The Julian Kestrel series by Kate Ross

Book #4

Woo hoo! The fourth and (unfortunately) the last of the excellent Julian Kestrel mystery series, The Devil in Music, will be released in August by Felony and Mayhem Publishers!

 The four books that comprise the series feature Regency dandy and detective, Julian Kestrel, and his sidekick, Dipper, as they become involved in solving crimes from country house murders to the underworld of London.  The writing is sharp and intelligent,the attention to period detail is impeccable,  and the plots have many twists and turns that keep me flying through the pages! I love, love, love this Regency mystery series and am so glad the books are getting a fresh new look and a reprint. (My used copies purchased at various online sites are battered and falling apart.)

About the book:

Traveling on the Continent with his ex-pickpocket valet, Kestrel finds himself caught up in the mysterious and murderous world of the opera. Four years ago, the Italian marquis Ludovico Malvezzi was murdered, and Orfeo, the young English tenor he had been training for a career on the glittering operatic stage, disappeared. As Kestral is irresistibly drawn into the baffling case, he encounters suspects at every turn: a runaway wife and her male soprano lover; a liberal nobleman at odds with Italy's Austrian overlords; a mocking Frenchman with perfect pitch; a beautiful, clever widow who haunts Kestrel's dreams; and the missing Orfeo, the penniless protege who just might be a political agent. And when the killer strikes again, Kestrel's quest for answers spirals into a crescendo of passion, danger, and music as he risks becoming a ruthless murderer's next victim


Do you have a favorite  historical mystery series?

The Devil in Music by Kate Ross

"At a mist-shrouded villa on Lake Como, an Italian nobleman is grooming a young English tenor for a career on the glittering operatic stage. Before their sojourn is over, one will die by violence and the other will disappear.

Enter Julian Kestrel, Regency dandy and amateur sleuth. Traveling on the Continent with his ex-pickpocket valet, Dipper, Kestrel is irresistibly drawn into this baffling murder case. Among the suspects are a runaway wife and her male soprano lover; a liberal nobleman at odds with Italy's Austrian overlords; a mocking Frenchman with perfect pitch; and a beautiful, clever woman who begins to haunt Kestrel's dreams.

Soon Kestrel is caught between the shadowy Carbonari - secret rebels against the Austrians - and the equally ruthless Austrian-sponsored police. But at the heart of the mystery is the captivating tenor known only as "Orfeo." Was he a political agent? A callous adventurer? A jealous lover? These questions take on a new urgency when the killer strikes again. And as Kestrel uncovers the truth, he risks becoming the next victim."
(from Goodreads)

my thoughts:

The Devil in Music, the fourth and sadly the last installment of the Julian Kestrel Mysteries, is by far the most sophisticated and complex plot of the series. This a tale that incorporates a host of characters and their passions...passion for music, the opera, and passions of the heart which lead to revenge and murder. The story takes on multiple layers of mystery and intrigue as the characters become entangled in a web of secrets, spies, and hidden identities against the backdrop of a dangerous political climate in the northern Italian states in the 1820's. A bit tough at first to get everyone and their backstory straight, but once all the Italian characters were firmly in place and the politics of the time became clear, my patience was rewarded with a truly spectacular turn of events!

Kate Ross is a master of weaving the most intelligent and intriguing threads of mystery that I have ever experienced.....I've enjoyed each one of the books, but A Broken Vessel remains my top favorite. They are so rich in secrets and clues that I cannot wait to read them again even though I know how it will all work out in the end. It will be fascinating to watch how all the puzzle pieces "click" in to place and just marvel at the talent of this author (who sadly has passed away.) We learned so much more about Julian Kestrel, the popular English dandy, and we can only wonder what might have been planned for his future adventures. A highly recommended series for those who enjoy tough-to-solve mystery puzzles.

4/5 stars

Title: The Devil in Music
Author: Kate Ross
Viking
1997
447 pages
genre: historical mystery

Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross

"Alexander Falkland hasn't an enemy in the world. Young, talented, charming, he shines in every field he enters: law, architecture, the investment market. But one night his luck runs out with a vengeance. In the midst of one of his famous parties, he is found in his study with his head smashed, a blood-stained poker beside him. No wonder the inscription on his gravestone reads: WHOM THE GODS LOVE DIE YOUNG....."
(from the publisher)

my thoughts:

Whom the Gods Love is the third in the Julian Kestrel Regency mystery series, and as usual, Kate Ross delivers another sharp, tight plot that keeps you guessing at every twist and turn of events.

When the Bow Street Runners come up empty with clues or suspects in the highly publicized murder of society's golden boy, Alexander Falkland, his father seeks the assistance of dandy Julian Kestrel, an amateur sleuth. With his trusty sidekick,the reformed pickpocket Dipper, he embarks on another murder investigation that takes him on a journey in the darker side of life to explore Alexander's life, his business and social acquaintances. In the process, Julian uncovers layer upon layer of lies, false identities, and scandalous deceptions. Who was this Alexander Falkland.....really? And who among the long list of family, servants, and associates had reason to want to murder him in cold blood?

Kate Ross is a master at structuring her stories and deftly weaving many threads of mystery together. Her characters from different social classes and their dialogue rings true and the everyday details of the Regency period are completely authentic. A thoroughly enjoyable read, although I still think A Broken Vessel is my favorite.


4/5

Title: Whom the Gods Love
Author: Kate Ross
Viking Press
1995
382 pages
genre: Regency mystery

A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross

"In London's notorious Haymarket district, Sally Stokes, a bold and bewitching Cockney prostitute, picks up three men one after the other and nicknames them Bristles, Blue Eyes, and Blinkers. From each of them Sally steals a handkerchief--and from one she mistakenly steals a letter than contains an urgent plea for help from a distraught young woman.

