Gillian Linscott

May 1841 Liberty Lane and her husband, while cruising around the island of Cephalonia, meet Matthew Vickery and a blind young man called George, who Vickery claims to be the son of Lord Byron.
On arriving back in England, Vickery employs Liberty to found a woman calling herself Helena, who claims to be George's mother. The investigation becomes more serious when a body is found.
This is the first of the series that I have read and I found that it wasn't necessary to read the previous books.
An enjoyable and interesting mystery with a group of well-developed and rounded characters.
A NetGalley Book… (more)

Review is based on an ARC.

I love a good mystery; even more, I love a good story. Caro Peacock's A Dangerous Affair is both. As with all good mysteries, the story starts further than halfway along the series of events to get the reader hooked. While the method is sound, the hook in this case is a little weak. The characters mean nothing to the reader as of yet, and we have a hard time caring how they feel about each other and what they think about the events. Fortunately, the story moves along quickly and you need not spend much time fretting about the first few pages. I was quickly drawn into the murder of one of "London's most beautiful dancers" and the whodunit aspect of the story. As time rapidly diminishes, the characters are thrown into a whirlwind of activities, accusations, and discovery of information, speeding toward their hope for justice.

Tracking a victorian music teacher through her investigatory adventures in a mere 300 pages, the reader is confronted with an intriguing political figure, a trashy dancer and her meek, sweet, perfect competition, a country boy with a heart of gold and an ear for all the town's gossip, a childish man of stature, and a surprising variety of other actors, most of whom the reader feels some connection to. I found myself engaged and moved by almost all of the characters, though, surprisingly, not the main two. I felt that the actions and emotions of Ms. Lane and her best friend Daniel necessary to the story, but I was not at all moved by their plight on a deeper level. Rather, I found myself drawn to Mr. Disraeli (incidentally, based upon a real historical figure), Amos Legge, and even Kennedy as the real heart and soul of the story.

I flew through the pages even while surrounded by conversations, and I insisted on finishing the novel once I arrived at work, resigning myself to later hours worked so I could learn all that Peacock could tell me!

Highly recommend to anyone with a taste for mystery. I also note that, while the novel is set in victorian times, it is not weighed down with victorian details.… (more)