Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart

Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart ISBN-13: 9781984802668 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: September 15th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
1910 Singapore. Harriet Gordon has found fulfillment at last. Her young ward, Will, has settled into his new home with Harriet and her brother, Julian. And Harriet’s employment as a typist at the Straits Settlements Police Force has given her an intriguing way to occupy her time and some much-needed financial independence. But when her friend and employer, Inspector Robert Curran, is called to the scene of a brutal murder and Harriet is asked to comfort the victim’s family, her newfound sense of contentment is abruptly shattered.

Sylvie Nolan, the new and much-younger wife of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan, has been bludgeoned to death in her bedroom. The tightly knit military community in Singapore quickly tries to close ranks to hinder Curran’s investigation. Harriet has ties to the Nolan family and realizes that her friendship with the colonel’s sister might prove useful to Curran’s efforts to find the culprit. But to get close enough to the family’s secrets, Harriet must once again face her painful past and Curran is forced to dredge up some long-buried secrets of his own.


My Review:
Revenge in Rubies is a mystery set in August 1910 in Singapore. This book is the second book in a series, but you don't need to read the first one to follow this story and this story didn't spoil the previous mystery.

The detective asked good questions, looked carefully for evidence, and was able to connect the clues well. Harriet was friends with many of the suspects, so she was able to gather some information for him that the detective couldn't get. She's also observant and intelligent. There were enough people who had both motive and opportunity that I wasn't completely sure of whodunit until the very end, though there were certainly clues pointing toward whodunit.

The main characters were complex, interesting people. I cared about what happened to them, and they reacted realistically to events. The historical and setting details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing. These details brought the story alive in my imagination. There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting historical mystery.


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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