Friday Reads: Historical Mysteries

I love mysteries. But I am particular. Like most of what I like to read I want my mysteries historical. Like that surprises anyone. My favorite historical mystery authors include CJ Sansom, Laura Joh Rowland’s Sano Ichiro series, and now . . . an entirely new crop of wonderful sleuths.

The Lady Sherlock series

Oh, my goodness! How did I not find this earlier? There are already two books out, (with a third coming in October!) and I had been meaning to read this new Holmes, but always the other books and blah, blah, blah.

I’d even been on a panel with Sherry Thomas at a conference last year and came away entirely intrigued to read her take on Sherlock Holmes. So I packed A Study in Scarlet Women into my suitcase when we went on vacation and after I cracked it open, I kept sending encouraging the husband to go golf.

“No, No, I’ll be fine, dear. Yes, go golf. Have a great time . . .”



Yes, it is that good. How she weaves the original Holmes into her take on the story is nothing short of brilliant. Just go read it.

As for the next one, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, as soon as I get through a stack of reading I HAVE to do, that is the first one in the queue.

Veronica Speedwell

Deanna Raybourn is at it again, all wit and intellect and fast pace. I love her writing and Veronica Speedwell is a grand character–a butterfly hunting scientist—just wonderfully out of step in her era. I had read A

Curious Beginning (currently $2.99 on Kindle) last year and adored it–the story and characters move at the pace of a runaway train–and you just hang on and enjoy every bounce.

On a personal note, my larger-than-life grandfather was a rather famous lepidopterist (one who studies butterflies) so Veronica’s over the top personality fits my image of a butterfly hunter to a T.

I didn’t even hesitate to pick up A Treacherous Curse — and found it even better than the first because Veronica and her reluctant partner in crime, Stoker, just keep getting more and more . . . shall we say, interesting. Stoker alone is worth every page.

As it is, A Perilous Undertaking was just released, so my TBR is starting to groan again, but I cannot wait to go sleuthing again with Stoker.

I mean, um, Veronica . . . I suppose, if she has to come along…

So tell me, what historical mysteries do you love?