Readers everywhere have fallen for New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn's intrepid amateur sleuth and socialite, Lady Julia Grey. Not to mention her devastatingly handsome partner in crime, Nicholas Brisbane. Midsummer Night is the long awaited novella of their wedding, a dashing—and potentially deadly—affair not to be missed…
Midsummer in Victorian England—an auspicious time for a wedding. Brisbane has taken charge of the music. Julia has, perhaps mistakenly, allowed her sisters to choose the dress. And Belmont Abbey is overflowing with guests awaiting the blessed day. What could go wrong?
Combine the close-knit chaos of village life, pagan traditions bursting through staid Victorian conventions, and the congenial madness that tends to swirl around Lady Julia's family and you get an unforgettable wedding. But add in a dangerous past nemesis who has come to wish them not-so-well, and their day to remember just might take a fatal turn...(from Goodreads)
Good morning! It's been a long time since I've dropped in to chat, and I hope everyone has been well and reading some good books!
Life has been incredibly hectic lately, all in a good way. My lovely daughter graduated from high school recently, so to celebrate her accomplishments we took along a few of her friends and spent a week in Disney World. Prior to that, I spent a few days with some dear friends at the beach for a girls' getaway, and that time was filled with laughter and gossip and quite a bit of snacking! We are also in the process of building a vacation home (a log cabin) in the country which is an exciting venture but an extremely slow process since it is in the middle of nowhere -- clearing trees and laying down roads to get to the site, getting the power company to set up lines for electricity, digging a well for water--these all took forever to accomplish and now the fun is beginning. Each week when we visit the site, we can begin to see things taking shape and the house is actually going up now.
I mention all of these activities so you can see that my reading time has been limited. I have a few books that I am very much looking forward to reading this summer, and the beautiful covers just put me in the mood for a glass of iced tea and some sunshine:
In Depression-era Key West, Mariella Bennet, the daughter of an American fisherman and a Cuban woman, knows hunger. Her struggle to support her family following her father’s death leads her to a bar and bordello, where she bets on a risky boxing match...and attracts the interest of two men: world-famous writer, Ernest Hemingway, and Gavin Murray, one of the WWI veterans who are laboring to build the Overseas Highway.
When Mariella is hired as a maid by Hemingway’s second wife, Pauline, she enters a rarified world of lavish, celebrity-filled dinner parties and elaborate off-island excursions. As she becomes caught up in the tensions and excesses of the Hemingway household, the attentions of the larger-than-life writer become a dangerous temptation...even as the reliable Gavin Murray draws her back to what matters most. Will she cross an invisible line with the volatile Hemingway, or find a way to claim her own dreams? As a massive hurricane bears down on Key West, Mariella faces some harsh truths...and the possibility of losing everything she loves. (from Goodreads)
A sweeping World War II saga of thwarted love, murder, and a long-lost painting.
In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.
A timeless story of enduring passion from the author of Blackberry Winter and The Violets of March, The Bungalow chronicles Anne's determination to discover the truth about the twin losses-of life, and of love-that have haunted her for seventy years. (from Goodreads)
******** And now for a quick summary of some books that were on my " highly anticipated for 2013" list. Perhaps life may be too busy for me lately to fully enjoy all of these novels -- I jumped on them as soon as they became available as the list is comprised of some of my favorite authors. They were all, of course, enjoyable and satisfying, but none of them wowed me.
Memorial Day, 1938: New York socialite Lily Dane has just returned with her family to the idyllic oceanfront community of Seaview, Rhode Island, expecting another placid summer season among the familiar traditions and friendships that sustained her after heartbreak.
That is, until Greenwalds decide to take up residence in Seaview.
Nick and Budgie Greenwald are an unwelcome specter from Lily’s past: her former best friend and her former fiancé, now recently married—an event that set off a wildfire of gossip among the elite of Seaview, who have summered together for generations. Budgie’s arrival to restore her family’s old house puts her once more in the center of the community’s social scene, and she insinuates herself back into Lily's friendship with an overpowering talent for seduction...and an alluring acquaintance from their college days, Yankees pitcher Graham Pendleton. But the ties that bind Lily to Nick are too strong and intricate to ignore, and the two are drawn back into long-buried dreams, despite their uneasy secrets and many emotional obligations.
