Book Description Review Praise for The Woman in the Veil:“Strong in character and plot, Rowland’s fourth Victorian mystery consistently appeals.”—Kirkus Reviews”Clever…Readers will enjoy Rowland’s original approach and realistic characters.”—Publishers Weekly”[The Woman in the Veil] should build interest in Rowland’s richly atmospheric Victorian mysteries.”—Booklist”Here’s hoping for more stories with these characters.”—Red Carpet Crash”Impressively elegant and well crafted…A compelling and compulsive page turner of a read from cover to cover.”—Midwest Book Review”An appealing trio of crime solvers…The author’s knowledge and understanding of the Victorian age are flawless as she brings this mystery to an exciting conclusion.”—Historical Novels Review Read more About the Author Laura Joh Rowland is the award-winning author of the samurai detective Sano Ichiro mystery series set in 17th century Japan, as well as a historical suspense series starring Charlotte Bronte. Her work has been published in 21 countries; nominated for the Anthony Award, the Hammett Prize, and the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award; won RT Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award; and been included in the Wall Street Journal’s list of the five best historical mystery novels. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan. She is a former aerospace scientist, a painter, and a cartoonist. She lives in New York City with her husband Marty. This is her fourth Victorian mystery. Read more Customers Review: The Victorian Mystery series is fascinating. I love the characters, and–as a writer of Steampunk–I love the details of life in the late 1800’s. Having finally been to Whitechapel last year, it is fun to try and imagine where Sarah and her friends are sleuthing. The story was complex, and the solution satisfying. Well worth a read. (I recommend reading them in order so you get to know the characters, but it isn’t essential.)
Action packed in the beginning, then it slows down, then action packed again! It’s all over the place……I finally just wanted the author to let us know who this mysterious woman truly was…..
The Woman in the Veil by Laura Joh Rowland is a compelling historical mystery with an intriguing storyline. This latest addition to the Victorian Mystery series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the previous installments as well.Sarah Bain, Lord Hugh Stanton and Mick O’Reilly are called to the scene where a woman has been left naked alongside the Thames River. Sarah is a photographer for the Daily World and she and her friends also investigate crimes for the newspaper. Sarah feels a bit of kinship for the victim and after photographing her, she makes a stunning discovery. Although gravely injured, she is still alive. Dubbed “Sleeping Beauty” by the World’s owner, Sir Gerald Mariner, Sarah, Hugh and Mick work alongside her fiancé, Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett to figure out Sleeping Beauty’s identity and hopefully catch her attacker.Sarah and Thomas appear to have worked through their issues but there is discord between them almost from the outset of the investigation. With three different people claiming Sleeping Beauty is part of their family, Sarah and Thomas put aside their differences as they continue working the case. As Sleeping Beauty settles in with the family she says she recognizes, Sarah continues searching for her missing father and Thomas turns his attention to his other cases.An out of the blue invitation brings Sarah, Hugh and Mick to the estate where Sleeping Beauty is ensconced with her family. Despite her initial certainty about the woman’s identity, Sarah is soon harboring doubts. Little inconsistencies are troubling, but she tries to set aside her misgivings. When someone turns up dead, the pressure is on Sarah, her friends and Thomas to learn the truth about Sleeping Beauty in order to unmask a killer. Sarah is soon in a race against time to catch the murderer since her nemesis and Barrett’s boss, Inspector Reid, would like nothing better than to arrest her for the murder.The Woman in the Veil is an engrossing mystery with an intriguing plot and engaging cast of colorful characters. Sarah continues to be an independent, strong woman but she tries to be more careful not to alienate Thomas. Hugh is caught in a painful situation with a loved one that could lead to future heartache. Thomas is moving up through the ranks but not everyone is happy about his promotion. The investigation surrounding Sleeping Beauty is even paced with Laura Joh Rowland keeping readers guessing right up until the novel’s exciting conclusion. An excellent addition to the Victorian Mystery series that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.I received a complimentary copy for review.
The genre of historical mysteries is one of my favorites and the Victorian series written by Laura Joh Rowland is at the top of my list. If you are new to this series, no worries, it works fine as a stand alone. This is the fourth in the series and the latest puzzle for Sarah Bain, Mick and Lord Hugh Staunton. The body of a woman has been found on the banks of the Themes, below a pub. When they arrive, people from the pub are milling around, gawking at her naked body as the tide starts to rise. Sarah sets up her camera knowing that time is of the essence – soon the river will wash away what little evidence the onlookers haven’t messed up. The woman will be almost impossible to identify as her face has been disfigured by a severe beating. Just as the body is about to be removed to the morgue, Sarah, while taking detailed photos, discovers that the poor woman is still alive. When they arrive at the hospital and the doctor has assessed her injuries, he says she won’t last long and Sarah decides to stay by her side, holding her hand. Surprisingly, the woman responds to Sarah by squeezing her hand and Sarah is even more determined to identify her and find out who wanted her dead.As they investigate on their own, Sarah’s fiance, Det. Sgt. Thomas Barrett is given the case. The powers that be on the police force want him to fail and his case load is enough to drown any other policeman. He only has one assistant and needs all the help he can get. Sarah, Mick and Hugh share more than living quarters, they share a talent for tracking down killers. When the newspaper they work for prints the details of the Jane Doe in hopes of identifying her, three possibilities emerge. When Jane Doe is able, she claims one of the identities but the three parties disagree and it remains a puzzle for them to solve.I enjoy the character of Sarah, a woman who lives outside the social norms. She is very strong and very intelligent, making her way through life as a very talented photographer. Her partners, fourteen year old Mick, a former street urchin and Hugh, a disgraced Lord, turfed out by his family for being homosexual, share a home and shock society no end. Each one of them is making their own way, society be darned. I really like that in a character. The Victorian setting is my favorite of the genre and when it’s a part of a very well written mystery with multiple threads going and well developed characters, it isn’t hard for me to bestow five stars on it. |
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