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I came late to Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, but I’ve been ripping through the series. I caught up just in time to get my hands on A Sinister Revenge, out Tuesday from Berkley. All series have an ebb and flow, you have your favorites, you have your not so favorites. And I gotta tell ya, I like where Veronica is in A Sinister Revenge.
While there’s been some distance between Veronica and her partner Stoker, the two are pulled into another investigation when Stoker’s flirty brother Tiberius decides to host a late summer house party in honor of the Seven Sinners. The group of friends haven’t seen each other since the death of one of their brothers-in-arms Lorenzo d’Ambroglio. In the interim, two other members have been murdered and the rest may be targeted.
I love a house party, whether it’s in romance or mystery, because it forces together a group of characters who may or may not know each other so well. In this case, it brings Veronica and Stoker back together, gives us a chance to get to know Stoker’s brother Merryweather a little bit better, and introduces several new characters. And as house party murder mysteries go, this one is pretty fun. I mean, who wouldn’t want to dine inside a restored iguanodon?
Eight books in, A Sinister Revenge is a high point in the series. And we’re seeing Veronica and Stoker’s adventures still have legs. What’s great is we’re also finally seeing some real growth on Veronica’s part. She’s so used to calling the shots and making her way on her own that she’s been unable (nay, perhaps at times unwilling) to meet Stoker (and everyone else) on their terms. But it seems she’s had some realizations about that and about what it means to be a friend.
A Sinister Revenge can be read standalone, but does make references to previous adventures, so you’re better off if you’ve come along for the ride from book one. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, but if you’re loving Miss Scarlet and the Duke on PBS, this is a series you should definitely be reading.
If you’re in the DMV, the launch event for A Sinister Revenge is this Saturday, March 11 at Sam Miller’s Restaurant in Richmond, VA. Signed copies are also available from Fountain Bookstore.
For my mini insights into the other books in the series, check out 4 Book Series to Check Out If You Love Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Get A Sinister Revenge from The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Apple Books