Under the scorching summer sun, the unexpected truth of Budgie and Nick’s marriage bubbles to the surface, and as a cataclysmic hurricane barrels unseen up the Atlantic and into New England, Lily and Nick must confront an emotional cyclone of their own, which will change their worlds forever. (from Goodreads) If you're looking for light summer reading, A Hundred Summers will fit the bill. The plot is fairly transparent and it's not too difficult to figure out the puzzle pieces well before they snap into place. I much preferred Beatriz Williams' previous book, Overseas. (2.5/5 stars)
Paris, 1923
The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even amongst Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft-married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya and her favorite stepfather's savannah manor house until gossip subsides.
Fairlight is the crumbling, sun-bleached skeleton of a faded African dream, a world where dissolute expats are bolstered by gin and jazz records, cigarettes and safaris. As mistress of this wasted estate, Delilah falls into the decadent pleasures of society.
Against the frivolity of her peers, Ryder White stands in sharp contrast. As foreign to Delilah as Africa, Ryder becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Giraffes, buffalo, lions and elephants roam the shores of Lake Wanyama amid swirls of red dust. Here, life is lush and teeming-yet fleeting and often cheap.
Amidst the wonders-and dangers-of Africa, Delilah awakes to a land out of all proportion: extremes of heat, darkness, beauty and joy that cut to her very heart. Only when this sacred place is profaned by bloodshed does Delilah discover what is truly worth fighting for-and what she can no longer live without. (from Goodreads) Deanna Raybourn is always wickedly fun and exciting to read, and there were times when A Spear of Summer Grass just sparkled. Raybourn is at her best when she's capturing the style, glamour, and atmosphere of the roaring twenties and the wilds of Kenya, and Delilah Drummond was a delightfully decadent character with a colorful southern belle upbringing. However, I just didn't connect with the romance between Delilah and Ryder. I wanted the same explosive chemistry that I've come to expect from the Lady Julia series between Brisbane and Lady Julia, and I was left very underwhelmed with Delilah and Ryder's relationship. (3/5 stars)
As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she’s been working towards—but now she’s not sure it’s enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at thirty-four, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie’s ninety-ninth birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything. . . . What follows is a potent story that spans generations and continents, bringing an Out of Africa feel to a Downton Abbey cast of unforgettable characters. From the inner circles of WWI-era British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfurl. (from Goodreads) Both Deanna Raybourn and Lauren Willig were inspired to create their Kenya-based novels after reading The Bolter, the fascinating account of the notorious Jazz Age socialite, Idina Sackville. I enjoyed Willig's dual-time story, and found myself deeply immersed in the novel to uncover the secrets of Clemmie's grandmother's past. Willig creates suspense and interest by alternating the past and present stories as the secrets unfold. If you enjoy books such as Kate Morton's layered mysteries, you will enjoy the family saga of The Ashford Affair. (4/5 stars) Thanks for stopping by........stay cool, and let me know if you have any "hot reads" that I must add to my summer reading list! ***All of the books noted above were purchased by me and are part of my personal library.
A new Lady Julia and Brisbane e-novella is coming soon and I cannot wait!!
Here is the synopsis for this kindle edition of the Christmas novella:
"After a year of marriage—and numerous adventures—Lady Julia and Brisbane hope for a quiet, intimate Christmas together—until they find themselves at her father's ancestral estate, Bellmont Abbey, with her eccentric family and a menagerie of animals.
Nevertheless, Julia looks forward to a lively family gathering—but amongst the celebrations, a mystery stirs. There are missing jewels, new faces at the Abbey, and a prowling ghost that brings back unwelcome memories from a previous holiday—one that turned deadly. Is a new culprit recreating crimes of the past? And will Brisbane let Julia investigate—?"
Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let along Brisbane's private enquiry business.
Among the more unlikely clients: Julia's very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be let out of anything concerning her beloved -- if eccentric - family, spirtied Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation.
