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Displaying 1 - 14 of 25 reviews
September 27, 2015
Mistress Rosamond Jaffrey's dear friend, Lina, has been accused of the murder of her brother-in-law Hugo Hackett, a mercer, by her own sister, Isolde, Hugo's wife. Lina flees and finds sanctuary with Rosamond's mother, Susanna Appleton. Rosamond will not believe Lina committed the murder and, with her own life in danger, sets out to find the real murderer.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've read some of the Susanna Appleton mysteries, but this is the first Mistress Jaffrey mystery I've read. I had thought the two series were not entangled so was surprised to find out they were. If you like historical fiction mysteries, I highly suggest this book. Now I need to find the rest of the Susanna Appleton mysteries and the first of the Mistress Jaffrey mysteries.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've read some of the Susanna Appleton mysteries, but this is the first Mistress Jaffrey mystery I've read. I had thought the two series were not entangled so was surprised to find out they were. If you like historical fiction mysteries, I highly suggest this book. Now I need to find the rest of the Susanna Appleton mysteries and the first of the Mistress Jaffrey mysteries.
October 12, 2023
Great murder mystery
Rosamond's friend is accused of murder and she is on the case. Unfortunately, her friend may not be as innocent as she claims, which makes it much harder to investigate 😮
As Hugo's secrets of brothel visits and debts surface, and the lengths spies went to kidnap people....more people are suspect. I enjoyed trying to piece together who might have done it.
Lina's sister was cruel and vicious and CRAZY. She was relentless in her pursuit of her own sister for the murder of her husband. I couldn't stand her. She was also a hypocrite and I wish someone had set her straight when it was proved her sister was innocent.
Loved how Rob and Rosamund were coming together more in this novel. Found it a bit hypocritical that Rob would hold a potential infidelity against her though seeing as he wasn't exactly faithful in book 1. But they talked and their journey as once again being man and wife in all sense of the term was beautiful ☺️
Curious what Rosamond will get up to in book 3 lol
Rosamond's friend is accused of murder and she is on the case. Unfortunately, her friend may not be as innocent as she claims, which makes it much harder to investigate 😮
As Hugo's secrets of brothel visits and debts surface, and the lengths spies went to kidnap people....more people are suspect. I enjoyed trying to piece together who might have done it.
Lina's sister was cruel and vicious and CRAZY. She was relentless in her pursuit of her own sister for the murder of her husband. I couldn't stand her. She was also a hypocrite and I wish someone had set her straight when it was proved her sister was innocent.
Loved how Rob and Rosamund were coming together more in this novel. Found it a bit hypocritical that Rob would hold a potential infidelity against her though seeing as he wasn't exactly faithful in book 1. But they talked and their journey as once again being man and wife in all sense of the term was beautiful ☺️
Curious what Rosamond will get up to in book 3 lol
July 27, 2017
I liked the first a bit more, but still a decent read. Rosamund is drawn into intrigue again after a childhood friend flees in search of her, having been accused of the murder of her half-sister’s husband. Complicating things are intelligencers about town, prejudice against foreigners, half-truths and lies.
November 5, 2017
Could be read as a stand alone book, but it is much better to read in order. Rosamond's childhood friend is accused of murder and Rosamond is asked to find the murderer before the police find her friend. This time Rosamond has help from her husband too.
January 12, 2024
This series has all the requisite parts. A good, slightly complicated mystery, intriguing characters, drama, mood, history. For some reason, though, I find it to be a dry read. I enjoy the read, I just feel meh.
November 5, 2019
Slight modern woman syndrome
July 10, 2022
Second good book
Second in series. Another hit. Believable characters, neither saints nor devils with a solid historical setting. Looking forward to the next one in series.
Second in series. Another hit. Believable characters, neither saints nor devils with a solid historical setting. Looking forward to the next one in series.
October 15, 2015
Rosamund is a young married woman of the 1500's who has become what would one day be termed a private investigator.
She is wealthy which helps her as she investigates and she has worked as a spy in the past. During her time spying for Queen Elizabeth government, she has developed the ability to disguise herself to be unrecognizable. She has also learned to ask questions which get interesting answers.
