The Mermaid in the Basement

Lady Trent Mystery #1

by Gilbert Morris

A wealthy widow of a nobleman, daughter of a famous scientist, and skeptic who only trusts what can be proven.

Meet Serafina Trent. A woman about to take 19th Century London by storm.

It's London, 1857, and everything is at stake for Serafina Trent. A woman of means . . . but not the typical Victorian lady who feels her place is to be seen and not heard. When her brother's most recent female dalliance, a beautiful actress, is found murdered, all evidence points to him. Especially since the actress had just rejected him in a most public manner. Now everyone believes Clive is headed for the gallows. Everyone, that is, but Serafina.

Determined to prove her brother's innocence, Serafina finds herself working with unlikely allies--including Dylan Tremayne, a passionate storyteller and actor with a criminal past. This novel will hold fans of mystery and history spellbound until the very last page.

Victorian England comes alive in this intriguing new series from one of Christian fiction's favorite authors.

Genres: Mystery, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Christian, Fiction, Romance

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

also published under the name Gilbert L. Morris

Gilbert Morris was one of today's best-known Christian novelists. He lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Johnnie. He is the father to Lynn Morris and Alan Morris

Series:
* Adventures of Kerrigan Kids
* American Century
* Appomattox Saga
* Barney Buck
* Bonnets and Bugles
* Cheney Duvall, M.D. (with Lynn Morris)
* Cheney and Shiloh: The Inheritance (with Lynn Morris)
* Chronicles of the Golden Frontier
* The Creole (with Lynn Morris)
* Danielle Ross Mystery
* Daystar Voyages
* Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
* Far Fields (with Robert Funderburk)
* House of Winslow
* Jacques and Cleo: Cat Detectives
* Katy Steele Adventures (with Alan Morris)
* Lady Trent Mystery
* Liberty Bell
* Lions of Judah
* Lone Star Legacy
* Omega (with Lynn Morris and Alan Morris)
* The Price of Liberty (with Robert Funderburk)
* Reno Western Saga
* Seven Sleepers
* Seven Sleepers: The Lost Chronicles
* Singing River
* Spirit of Appalachia (with Aaron McCarver)
* Too Smart Jones
*

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable novel from one of Christian fiction's most prolific writers.

[Morgan Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Idril Celebrindal · Rating 1 out of 5]

My complaints are many:

1) Serafina Trent is the widow of the Viscount of Radnor. She has a son. Therefore, Serafina is the viscountess and her son is the viscount. She would be addressed in company or by servants as "Lady Radnor" or "my lady." Her son would be "Lord Radnor." In this book, she's nonsensically called "Lady Trent" or "Lady Serafina" or "Lady Serafina Trent" or "Viscountess" which, fine, is technically not incorrect, but it would never be the preferred usage as it is here, where it is about 67% of the times she is addressed up to the point where I quit reading and yes I counted and her son is referred to as "the future Viscount of Radnor" and this may well be the most stupidly annoying thing in the entire world; it's not really that confusing a system; surely an author or their editor could do the faintest smidgen of research and fucking get it right?

2) I don't care about the proselytizing; what I mind is the all but maybe two of the cast of characters, who are all of them white, British people living in London in 1857, talking like they are all acknowledged atheists. The completely improbable hero is said to be "converting" people to Jesus, but everyone he talks to would have been at least nominally Christian already.

3) God damn it, "Tremayne" is a Cornish name, not Welsh!

4) And Welsh people don't talk like leprechauns!

5) And no one deliberately got tanned back then!

6) And Serafina is so annoying and absurd and "oh I'll just invent a gas stove tee hee!" and isn't it a scream when she just trashes Charles Dickens to his face for writing fiction and oh my God HOW IS SHE NOT THE ONE WHO GETS MURDERED?

I made it to page 27 and then my throat got sore from snarling.

[Lacey Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a hard one to write a review on !!I actually finish it last night, But l needed time to process it all!!! 😳It was a great book , but I do not like Serafina’s character in a way !!! It’s just she is so stubborn!! And also there was a part where something happened in the book, where it was not the main mystery, but it was a mystery, and it was just so weird how she figured it out so fast !!! Like my friends said… It was almost to good!! But I love the other characters… Especially Dylan!☺️ And over all this was a good book!! I recommend it, and I think it is worth the rating of 4⭐️ !!! 🥰😊

[Aspen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was NOT CLEAN! The actors were terrible and totally inappropriate. The point that they are bad was made very plain without all the extra details.

[Janine Southard]

I gave up on this after getting through 200 interminable pages, hoping against hope that it would improve. Maybe I was drawn in by the cover? Maybe I was too excited about a regency mystery novel? Whatever the reason, I'd like that 1.5 hours back please.

If the author tightened up the prose, didn't make the characters into caricatures of themselves, and didn't repeat absolutely everything three times on a page -- it might be a good book. But I find that I don't even care whodunnit? at this point. Oh, and these caricatures of people aren't even consistent! Our heroine doesn't believe in exercising her imagination (nor her son's), but she's been busy inventing a new type of oven. How does that compute? If she can't imagine the stove, how can she invent it? Argh!

