1880s London

Anastasia Hastings: Of Devotion and Death

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Dear Miss Hermoine #3

Of Devotion and Death, the third in Anatasia Hasting’s Dear Miss Hermione series set in 1880s London, finds main character Violet on the precipice of a big decision. She has been invited by her almost beau, Eli, for a scandalous Christmas in Venice. Violet is normally very levelheaded but Eli sends her into an emotional tailspin every time she sees him – and rarely do they get along when they are in the same room. Still, there is something irresistible enough about him to Violet that she hasn’t told her beloved sister, Sephora, or loyal retainer, Bunty, about the real reason she’s going to Venice. They all assume it’s about solving a mystery. read more

Jennifer Ashley: A Silence in Belgrave Square

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Below Stairs #8

I was entranced by book 7 in this series, Speculations in Sin, and am now a hard core fan.  If you are a fan of the late, great Victoria Thompson, this might also be the series for you.  Set in Victorian London, the main character, Kat Holloway, is a cook for a wealthy family.  While I have read many Victorian mysteries, this is the rare series that focuses on the servants rather than the aristocrats upstairs.  They are the minor characters, while the downstairs characters – cooks, maids, delivery men, urchin boys – are the main feature. read more