An overly ambitious plot and two-dimensional characters populate this second entry in a historical series (after Lady of Ashes) featuring Violet Harper, Victorian lady undertaker. The family of deceased diplomat Lord Raybourn want him buried, but Queen Victoria has her own reasons to keep him above ground and calls on Violet to accomplish this task. Violet embalms the body, assuages the family, and is drawn into investigating additional murders, a body snatching, and a faked death. Diplomatic secrets, blackmail, and bigamy intertwine around a murdered housekeeper, a rakish prince, a butterfly enthusiast, and other odd characters. Lord Raybourn's family members exhibit a multitude of personality flaws, while Scotland Yard detectives are comically inept. Not only does the author describe all things Victorian in excessive detail, but she shoehorns in the building of the Suez Canal, the birth of the Salvation Army, and the invention of dynamite. Altogether, it's overkill for recreational reading. VERDICT This title may have some appeal for Victoriana fans and those who liked the first book, although the resolution leaves some questions unanswered. Including this much detail on Victorian life borders on the pedantic.—Sally Bickley, Del Mar Coll. Lib., Corpus Christi, TX
Stolen Remains (Lady of Ashes Series #2)
eBook
-
ISBN-13:
9780758293251
- Publisher: Kensington
- Publication date: 04/29/2014
- Series: Fairy Tales for Adults #13 , #2
- Sold by: Penguin Random House Publisher Services
- Format: eBook
- Pages: 304
- Sales rank: 21,816
- File size: 1 MB
Available on NOOK devices and apps
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After establishing her reputation as one of London's most highly regarded undertakers, Violet Harper decided to take her practice to the wilds of the American West. But when her mother falls ill, Violet and her husband Samuel are summoned back to England, where her skills are as sought-after as ever. She's honored to undertake the funeral of Anthony Fairmont, the Viscount Raybourn, a close friend of Queen Victoria's who died in suspicious circumstances--but it's difficult to perform her services when his body disappears. . .
As the viscount's undertaker, all eyes are on Violet as the Fairmonts and Scotland Yard begin the search for his earthly remains. Forced to exhume her latent talents as a sleuth to preserve her good name, Violet's own investigation takes her from servants' quarters, to the halls of Windsor Castle, to the tombs of ancient Egypt--and the Fairmont family's secrets quickly begin to unravel like a mummy's wrappings. But the closer Violet gets to the truth, the closer she gets to becoming the next missing body. . .
Wrought with both heartfelt bravery and breathtaking suspense, Stolen Remains is a captivating tale of death and deception set against the indelible backdrop of Victorian London.
Praise for Lady of Ashes
"Rich with historical incidents and details." --Publishers Weekly
"A book you can sink your teeth into, with characters you'll fall in love with." --Mystery Scene Magazine
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An overly ambitious plot and two-dimensional characters populate this second entry in a historical series (after Lady of Ashes) featuring Violet Harper, Victorian lady undertaker. The family of deceased diplomat Lord Raybourn want him buried, but Queen Victoria has her own reasons to keep him above ground and calls on Violet to accomplish this task. Violet embalms the body, assuages the family, and is drawn into investigating additional murders, a body snatching, and a faked death. Diplomatic secrets, blackmail, and bigamy intertwine around a murdered housekeeper, a rakish prince, a butterfly enthusiast, and other odd characters. Lord Raybourn's family members exhibit a multitude of personality flaws, while Scotland Yard detectives are comically inept. Not only does the author describe all things Victorian in excessive detail, but she shoehorns in the building of the Suez Canal, the birth of the Salvation Army, and the invention of dynamite. Altogether, it's overkill for recreational reading. VERDICT This title may have some appeal for Victoriana fans and those who liked the first book, although the resolution leaves some questions unanswered. Including this much detail on Victorian life borders on the pedantic.—Sally Bickley, Del Mar Coll. Lib., Corpus Christi, TX
Set in 1869, Trent’s solid sequel to 2013’s Lady of Ashes takes undertaker Violet Harper from her new American home back to England. Anthony Fairmont, Lord Raybourn, apparently commits suicide just hours after returning from a journey to Egypt. Raybourn’s role in the multinational negotiations surrounding the Suez Canal makes his mysterious demise a sensitive matter. Queen Victoria, who remembers how helpful Violet was at Prince Albert’s funeral, commands the undertaker to see to the dead peer’s body and discreetly glean what information she can. As if preserving the corpse until the facts are clear isn’t challenge enough, Violet discovers that Raybourn’s family is a nest of animosity and intrigue. When Raybourn’s housekeeper and secret fiancée, Harriet Peet, is found hanged and his own body disappears, Violet must unravel a complex puzzle with serious implications for the British Crown. The mystery’s resolution feels somewhat forced, but Violet remains an engaging guide with an unusual perspective on Victorian society. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (May)