Audio Book Review: Unseemly Pursuits: The Concordia Wells Mysteries Book 2 by K.B. Owen

This is a fun, engaging, character driven historical mystery series.
Unseemly Pursuits: The Concordia Wells Mysteries Book 2
Written by: K.B. Owen
Narrated by: Becket Royce

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
Series: Concordia Wells, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10-02-15
Publisher: K.B. Owen Mysteries
Genre: Historical, Mystery
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
A deadly secret that won't stay buried....
It is the fall of 1896, and Miss Concordia Wells is hip-deep in the usual tumult of a lady professor's life: classes, clubs, student pranks, and the unending drama generated by the girls she lives with on campus. Complicating this normality is the new Lady Principal, whom the students have nicknamed "the Ogre". The woman seems bent on making Concordia's life miserable.
Events take a grave turn, however, when an ancient Egyptian amulet donated to the college mysteriously disappears, the donor is found murdered, and his daughter - Concordia's best friend - confesses to killing him.
Desperate for answers, Concordia unravels a 20-year-old secret, closely guarded by men now dead. But such secrets can be dangerous for the daughters left behind, including Concordia herself. Can she make sense of the mystery that has bound together their fates, before it's too late?
©2013 K.B. Owen (P)2015 K.B. Owen

Review:
Concordia is back to her normal duties as a lady professor but under a new Lady Principal who has been nicknamed “ogre” by the students. The woman clearly doesn’t like Concordia and takes away long time assignments and gives her secondary positions, such as moving her from director of the student play to assistant under a math teacher who has never had experience directing a performance. The continual insults from the Lady Principal take second place though to a theft of an Egyptian artifact recently donated to the museum. The donor is the father of Concordia’s best friend, Sophia. When he is found murdered the younger daughter is traumatized into silence by finding the bloody body. Not even the Police Detective believes Sophia when she confesses to the crime.

Concordia of course is intent on proving her friend innocent. She soon learns that the dead man had once been a partner of Concordia’s own father when they searched for artifacts in Egypt. Details that Concordia never knew and her mother continues to refuse to discuss. Instead, Concordia’s mother has gotten herself involved with a physic whose séance results in Concordia’s father speaking to her!

The Lady Principal is a character that you like to dislike, causing Concordia to seek help from the Dean and the President of the college. There is plenty of intrigue and multiple suspects as well as surprising twists. I enjoyed the friendship between Concordia and David which is continuing to grow, especially after a misunderstanding is cleared up.

This is the second story in the series and I recommend reading/listening to them in order to better know the supporting characters and the friendships and tensions that exist. I enjoyed this one even more than the first and it makes me want to hear more adventures/misadventures for Concordia. I recommend this to readers who enjoy character driven mystery.

Audio Notes: Becket Royce does another good job narrating this historical mystery. She manages the various voices with clear distinction. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

I received this audio book from the narrator for an honest review. This qualifies for my Audio Challenge and "U" in Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Audible Book Review: Dangerous and Unseemly: A Concordia Wells Mystery, Book 1 by K.B. Owen

I enjoyed this engaging cozy, historical mystery.

Dangerous and Unseemly: A Concordia Wells Mystery, Book 1
Written by: K.B. Owen
Narrated by: Becket Royce

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
Series: Concordia Wells, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:11-10-14
Publisher: K.B. Owen Mysteries
Genre: Historical Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
An unseemly lesson…in murder.
The year is 1896, and college professor Concordia Wells has her hands full: teaching classes, acting as live-in chaperone to a cottage of lively female students, and directing the student play, Macbeth. But mystery and murder are not confined to the stage, especially when the death of Concordia's sister, Mary, appears to be foul play. To make matters worse, the women's college is plagued by malicious pranks, arson, money troubles, and the apparent suicide of a college official.
With her beloved school facing certain ruin, Concordia knows that she must act. As she struggles to seek justice for her sister and discover who is behind the college incidents, there are some closest to Concordia who do not appreciate the unseemly inquiries and bold actions of the young lady professor. Can she discover who is responsible…before she becomes the next target?
©2013 K.B. Owen (P)2014 K.B. Owen

Review:
Concordia is a professor at a woman’s college when higher education for woman was still looked down upon. The president of the school, and other male community leaders, seems to view it as a place for women to prepare for domestic duties, not really for learning towards a career. Concordia is inclined to observe all of the staff members, especially the fairly new Lady Principal, Miss Hamilton, who is a formidable, yet fair, leader. Concordia is juggling her teaching responsibilities, serving as live-in chaperone for one of the student cottages and directing the student end of year performance of Macbeth. Additionally, Concordia tries to make time to visit her sister who has been suffering an undiagnosed illness since marrying many months before.

