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A Crimson Warning: A Novel of Suspense (Lady Emily #6)

by Tasha Alexander (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 1,467 ratings · 187 reviews

Secrets prove deadly in this new novel from Tasha Alexander featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves. Some very prominent people in London are waking up to find their doorsteps smeared with red paint, the precursor to the revelation of a dark secret – and worse – by someone who enjoys destroying lives

Newly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking forward

...more

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Published October 25th 2011 by St. Martin's Press

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Dec 01, 2011 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

2.5 stars
Somewhat ho and hum. I enjoy the setting for these books, the Victorian age; England and Europe, and I enjoy the voice of Emily; she sounds very like a Victorian lady. I just wish it all added up to more and something not quite so dull. I wish that I liked it more and wanted to continue on with Emily's story. I don't believe that I will unless the next book turns around.
I had to keep pushing myself to finish this one and I'm not sure why. I think the mystery simply didn't involve me. I...more 2.5 stars
Somewhat ho and hum. I enjoy the setting for these books, the Victorian age; England and Europe, and I enjoy the voice of Emily; she sounds very like a Victorian lady. I just wish it all added up to more and something not quite so dull. I wish that I liked it more and wanted to continue on with Emily's story. I don't believe that I will unless the next book turns around.
I had to keep pushing myself to finish this one and I'm not sure why. I think the mystery simply didn't involve me. I never really cared about the people being targeted or even murdered (although I, of course, always care when anyone gets murdered.) Perhaps that's because the first murder is of a person we've never been shown and didn't know, the second person only in glimpses. It's hard to feel pulled in when the characters aren't ones that you're actually interested in.
All the side notes from Ivy were a distraction which didn't add up to much. I think they were there to try to shove in some additional tension. For me, personally, this didn't work very well.
The mystery was all but impossible to follow. I never did understand the clues. It seemed odd to me that they found coded messages in books that led them to objects in the museum which led them to books in the library that led them to objects. It seemed very convoluted and, well, too much. It seemed to say "look how smart I am to write this with Shakespearean quotations and knowledge of historical objects and nertz to you if you aren't lucky enough to be as smart as me!"
The whole book seemed like we're off to the museum and then off to the library and then off to Mrs. Whoever and then to Miss So-and-so and then back to the library where the clue will lead us to the museum(quick stop at home for some bedroom action), pause for tea with Ivy and Jeremy, riding or walking in the park, back to the library, Scotland Yard, repeat ad infinitum.
And finally, the mystery of Emily and Colin's red painted house is glossed over with Emily thinking that she simply doesn't care what Colin might have done. Really?
Reputations have been ruined and lives destroyed by the exposing of secrets and lies, but I guess since they've put a stop to that, then his secrets no longer matter. I find my suspension of disbelief stretched pretty much to the breaking point. Emily is very moral, very much opinionated on personal integrity and she doesn't care? Balderdash. Of course she would care!
What I originally found so appealing about this series was the push and pull between what Emily wants and how family life would constrain her wants. What I wanted to see is how she was going to balance her desire to help with the investigations and her life as a woman of her time. I feel short-changed in that I guess Emily was conveniently injured in a way that precludes children. Don't get me wrong, I don't think every woman needs to be a mother or should be, but that question of how she was going to have it all is what intrigued me about her life. Now, she seems to be nothing but Colin's detective partner who occasionally also partners in enthusiastic romps between the sheets. Their life together feels stagnant, that it isn't moving forward in any way. Not sure if I'll read any more in this series.(less)

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Oct 15, 2011 Alisha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

I received this book as an Advanced Reading Copy through a Goodreads giveaway!
I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a fast, exciting, fun read. I like the characters even better than when I read the first book in the series. There is some fine humor and witty repartee. The author has done her research quite well. I love that the heroine is so entranced by her scholarly pursuits: museums, history, art, language, literature. Those things make the book fun and intelligent. The mystery was v...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paperback, historical-mystery-suspense

I was given this book for free in order to review it. This is the first book by this author I have read and this is #6 in the series. I absolutely loved this book. It is everything that historical fiction combined with mystery should be. The characters are extremely well done and the mystery was complicated enough to be interesting and difficult to solve. The historical setting of Victorian England was also extremely well described. I loved the interaction between Lady Emily and her husband Coli...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Suspense Magazine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lady Emily Hargreaves has returned to London expecting to enjoy the season. Balls, dancing with her husband, museums, and happiness are what she wants, but a dead body and vandalism are what she is faced with. A businessman is murdered and the vandal is leaving red paint on the houses of London’s elite. After the red paint is discovered, a crushing secret is revealed.
She and Colin, her husband and an investigator for the crown, investigate while the whole of London’s elite hold their breath wait...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Jacqie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lady Emily is back in London with her dashing husband Colin, her friend Ivy, and her irascible mother. Her friend Jeremy Bainbridge also plays a larger role than usual in solving the mystery.

