A Curious Beginning

Fun fun fun! I didn't want to put this down, and was sorry when it ended. Thankfully there are 4 more books in this series (so far). With a very likable heroine - Veronica Speedwell is independent, bold, fearless and clever - the novel begins in a small town outside of London in 1887. There is a mystery surrounding Veronica's birth (she was a foundling but receives a tantalizing clue from the Baron that there is information about her family to be told). Before she can learn more the Baron is murdered and she finds herself joining forces with Stoker, a reclusive natural historian who promised the Baron to protect her, as he believes she is also in danger. Their relationship sparks with wit and tension - and readers will be hoping for show more something more as well. Although this summary may sound trite, it is a freshly written novel, with a plot full of twists and turns. I highly recommend it for a fun read! show less

I had mixed feelings about this book. I didn't finish it. Thus I didn't give any stars.

First, though, the writing was good. Deanna Raybourn is obviously an experienced and accomplished novelist, and it shows in the confident style, dynamic characterizations, and momentum of the plot. There was a lot to enjoy.

What made this a do-not-finish for me was the protagonist. Veronica is an independent, opinionated, sexually-liberated female who abhors the concept of motherhood and marriage. If she inadvertently shocks the Victorian sensibilities of those around her, well, that's unfortunate. Not her problem.

I realize that Raybourn intends to characterize Veronica as a strong female. But Veronica's cool attitude toward others doesn't signify show more strength to me; it signals a lack of empathy. I can handle unsympathetic characters lacking in empathy. (Think Amy Dunne in Gone Girl. Total psychopath. Loved the book.) But the difference is that antiheroes aren't meant to be seen as heroes.

Here, I suspect that Veronica is meant to be seen as a positive, sympathetic character. But when she responds coolly to the news of the murder, I have a hard time seeing this cool attitude as strength of character. Granted, she barely knew the man. Still, she seems almost disdainful of others' reactions and it's not until later in the book that she expresses sympathy to someone for the loss of their friend.

The other thing I disliked about Veronica is how she objectifies the male body. She's constantly lusting after good-looking men or checking out their bodies. Okay, male characters (and real life men) do this. But feminists would decry this objectification of the female body, and rightly so. It's a huge problem.

So why is okay for a woman to do this? Why does it signal "sexual liberation" and "strength" rather than "oppression"? This is a double standard.

Again, if Veronica were meant to be seen as an antihero, then I wouldn't have a problem with it because her attitude would be portrayed as problematic. But she's not.

I got halfway through the novel and was so turned off by Veronica's attitude that I couldn't finish the book. Maybe she changes through the rest of the series. I hope so. There's a lot to like in Raybourn's writing. show less

Splendid late-Victorian romp introducing the indomitable Veronica Speedwell: adventuress, lepidopterist and reader of crime mysteries


In "A Curious Beginning", I've found, rather belatedly, given that book four came out in 2019, a series that I'm eager to read more of.

This came as a welcome surprise to me as I'm not normally a fan of light-hearted historical fiction. I tend to get distracted by small anachronisms and inaccuracies or lose interest in people and plots too shallow to be convincing. To my great pleasure, Deanna Raybourn's late-Victorian England stands up to my layman's scrutiny and she succeeds in sustaining a lightness of tone that is powered by strong characters and a twisty plot.

What really excited me about the book was show more its freshness. Sam Goldwyn is alleged to have said, "What we need now is some fresh clichés". Deanna Raybourn does a good job in providing them.

"A Curious Beginning" is a boys-own-adventure where the adventurer is a young woman with a self-confidence and a knowledge of the world that would make Holmes look shy and make Watson blush. This simple inversion, combined with a cute-meet involving taxidermy, a hero who provides eye-candy as well as competence and a few set pieces where our heroine bedazzles the soon-to-be-but-not-quite-yet hero with her knowledge, wit and sheet impertinence make this very entertaining.

I think Sam Goldwyn would have bought the film rights on the spot although I'd rather see it done by RKO with Howard Hughes directing.

Veronica Speedwell is a fiercely independent, widely travelled woman who makes her living capturing and selling exotic butterflies. She is a woman of strong passions and deep intellect with a talent for science, a hunger for adventure and firm rules about never taking Englishmen as lovers.

