
annieb123
A Slash of Emerald is the second historical mystery featuring Dr. Julia Lewis, by Patrice McDonough. Released 25th Feb 2025 by Kensington, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
A well crafted thoroughly researched historical novel featuring an intelligent and driven young female physician in London in 1866. She's fully licensed (having used a legal loophole to join the register of practicing physicians after finishing her studies in the USA), and has joined her grandfather's practice. She has a very keen eye for detail, and employs critical reasoning and observation to also help the police with inquiries.
It's not really a cozy cozy, there are some gruesome descriptions, but overall, the violence occurs chiefly off-page, so it's not truly horrifying. The author also doesn't shy away from the historically accurate but distressing sexism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, crushing poverty, and other unsavory details. Speaking of detail, the book is written around a framework of actual historical events and people, and interwoven with a lot of interesting real political and social movements of the time period. Ms. McDonough has definitely done her homework.
The characterizations are impressive, and they're three dimensional and believable, with their own motivations and agendas. There's some slow-burn development/potential romance between Julia and Richard, but it's definitely sloooow (2 books in, and there are only glimmers of romance, nothing concrete). This volume works well enough as a standalone mystery, but there are some interpersonal developments between the returning characters which will be spoiled if read out of order.
The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 9 hours and 15 minutes and is capably read by series narrator Henrietta Meire. She has a light RP English accent, but does a credible job with the varied London accents both male and female. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.
Worth a look for readers of historical mystery and very well written. Readers who enjoy Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Tasha Alexander, et. al., will likely enjoy this book.
Four and a half stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.