There are really two things going on: a merchant is murdered in his warehouse, and someone is spreading red paint on the doorsteps of anyone in London's high society who has a scandal to hide.

Emily and her husband have learned to work together, although he still keeps more secrets than she (or I) like. One...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery

Scandal, murder, and mass hysteria among Victorian London's upper crust! Who better to sort it all out than Lady Emily?

Lady Emily returns to her native London after spending the last two books in Turkey (Tears of Pearl) and France (Dangerous to Know). The scene is a blazingly hot summer Season, and the feathers of the elite are being ruffled by a series of scandals being brought to light by a splash of red paint across the doorsteps of the perpetrators. Was it just a coincidence that a factory o...more Scandal, murder, and mass hysteria among Victorian London's upper crust! Who better to sort it all out than Lady Emily?

Lady Emily returns to her native London after spending the last two books in Turkey (Tears of Pearl) and France (Dangerous to Know). The scene is a blazingly hot summer Season, and the feathers of the elite are being ruffled by a series of scandals being brought to light by a splash of red paint across the doorsteps of the perpetrators. Was it just a coincidence that a factory owner who was murdered had red paint splashed on his step right before he met his untimely end? While Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves work to uncover the identity of who's behind it all, even more wealthy families are waking up to discover they've been marked with red paint. It seems that no one's secret is safe, and everyone is on edge wondering if or when theirs will be the next reputation ruined.

Back on the scene are Lady Emily's best friend Ivy Brandon and lovable rogue Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge. I really think these two characters are what made this story more enjoyable to me in comparison to Ms. Alexander's last two novels, both of which took place abroad and among mostly new characters. Jeremy in particular provided a wealth of comic relief, and even a little hint at romantic angst (exemplified by an extremely memorable whiskey tasting, thank you for including that little gem, Ms. Alexander!). It was also a relief to find that Lady Emily and Colin were on better terms than they had been the past two books, when they were both coming to grips with how the balance of power would work in their marriage. While Colin still doesn't approve of Lady Emily putting herself in danger, he has come to respect her as a detective with skills to rival his own.

This is the best Lady Emily mystery since A Fatal Waltz. The mystery was well thought-out and the conclusion was both surprising and satisfying. The writing was very natural, the settings lush and exciting. Even though we've already seen Lady Emily's London before, Ms. Alexander always finds some new aspect to bring to life, and she always knows just which characters to add to the mix, what element of historical fact to incorporate with the fiction. This book was layered with historical detail, realistic emotion, and good storytelling. I can't wait for the next book in the series!(less)

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Nov 06, 2011 Linda Baker rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had almost given up on this series after the last two, but I am really glad I decided to give it one last try with A Crimson Warning. Lady Emily is back on her own turf in London society, and back to being her clever, feisty, reckless self. The books set in Constantinople and in France just didn't work for me.

Crimson paint is being splashed on the houses of some of London's wealthiest and most influential citizens, followed quickly by exposure of a scandal in their lives. Even though a man who...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Deena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bosler, historical-fiction, mystery

3.5

I really enjoyed this - but not quite to the extent of 4 stars.

One thing that bothered me was that Mrs. Hargreaves' journal entries, in the last title, served the story well. I enjoyed watching her adjust her opinion of Emily. In this title, however, Ivy's entries are just in the way. Yes, they result in something that is indirectly tied to the main plot, but they interupt the flow of the story and add nothing of substance.

Another annoyance was a matter of continuity: in several places, Emil...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Barb rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Disclaimer first: I received this book as a free giveaway on this site. It isn't my typical reading material. Lately I've been reading more in the romance genre. But this book has reminded me how good the historical/romance/mystery genre can be.