It leads to the exclusive Spirit Club, where the alluring Madame Seraphine holds evening seances....and not a few powerul gentlemen in thrall. From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of dark deeds, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust." (from the publisher)
my thoughts:
A new installment in The Lady Julia Grey series is always a cause for celebration, and I got my hands on the eagerly anticipated The Dark Equiry that was hot off the presses at RWA. Once again, Raybourn expertly blends the history and lifestyle of Victorian England with mystery, romantic suspense, and a bit of the supernatural in her distinctive and witty voice.
Book #5 reveals a bit more about the enigmatic Brisbane's past, and at the same time drops some tantalizing teasers that there is still much more to be revealed about the half-gypsy, half-Scottish hero -- secrets he fears may cause Julia to turn away from him. The relationship of Brisbane and Julia is one of mutual devotion and love, but there are still conflicts in the relationship to work out. Contrary to the times, Julia is not content unless she has some interesting projects of her own, and this independent streak and interest in crime-solving puts her at odds with her husband who would like nothing more than to keep her safely out of his dangerous investigations. When one of her brothers finds himself in a situation that would bring scandal to his family and career, he turns to Brisbane for help....thus putting Julia and Brisbane investigating in the world of spiritualism and seances....and murder.
I savored each new layer of mystery, intrigue, and smoldering chemistry between Brisbane and Lady Julia. I was paticularly pleased that we experience more of the quirky and eccentric March family as well as more adventures among Brisbane's people in a gypsy camp. A truly surprise ending (did NOT see the culprit)and a clever teaser ending left me assured that while this installment brought them closer-than-ever with a taste of tragedy and heartache, the devoted husband-wife investigative team will be back soon and hot on the trail of another exotic adventure!
4.5/5 stars
Title: The Dark Enquiry (#5 in the Lady Julia Grey series) Author: Deanna Raybourn MIRA 2011 387 pages genre: historical fiction/Victorian mystery
I've been absent from my blog for quite a while, but there's a very good reason... I've just returned from a looong vacation in fabulous New York that was jam packed with broadway shows, exhibits, tours, and best of all -- meeting authors at the Romance Writers of America conference!
We stayed at the hotel which was hosting the RWA conference and Literacy Signing, so throughout the week I had many close encounters in elevators and in the restaurants with both aspiring and published authors, and I even managed to meet a few new-to-me authors while sitting at the bar sipping an iced tea and hoping to see some famous authors. (I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a woman on a mission... I'll hunt down a big name author! ha!) I spotted Deanna Raybourn and Robyn Carr chatting at a nearby table and got up my courage to stop at her table to tell her that I loved her books. Deanna was delightful and very sweet, just as you would expect....and beautiful to boot.
The highlight of the RWA experience was when I met up with partner in crime and book blogging buddy Julie from Outlandish Dreaming for the Literacy Signing, and that was quite an experience!! Oh, my.....literally hundreds of authors lined up alphabetically in a huge ballroom with their latest books for sale for literacy charities. Julie and I were like kids in a candy store -- a feast of books and authors!! We each had our "must see" authors, but we began with visiting a mutual favorite, Lauren Willig. I had a little gift for her (I made a Pink Carnation bracelet for her with portraits of a few of her books, including Mistletoe, for good luck -- she was nominated for a RITA award for her Mischief of the Mistletoe.) She loved it and told me she would wear it all week for good luck....and was sweet enough to mention it on her blog and facebook page! And I'm happy to announce that she WON the RITA for Best Regency Historical Romance Novel!! Hurray!! Lauren has a new Pink book coming out in 2012, The Garden Intrigue, and has a short story in an upcoming anthology titled Jane Austen Made Me Do It (Laurel Ann Nattress, editor).
The next big thrill for me was stopping to chat with Deanna Raybourn again. I couldn't wait to get her newest installment of the Lady Julia series, The Dark Enquiry, and I'm looking forward to more Brisbane goodness.
One of my newest favorite authors is Susanna Kearsley, and she was at the top of my "must meet" list. I discovered her books last year and I think I've read all but one of her terrific novels. The Winter Sea and Mariana remain my top favorites, but really all of her books are a wonderful mix of history, suspense, subtle romance, time slip, and adventure. I highly recommend all of her books, and I am very much looking forward to her fall release in the US of The Rose Garden. What a delight meeting her!