The College is struggling with financial troubles. The annual spring Sophomore prank includes dark elements that create a stir and is of even more concern when the treasurer of the college is found dead. It might be suicide or it could be more nefarious. When Concordia’s sister dies under less than forthright circumstances, Concordia begins to investigate both deaths. Her sleuthing results in surprises as well as behavior that some might consider ‘dangerous and unseemly'.

I enjoyed Concordia’s personality. She has true concern for her sister and her students. Sadly, she has a very estranged relationship with her mother. She grows closer to Miss Hamilton and a brash, retired teacher who challenges Concordia to see beyond the surface. I was pleased by the strength of Miss Hamilton but I can’t be more specific without giving spoiler info. There is a light touch of romance as Concordia gets the attention of first one male teacher and then she manages to run into another.


Ms. Owen does a wonderful job of presenting the details of the 1980s. She has created a believable character in Concordia who is thoughtful and brave but not flaunting her freedoms and views. She does have a friend who is active in the women’s suffragette movement so that perspective is shared as well.

The mystery and romances are developed at a steady pace. This is nicely consistent with Concordia’s sometimes impulsive response to danger which is tempered by her careful deliberation as she weighs the facts and clues. Although the story is not flashy or intense, it is satisfactorily engaging. I think this is a good start to an interesting series and I recommend this to readers who enjoy a clean read with history and mystery.

Audio Notes: Becket Royce does a very nice job of delivering the conservative characters to suit the time period. The voices are distinct and the emotions are appropriately portrayed. The narration made this a better ‘reading’ experience for me.

I received this audio title from the narrator through AudioBook Boom. It qualifies for my Audio Challenge.

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Those Who Walk In Darkness (Jacks Jackson Mystery Book 1) by Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene

I enjoyed this engaging mystery with good characters.
Those Who Walk In Darkness (Jacks Jackson Mystery Book 1)
by Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene

File Size: 669 KB
Print Length: 282 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (March 8, 2016)
ASIN: B01AS8NN6Q
Genre: Historical Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Three years ago in 1867, Julia Jackson was a well to do young woman from Boston whose fiancé, Jonathon, was killed right before her eyes. Obsessed with finding the killer, a man whose face she saw only in a flash as he walked up and shot Jonathon, she leaves her family and her life behind. She starts a new life as ‘Jacks’ Jackson—a cigar smoking, dead eye, female Pinkerton agent…pretending to be a man.
Now Allan Pinkerton needs Jacks to find the man who kidnapped the wife and son of a railroad official, David Boyd. Their only clues are the severed finger from the man’s wife, complete with wedding ring, and a map of the Qualla boundary, the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina.
Jacks doesn’t like the way the whole thing sounds from the beginning. David Boyd isn’t important enough to target for a kidnapping. And why travel so far with two hostages?
But Pinkerton tells her that he believes the man responsible for the kidnapping worked with Jonathon’s murderer in a train robbery five years ago. Jacks agrees to go after the kidnapper with hopes of catching him before he can reach his home grounds.
Pinkerton insists that Jacks bring three men with her—Boyd, her new partner, and a Cherokee guide named Running Wolf, who’s always watching her, like he’s trying to figure it out.
Can Jacks catch the kidnapper with her secret—and her life—intact?

Review:
Julia Jackson was on the way to her wedding when her fiancé was murdered at her feet. No one could help her locate the murderer so she took matters into her own hands by going undercover as a male Pinkerton agent. Three years later she is known as the highly successful and brash Agent “Jacks” Jackson.

Jacks is assigned to pursue a Cherokee Indian who has kidnapped the wife and son of railroad official, David Boyd. Jacks prefers not to work with a partner but young Davey Hume has been paired with her. To make matters worse, Boyd insists on going along the journey and Pinkerton has also assigned a Cherokee guide, Running Wolf.

The four begin the trip from Chicago to North Carolina, following the kidnapper’s trail. Soon it appears that the kidnapper is taunting them, sending bloody fingers from Boyd’s wife, and leaving dead bodies in the towns where they stop. Running Wolf looks intently at Jacks as though he sees through her. He tries to convince Jacks to delve deeper into the facts because things are not always as they first appear.

