Veronica Speedwell returns with her partner
Stoker to reverse the conviction of art
patron Miles Ramsforth for the brutal murder of his artist
mistress Artemisia. Much
is familiar in the second installment of this series: the plot concerns a royal
secret and Victorian sex. While the novelty of Victorian women discussing sexual
desires and practices while the men are coy and modest enlivened the first
novel, I found the second book to be repetitive.
The book plays on the Victorian (and
maybe the 21st century) stereotypes of women.
“Are you the rarest of birds, a lady
detective?”
“I am not. I am a lepidopterist by
trade.”
“What ho! An educated female. Now that
is an interesting creature.”
While the men have mistresses, few
have speaking roles. The women, however, rarely pass up a chance to discuss
their liaisons.
[Lady Wellie] looked about, clearly in
a nostalgic mood. … “Is there still a camp bed up in the snug? I misplaced my
virtue up there. Dashing fellow, he was a Scotsman, in full clan regalia. I do
like a kilt,” she added fondly.
While the first book had a key as an
important clue, this second book has two different keys as clues. Will there be
three keys in book 3?
A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna
Raybourn is a formulaic second novel in the series. If you loved the first, you’ll
like the second.
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