She is also, for reasons she does not yet understand, at the centre of a complex plot by shady characters who seek to abduct or kill her. The plot, when it is revealed, has the advantage of being truly bold in scope and (just about) plausible. The threats to her lead to her taking refuge with Stoker, an eccentric, irascible but pleasant to look at almost-hero who hides her first amongst the members of a circus/freakshow and then amongst the equally strange members of the English aristocracy.

The plot romps along, dispensing whit, banter, moments of (mostly repressed) sexual tension and bursts of physical conflict as it reveals itself.
Veronica Speedwell is the heart of this novel. Her spirit and wit power it.

She's impressive but also quite human. As well as being a serious scientist, she has a passion the fictional adventures of Arcadia Brown, Lady Detective and adopts Arcadia's habit of declaiming "Excelsior" when on the trail of the bad guys. I thought this was a wonderful idea that filled out Veronica's character, provided an in-joke for readers and made Stoker seem boorish (if still eye-catching) by his I-don't-read-low-fiction snobbish response.

I was deeply impressed by Raybourn's ability to sustain a playfully humorous tone while still developing her main characters into real(ish) people and unrolling the plot of the mystery at an effective pace. It's really quite masterful. The result was a refreshing and entertaining read, which I was much in need of.

I listened to the audiobook version and I thought Angèle Masters did an excellent job of bringing Veronica to life. Click on the SoundCloud link below to hear a sample.
https://soundcloud.com/audiolibrary-a/a-curious-beginning-by-deanna-raybourn-aud... show less

I totally loved this book, although I did get a bout of gout from overindulgence in rich, snarky dialog.

(1887 circa Queen Victoria’s Jubilee) Foundling and accomplished lepidopterist, now a Young Woman (YW), Veronica Speedwell, is left orphaned by her two loving spinster "aunts". When she returns from the funeral of the second deceased aunt, she finds a man has broken into the home and upon being discovered, attempts to abduct her. Other man (Baron Max von….) comes to the rescue and whisks her away to London where she is placed into the protective care of his friend, an indifferent, cantankerous (is that an oxymoron?) Young Man (aka Stoker né…..). Stoker is an ill-kempt show more taxidermist/(fallen)gentleman/explorer/scientist/surgeon/nobleman/naval officer/traveling circus performing knife thrower/murderer/....who owes a debt of service to Max. The latter charges Stoker with the protection of Veronica until he returns…Max is murdered, however, and the two (YM&YW) go on the lam (1) from possible threat on the life of Veronica and (2) from police/Scotland Yard hunting Stoker as the convenient person of interest in the murder of his friend Max. As the two endeavor to solve the murder and discover the true identity of Victoria's parentage - and why she is being pursued by several different factions - they get into plenty of trouble. Stoker’s mysterious past fascinates Veronica who mercilessly taunts and vexes him. Stoker, for his part, unsuccessfully attempts to reign over and control Veronica, whose tongue is as sharp as a serpent’s tooth, is an autodidact scientist, adventurous and liberated woman who enjoys her carnal pursuits (but only outside of England, so as not to sully her reputation – lol) – and pontificating on those conquests at many an opportunity. Veronica’s vast knowledge of butterflies, botany, geography and scientific exploration, together with her self-proclaimed expertise on human nature is showcased deftly by the author.

I could go on and on, but why spoil the fun? There is a lot of humor and wit in this book with a genuinely memorable and fully developed MC in Veronica. I LOVE her.

Incidentally, I Googled and Gutenberged Arcadia Brown, Lady Detective, Veronica’s beloved female detective novels and her inspiration, but I was disappointed to find that the author and her works are a fiction existing only within the context the Veronica Speedwell series…I later found an interview
with Raybourn published on the internet and learned that Arcadia was a figment of Raybourn’s imagination, fashioned after heroine’s of 19th century lady detective novels such as Amelia Butterworth (I am coincidentally currently reading The Affair Next Door featuring Butterworth), Violet Strange, and Loveday Brook.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️0.5/5
🌶 0/4

3-Part Review:

1) Writing

This book / series is set in the late 1800s / Victorian period in England and has a whip smart FMC. The writing really does that justice with both beautiful prose and incredibly snappy dialogue. It fits the tone of the book and has a wonderful pace to it.