I have long been fascinated by stories of Pinkerton agents and it is fun when the agents are women. Jacks is a good character with determination – even if it is for the negative emotion of revenge. I liked Running Wolf’s intense character and his attitude and determination to ‘rescue’ Jacks from her own obsession. I liked the spirit elements, consistent with Native American teachings, that were woven into the mystery.

The story jumped right into action and kept my interest to the end. I enjoyed the characters, the mystery and the good movement of the story. The writing flows well and is an easy read. Although the mystery is resolved, I was a little bit disappointed that there were loose threads at the end. Then again - this leaves an opening for another good installment. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a good mystery in a historical setting.

I received this through Great Escape Book Tours for an honest review. This qualifies for T on my Alphabet Soup Challenge.

 

Purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/Gone-Midnight-Joyce-Lavene-ebook/dp/B019AJC1XU

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

www.joyceandjimlavene.com

www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene

http://amazon.com/author/jlavene

https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene

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Audible Book Review: A Yellowstone Christmas: Yellowstone Romance Series by Peggy L. Henderson

This is a quick, warm Christmas story with wonderful historical detail.
A Yellowstone Christmas: Yellowstone Romance Series
Written by: Peggy L. Henderson
Narrated by: Alexandra Haag

Length: 2 hrs and 1 min
Series: Yellowstone Romance
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:07-17-14
Publisher: Peggy L Henderson
Genre: Historical, Christmas, Novella
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Aimee Osborne has always looked forward to the Christmas holidays in the 21st century, where she grew up. Now that she lives in the primitive wilderness of 19th-century Yellowstone, she is determined to hold on to some of her traditions.
Daniel Osborne is unfamiliar with many of the customs and beliefs his wife grew up with. Although he doesn't understand her enthusiasm for the holiday, he shares in her joy of the season, and plans to make each Christmas with her memorable.
For Aimee and Daniel, this holiday season might not be the joyous event they hoped for. When an unexpected package arrives at their doorstep, Aimee's plans for the festivities this year might not go off as she envisioned.
When danger threatens his family, Daniel will do what it takes to protect them, and perhaps bring some peace and joy to more than just his wife and children.
©2012 Peggy L Henderson (P)2014 Peggy L Henderson

Review:
Aimee is a modern day nurse who has settled two hundred years in the past. She chose to remain with mountain man, Daniel, in the Yellowstone wilderness. They are raising their three young sons in a secluded cabin. Aimee has insisted on her modern day tradition of selecting a fresh tree and decorating their Christmas tree with homemade decorations.

The little family enjoys a fun tracking adventure on the way to pick their tree. However, when they return home they are alarmed to find a newborn infant on their doorstep. Aimee and the boys take the babe inside while Daniel heads out to track the mother. After he returns Daniel and Aimee try to uncover the story from the reluctant mother. She appears to be of one tribe but wearing clothes from another.

Danger comes to their home while Daniel and his tribe brother are out. Now Daniel must do more tracking to protect his family. Two other tribes are involved in the conflict to be resolved. Meanwhile the family members hope they will be able to decorate their tree and share in Christmas blessings.

This is a warm Christmas novella, with love, action, mystery and danger. I enjoyed the easy style of the story and I loved the details of the differences of the time period which are a distinct and wonderful element. I enjoyed meeting the characters in this quick listen. I have the first book in the series in my Kindle Library and I will be adding that to my early 2015 reading list.

Audio Notes: Alexandra Haag does a nice job narrating. The voices of the characters flows easily and the overall presentation is direct and engaging.

I purchased this on sale (about $5.00) with an Audible bonus credit. This is a COYER review although it is not really an older book from my shelves. This is also part of Audio Challenge.

Book Review with Giveaway Question: The Sheriff's Surrender (Ladies' Shooting Club) by Susan Page Davis

This is a delightfully fun, easy, inspirational read that gives a good picture of life in the old west.

The Sheriff's Surrender (Ladies' Shooting Club)
by Susan Page Davis

Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 320
Vendor: Barbour Publishing
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 1602605629
Series: Ladies Shooting Club
(Still available for $1.65!)

Genre: Historical, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description
Gert Dooley can shoot the tail feathers off a jay at a hundred yards, but she wants Ethan Chapman to see she's more than a crack shot with a firearm. When the sheriff of Fergus, Idaho, is murdered and Ethan is named his replacement, Gert decides she has to do whatever she can to help him protect the citizenry. So she starts the Ladies Shooting Club. But when of their numbers is murdered, these ladies are called on for more than target shooting and praying. Can Gert and the ladies of Fergus find the murderer before he strikes again?