There were many other great authors I met such as Colleen Gleason, Tessa Dare, Robin Kaye, Christine Trent, Julie James and so many others! After an hour and half of wandering around a very HOT and stifling ballroom that was deafening with roaring, excited crowds, I was beginning to fade and had to make an exit. I checked out with my book goodies (see sidebar at right for my picks -- I had to exercise restraint as only so much will fit in my packed suitcase.) Julie and author Robin Kaye are longtime friends, so we all met up after the signing to relax at the lounge at the top of the hotel, and then headed out for a late night dinner. Thanks to Julie and Robin Kaye for a great night of fun and book talk!
Julie from Outlandish Dreaming and bestselling author Robin Kaye
New York is such an exciting place to visit, and the sights and sounds that are in my memory from my trip are amazing. We especially loved The Harry Potter Exhibit and all the broadway shows:
Here's a little taste of the Wicked experience....so fun!
The haunting opening scene and overture from my favorite, The Phantom of the Opera!
Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business
Spider-Man Turn off the Dark -- Really cool Bono music! We were in the balcony and Spider Man practically landed in our lap!
Whew! It's good to be back home, but one thing is for sure.....New York, we will be back!
There are lots of newsworthy posts in the book world that have me very excited for some upcoming releases.
First, Deanna Raybourn has revealed her new cover for the fifth installment of the Lady Julia Grey series, The Dark Enquiry, scheduled to be released this summer. It is already available for preorder.
Next, a recent post by Sheila Lamb on Historical Novel Review highlighted an author that I had planned on exploring this year. After reading Susanna Kearsley's website, she highly recommended the historical fiction books by Jan Cox Speas and mentioned that she was one of her favorite authors. Speas's historical romance books were published in the 1950's and '60's and were very popular for their vivid descriptions of the historical settings (England, Scotland, America, etc.) They are titled My Love, My Enemy.....Bride of MacHugh(I'm currently reading this one).....and My Lord Monleigh. Danielle at Sourcebooks communicated to me that Sourcebooks Casablanca Classics has plans to reissue all three this year! My Love, My Enemy in February, Bride of the MacHugh in June, and My Lord Monleigh in September.
Here are the original 1960's covers as they look in my collection (which I purchased from ebay sources)... if you click on each title, you will go to the Goodreads summary.
Lastly, if you are a fan of period dramas (that would be me!), Downton Abbey is scheduled to air in the US on PBS beginning January 9. "A stately country house, a noble family, and a succession crisis.....Downton Abbey is an Edwardian spellbinder of a glittering bygone era."
There's great news for fans of Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane series! Deanna Raybourn has announced today that Lady Julia's Rookery is a new website related to all things in the Silent in the Grave series! Run by two devoted fans (Laura and Jen), the website features timelines, book info, character bios, a book discussion forum, and lots of other interesting tidbits related to Deanna and her novels. While some parts are still under construction, Lady Julia's Rookery looks promising! A fun place to visit while we're waiting for the next Lady Julia adventure.
"After eight idyllic months in the Mediterranean, Lady Julia Grey and her detective husband are ready to put their investigative talents to work once more. At the urging of Julia's eccentric family, they hurry to India to aid an old friend, the newly widowed Jane Cavendish. Living on the Cavendish tea plantation with the remnants of her husband's family, Jane is consumed with the impending birth of her child--and with discovering the truth about her husband's death. Was he murdered for his estate? And if he was, could Jane and her unborn child be next?
Amid the lush foothills of the Himalayas, dark deeds are buried and malicious thoughts flourish. The Brisbanes uncover secrets and scandal, illicit affairs and twisted legacies. In this remote and exotic place, exploration is perilous and discovery, deadly, The danger is palpable and, if they are not careful, Julia and Nicholas will not live to celebrate their first anniversary." (from the publisher)
my thoughts:
*NO SPOILERS* - Promise!
What an amazing read -- witty and snappy dialogue, an exotic setting, a cast of eccentric characters involved in a web of mystery and intrigue -- everything that I have come to expect (and more) from one of my favorite authors!