Luckily, Sally's brother is none other than Dipper, reformed pickpocket and valet to gifted amateur sleuth Julian Kestrel. After the writer of the letter is found dead, the authorities dismiss her death as suicide. But to Kestrel it looks like murder, and he forms an unlikely -- but highly entertaining -- alliance with Sally to track down the three clients. The two embark on a quest that leads them from a house of reclamation for fallen women to the abodes of England's highest ranking families as they race to unmask a dangerous killer."

(from the publisher)

my thoughts:

In a word, this book was fantastic! If you can read the first chapter and then put this book down, you have more willpower than I do! I read the first Julien Kestrel mystery in the series, Cut to the Quick, and while it was a well-crafted plot, I wasn't enthralled. Thankfully, I've read glowing reviews about the remainder of the series, so I continued with A Broken Vessel, and I'm so glad I did. It's destined to be a favorite of mine....it was that good!

An unlikely trio of characters (Julien, the London dandy amateur sleuth, his reformed pickpocket valet, Dipper, and Dipper's spunky, Cockney prostitute sister, Sally), become entangled in a web of secret scandals, plots of murder and suicide, and the sinister dark side of three of Sally's "encounters." From the seedy, gritty underworld of Regency London to the drawing rooms of the gentry, there are plots and counterplots, secret identities, skeletons in the closet, and a dangerous killer (or killers) who will stop at nothing to keep long-buried secrets hidden.

A raw, edgy mystery with authentic Regency cant and a truly fascinating, puzzling plot...kept my heart racing! Highly, highly recommended!

5/5 stars
Title: A Broken Vessel
Author: Kate Ross
1994
289 pages
Penguin Books
genre: Regency mystery

Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross

"To the ranks of great sleuths of ages past, add a new candidate - Julian Kestrel - a detective as historically authentic as Brother Cadfael and as dashing as Lord Peter Wimsey. Kestrel is the reigning dandy of London in the 1820s, famous for his elegant clothes and his unflappable sangfroid. One night he rescues a young aristocrat named Hugh Fontclair from a gambling house, and in gratitude Hugh invites him to be best man at his wedding. But when Kestrel goes to stay with the Fontclairs at their sumptuous country house, he is caught in the crossfire of the bride's and groom's warring families. Soon, discord erupts into murder. In a world without fingerprinting, chemical analysis, or even police, murder poses a baffling challenge. Undaunted, Kestrel sets out to solve the crime. With the help of his Cockney manservant, Dipper a (mostly) reformed pickpocket, Kestrel delves beneath the Fontclairs' respectable surface. What he finds is a trail of crime, deception, and forbidden lust that leads him at last to the killer. The combination of a new author, a charming new sleuth, and a strikingly original setting adds up to a smashing mystery that moves with force and intelligence - and expert suspense - from beginning to end." (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:

A well-crafted, good old-fashioned murder mystery featuring Regency era dandy, Julian Kestrel -- fans of Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries and the Georgette Heyer mysteries will enjoy the puzzle of whodunit in Cut to the Quick. Family secrets and scandals, an unidentified murdered body, and lots of twists and turns in the plot made this a promising beginning for the series.

Title: Cut to the Quick
Author: Kate Ross
Felony & Mayhem Press
2010
genre: mystery; Regency era

A Treasure Trove of Autumn Reading

Let me set the stage for you.....

A cozy fire is casting a warm glow over the shabby but comfortable furniture in the den....man's best furry friend is gently snoring, stretched out in utter bliss at the feet of his beloved owner....a cup of hot chocolate is near to hand as the chilled autumn evening winds rattle the windows....(I can dream, can't I? It's still in the 90's here and the a/c is the only thing rattling!)

Sounds like the perfect setting for curling up with a book, doesn't it? Well, I've collected a treasure trove of fantastic gothics, Regency mysteries, and Victorian mysteries to read this autumn, and I'm planning on spending quite a bit of time with my nose buried in a good old-fashioned thriller next to a roaring fire.

Here's a sneak peek at three authors that I highly recommend for those who enjoy authentic period details along with mystery, suspense, and a bit of the supernatural.

Susanna Kearsley

Susanna Kearsley is the author of wonderful romantic suspense novels in the tradition of Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Daphne du Maurier. Click on the book title to read more about a few of her novels that are on my reading list.


The Shadowy Horses


The Winter Sea


You can also read my review of Mariana here.


Barbara Michaels

Barbara Michaels, also known as Elizabeth Peters and the creator of the famous Amelia Peabody Victorian mysteries, is considered by many to be the queen of the gothic ghost story. She's also been mentioned as a favorite of some authors that I admire such as Lauren Willig, Deanna Raybourn, and Tasha Alexander. I recently purchased a collection of Barbara Michael's books from e-bay, so I literally have a box full of gothic treasures! Here's a look at a few goodies:



Houses of Stone - It was a career-making discovery for English professor Karen Holloway: a battered, faded manuscript, the "lost masterpiece" of a 19th century poet named Ismene. Almost obsessively, Karen delves into her research to unmask the woman behind the mysterious name. But the clues she seeks are hidden in the poet's own words--as a ghost story unfolds before her, a tormented voice from the past...



Ammie, Come Home - A seance goes from party game to pure fright when mysteries of yesterday's passions rise up to claim new players.


Kate Ross

If the Regency era is more your thing, give the four-book mystery series by Kate Ross a try. I just completed Cut to the Quick and plan on reading the entire series.




What books are you looking forward to reading this fall?