Ratings4
Average rating3.8
Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why? Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain—a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?
Reviews with the most likes.
All caught up! And honestly if this were the last entry in the series, I'd be happy with the ending.
Stoker and Veronica have their HEA, not the conventional married with babies kind, but the devoted, loving, fully accepting and supportive and communicative kind where they are still clearly individuals with their own interests.
I loved seeing Wellie and Mornaday and even JJ again, and I adored every moment of the introduction and development of Wilfred Plumtree.
The recognition of the roles permitted to be played by women in this period of history, how women might be able to escape them or be brought low or twisted by them remains a well executed theme.
As much as the premise for this particular story has a bit of Frankenstein goulishness, I did spend an appreciable amount of time chortling.
The banter remains top notch.
Will happily pick up the next in the series whenever it appears (publication dates suggest annually?).
⚠️domestic abuse
I think this has probably the darkest theme for the victim that I can recall in the series. It started off strong and then just kind of dragged for me. Unfortunately I think I may be nearing the end of enjoying this series. :[