After eight idyllic months in the Mediterranean, Lady Julia Grey and her detective husband are ready to put their investigative talents to work once more. At the urging of Julia's eccentric family, they hurry to India to aid an old friend, the newly widowed Jane Cavendish. Living on the Cavendish tea plantation with the remnants of her husband's family, Jane is consumed with the impending birth of her child—and with discovering the truth about her husband's death. Was he murdered for his estate? And if he was, could Jane and her unborn child be next?
Amid the lush foothills of the Himalayas, dark deeds are buried and malicious thoughts flourish. The Brisbanes uncover secrets and scandal, illicit affairs and twisted legacies. In this remote and exotic place, exploration is perilous and discovery, deadly. The danger is palpable and, if they are not careful, Julia and Nicholas will not live to celebrate their first anniversary.
My Thoughts:
I came into this series with this book (which is #4) and at first was a little confused with all the characters and their relationships, but by about the 3rd chapter I was in the swing of things and could follow along quite nicely.
What impressed me the most about this novel was author Deanna Raybourne's gift for transporting her reader right into the midst of exotic India with her detailed descriptions. I also enjoyed her ability to mix romance with intrigue and suspense along with a generous dose of humor that kept this story moving along quite nicely.
I would recommend a first-time reader to go back and pick up the first three books in this series ("Silent In The Grave," "Silent In The Sanctuary," and "Silent On The Moors") in order to fully appreciate how far the characters have come, and the adventures they have undertaken before.
About the Author:
After many years of struggling to break into the romance novel market, native Texan Deanna Raybourn has finally struck gold by switching gears and writing a finely detailed, impressively authentic, and utterly mesmerizing historical mystery titled Silent in the Grave. Now that Raybourn has published her debut critically acclaimed novel, she ensures her new readership that there she has plenty more mystery in store for them. Check out her website at http://www.deannaraybourne.com/
My thanks to the publisher for this review copy. I was not compensated for my opinion.
Challenge Fulfillment:
100+ Books
Where Are You Reading?: - Darjeeling, India
Mystery/Suspense