From the hater of ingenuity to the sexy leading man (immediately lusted after by our heroine's sister) to the one-dimensionally evil members of Scotland Yard -- there's no room for compromise. Ugh.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually read Christian literature, but this was a great mystery book. I might read the rest of them, I'm not quite sure yet. I don't really like all the preaching in the book. I liked Serafina a lot though, and I thought that she was a brave and great woman. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian literature, and also a love story, or a mystery.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good characters and plot


While I did some skipping in places, this was definitely a good book with well defined interesting characters and a good plot. Loved the spiritual elements too.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really could not get into this book. Maybe it just wasn’t time for me to read it.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not terribly impressive in terms of writing style, but charming enough to keep my interest. Quite a long one, though! I think that's due to its "paint-by-numbers" flavor - explaining the obvious to make sure you didn't miss the meaning or the clues. It gets annoying quickly. The characters were rather flatly drawn (although I adore Dylan) - it makes me wonder if Lynn is the one who gave them spice (see the Cheney Duvall, M.D. series). I have the next one, A Conspiracy of Ravens, ready to go! I really do enjoy Gilbert Morris books. He smoothly weaves the gospel into his charming novels in a way that never sounds forced or cliched. It's always pure fun.

[Loraine Nunley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love historical mysteries and this was a good one. I enjoyed the differences between the two main characters, Lady Serafina and Dylan. She had a scientific mindset and he had a creative one. It made for some interesting interaction between them, particularly when it came to Dylan’s faith. I did figure out who the killer was, but it was almost at the same time that they did. (Full review at my website.)

[Je74393 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Christian witness in this book lectured concepts concerning women and relationships that I do not believe were completely Biblical. Also, the book does not discourage Christians from being romantically involved with people who don't believe, even though that is something the Bible says.

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty decent mystery story that actually relies on clues and deduction, which is a rare treat for most mystery readers. My only complaint is that the book takes several awkward pauses for relationship development that really seem shoehorned into the story rather than a part of it.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I was hoping for an Anne Perry type read and this was not it. I did like all the Biblical references and the faith of the leading character. A good mystery.....just felt sort of odd though.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the mystery and the willingness of Dylan to go above and beyond in his efforts to help Serafina solve the mystery. I would definitely read another book in the Lady Trent series.

[Joelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing style of this book is somewhat confusing. There was also some really questionable scenes in the book that just didn't seem plausible.
For example, within the first 30 pages of the book, the main character is invited to a dinner party. Who's attending it is ridiculous:
The guest list:
Sir Osric Walllace & his wife
Charles Dickins, author.
John Ruskin, author.
Lord Milburn (questionably similar in name to Queen Victoria's 1st PM, Lord Melbourne)
Mr. Morton (Henry Morton, prominent Victorian reporter.)
Charles Darwin, Naturalist & author.
Florence Nightingale, revolutionary nurse.
The best part of it all is that not only do they discuss Edgar Allan Poe during this dinner, the main character solves a mystery that apparently no one else could solve?

I mean, it's technically plausible; but what are the actual chances that this is even in the realm of reality?

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

It's also worth noting that this book is heavily religious.
I mean; I enjoy a good Christian historical fiction from time to time, but this book went overboard on religion, to the point where it's somewhat annoying.

The reason I gave it two stars, was because by the end the author did actually manage to get me invested in the story line.

[Sheeba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't go in to the synopsis of the book like many reviewers do. You probably have already read that.
Some have mentioned that for a Christian book, it has quite a bit of inappropriate intimate details. I decided to read anyway and am glad I did. Those details spoken of are just in the first parts of the book. I couldn't tell you how far into it, though, because honestly it started kind of slow.
It took me a while to get into the book, but I was incredibly curious about the title! It is not a fast paced book to read. However, it is well written. I can see how the author has gotten so much praise.
This is a good story about how the "richer" don't always know what is best. The interactions between "classes" is interesting to see from this perspective, and I appreciate that the characters all were willing to listen and learn from a - as they know them anyway - unworthy person of the theater. The mystery of the story really stays a mystery until the end, but does not drag on. I don't think you'll guess "who dun it" until the very last chapters.
Worth the read.

[Jimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seraphina is a very disciplined woman who believes in science. Her brother is accused of killing an actress and then she finds herself in need of some help she never knew she would need. Dylan is an actor and a Christian who steps in to prove that Clive is innocent. Through these efforts the truth comes out. I love this book and can't wait to read the next book. Gilbert Morris is a very talented writer, love his work.

[Amanda Forsting · Rating 5 out of 5]

While normally not a huge fan of historical or romantic themed books, I enjoyed Morris' intelligent and fascinating blend of suspense and inspiring Faith-based connections. I loved the storyline and really connected with many of the characters! Will definitely read the next book also :)

[Amanda Weaver · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't finish this book. I thought I could make it because I wanted to know the answer to the mystery, but the writing was just to heavy-handed for me. The waxing and waning on the differences of men and women was too much for me.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actually I wouldn't give it 1 star as I made it through 50 pages and quit. Overblown, unrealistic descriptions; Lady Trent invites herself to a dinner party to meet Charles Darwin, puts down Mr Dickens, Mr Ruskin, and I closed the book before she started on Miss Nightingale.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. The last few chapters of the book, I correctly guessed who did it.

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite of his works. Kind of repetitive dialogue.

[Milynfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this series! I think this was the first Gilbert Morris novel I ever read and it hooked me right in! Its been a few years since I read it. I think I need to revisit

[Jenessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!

[Dexter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got about thirty pages in, flipped through the rest. Not worth finishing. Lady Trent is insufferable and I don't care to see how she learns to value imagination and religion and romance.

[OMG Becky! Look at her book. It's so big! · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good!, but i called it... still, I'm looking forward to the next book

[Carolyn Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by Morris and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love reading books on early English life and this did not disappoint. Very good plot, well written

[Linea Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

[Kirsten Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me forever to finish this book. It was ok but I wasn’t interested in it. I think the author didn’t really know the Victorian era well enough for this story to be authentic.