The Mortal Blow by Elizabeth Bailey

The Mortal Blow by Elizabeth Bailey ISBN-13: 9781913028329 ebook: 374 pages Publisher: Sapere Books Released: April 13, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
1791, England. Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe are on their way home when their coach comes to a sudden stop. A woman is standing in the middle of the road — covered in blood. The woman refuses to speak but on further investigation they find the body of a man hidden in the woods. Ottilia insists on bringing the woman home to find out what occurred. But the more she finds out the more complicated the case becomes… Who was the man in the woods? Did the blood-covered woman murder him? Or did someone else strike The Mortal Blow…?


My Review:
The Mortal Blow is a mystery set in 1791 in London. This novel is the 5th in the series, but you don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one. This story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books.

Lady Fan finds a girl covered in blood and clearly in shock. With her firm but caring manner, she quickly discovers that the girl was defending herself from a man who was trying to rape her. The man is dead, and a jury is sure to convict her for killing her attacker. Lady Fan believes an earlier blow was the true cause of death, and she's determined to save the girl by finding out who dealt that blow.

This was a clue-based mystery, though it was more about trying to build a strong enough case to save the girl than difficulty discovering what happened. Lady Fan asked plenty of questions and used her observational skills, but she also got help from her husband and from a niece with some ideas of her own.

The characters were interesting, and I cared about what happened to them. Historical details were woven into the story to create the feeling of a specific time and place. There was a minor amount of of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

An Artless Demise by Anna Lee Huber

An Artless Demise by Anna Lee Huber ISBN-13: 9780451491367 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Berkley Books Released: April 2, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
November 1831. After fleeing London in infamy more than two years prior, Lady Kiera Darby's return to the city is anything but mundane. A gang of body snatchers is arrested on suspicion of imitating the notorious misdeeds of Edinburgh criminals, Burke and Hare--killing people from the streets and selling their bodies to medical schools. All of London is horrified by the evidence that "burkers" are, indeed, at work in their city.

Kiera receives a letter of blackmail, threatening to divulge details about her late anatomist husband's involvement with the body snatchers and wrongfully implicate her. Not only is she in danger, but also her new husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, and their unborn child.

Meanwhile, the young scion of a noble family has been found murdered a block from his home, and the man's family wants Kiera and Gage to investigate. Is it a failed attempt by the London burkers, having left the body behind, or the crime of someone much closer to home? Someone who stalks the privileged, using the uproar over the burkers to cover his own dark deeds?


My Review:
An Artless Demise is a mystery set in 1831 in London. It is the seventh book in a series, and the author repeatedly referred back to events in the previous books. It can be read as a standalone as the author provided plenty of detail about things that have happened in the past.

It seemed like all of the women were pregnant and talking about it in public situations. Anyway, the author focused the book around several "burkers" and included extensive details about their trial, from their arrest to their hanging. The sensation of this trial motivated someone to blackmail Lady Darby about her past, even though she had nothing to do with her husband's acquisition of bodies for his anatomy textbook. She's distracted by the snubs, rumors, and blackmail so that she and Gage didn't spend much time investigating the death of the heirs of several lords. They did ask questions and there were several clues, but the information needed to narrow down the suspects was not provided until nearly the end.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews

A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews ISBN-13: 9780999036488 ebook: 400 pages Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press Released: April 23, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Solicitor Tom Finchley has spent his life using his sharp intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they’re nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can’t remedy. But that’s all over now. He’s finally ready to put the past behind him and settle down to a quiet, uncomplicated life.

Former lady’s companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England. If she can discover the fate of the missing Earl of Castleton while she’s at it, so much the better.

From the gaslit streets of London to the lush tea gardens of colonial India, Jenny and Tom embark on an epic quest—and an equally epic romance. But even at the farthest edges of the British Empire, the past has a way of catching up with you…


My Review:
A Modest Independence is a romance set in 1860 and follows a couple as they travel from England to India and then around India. This is the second book in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. The author has clearly deeply researched the time period and about traveling along this route. She wove this information into the story, creating a distinct sense of time and place.

