This series is excellent. Book 3 takes place on the Moors and has Lady Jane Grey following Brisbane to his new home. She can't leave the secrets alone but I was disgusted with him because he knew answers and didn't tell her, letting her get into trouble. Each time she was ready to give up on him and leave, something happens that has her taking care of him again. In spite of being disgusted with him, I couldn't put the book down. ( )

A little bleaker than the previous novels in the series, though the ending more than makes up for it.

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2009/11/s... ( )

Review from Badelynge.
Raybourn's books are very easy to read. She can write a bit but doesn't really succeed at doing more than providing anything more substantial than a bit of light entertainment. This is the third book in the series. I was hopeful that she could pull off some good evocations of what it is like to live on a moor. I live on the edge of a Lancastrian moor myself, so I know there is a wealth of natural beauty and wildlife available to use to colour the narrative. Unfortunately our Lady Julia's eye only manages to see the people that live on the moor, the only wildlife are the pets and the 6 sheep that are alluded to though never seen. Other than it being wet, grassy, with the odd crag or bog, the moor has to make do with turning silvery in moonlight for its descriptive wiles. The characters are amusing, though there seems to be less and less wit as this series progresses and Brisbane has entirely become a caricature, a Heathcliff shaped silhouette for Lady Julia to play with. As detectives both characters are terribly inept, their modus operandi seems to mainly involve them pottering about waiting for the answers to come to them. In the gaps between pottering they mainly argue and pretend they aren't madly in love with one another. The only real mystery in this book is how on earth Deanna Raybourn manages to get through the entire writing process without using the word 'décolletage' once. My guess is there is a previous draft copy somewhere with the word scribbled out 137 times with an editorial footnote reminding the author of the chilliness of Yorkshire moors. The weirdest thing of all though is that I keep reading them. ( )

Silent on the Moor is third in the Lady Julia Grey Victorian mystery series by Deanna Raybourn.

In this third installment, we have Julia following the handsome private investigator, Nicholas Brisbane, to the moors of Yorkshire. Julia first met Brisbane after her husband was murdered in the first book, Silent in the Grave. Julia comes from wealth, a large eccentric family. Brisbane is half Gypsy, half English. But Julia does not care about propriety and has followed Brisbane on the pretense of keeping her sister Portia company, while Portia sets up household for Brisbane at Grimsgrave Hall, the manor that he has recently purchased. Brisbane does not think he is good enough for the young widow, Lady Julia, and tries to drive her away. But she is determined to settle things between them once and for all. But first she has to solve the mystery of the hidden mummy babies, and the attempted murder by poison of Nicholas. The Allenby's are the former owners of Grimsgrave Hall and the mother and her two daughters are still living there while a cottage is being prepared for them. They had to sell the manor after the son squandered the family money before his death from malaria. Julia discovers Brisbane's ties to the family and the reason he has bought this rundown manor and the plans they have for him.

I love the Lady Julia series. The more recent book covers portray these books as bodice ripper romances. But they are not, they are well-written mysteries with complex plots and fascinating characters. Of course, the chemistry between Julia and Brisbane doesn't hurt either. Julia is very stubborn and headstrong and ignores Brisbane's warnings of danger and is often involved in scandalous behavior. And though he is loathe to admit it, he needs her help.

This is a perfect read to snuggle up with on a cold night. Though these books could be read as stand alone, I really recommend starting at the beginning to really get the history and flavor of the series. You don't want to miss any of these books.

They only downside is that this is the last book until Raybourn writes another, which I hope will be soon. I look forward to more adventures of Nicholas and Lady Julia! ( )

Perfect for : Personal reading, book club read (the book does have discussion questions)

In a nutshell: I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down! This is the third book in the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries, and it may just be my favorite of the three! This book finds Lady Julia and her sister Portia (accompanied by Valerius, one of their brothers) travelling to Nicholas Brisbane's newly acquired estate in Yorkshire. Once there, mystery surrounds the Allenby family who still resides at the estate, and Julia feels that she must stay and help Nicholas get to the bottom of things. The book is wonderfully laced with mystery, and the romance between Julia and Nicholas is the perfect offset to everything sinister! We learn new snippets about Julia's family, as well as Nicholas' family and more about his life in general.

Extended Review: I cannot speak highly enough of this book. I was a little worried that I would be disappointed. I loved the first book, which introduced us to all the main characters, and gave us just a hint of Nicholas Brisbane's past. Then the second book came along, and the first half gave us a brief respite from Brisbane (whom I missed terribly, and felt his absence left a sour note in my mind) while we were introduced to new characters and places. He resurfaces in the second half of the book, when the fascinating play between his relationship and Julia's (and more mysteries) returns! The third book finds Lady Julia and Brisbane working together again (to my great relief!).

In this book, Brisbane has obtained an impoverished estate located on the moors of Yorkshire, along with the surviving Allenby family members. When Lady Julia and her sister Portia arrive to help him organize the household (accompanied by their brother Valerius), they find a run-down estate, a collection of Egyptian artifacts, and they come to realize that Brisbane is linked to the family in some mysterious way.

Along the way, Julia meets Mrs. Butters, who runs the kitchens and the Allenby household. She also meets Rosalie, a gypsy woman who lives in a cottage within the Grimsgrave property. Rosalie has healing talents that come in handy more than once throughout the story, as well as compassion and friendship for Julia.

Characters: Very well-written. We learn a lot more about all of the main characters, and the fun is in learning bits and pieces and trying to put them together as you read!

Story-Line: A wonderful story laced with the perfect mixture of mystery, danger and romance!

Readability: A very enjoyable read. I really liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, which gave just a hint of what was to come!

Overall: A great page-turner filled with mystery and romance. ( )