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A curious beginning
368 pages
A spirited romp through Victorian England featuring a fiercely independent heroine, a grumpy natural historian, and a deadly mystery.
What it feels like
Reading this historical mystery feels like embarking on a delightfully dangerous escapade through Victorian London. The narrative moves at a brisk, exhilarating clip, propelled by a fiercely independent protagonist who approaches both scientific inquiry and sudden peril with the same unapologetic aplomb. The mood balances the gaslamp-lit suspense of a murder investigation with a buoyant, adventurous spirit, keeping the atmosphere lively rather than grim. As the heroine and her reclusive, bad-tempered companion are forced on the run, their wary partnership crackles with engaging tension and sharp wit. The prose is elegant yet lively, perfectly capturing the era while maintaining a modern, spirited edge. It is an absolute delight for readers who crave capable women sleuths, unexpected alliances, and mysteries that feel both thrilling and wonderfully fun.
- Mood
- buoyant
- suspenseful
- gaslamp-lit
- intriguing
- Tone
- witty
- spirited
- adventurous
- irreverent
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- female independence · unexpected alliances · scientific curiosity · uncovering hidden pasts
- The writing
- Sharp and lively, balancing period-appropriate elegance with a delightfully unapologetic edge.
- The arc
- From the liberating thrill of newfound independence to the tense, exhilarating camaraderie of a shared fight for survival.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love fiercely independent historical heroines, crackling banter, and mysteries that move at a gallop.
Content notes
- kidnapping
- murder
- death of a family member
About the book
"London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry--and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime. But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker--a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth" --
Description from Open Library.
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