Rosamund is investigating a murder, in order to prove that her childhood friend, Lina, is not a murderer. During her investigation she uses disguises and also presented herself as herself. As herself, she has put her entire household in jeopardy by bringing bailiffs to her home .
Her husband, Rob, is a student at Cambridge and he too has worked part time as a spy for the government. He has a strong sense of justice. I liked Rob much more than I liked Rosamund. He seems to be a person who evaluates things and people in order to make good decisions.
For me, she was not an appealing person. She has admirable goals, but it seems she is able to easily run over other people. Whether she is investigating on Lina's behalf or simply dealing with the difficulties of life she seems to have little regard for the feelings of others.
A secondary theme of the book is the hunt for people who are of the Catholic faith. This hunt also includes people who simply do not want to burn Catholics at the stake.
The plot is involved and it is my recommendation that the reader pay close attention as the story goes along. There are many historic facts which add to the authenticity of the story.
The characters are well developed. The secondary characters are very helpful at moving the action forward, and also helping develop the atmosphere of the story.
As the investigation moves forward, there are many people who have reason to have committed the murder. There are villains who are evil on many levels. The suspects have do not want to be guilty of anything, because the punishment for even small crimes is very swift.
If you are at all interested in history, this book will be a mystery which holds your attention from beginning to end.
I received this book from the publisher through Net Galley in the hope that I would provide a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
She is wealthy which helps her as she investigates and she has worked as a spy in the past. During her time spying for Queen Elizabeth government, she has developed the ability to disguise herself to be unrecognizable. She has also learned to ask questions which get interesting answers.
Rosamund is investigating a murder, in order to prove that her childhood friend, Lina, is not a murderer. During her investigation she uses disguises and also presented herself as herself. As herself, she has put her entire household in jeopardy by bringing bailiffs to her home .
Her husband, Rob, is a student at Cambridge and he too has worked part time as a spy for the government. He has a strong sense of justice. I liked Rob much more than I liked Rosamund. He seems to be a person who evaluates things and people in order to make good decisions.
For me, she was not an appealing person. She has admirable goals, but it seems she is able to easily run over other people. Whether she is investigating on Lina's behalf or simply dealing with the difficulties of life she seems to have little regard for the feelings of others.
A secondary theme of the book is the hunt for people who are of the Catholic faith. This hunt also includes people who simply do not want to burn Catholics at the stake.
The plot is involved and it is my recommendation that the reader pay close attention as the story goes along. There are many historic facts which add to the authenticity of the story.
The characters are well developed. The secondary characters are very helpful at moving the action forward, and also helping develop the atmosphere of the story.
As the investigation moves forward, there are many people who have reason to have committed the murder. There are villains who are evil on many levels. The suspects have do not want to be guilty of anything, because the punishment for even small crimes is very swift.
If you are at all interested in history, this book will be a mystery which holds your attention from beginning to end.
I received this book from the publisher through Net Galley in the hope that I would provide a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 20, 2016
When a childhood friend of Rosamond's is accused of killing her brother-in-law, she naturally turns to Rosamond and Rosamond's foster mother for help. As Rosamond tries to find out more about Lina, her family, and her betrothed, she also happens upon what appears to be a Catholic conspiracy. Not only does this book give an accurate representation of life in Elizabethan England, it also includes fascinating little tidbits of that life — for example, ale houses could only serve ale, while taverns could only serve wine!
October 8, 2016
on a roll now - selecting inferior fiction from the library just because the books are clean - thinking of giving up reading and going back to playing the piano and practicing guitar
Kind of funny, though, that "Thriller" is included in the title. Maybe it's ok for junior high kids? But not really. They should also find something better to do.
Kind of funny, though, that "Thriller" is included in the title. Maybe it's ok for junior high kids? But not really. They should also find something better to do.
January 2, 2021
Its one thing to have a headstrong character but when she is also annoyingly unlikeable, you just hope that the author would have stop the series immediately. Will still read the 3rd book just to complete the trilogy.
September 5, 2016
Check out my review at Tessa's Books and Tea: http://wp.me/p3EoiQ-iB
@tessa_books
@tessa_books
February 16, 2016
Excellent combination of her old and new books
March 31, 2016
A fine cozy type historical fiction read. Mistress Rosamond Jaffrey continues to get involved in matters her husband, Rob, would rather she leave alone.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 25 reviews