16 ratings | 4 reviews | avg rating:5.00

Robert Brighton’s Followers (202)

Robert’s Bookshelves

to-read (10)
currently-reading (0)
read (58)
art-and-beautiful-collections (15)
arts-crafts-craftsman (17)
by-or-about-those-i-admire (13)
exceptional-5-stars (7)
gilded-age (3)
interesting-reads (3)
turn-of-the-century (5)

Robert’s Friends (5)

Jenny Q

5,841 books | 1,436 friends

Cathy Geha

4,887 books | 88 friends

Matthew Aken

438 books | 18 friends

Christina

1,288 books | 1,385 friends

Lisa

1,461 books | 196 friends

Robert Brighton

Goodreads Author

Website

https://robertbrightonauthor.com/

Genre

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery

Member Since

October 2022

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/robertbrightonauthor

edit data

Robert Brighton, award-winning author of immersive historical fiction, including The Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries, is an authority on the Gilded Age, and a great believer that the Victorian era was anything but stuffy.

In his Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries, Brighton exposes the turbulence of the era - its passions, dreams, and disasters - against a backdrop of careful research on the places, sights, sounds, and smells of the time.

When he is not walking the streets in the footsteps of the Avenging Angels, sniffing out unsolved mysteries, Brighton is an adventurer. He has traveled in more than 50 countries around the world, personally throwing himself into every situation his characters will face - from underground ru ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Robert Brighton questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Robert Brighton Two things. One — I never sit down to write (on my laptop) if I don’t already know what I’m going to write. The blank screen can be intimidating — and…moreTwo things. One — I never sit down to write (on my laptop) if I don’t already know what I’m going to write. The blank screen can be intimidating — and a constraint on creativity. My process is always to work through the various scenes and events with a pencil and steno pad. I can sit and let myself dream, take notes, cross things out — all in a less structured way (and less pressure) than the computer demands. It’s like making a sketch before attempting a painting, no more, no less.

Two — I let the story come to me. Someone told me once that there is a Zen saying that ‘you never catch anything you chase’. I’ve certainly found that to be true with writing. I have to let my characters tell me the story, and patiently follow along as the story unfolds. So I never force it, and never try to get my characters into or out of a jam … I just try to let my mind go blank and watch, listen — and then write it down.

(less)

flag

1 like · like
Comment

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Robert Brighton Spoiler alert: It isn’t the money! The satisfaction in being a writer is much like that of being a composer … there are only seven notes in music, but…moreSpoiler alert: It isn’t the money! The satisfaction in being a writer is much like that of being a composer … there are only seven notes in music, but Mozart made them into something immortal. And since there are a lot more words than notes, I think it makes it all the more joyous when one succeeds in capturing on paper some tiny sliver of the universal, of what makes us human. It’s a connection that transcends time, culture, and even language.(less)

flag

like
Comment

See all 6 answers from Robert Brighton…

Combine Editions
Robert Brighton’s books

Average rating: 4.2 · 509 ratings · 171 reviews · 7 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City 3.98 avg rating — 130 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Unsealing 3.88 avg rating — 121 ratings — published 2023 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Winter in the High Sierra 4.64 avg rating — 94 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Phantom of Forest Lawn: Romance and Redemption in the City of the Dead 4.24 avg rating — 67 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Current of Darkness 4.54 avg rating — 46 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Murder in Ashwood: Scandals and Secrets in the Gilded Age (The Avenging Angel Detective Agency, #2) 4.36 avg rating — 47 ratings — published 2023 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rheinbach's Remedies: A Short Story really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Robert Brighton…

37 posts
Robert Brighton's Blog

Making (and Breaking) New Year’s Resolutions in the Gilded Age

An examination of New Year’s resolutions reveals some striking parallels across two eras: the Gilded Age and our own modern moment. What did people more than a century ago hope to improve, reinvent, or leave behind—and how different are their ambitions from ours today?

You might be surprised by how familiar their goals feel, and by what those resolutions reveal about progress, pressure, and human n Read more of this blog post »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on December 26, 2025 09:17

View all 37 posts »

Series by Robert Brighton

The Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries (3 books)
by

Robert Brighton (Goodreads Author)

4.13 avg rating — 214 ratings

rss
Robert’s Recent Updates

Robert Brighton wrote a new blog post Making (and Breaking) New Year’s Resolutions in the Gilded Age An examination of New Year’s resolutions reveals some striking parallels across two eras: the Gilded Age and our own modern moment. What did people mo Read more of this blog post »
Dec 26, 2025 09:17AM · like
Robert Brighton wants to read Current of Darkness by Robert Brighton (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 04, 2024 11:17AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Current of Darkness by Robert Brighton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Current of Darkness by Robert Brighton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Robert Brighton joined the group The Gilded Age Society Book Club
Feb 28, 2024 01:46PM · like

More of Robert's books…

recent posts
Robert’s Groups

Goodreads Authors/Readers — 55703 members — last activity 20 minutes ago
This group is dedicated to connecting readers with Goodreads authors. It is divided by genres, and includes folders for writing resources, book websit ...more

Goodreads Librarians Group — 304944 members — last activity 2 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more

American Historical Fiction — 1584 members — last activity Sep 26, 2025 05:13AM
American history is fascinating and complex, yet it seems the majority of historical novels are based on European history. The purpose of this group i ...more

The History Book Club — 25750 members — last activity Dec 27, 2025 12:18PM
"Interested in history - then you have found the right group". The History Book Club is the largest history and nonfiction group on Goodread ...more

Writers and Readers — 3103 members — last activity Dec 21, 2025 09:20AM
A group for writers and readers to meet and discuss books and the writing process. The group allows promotion of books, but please post in the designa ...more

The Perks Of Being A Book Addict — 36954 members — last activity 9 hours, 56 min ago
This group is for anyone who loves books from different genres. Every month we have group Books of the Month which you can join, reading challenges, a ...more

2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge — 34539 members — last activity 11 minutes ago
Are you ready to set your 2026 reading goal? This is a supportive, fun group of people looking for people just like you. Track your annual reading go ...more

Books Books Books Club — 26 members — last activity Apr 14, 2012 12:03AM
Each and every month there is a selection of books to read from, or if you feel ever so bold suggest one and it will be added and whomever reads from ...more

The Gilded Age Society Book Club — 7 members — last activity Sep 14, 2017 06:13AM
A place for members to gather and share current books and future reads!

More of Robert’s groups…

Robert’s Friend Comments

No comments have been added yet.

Robert Brighton’s Followers (202)

Robert Brighton

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssRobert’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Current of Darkness by Robert Brighton

rss
Robert’s Recent Updates