The characters were complex and reacted realistically to events. Things that happened in Jenny's and Tom's childhood now stand in the way of their getting married. Jenny no longer trusts men with control over her life, so she's determined to remain unmarried even if that means fighting her attraction to Tom. Tom grew up an orphan. He's reluctant to leave England, where he now has contacts, influence, and some control over his life. Still, he accompanies Jenny to India, using his knowledge and protection to help her track down information about the missing Earl.

Tom respected Jenny's desire to have control in her life and tried to protect her reputation by claiming to be her half-brother. They still found ways to do a lot of intense kissing, which nearly got them in trouble – both their reputations and with things nearly going further than they intended. There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story, especially if you're interested in the history or setting.


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.

Justice Delivered by Patricia Bradley

Justice Delivered by Patricia Bradley ISBN-13: 9780800727192 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Revell Released: April 2, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Carly Smith came by her trust issues honestly. A victim of sex trafficking, she's been at the mercy of merciless men, ignored by law enforcement officers who should have helped her, and seemingly rejected by her family. She can't even trust herself to do the right thing. Though she escaped her captors and is working hard on building a new life, the past continues to haunt her when she discovers that the man she couldn't bring herself to report to police for fear of reliving her captivity is still out there, luring vulnerable girls under the guise of being a modeling agent.

When her own niece is kidnapped, Carly must overcome her fears and come forward with the information she has before it's too late. When that proves to be not enough, she'll have to go after the perpetrators herself.


My Review:
Justice Delivered is a romantic suspense novel. It is the fourth in a series, but it can be read as a standalone novel. A high level of suspense was created by the kidnapping of the niece and repeated attempts to kill or kidnap Carly. It was a constant race to track down clues as to where the kidnapped niece was, who was behind Carly's original kidnapping, and who was attacking her now. I had a good idea of who the bad people were, though I was in doubt as to which person did which actions until nearly the end. I was a little surprised that the hero, at the end, knew there were some loose ends yet didn't immediately spot the clue that should've alerted him to further danger. Anyway, the story was very exciting.

The main characters were likable, and I cared about what happened to them. I liked that the romance built slowly during the story, so I was disappointed that it was rushed at the end. The hero and heroine dated a few times 16 years ago and worked well together after Carly overcame her trust issues with him regarding men and cops. He admired her strength and courage as well as her looks. But we went from Carly just learning to trust him to a conversation that basically goes "Want to date?", "We live in different cities", "Want to get married?", "Yes!". They never go on a normal date or get to know each other under normal circumstances before deciding to get married, and they didn't deal with the potential difficulties facing them. I guess I prefer the "six months later" epilogues.

Though only briefly mentioned, Carly learned to trust God more by the end of the story. There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Artful Match by Jennifer Delamere

The Artful Match by Jennifer Delamere ISBN-13: 9780764219221 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: April 2, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Cara Bernay has never fit in. At loose ends in 1881 London after a near tragedy costs her a job, she befriends a carefree artist. With his help, she begins planning a new life and developing her own artistic talent. But soon Cara finds herself interested in the artist's brother--a handsome but overly serious earl bent on forcing his brother back to a "respectable" life.

Henry Burke, the Earl of Morestowe, feels the weight of growing financial burdens. His younger brother is only adding to the burden with his spendthrift ways, and Henry needs him back home. Despite misgivings about Cara's mysterious background, Henry sees she's a positive influence on his brother and on Henry's young ward, and he strikes a deal with her to return with them to their estate. But the family has their own secrets which threatened to break the family apart.


My Review:
The Artful Match is a Christian romance set in 1881 in England. This novel is the 3rd in the series, and it wrapped up the ongoing story of the three sisters, though the focus was mainly on Cara. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one.

The main characters were likable. Cara was very kind and patient with children, but due to a mistake that endangered a child, she swore to never be solely responsible for one again. She decided to learn painting as a profession but ended up also working with a difficult child. Henry wanted to do what's right for his family and difficult ward but resented his brother's irresponsible actions adding to his burden. While initially cautious about his brother's friend, Cara, he's soon drawn in by her kindness and joy. They make a good match and bring out the best in each other.