Having read and loved the previous three Lady Julia Grey books, I was concerned that the relationship between the charismatic/enigmatic Brisbane and Lady Julia might lose its edge since they were now a married couple. So much of the interest in the books for me was the maddening tension of will they/won't they, and they walked that very fine line between restrained passion and loathing. No worries here, though, as Raybourn deftly manages to keep the sparks flying as Brisbane and Lady Julia are challenged trying to find a balance in their new marriage (time together to love, work together, but also time apart - Brisbane routinely does a disappearing act, much to his wife's annoyance). Their love and commitment is deep and obvious, but it's evident that there are still issues to work on in their relationship. Realistic!
Raybourn keeps the surprises coming in this whodunit mystery -- the death of the heir to the Peacocks, a tea plantation in Sikkim, is suspicious -- was he murdered, and who would likely profit from his death? Everyone from his pregnant wife (Portia's ex-lover) to assorted servants, neighbors, and family members are under suspicion, and Lady Julia, confident in her detecting abilities, along with her sister, Portia, and brother, Plum, attempts to discover the truth (she desperately wants to one-up Brisbane). While Julia begins methodically seeking information around the village to establish a possible motive, Brisbane manages to constantly infuriate Lady Julia by staying one step ahead of her. The list of possible suspects is a mile long, and have no fear, Raybourn pulls a few new tricks out of her hat that left me saying, "I didn't see THAT coming!"
Lots of trademark sarcastic wit, quirky characters, and some truly poignant moments made Dark Road to Darjeeling a memorable experience. I laughed, I cried, and I'm left anticipating their next adventure back in England!
4.5/5 stars
Title: Dark Road to Darjeeling Author: Deanna Raybourn MIRA 2010 388 pages genre: Victorian mystery; historical fiction
I'm very excited to have updates from the authors of two books that I am very much looking forward to this year....
Syrie James will be releasing Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker in July.
' A tale of adventure and forbidden passion, the book approaches Bram Stoker's Victorian classic Dracula with a brand new perspective, revealing the untold story of Mina Harker’s scandalous, secret love affair with young and handsome Count Dracula—the most powerful vampire of them all.'
In other Syrie James news, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte may be made into a theatrical film by a British production company, with Syrie James writing the screenplay. This is very interesting news for Bronte fans, and you can go to her website here for more info.
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I'm also awaiting Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia book #4, Dark Road to Darjeeling in the fall.
"With an exotic setting in the foothills of the Himalayas and the introduction of an arch-villain, Dark Road to Darjeeling promises to be the most exciting Lady Julia novel yet."
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Happy reading.....hope everyone is enjoying spring, getting out in the sunshine and experiencing all the good things the Easter season brings.
"With a modest inheritance and the three gowns that comprise her entire wardrobe, Theodora leaves Edinburgh--and a disappointed suitor--far behind. She is bound for Rumania, where tales of vampires are still whispered, to visit an old friend and write the book that will bring her true independence.
She arrives at a magnificent, decaying castle in the Carpathians, replete with eccentric inhabitants; the ailing dowager; the troubled steward; her own fearful friend, Cosmina. But all are outstripped in dark glamour by the castle's master, Count Andrei Dragulescu.
Bewildering and bewitching in equal measure, the brooding nobleman ingites Theodora's imagination and awakens passions in her that she can neither deny nor conceal. His allure is superlative, his dominion over the superstitious town, absolute--Theodora may simply be one more person under his sway.
Before her sojourn is ended--or her novel completed--Theodora will have encountered things as strange and terrible as they are seductive. For obsession can prove fatal...and she is in danger of falling prey to more than desire." (from the publisher)
my thoughts:
When it comes to The Dead Travel Fast, people may be asking, "What? Not another vampire story! Hasn't that topic been covered already ad nauseam?" While I've read my share of vampire tales (and plan to read many more!), I promise you Deanna Raybourn's newest gothic romance was a thrill to read and a refreshing take on the vampire lore.
With a crumbling Transylvanian castle in the Carpathian mountains and howling wolves as the background music of the night, this is Theodora's story, an aspiring novelist, who sets out to make her own way in the world after her grandfather's death. Opportunity arrives for Theodora as her childhood friend, Cosmina, requests her help as she prepares to marry in her home in Transylvania. Theodora is delighted to support her friend and soak in the myth and lore of her exotic surroundings, using her new experiences in the strange land as inspiration for her writing.