Review:
Gert came to the small community of Fergus, Idaho eight years ago to help her older brother, Hiram, and his wife with a new baby. Unfortunately when she arrived she found Hiram secluded in grief over their deaths. She continues to take care of the reclusive Hiram helping him in his gun smithing business by shooting the weapons he repairs. Over the years she has become one of the best shots in town. Gert doesn’t dress fancy or wear her hair pretty... she is just steady, reliable, capable Gert who has a sweet spot for Hiram’s best friend, Ethan.

Ethan is a local bachelor committed to the hard work of building his own ranch. When the old time sheriff is found dead one morning the town council recruits Ethan as temporary sheriff. Although Ethan is reluctant, he steps up to the duty. As he and Hiram investigate the crime scene evidence reveals the death was murder, not an accident. When a second victim is killed the town really starts to worry.

Libby, the widowed storekeeper who is also Gert’s good friend, asks Gert to teach her how to shoot. Soon many of the ladies in town, wives and daughters, and even saloon girls, join the practice sessions. They even allow an old, poor, dirty and smelly recluse, Milzie, to join them.

The group declares themselves the Ladies Shooting Club and start by reaching out to help each other. Then they offer to help the Sheriff with street patrols. One brassy lady, a saloon (brothel?) owner, becomes a deputy. As Ethan works along with Hiram and Gert to solve the mystery of the murders he begins to see Gert in a new light as friendship grows to affection.

Gert represents a good deal of pioneer spirit and a bit of the stirring for women’s rights! She also represents a heart of a servant who helps others with joy and no judgment. She seeks to share her love of faith because she cares about everyone in her community, no matter their station or profession. There is a sense of humbleness provided by Gert and Ethan and a sweet sense of allowing God to work things out in His time, including their courtship.

There is a story of revenge but there are also so many good real life features presented in this sweet story. There are issues of bigotry and pride, in small and big ways. The story shows the tendency to live our lives in insular fashion and not realize the desperate needs of some of those very near until some trigger brings the community together to provide more care for one another.

The writing is clear and this is a quick easy read. There is humor and warm fuzzies that overshadow the evil. I found it delightful and recommend it to those who enjoy fun, inspirational historical reading.

This was our Jan- Feb Ladies Book Club read. The group has not yet met to discuss this book as we postponed February’s meeting, however, several ladies told me that they felt this was such a real portrayal of western life. They were very enthusiastic so I ordered the second book in the series and we will be discussing both books in our meeting in March.

GIVEAWAY QUESTION: I will be offering both books for GIVEAWAY and here is a question for those who will be interested: Would you prefer the books be offered separately for giveaway or as a set of two to one winner? Let me know by your comments and I will decide how to list the giveaways. Thanks.

Audible Book Review: Death of a Dyer by Eleanor Kuhns

This is a good mystery with interesting history. Unfortunately I think the narration could have been better.

Death of a Dyer

by Eleanor Kuhns

Reader: Richard Waterhouse

Running Time: 11hrs 34min
Number of CDs: 9
Release Date: 6/18/13
D/L ISBN: 9781482100822 
CD ISBN: 9781482100815
Genre: Historical, Mystery
My Rating 4.0 of 5.0

Synopsis:
Will Rees feels at home. It's been a long time since he last felt this way--not since before his wife died more than five years ago and he took to the road as a traveling weaver. Now Rees is back on his farm, living with his teenaged son, David, and his housekeeper, Lydia--whose presence contributes more towards his happiness than he's ready to admit. But his domestic bliss is shattered the morning a visitor brings news of an old friend's murder. Nate Bowditch and Rees hadn't spoken in many long years, but as children they were closer than brothers, and Rees feels his loss acutely. Asked to look into the circumstances surrounding Nate's death, Rees simply can't refuse. At the Bowditch farmstead, Rees quickly discovers that everyone--from Nate's frosty wife to his missing son to the shy serving girl--is hiding something. But are any of them actually capable of murder? Or does the answer lie elsewhere, behind stones no one even knew needed un-turning? Death of a Dyer once again proves Eleanor Kuhns' remarkable ability to spin a captivating story and capture the light and darker sides of human nature on the page.