2) Uniqueness of Story & Characters

Being in the Victorian era, the fact that our FMC is wholly independent and has a penchant for both international travel and bedding foreign men is shocking and delightful. She is the epitome of a modern feminist trapped in the 1800s... and yet it works. She manages to find ways to be taken seriously and buck all expectation to be a true version of herself. It's not something we usually show more see in historical fiction to this degree and I loved the newness of this take. Not to mention our MMC might be a big grumpy.... but he's a man able to see a woman as an equal and a partner, and that is a beautiful thing.

3) Overall Plot and Execution

This book is a proper period murder mystery combined with great character chemistry and witty banter. I have a feeling this is going to be a very slow burn in the romance department, but the fast pace and delightful number of twists and turns really captures the imagination and keeps the reader invested in what I hope unfolds into an epic tale. This is only the first in a many part series and I'm excited to dive into the later books to see how the story progresses. show less

This is the delicious start to a wonderfully adventurous series of historical fiction and mystery.

Protagonist Veronica Speedwell, orphaned as an infant, had been placed in the foster care of two sisters - "aunts" unrelated to her. The story begins with the burial of her last remaining "Aunt Nell", freeing her to whims and expeditionary adventures of life as a lepidopterist (butterfly specialist). No sooner does she return to the aunt's cottage following the funeral to discover someone rifling through her aunt's belongings after which she is soon abducted. A nearby gentleman thwarts the abduction and implores her to leave immediately with him as her life is in great danger. He, Baron von Stauffenbach, apparently knows lots more about show more her than he lets on, but it is not his story to tell. He states that all will be revealed in due course. He then entrusts her to the care of Mr. Stoker, an expeditioner cum taxidermist. The Baron reminds Stoker of a debt yet not paid and instructs him to protect her with his own life, at all cost. The irascible Mr, Stoker, although feeling quite put out, honors the Baron's directive and somewhat begrudgingly, assumes his duty. This, of course, is totally unacceptable to the free-spirited and fiercely independent Miss Speedwell who has other plans to pursue. That is until shortly thereafter, when the Baron is found murdered.

Stoker, sensing that somehow Miss Speedwell, is the reason for the murder, dictates that they are to leave immediately for her own safety, if in fact her life is in peril as the Baron had intimated. From this point on, let the adventure and sleuthing commence.

Author Deanna Raybourn has delivered a wonderful story with rich dialogue and complex characters. Her character development is exquisite as the reader peels away their protective shells one layer at a time. As we soon discover, Miss Speedwell and Mr. Stoker are more alike in so many ways. It's a joy to grasp this as they discover it in each other. The sparring banter between Speedwell and Stoker, with no holds barred, is a gift in and of itself. The literary references are poignant and divulge characters of greater depth and knowledge than one might expect.

This reader is hooked and is so looking forward to the next book in the series, "A Perilous Undertaking". If historical fiction, with a touch of mystery, replete with clever characters, and cheeky wit appeal then this is definitely a book for you. show less

A Curious Beginning is a witty Victorian mystery that introduces Veronica Speedwell, a thoroughly modern lepidopterist who finds herself caught up in an unexpected adventure after her aunt's funeral. She meets a mysterious German baron who convinces her to accompany him to London. He introduces her to the ill-tempered but brilliant natural historian Stoker. The two become reluctant partners in trying to solve a murder mystery.

As a female scientist in Victorian England (1887), Veronica defies the conventions of her time. Unfortunately, the author magnifies the “independent woman” theme to such an extreme degree that I found her unbelievable. She seems more like a modern woman dropped into Victorian times. I enjoyed the dynamic show more between Veronica and Stoker, which includes plenty of clever banter. I particularly appreciated the gradual development in their relationship, as they transition from strangers to colleagues.

The first half of the book focuses on establishing characters and setting, and the mystery is slow in ramping up. The novel's resolution seems rather silly to me, but I rarely read cozy mysteries so perhaps it is to be expected. I enjoyed the setting and attention to historical details. It is entertaining and lays the groundwork for future books. I am on the fence about continuing further into the series. Right now, I’m thinking probably not. show less