This author seems to have really done her research regarding the time period the book is set in. It takes place in 1893 London. A mystery set among the "ton" of high society. In a time when image was everything, and even the rumor of improper behavior co...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-thriller-goodies

Lady Emily and her dashing husband Colin are now back in London and trying to enjoy the social Season. Alas, someone is determined to stir things up by splashing red paint on the front steps of several prominent families. Why? To bring to light unsavory secrets in the past of someone in the family. As more houses are painted, and secrets reveals, the tension mounts--who will be next?
Even worse, a young man has been murdered--with repercussions to the higher levels of the British government and h...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Kai rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This is the first book of the Emily Heargreaves' series, I have read. I can tell you, I'm missing alot for not reading the first five books of the series. A Crimson Warning draws the readers into the story. The story started out with the notion that something terrible has happened to someone. This is enough to keep the readers captivated. The story not only, have murder as the main crime, it also has another subplot to it with the red paint being splashed at the London's elite class and the scan...more

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Feb 08, 2012 MAP rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, mystery

3.5 stars for the story, an extra .5 stars because I couldn't put it down.

After the last Lady Emily Book, which frankly bordered on the bizarre and unrealistic, I was a little nervous about this one. However, this one was back up to the old standards. Whew!

As always with Lady Emily, the weakness lies in discovering the villain. Just look for the person who seems superfluous to the plot and Ta Da! Villain. As always with Lady Emily, the strength lies in not caring that you've already figured out...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Eddie Mullins rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I won A Crimson Warning in a goodreads ARC giveaway.

*Secrets prove deadly in this new novel from Tasha Alexander featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves. Some very prominent people in London are waking up to find their doorsteps smeared with red paint, the precursor to the revelation of a dark secret – and worse – by someone who enjoys destroying lives.

Newly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking forward to enjoying the delights of the season. The delights, that is, as define...more I won A Crimson Warning in a goodreads ARC giveaway.

*Secrets prove deadly in this new novel from Tasha Alexander featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves. Some very prominent people in London are waking up to find their doorsteps smeared with red paint, the precursor to the revelation of a dark secret – and worse – by someone who enjoys destroying lives.

Newly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking forward to enjoying the delights of the season. The delights, that is, as defined by her own eccentricities—reading The Aeneid, waltzing with her dashing husband, and joining the Women’s Liberal Federation in the early stages of its campaign to win the vote for women.

But an audacious vandal disturbs the peace in the capital city, splashing red paint on the neat edifices of the homes of London’s elite. This mark, impossible to hide, presages the revelation of scandalous secrets, driving the hapless victims into disgrace, despair and even death.

Soon, all of London high society is living in fear of learning who will be the next target, and Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, favorite agent of the crown, must uncover the identity and reveal the motives of the twisted mind behind it all before another innocent life is lost.*

I enjoyed the book. I wasn't too sure how much I would like it when I first started it, being that it is a Lady Emily #6, I didn't know if it would make a difference that I hadn't read the previous 5. Luckily for me, it didn't matter. The writing style was good, and I like a good mystery, esp one that kept me guessing and wondering who the culprit was. I didn't find it to be predictable, like a lot of other mysteries are, and this one held my attention through out the whole book. The one thing I found a bit weird was how the friend, Ivy Brandon, kept having journal entries. It came out later on in the book what her situation was, but they weren't really needed so much. All in all though, I gave this book 3 stars because I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. (less)

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Sep 26, 2011 Elizabeth - Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads-read, non-rom-read

***I received this ARC through a giveaway here on Goodreads.***

A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander (6th in series)

- The Synopsis -

Secrets prove deadly in this new novel from Tasha Alexander featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves. Some very prominent people in London are waking up to find their doorsteps smeared with red paint, the precursor to the revelation of a dark secret – and worse – by someone who enjoys destroying lives.

Newly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking f...more ***I received this ARC through a giveaway here on Goodreads.***

A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander (6th in series)

- The Synopsis -

Secrets prove deadly in this new novel from Tasha Alexander featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves. Some very prominent people in London are waking up to find their doorsteps smeared with red paint, the precursor to the revelation of a dark secret – and worse – by someone who enjoys destroying lives.

Newly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking forward to enjoying the delights of the season. The delights, that is, as defined by her own eccentricities—reading The Aeneid, waltzing with her dashing husband, and joining the Women’s Liberal Federation in the early stages of its campaign to win the vote for women.

