept – Lucy is a “layer-out” or a mortician of the past. Giving the families and the victims the care and respect before they are laid to rest. John comes in as the new constable, and approaches Lucy for her to help solve some recent murders – and for more than one reason.
I am not a suspense person per say, but this historical is a sweet romance that builds with trust, and add in the mystery of a killer, and the different ways they find their clues in this time long gone and the author did a fantastic job making me believe it. Great beginning.
LOVELY DIGITS by Jeanine Englert is a historical romantic suspense that I feel is perfect in every way. The romance and suspense/mystery were both perfectly balanced and intriguing. This book has a heroine with a unique occupation, a constable hero trying to right a past wrong while both work together to solve a series of murders in 1849 Clun, England.
Miss Lucy Wycliffe is a spinster, who has for the last ten years been Clun’s layer out of the dead. She ignores the gossip from the town people who feel she is unnatural for she has to support herself and help her sister who is a widow and her niece since the death of their parents. Lucy takes pride in the job she does for the dead even as she knows no man will be interested in her.
John Brodie is the new constable. He is no stranger to Clun and his acceptance of this position is meant to correct old wrongs and help him move on in the future. He wishes to help Lucy by paying her to be his assistant as they work to find the killer of Lucy’s childhood friends. He never thought he would fall in love with the beautiful and intelligent “Lovely Digits”.
The killer knows secrets from the past and has come back to not only reveal truths that could end Lucy and John’s relationship, but also their lives.
I loved this book! This historical romantic suspense focuses on a small town in England of regular people and there are no princes or dukes in sight. The clothes, language and interactions are era appropriate. Lucy’s occupation is unique, but it is also plausible. I love that Lucy is also an intelligent, strong heroine who is as heroic as John. No sex. Hand holding and a few kisses only. The murders are investigated with old-fashioned leg work, clues obtained from the bodies and clues left by the killer.
Set time aside because I know once you start this book you will not be able to put it down! There is no cliffhanger and the story is complete, but there does seem to be a possibility of more books following John and Lucy in the future and I can only say to Ms. Englert, “Yes, please”!
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
Historicals are not normally my cup of tea, but I’m glad I picked this one up.
I loved that the heroine, Lucy Wycliffe had an unusual profession as a layer-out of the dead, a precursor to the modern-day mortician and later on to have her intelligence, forthrightness, and bravery put to use by the new constable, John Brodie.
I enjoyed the flawed hero (John Brodie) very much as he saw more worth in Lucy than just a pretty face and was not disgusted by her work. He lifted her up and gave her new purpose at a time when she needed it.
It was wonderful to see their budding relationship while going around solving crime with old fashioned leg work and keen observation. An old-timey procedural, if you will. Those interviewed and the secondary characters were interesting or even endearing at times. I never lost the feeling of a small village who rallied around their own. And we do get a taste of snobbery and despotism also, a nice mixture of realism.
The journey through dark secrets, lies by omission, and an ever-present threat made this book well worth the read. There is no cliffhanger but does leave room for more stories, perhaps even a series. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a touch of romance wrapped in a shawl of suspense