I enjoyed this mystery and intend to read the rest of the series. I found it a bit rambling, with some unnecessary scenes, but I was surprised at the end and did not guess the villain. I listened to it on audiobook. Also, I would not categorize it as a romance, though it does have romantic elements to it.

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2009/10/s... ( )

Not bad for a romance book. I actually cared about the characters, although some of them are a bit too stereotypical, especially Nicholas Brisbane who is your typical darkly mysterious, dangerous yet protective hunk. The character has potential, he deserved more subtlety.

I am always a little annoyed to see 20th/21st Century characters slapped on a historical background. Here there is some effort at historical consistency, but still, the casual way in which some subjects are discussed doesn't ring very true.

Despite these faults, an enjoyable read. ( )

"To say I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body isn't entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor." Quite possibly one of the greatest first lines ever. Lady Julia Grey sets out to solve the mysterious death of her husband, Edward. This book is smart, witty, and very well written. I figured out who the murderer was fairly early in the book, but I never guessed the reason. What a surprising twist! ( )

I usually pay attention to the book summaries and blurbs first. And then perhaps read other reviews to see whether or not I'd like the book. This time, I started reading the first chapter and promptly forgot about putting it down until I realized it was 1:00 AM and that I needed to get some sleep if I wanted to get to lab the next morning in some sort of coherent state.

When Julia Grey's husband Edward expires during a dinner party, it appears on the surface that the Grey's hereditary heart ailment has struck again. But the private inquiry agent that he has hired, the enigmatic Nicholas Brisbane, claims that Edward may have been murdered. Still unsettled by her newly widowed state, she denies such a thing could be possible and sends Brisbane away. It is only until one year after mourning, while cleaning out her deceased husband's desk, that she finds a threatening note indicating that Brisbane might have been right after all. She brings the note to Brisbane to enlist his help on finding her husband's murder. However, the more they delve into the mystery, the more Julia learns how little she knew about her husband and the people around her...(more)

For a first book, Deanna Raybourn has done an exceptional job. I love books set in Victorian times and have been a long time fan of Anne Perry and Elizabeth Peters. Raybourn's writing and her cast of characters have the potential to outdo both!

I'm running out to get book 2. ( )