Review:

Will Rees is a traveling weaver. He owns a farm but spends most of his time traveling to sell his wares, then returning home now and again to bring the proceeds to help support the farm. Now he is home at the farm with his teenaged son who has grown up working and loving the land his father disdains. Will has also brought Lydia, a strong independent widow and a Shaker who was put out of her community. She lives in a cottage on the farm and serves as housekeeper although she hopes to become more to Will as time goes by and when he is ready.

Will's wife, Dolly, died a few years ago from a bug he brought back from his travels. He still feels guilty but is also reluctant to risk moving to a different relationship with Lydia because he doesn't know if he can remain in town or if he will seek the road again.

Right now he is tied to his home by the request of the widow of a murdered friend to prove that their son did not kill his father. Nate and Will had been good friends as boys but Will has been away many years. As he meets Nate's wife and nearly 19 year-old son, Richard, Will begins to realize that he does not know the man that Nate became in his absence. Nate had become obsessed with his sturdy of colors as a dyer, always seeking a better, richer color. He apparently had developed friendships with other boys that they grew up with and the relationships are surprising to Will. Will worns Nate's wife, Molly, his close, devoted servant, Mason, and other boyhood friends that his investigations may lead to secrets that will make others unhappy. It won't be enough for Will to clear Richard as the prime suspect. Will won't give up the search until he has found and exposed Nate's killer.

I enjoyed the mystery that had some red herrings and twists to keep me guessing. The pacing is different as it is set in the 1780 Colonial time period and seems to plod a bit just as things might in those days. There is some wonderful history of weavers, dyers, slaves and bounty hunters seeking runaway slaves. But the history extends into the human aspects of land acquisition and any era human characteristics of pride, greed, snobbery and loyalty.

Audio Notes: I am sorry to say that this is not an audio version I would recommend. I found the narration very dry with little emotion and character given through the reading. This made the story drag for a good portion until the last quarter when the narrator surprisingly found expression.

I received this book for review for AudioGo through Audiobook Jukebox.

Audible Review: A Royal Pain: A Royal Spyness Mystery by Rhys Bowen

This is a fun, light historic mystery.
A Royal Pain: A Royal Spyness Mystery 
Author: Rhys Bowen
    UNABRIDGED
       Narrated by Katherine Kellgren
        Series: Royal Spyness, Book 2


    LENGTH      8 hrs and 57 mins
    RELEASE DATE      08-03-10
    Program Type      Audiobook
    PUBLISHER      Audible, Inc.
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary

The Queen of England has concocted a plan in which penniless aristocrat Lady Georgie is to entertain a Bavarian princess and conveniently place her in the playboy prince's path, in the hopes that he might finally marry.

But queens never take money into account. Georgie has very little, which is why she moonlights as a maid-in-disguise. She must draw up plans: clean house to make it look like a palace; have Granddad and her neighbor pretend to be the domestic staff; un-teach Princess Hanni the English she's culled from American gangster movies; cure said princess of her embarrassing shoplifting habit; and keep an eye on her at parties.

Then there's the worrying matter of the body in the bookshop and Hannis' unwitting involvement with the Communist Party. It's enough to drive a girl crazy.

Listen to more Royal Spyness mysteries.
©2008 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Review:
The Queen doesn’t realize the lack of Georgie’s fiances when she asks her (a cousin) to play hostess to a Bavarian Princess. The Queen is trying to get her son to change his affections from an older, married American woman to a proper person of worth. Georgie has to recruit her father and his friend to masquerade as butler and cook and she even coerces a friend to serve as a maid.

Princess Hanni arrives with her companion, a haughty Baroness. Princess Hanni, although supposedly taught at a convent, picked up English slang from watching gangster movies, plus she is extremely ‘man’ crazy. Georgie has her hands full pretending to maintain a proper household, discouraging the Baroness from inspecting things too closely and curbing the Princess’s slang and tendency to shoplift and chase after handsome men.

Georgie and Hanni almost become involved in a Communist protest at a visit in the park. They meet several handsome men, including the dashing Darcy who has already attracted Georgie even though she believes he is searching for an heiress. Georgie takes Hanni to a ‘Bohemian’ party of commoners. Hanni is thrilled to meet more handsome men, and to run into Darcy again. Unfortunately the evening is cut short when one of the young bucks tumbles through the balcony railing. Darcy manages to whisk Georgie and Hanni away before their attendance becomes fodder for the papers. But Georgie still has to face questioning by the police who are concerned about her presence at another death.