Historical details were woven into the story to give it a distinct sense of time and place. During her years in an orphanage run by Mueller, Cara learned to pray to God for help and trust that he would provide. She prayed to God with faith during this story, and she also was grateful to God for his provision. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Death of a New American by Mariah Fredericks

Death of a New American by Mariah Fredericks ISBN-13: 9781250152992 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books Released: April 9, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In 1912, as New York reels from the news of the Titanic disaster, ladies’ maid Jane Prescott travels to Long Island with the Benchley family. Their daughter Louise is to marry William Tyler, at their uncle and aunt’s mansion and Charles Tyler is known for putting down New York’s notorious Italian mafia, the Black Hand.

As the family plans Louise’s upcoming wedding, Jane quickly befriends the Tyler children’s nanny, Sofia—a young Italian-American woman. However, one night, Jane is woken and investigates crying from the nursery. She finds Sofia murdered, and the carefully locked window flung open.

The Tylers believe that this is an attempted kidnapping of their baby gone wrong—a warning from the criminal underworld to Charles Tyler. But Jane is asked to help with the investigation by her friend journalist Michael Behan, who knows that she is uniquely placed to see what other tensions may simmer just below the surface in this wealthy, secretive household.


My Review:
Death of a New American is a mystery set in 1912 in New York. The story was rather sad as the person who was murdered was a likable character and the murder destroyed more than one life without benefiting anyone. There was a lot of historical detail about what was in the news at the time, from the sinking of the Titanic to a major women's suffrage march. While interesting, most of it was not directly related to the mystery. The characters were engaging, interesting, and acted realistically.

Jane was asked to discreetly investigate a murder, but this time her unique knowledge as a servant was not used to solve the mystery. She just asked questions. When Jane discovered pertinent clues, she followed up on them but we're not even told what the clue was until later. The mystery was not very complicated, so it would have been fairly easily to solve if we knew the hidden clues as Jane learned them. Though this was not a puzzle mystery, I still had two main suspects, and I was correct that one of them was a murderer.

There were no sex scenes. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this 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.

The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner

The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner ISBN-13: 9780425286166 Hardcover: 431 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books Released: July 10, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Narrated by the mother of Russia's last tsar, this vivid, historically authentic novel brings to life the courageous story of Maria Feodorovna, one of Imperial Russia's most compelling women who witnessed the splendor and tragic downfall of the Romanovs as she fought to save her dynasty in the final years of its long reign.

Barely nineteen, Minnie knows that her station in life as a Danish princess is to leave her family and enter into a royal marriage--as her older sister Alix has done, moving to England to wed Queen Victoria's eldest son. The winds of fortune bring Minnie to Russia, where she marries the Romanov heir and becomes empress once he ascends the throne. When resistance to his reign strikes at the heart of her family and the tsar sets out to crush all who oppose him.

Her husband's death leaves their son Nicholas as the inexperienced ruler of a deeply divided and crumbling empire. Determined to guide him to reforms that will bring Russia into the modern age, Maria faces implacable opposition from Nicholas's strong-willed wife, Alexandra, whose fervor has lead her into a disturbing relationship with a mystic named Rasputin. As the unstoppable wave of revolution rises anew to engulf Russia, Maria will face her most dangerous challenge and her greatest heartache.

From the opulent palaces of St. Petersburg and the intrigue-laced salons of the aristocracy to the World War I battlefields and the bloodied countryside occupied by the Bolsheviks, C. W. Gortner sweeps us into the anarchic fall of an empire.


My Review:
The Romanov Empress is about Empress Maria's life. It begins when she was a teenager and her father was chosen to be heir to the Denmark throne (1862) and ends after she flees Russia (1918). The story is consistent with non-fiction sources about what happened and uses things like diaries and personal letters for information. This information was woven together to make an interesting, enjoyable story. The author managed to show Maria's view of things while still allowing the readers to see where she's hypocritical or in the wrong. Still, she was a remarkable woman who endured the loss of many loved ones. It's also an interesting way to learn about the times and the Russian court.

There were only a few uses of bad language. There were brief references to her husband's "manhood" right before an off-screen sex scene. Overall, I'd highly recommend this fascinating story.


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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.