But an audacious vandal disturbs the peace in the capital city, splashing red paint on the neat edifices of the homes of London’s elite. This mark, impossible to hide, presages the revelation of scandalous secrets, driving the hapless victims into disgrace, despair and even death.

Soon, all of London high society is living in fear of learning who will be the next target, and Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, favorite agent of the crown, must uncover the identity and reveal the motives of the twisted mind behind it all before another innocent life is lost.

- My Review -

As indicated, I won this book through a giveaway here on the site. It is not my typical read, as I don't have a lot of patience for straight mysteries. However, I enjoy history a great deal, and thought this time period, England in the late 1800s, would make for an interesting read.

The time period does prove interesting, and is my main draw here. The story, as a whole, is very well-written. The characters are fully developed, and for those who enjoy a good mystery, so is the suspense.

For fans of this genre, this series is really a no-brainer. If you enjoy a lovely historical setting with your mystery, or haven't tried the like before, give this series a try. I very much doubt you'll find yourself disappointed.(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-library

More and more I'm enjoying Collin Hargreaves and his attitude toward women's equality, marriage and his beloved, Emily. He's enthralled with her cleverness and trusts her to help solve facets of cases he takes on at the behest of "the Crown" or corpses that fall into their lap. There's more in this one about social stigmas real and imagined with red paint being thrown onto the facades of prominent houses with the promise that scandal will follow.

It does in several cases that in one instance lead...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Meaghan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

The latest book by Tasha Alexander was another complete success. Although it didn't hold as much suspense as some of her previous books, I felt that it was still very well written. The character of Lady Emily grows in proportion with the series and this book finds her at something of a balance. I liked how Tasha Alexander added in a bit more about Emily's friend Ivy, who although present throughout the series has been mostly a foil to Emily, being rather content with being the obedient, dependen...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Jackie Podolski rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn't as impressed with A Crimson Warning as I have been with the previous Lady Emily mysteries. I was attracted to the series because Emily was so well written as a young woman who challenged the acceptable boundaries of being a woman in Victorian society. Her relationship with her mother, with her 1st husband (who we never met yet there was a well-developed relationship by the end of the book), with Colin, and with Ivy and Jeremy, were believable, interesting, and dynamic until A Crimson Wa...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreads-giveaways, 2011

I haven't received the book yet, just received notice I had won. 9/15/11
Received my copy last night, love when they come quickly, will start after my current read. 9/21/11
Started today during lunch. 9/27/11
Finished Friday 9/30/11.

Lady Emily's husband works for the Queen and Scotland Yard. Handy as she seems to get involved in investigations not becoming to a woman in her position. Luckily her husband is as forward thinking as she is and together they investigate the latest crime wave. It starts...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-suspense, historical-fiction, victorian-england

Emily and Colin returned in this, their sixth outing together as the crime-solving duo of Victorian England. I loved the concept of an anonymous baddie painting the front doors of London's elite with red paint to announce countdowns to scandalous revelations, ending the careers or lives of society's most respectable scions. Murder, abduction, tension and shame are on the menu in this addition to the series, and Emily has to assist her agent husband as they struggle to uncover the spiteful crimin...more Emily and Colin returned in this, their sixth outing together as the crime-solving duo of Victorian England. I loved the concept of an anonymous baddie painting the front doors of London's elite with red paint to announce countdowns to scandalous revelations, ending the careers or lives of society's most respectable scions. Murder, abduction, tension and shame are on the menu in this addition to the series, and Emily has to assist her agent husband as they struggle to uncover the spiteful criminal's identity.

While the story had great possibility, I just couldn't really get into it for about 130 pages or so. It began with a lot of Emily's personal rebellion against the feminine restrictions of society and such, which is character-building, but seemed more of a distracting tangent. Even once it did get into the meat of the plot there wasn't a high level of excitement or overwhelming tension that makes a crime novel really successful. (view spoiler) There is a gem, however, when Emily discovers the "game" Cordelia played with her late fiance and realizes that it is the means by which Mr. Dillman concealed the vital clue.

As far as Emily herself is concerned, she has become just a bit too perfect from a 21st Century view-point. She is a strong, intelligent woman who refuses to be confined by the period's standards for womanly behavior. She reads Greek and is learning Latin, and seems to be something of a Renaissance Woman. Her marriage is full of passion and trust, and both she and her husband are beautiful and highly respected. Her fortune is vast and her best friend practically worships her. She's just too wonderful. I understand that it is this combination which allows her to be such a success when it comes to solving crime, but it makes it hard for me to accept her as real.

