London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry – and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime. But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker – a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth.
Oh what a disappointment! I completely agree with many other reviewers who … As a big fan of Deanna Raybourn’s previous novels I was really looking forward to this book. Oh what a disappointment! I completely agree with many other reviewers who found Veronica Speedwell unlikeable. She was smug, arrogant, rude, stupid and so modern as to be ludicrous. She just didn’t fit into the late 19th century. True, Deanna’s first Victorian heroine Lady Julia had progressive qualities for her time but she still was a fairly common model of what was known then as “the new…
Victorian era historical romance with a bit of intrigue and mystery 3.5 stars to the first in a new series featuring Veronica Speedwell.Â
A Curious Beginning This comes close to a 2 star rating for me. Perhaps out of fondness for the hours of enjoyment Ms Raybourn’s previous works have me feeling a bit generous.Â