Upon her arrival, she is immediately captivated by a very unusual and sensual experience with the dark and striking Count Andrei, the very person to whom Cosmina is preparing to marry.
Make no mistake about it.....for those who have read The Lady Julia Gray/Brisbane series, Theodora and Andrei are unlike the elegantly restrained Lady Julia and Brisbane. The Count and Theodora are both very much aware of their strong, sensual attraction for each other, and as the story unfolds, she discovers that inhabitants of the castle have dark and sinister pasts....some may even have inherited the legacy of Count Bogdan, Andrei's father, known as the devil himself. Has Theodora become involved with a just a reckless rake, or is he even more dangerous and threatening...perhaps even a strigoi (vampire)? How will fear and superstition influence the way events are perceived?
In the midst of death, evil legends, and mistrust, Theodora must find a way to stay in control of her feelings and protect herself, while making some of the most heart-rending decisions of her life about those she has come to love, and about those she thought loved her.
Hands down, a gothic romance winner and highly recommended!!
5/5 stars
Title: The Dead Travel Fast Author: Deanna Raybourn Publisher: Mira Books 2010 309 pages genre: gothic mystery/gothic romance
Deanna Raybourn's latest book, The Dead Travel Fast, is now available (released a bit earlier than advertised). It is a stand alone book, not related to the Lady Julia/Brisbane storyline. I received my copy today, and I'm ready to take another gothic journey with Raybourn to Transylvania!
Deanna Raybourn, one of my favorite new-to-me authors, will be chatting live tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 13) on Writerspace at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. She will be discussing her first book in the Victorian gothic mystery series featuring Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane, Silent in the Grave. Great series and I highly recommend her books!
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UPDATED Thursday Jan. 14 -- I was able to get home in time to catch the tail end of her chat.....I learned that her fourth Lady Julia/Brisbane novel is titled Dark Road to Darjeeling and is moving along in production. When asked who she envisions as Lady Julia and Brisbane, Deanna Raybourn replied, "Eva Green and Robert Downey, Jr."
Great looking couple -- very close to my vision of the sluething duo. Looking forward to her future installments!
Deanna Raybourn is one of my favorite new author discoveries this year, and I'm very glad to learn that her latest novel (alas, unrelated to the Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane sagas) will be available in March 2010. With its setting in the forests of Transylvania, it sounds like another gothic winner from Raybourn.
My daily ritual is to check in at writer Deanna Raybourn's blog to read her daily posts. I enjoy her perspective as she writes about her life as an author, mother, and wife, and she just happens to love reading and writing about the past as much as I do.
Today's post addressed the way in which she approaches life in order to achieve a healthy balance and still accomplish many things in several areas of her life. She quoted the work of 20th century writer and poet Rumer Godden, and the following quote comes from her autobiography, A House With Four Rooms:
"Everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional, and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person."
I thought this was very interesting, and in examining my four rooms I see I do often neglect to take time to visit each room daily -- or I avoid one room completely for long periods of time. I do get the feeling that I'm out of balance from time to time. I think I'm going to put this quote where I can see it every day to remind me to take better care of my four "rooms."
How about you? Have you visited all four rooms lately?
"In Grimsgrave Hall, enigmatic Nicholas Brisbane has inherited a ruined estate, replete with uncanny tenants and one unwanted houseguest: Lady Julia Grey. Despite his admonitions to stay away, Lady Julia arrives in Yorkshire to find Brisbane as remote and maddeningly attractive as ever. Cloistered together, they share the moldering house with the proud but impoverished remnants of an ancient family: the sort that keeps their bloodline pure and their secrets close. Lady Allenby and her daughters, dependent upon Brisbane and devastated by their fall in society, seem adrift on the moor winds, powerless to change their fortunes. But poison does not discriminate between classes. A mystery unfolds from the rotten heart of Grimsgrave...."
