Veronica Speedwell is back and in fine form in book 8 of this delightful series!
I LOVED A Sinister Revenge from NYT Bestselling author Deanna Raybourn!
Events pick up in 1889, about six months after the emotional cliffhanger ending of book 7. Stoker has been in Bavaria when Veronica and his brother Tiberius come to find him. Tiberius and his old group of friends have been receiving death threats, and it looks like an inside job. Two are dead, and Tiberius could be next. A house party is planned at the Templeton-Vane estate so Veronica and Stoker can identify the killer.
I am a massive fan of this charming, clever, romantic, witty, and fun series! Raybourn is a fantastic storyteller who writes solidly plotted mysteries with snappy dialogue and masterful use of Victorian vocabulary. They are also immersive and well-researched. Veronica is a butterfly hunter, and Stoker is a taxidermist, and the books reflect different aspects of Victorian-era science. This time, it's paleontology and fossil hunting.
Veronica and Stoker have great chemistry and are one of my fave fictional couples. The exposed vulnerabilities in their relationship have only made me root harder for them. This book does differ from the others in terms of not being globe-trotting, but it worked for me as Veronica does some self-reflection, and this setting seemed more conducive to that. Fearless non-conformist Veronica is already a strong female MC, but I enjoyed her introspection and further character development.
Beloved returning characters mix with great new ones, including Stoker's formidable former nanny. (And I would be thrilled to see Tiberius get his own book!) The mystery is well done, fast-paced, and keeps the reader guessing. I highly recommend this book and the entire outstanding series! Excelsior!
Thank you to Edelweiss Plus and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC.
My steep was Bohemian Breakfast tea from Club Magic Hour. A rich pu'erh and black tea blend with Bourbon Vanilla, black currants, and pomegranate flavoring.
SYNOPSIS:
Veronica must find and stop a devious killer when a group of old friends is targeted for death in this new adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.
Veronica’s natural-historian beau, Stoker, has been away in Bavaria for months and their relationship is at an impasse. But when Veronica shows up before him with his brother, Tiberius, Lord Templeton-Vane, he is lured back home by an intriguing job offer: preparing an iguanodon for a very special dinner party.
Tiberius has received a cryptic message—along with the obituaries of two recently deceased members of his old group of friends, the Seven Sinners—that he too should get his affairs in order. Realizing he is in grave danger but not knowing why, he plans a reunion party for the remaining Sinners at his family estate to lure the killer out while Veronica and Stoker investigate.
As the guests arrive and settle in, the evening’s events turn deadly. More clues come to light, leading Veronica, Stoker, and Tiberius to uncover a shared past among the Sinners that has led to the fatal present. But the truth might be far more sinister than what they were prepared for.
#veronicaspeedwell #historicalmystery #deannaraybourn #asinisterrevenge #bookreviewswithteapairings #readthisandsteep
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