Snow White Red-Handed by Maia Chance

Snow White Red-Handed by Maia Chance ISBN-13: 9780425271629 Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: November 4, 2014

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Miss Ophelia Flax is a Victorian actress who has left her company, but she acts her way into a lady’s maid position for an American millionaire. Her new job whisks her off to a foreboding castle in the Black Forest, straight out of a Grimm tale. The vast grounds contain the suspected remains of Snow White’s cottage along with a dwarf skeleton. Then her millionaire boss turns up dead, poisoned by an apple.

Gabriel Penrose is a scholar that believes that fairy tales are based on real events, and he's determined to discover the true history behind the Snow White tale. He needs Ophelia's help, and she needs his as she fights through a bramble of elegant lies so she can prevent a friend from remaining a murder suspect.


My Review:
Snow White Red-Handed is a historical mystery set in 1867 in Germany. Actually, it's more of a suspense novel as Ophelia, Prue, and Gabriel repeatedly walk into danger. Everyone has a hidden motive, and some suspects are willing to kill to get what they want!

The characters were varied, interesting, and generally likable. The mystery was clue-based, but it was such a muddle of motives that anyone could have done it. I was able to figure out several strands of secrets before the heroes, but I didn't know whodunit for certain until right before our heroes. The author did a good job with an interesting concept. I didn't care about the characters enough to get fully engaged in their suspenseful adventure, but other readers may. I enjoyed the story in any case.

There was no sex. There was a very minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'm recommend this interesting mystery/suspense novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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