A few days later Georgie helps Hanni get to a private assignation with a young man who works at a bookstore in a seedier side of town. Georgie follows Hanni upstairs only to discover the young man, a Communist sympathizer, with a knife in his back!

The Queen decides that, while taking Hanni to a country party before an international incident arises, Georgie must also make time to investigate the murder(s). Darcy seems to always be in the wings-- or alley as the case may be–to come to Georgie’s aid. This is pleasing although perplexing particularly when Darcy begins to show additional attention to Hanni, making Georgie regret her decision to put off Darcy’s earlier advances.

There is more intrigue and killing before Georgie uncovers the bigger plot. She has to force her way to a last minute rescue and again Darcy is there to jump in front of the bullet. Georgie makes rash promises to Darcy hoping he won’t die.

Georgie’s dry humor and banter are very enjoyable. This is the second of the series that I have listened to and the stories are light, quick and fun listening.

AUDIO NOTES:  Katherine Kellgren does a really nice job with the narration, adding the different accents and emotions. Her delivery is smooth and enhances the easy story line making these fun to listen to.

This is a selection from my Audible Library.

Audio Book Review: The Broken Token by Chris Nickson

This is an engaging mystery set in poverty stricken Leeds in 1731.

The Broken Token
by Chris Nickson (Author), 
Steven Pacey (Narrator)

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 8 hours and 30 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Creative Content Ltd
Audible.com Release Date: September 28, 2012
Genre: Hisotircal Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publication Date: October 1, 2012
Publisher's Summary
Pickpockets, pimps, and prostitutes: All in a day’s work for the city constable – until work moves too close to home…. When Richard Nottingham, Constable of Leeds, discovers his former housemaid murdered in a particularly sickening manner, his professional and personal lives move perilously close. Circumstances seem to conspire against him, and more murders follow. Soon the city fathers cast doubt on his capability, and he is forced to seek help from an unsavoury source. Not only does the murder investigation keep running into brick walls, and family problems offer an unwelcome distraction; he can’t even track down a thief who has been a thorn in his side for months. When answers start to emerge, Nottingham gets more than he bargains for….

Review:
Richard Nottingham is the Constable of Leeds. He is dedicated to his work and caring family. Richard’s wife of twenty years, Mary, tries to keep things calm and comfortable at home. One daughter, 19 year old Rose, is quiet and malleable with a suitable young man in the wings. The other daughter, 15 year old Emily, is intense, unpredictable and seeks adventure.

Richard has to deal with the day to day drudgery crimes of a busy city, including a pickpocket that is slipping under their noses. Now he is faced with a brutal murder too. A local, unpopular evangelist and a young woman have been stabbed. He recognizes the young woman and finds around her neck a blue ribbon that used to hold the half of a ‘love’ token. She had been a maid in his household before she left to be married several years earlier. Now he is dismayed to discover that her husband had died and she had returned home where circumstances turned her to prostitution.

Richard and his dedicated second man, John Sedgwick, try to track down witnesses and clues. A local drunk is a suspect, but Richard doesn’t think he is guilty and lets him loose. Richard feels guilty when another couple is killed and there is incriminating evidence pointing clearly to the drunk. Richard is glad to be able to report that the killer is in jail until a third couple is murdered.

While Richard and John are struggling to track retrace the clues to the right killer, they are both coping with trouble at home. John’s wife is unhappy with the profession that keeps him away late hours and barely pays enough to keep food on the table. Richard’s daughter, Emily, is running off to meet someone and refusing to tell her parents where and with whom she is meeting.

I really enjoyed the history of the times and the human struggles portrayed in this mystery drama.  Mr. Nickson does a superb job of creating a devastating picture of the poverty of the community and giving personal life to the characters. There are good twists in the mystery and the suspense is built up well, especially when Richard has to seek the help of an enemy to locate Emily. She is found wearing the token missing from the first murder victim but refuses to name the source of the gift which could lead to the identity of the killer.The revealed history of the token is an added element of interest.

Some might find the times and setting bleak but I liked the details that were softened a bit by the caring emotions of Richard and his family. I recommend this particularly to mystery lovers who enjoy historical detail. I would enjoy reading/listening to more of this series.

Audio Notes: I thoroughly enjoyed the strong, accented narration. The voice fit well with the dark period and the mystery plot. Mr. Pacey’s inflection helped me to visualize the scenes and the despair of the characters. I would enjoy listening to more from this narrator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A  fitting description of the city:

...[A] place were most people existed rather than lived.

I received this to review for Creative Content through AudioBook Jukebox.