Lord John and the Hell-Fire Club

I put off reading the Lord John material for the longest time because I wasn't sure how Gabaldon would handle writing from a strictly eighteenth-century perspective, but I have to say she did well here. I was engrossed from the very beginning and could feel and see the setting clearly. I love John's character in the Outlander books. In my opinion, he's one of the most complex in the series, despite being a relatively minor (but important) character, so it's a pleasure to read from his perspective. Although this is short (practically a miracle on Gabaldon's part), I found the story to have just the right amount of action and intrigue.

I've seen other reviewers remark that they are unsure what the point of this story is. I have two show more answers to that. First, a story doesn't have to have a "point," other than being a tale to read. Second, I think it serves to introduce us to John as a protagonist. It alludes to the dangers he would face were his homosexuality to be revealed, and it gives us a glimpse into what his life is like after Ardsmuir. I'm definitely interested in continuing on with the rest of his books and novellas after reading this one. show less

John takes his life in his own hands trying to figure out the death of a recent acquaintance. The plot was a little "out there" for my tastes.

I really like Lord John Grey so I thought I would check out some of his spin-off stories. This is the first I've read and was pretty interesting, very mysterious. Also, his pining over Jamie is so easy to sympathize with.
3.5 stars

I really like Lord John Grey so I thought I would check out some of his spin-off stories. This is the first I've read and was pretty interesting, very mysterious. Also, his pining over Jamie is so easy to sympathize with.
3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this short story! But I'm very fond of Lord John as a character and can't wait to read the rest of his series (only in order now! I read this after The Private Matter).

This didn't feel entirely complete, and I'm not sure it can even be blamed on being so short. It wasn't bad writing for what it was though.

This was a nice quick listen - perfect for background noise while you are doing crafts or something - and it had sufficient scandal to keep my ear interested.