I can't say that this was one of Alexander's best, but it is worth a read. The mystery itself is well thought out and comes together neatly.(less)

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Jan 18, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, historical-fiction, mysteries, social-commentary, women, for-review, suspense

Jane Austen spoiled us. She wrote novels about amazing women who oftentimes bucked society’s norms. Nowadays, it’s difficult to find heroines like Elizabeth Bennet that have us rooting for them page after page. Luckily, author Tasha Alexander decided to gift the world with a tenacious woman Austen herself would be proud of: Lady Emily Hargreaves. In A Crimson Warning, the sixth novel in the Lady Emily mystery series, we are again thrown into a mystery that seems to have no clear ending. It is up...more Jane Austen spoiled us. She wrote novels about amazing women who oftentimes bucked society’s norms. Nowadays, it’s difficult to find heroines like Elizabeth Bennet that have us rooting for them page after page. Luckily, author Tasha Alexander decided to gift the world with a tenacious woman Austen herself would be proud of: Lady Emily Hargreaves. In A Crimson Warning, the sixth novel in the Lady Emily mystery series, we are again thrown into a mystery that seems to have no clear ending. It is up to Lady Emily’s wit and cunning to save the day and keep the forces of evil at bay for yet another day.

Lady Emily has been busy. From barely escaping with her life in Constantinople and Normandy, she hopes to finally wind things down and come home to Mayfair and enjoy the normal comforts of being happily married and finally settled. For a while, she actually accomplishes this. Lady Emily even gets to join the Women’s Liberal Federation and work towards obtaining the right to vote for women. Unfortunately, this ideal world is shattered in A Crimson Warning, when Lady Emily learns that an unknown person has been splashing red paint onto the fronts of many of the wealthier homes in London. These are no ordinary homes, however, as their owners possess secrets that are potentially damaging and are hidden for one reason or another. Soon enough, all of the upper class in London fear that they too could be the target of this criminal, and that he or she may be involved in more sinister acts than simply painting the front of a home with a red slash. Can Lady Emily and Colin find this evil individual before it is too late and people start disappearing? What are the secrets that these wealthy Londoners go to such lengths to protect?

Less than a month ago I had never heard of the Lady Emily series. Shame on me! I’ve now read all six novels in the series and am eagerly awaiting Death in the Floating City, the seventh in the series, which is scheduled for release this October. When I reviewed the first Lady Emily novel, And Only To Deceive, my thoughts on Alexander’s writing was that it was a hybrid between Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. Six novels later, those feelings remain unchanged. Alexander is an amazing mystery writer. I still had no idea whodunit 40 pages from the end. Sure, I had my guesses regarding the culprit, but her writing is so precise and clean that it is not until the antagonist is finally revealed that you realize all the clues that were left for you to follow.

As I said above, Lady Emily is a woman that Austen herself would be proud of. She completely disregards what society expects of women. She refuses to be an idle wife, staying home with nothing to do but plan balls and dinners and make social calls. Instead, she uses her mind to explore literature, art, and languages, much to the delight of her husband, Colin. Colin works as an agent for the crown and is fully supportive of her “crimes against society”. In A Crimson Warning we get to see a more political side of Emily, as she gets involved with the Women’s Liberal Federation. It’s through all of her side interests (i.e art, literature) that we learn about that time period. Alexander uses Emily’s “hobbies” to inform us about what was going on back then. It’s obviously meticulously researched and has oftentimes led me to want to read and research certain time periods further.

I have to say of all six novels I think that A Crimson Warning is my favorite to date. We really get a sense of Alexander’s witty and playful side here. Her scavenger hunt through the British Museum and whiskey drinking scene between Emily and her good friend Jeremy were the best parts of the novel in my opinion. Although we don’t normally see this side of Alexander, I’m really glad that we got to in this novel. It added an extra touch to an already wonderful novel that I heartily recommend to everyone. Fast paced and full of wit and terrifying danger, A Crimson Warning (and the entire Lady Emily series) is not one you want to miss. Add it to your to-read pile as soon as possible, you won’t be disappointed.

Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Ll (less)

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Sep 11, 2012 Grace Li rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The mystery itself was quite interesting and as per usual, not a single plot alone. However, the random journal entries by Ivy (which I suppose were meant to make you feel intrigued as to her purported sin), simply annoyed the crap out of me. A book is only supposed to have ONE person's point of view if written in first person narrative. Otherwise, you end up sounding like some story that a teenager has written on fictionpress. Or worse, a narrative of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' in Christian Grey's...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Gretchen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011

Definitely an improvement over the last 2 novels. Lady Emily is back on her home turf in London, is immediately caught up in a new mystery. I liked seeing previous characters (Ivy, Jeremy) return to the forefront.

Alexander has clearly done her homework, and makes good use of it throughout the novel, especially the content in the British Museum. It's details like these that lead me to historical fiction.

One concern for this novel: the team of Emily, Ivy, Colin and Jeremy is dangerously close to...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, historical-fiction, mystery

Another engaging installment in the series - I think I prefer the books set in England, rather than abroad. The pace here felt brisker than in the last book, and all the scandal (and potential scandal) made for entertaining reading. The mysteries, though, tend to be completely unguessable for the reader, which takes some of the fun out of it. You can try to spot the criminal(s), but there rarely enough information to figure out the how and why. Recommended to fans of historical fiction with a bi...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-history, historical-fiction, mystery

This was the book I was hoping A Fatal Waltz would be. This was a book about the Lady Emily I remember from And Only to Deceive and A Poisoned Season.

In other words, I liked it a lot. It had an absorbing mystery, and even dear, sweet Ivy unveils a secret. (I thought I had it figured out halfway through and totally had it wrong.)

However, there was a lot going on at the end and it all happened so fast, it felt a bit muddled. I think I need to re-read to fully get what happened.

(view spoiler)...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: historical mystery fans

Shelves: historical, mystery

I really, really enjoyed this book.

Emily and Colin are back home in London when Colin is called in to investigate the brutal death of a successful businessman. At the same time red paint begins to be splashed across the doorsteps of some of most influential members of society (including the murder victim). A scandalous detail of the person's life is then made public. Society sits on pins and needles as they wait to find out who will be targeted next.

I love the fact that Emily and Colin have fina...more

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Oct 03, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I got my hands on an advanced copy of this from Goodreads. My expectations were low. It looked like it could be a romance novel and I haven't been big on historical fiction. Then I read this and remembered I used to freaking adore historical fiction. I read every Dear America book I could get my hands on in elementary school. Now I have to track down all of the Lady Emily books, because this one was everything I've grown up to love.

Emily Hargreaves wants women to vote. She solves crime. She know...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Elisabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Welcome back Lady Emily indeed! I enjoyed this installment in the Lady Emily series much more than the last two. Lady Emily seems to be much more her original confident self of the first few books in the series. Marriage FINALLY seems to agree with her, especially now that she's no longer fighting with her husband about her role in investigations. I also liked the plot for this one--the Beau Monde find themselves living in fear of exposure of their worst secrets! Can Lady Emily and Colin save Lo...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love!

This was a one day read for me and is one of my favorite Lady Emily mysteries. Emily and Colin have been abroad in the last couple, so it's nice to see them back in London during the season.

I really feel like I repeat myself when I do these reviews because Tasha gives us consistently gorgeous characters, witty dialogue, compelling mystery, and just enough romance to keep me turning the page.

Colin and Emily are, as always, delicious, and this book has some great bits with Jeremy who forever...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Cara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I usually enjoy the Lady Emily series. I finished this one, but I considered abandoning it at least three times. The story seemed to go in too many different directions, and I was annoyed with the slow moving plot. I wish it had ended 100 pages earlier.

Emily seemed above it all in this one - and if it has to be pointed out to me that she can read Greek one more time, I think I'll scream. I definitely got a "I'm such a rule breaker, I read Greek, I love antiques, I'm better than you" kind of vibe...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jun 06, 2012 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I enjoyed this book very much! This would be a great book to read during the summer of 2012 since parts of it take place in London.

1 like · like · see review

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About Tasha Alexander

Tasha Alexander is the New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Emily series and the novel ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE. She attended the University of Notre Dame, where she studied English and Medieval History. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards and has been translated into more than a dozen languages. She and her husband, novelist Andrew Grant, divide their time between Chicago an...more

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A Crimson Warning: A Novel of Suspense (Lady Emily #6)

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