My thoughts:
I couldn't wait to read the third and latest installment of the Lady Julia Grey Victorian-era romantic mystery, Silent on the Moor. Deanna Raybourn sets the stage in a crumbling mansion on the Yorkshire moors, and this time, Lady Julia is determined to confront Nicholas Brisbane and settle the question of their personal relationship once and for all -- do they have a future together as equal partners, or will they allow the societal constraints of their time to keep them apart? Their relationship, maddeningly, has been "two steps forward and ten steps backward" in the previous two books, so I was absolutely expecting a resolution to this matter, one way or the other.
Along with the problem of sorting through the difficulties of their personal relatiosnship, Lady Julia and Brisbane become involved in another deadly mystery...someone wants Brisbane dead, and any one of the strange inhabitants of Grimsgrave could be the culprit. Julia makes a horrifying discovery while attempting to help Brisbane set things to order in the house, and together they uncover a wicked Allenby family secret.
This was such a great read, and I'm completely satisfied with the conclusion of this book. Brisbane was finally able to approach Lady Julia as an equal, and in their world, it was an absolute necessity that they be on equal ground. I was laughing and crying at the end, and for me, it just doesn't get any better than that! I highly recommend this series by Deanna Raybourn to anyone who enjoys a mix of elements in their reading -- there is a nice blend of period details, mystery and suspense, romantic tension, humor, atmospheric settings, and nods to many of the classics...you'll see subtle references to Poe, the Brontes, and all of her chapters begin with a Shakespearean quote. A real treat!
Title: Silent on the Moor Author: Deanna Raybourn Publisher: MIRA books 2009 465 pages
"Fresh from a six month sojourn in Italy, Lady Julia returns home to Sussex to find her father's estate crowded with family and friends. Much to her surprise, the one man she had hoped to forget--the enigmatic and compelling Nicholas Brisbane-- is among her father's houseguests....and he is not alone. Not to be outdone, Julia shows him that two can play at flirtation and promptly introduces him to her devoted, younger titled Italian count.
But the homecoming celebrations quickly takes a ghastly turn when one of the guests is found brutally murdered in the chapel. Lady Julia resumes her unlikely and deliciously intriguing partnership with Nicholas Brisbane, setting out to unravel a tangle of deceit before the killer can strike again."
My thoughts:
Another delightful mix of mystery, romantic tension, quirky characters, and gothic story elements with a nod to Poe, the Brontes, and Austen from Deanna Raybourn. Right from the start, I was hooked when the eccentric March family and their guests assemble at the ancient family seat, Bellmont Abbey, to celebrate Christmas. As the weather turns frigid and freezes everyone inside, things start to heat up inside the abbey with the friction between Lady Julia and the dark, tortured-soul Nicholas Brisbane. When a parlor game goes dreadfully wrong and a guest is found murdered in the chapel, Brisbane (an inspector) and Lady Julia pair up again to match wits and solve a series of eerie events: ghostly figures in passageways, missing jewelry, drugged guests, and of course, the murder in the chapel. Raybourn writes a fast paced, highly entertaining mystery with crackling physical tension and some very witty scenes. (The relationship between Julia and her reluctant, sarcastic personal maid is a riot -- and you won't believe who an eccentric old aunt shows up with to dinner!) I love the way Lady Julia, who was bewildered and overwhelmed by widowhood and societal constraints in the first book, is emerging as a stronger, more confident individual who goes after what she wants. I'm going straight to book three, Silent on the Moor!
Title: Silent in the Sanctuary Author: Deanna Raybourn Publisher: MIRA 2009 484 pages
"Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave." These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife, Julia, and a roomful of dinner guests.
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"To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor." And so begins the delightful novel, Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn.
A truly enjoyable book which kept me engaged from the first two sentences of the book (hooks you right from the start) until the last page (lots of twisty turns in the plot and a few surprises that I didn't see coming). While the book is in essence a Victorian murder mystery, the formal working relationship between Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane takes an interesting turn and she is attracted to the mysterious Brisbane... but discovers that he has a dark and dangerous side to his personality. Is he battling a physical illness, a psychological warfare, or something even more sinister? We are given a few insights into Brisbane's life and past, but there is still much to learn about this interesting character. A wonderful mixture of period details, a good bit of detective work, and scandalous revelations in the prim and proper London home of Lady Julia.
4.5/5
Also by Deanna Raybourn: Silent in the Sanctuary, Silent on the Moor
