A royal scandal’s connection to a brutal serial killer threatens London in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure from New York Times bestselling and Edgar® Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.
Autumn 1888. Veronica Speedwell and her colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to stop a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, and the proprietress, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve it from the club before scandal can break.
Worse yet, London is being terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper—and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.
Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Auroreʼs high-class brothel, where a body soon turns up. Secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family—and it is up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it is too late for all of them.
This is the fifth Veronica Speedwell novel, and while each involves a mystery to be solved and sorted, there are enough series ARCs from a romantic build to threats, and secrets that the series is best enjoyed in the order of its release.
Jack the Ripper, the Prince, scandal and kidnapping, oh my! Raybourn certainly kept us busy with this engaging murder-mystery.
Veronica and Stoker are asked to retrieve an item and politely refuse, that is until Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk falls ill and they learn what she fears. This has them attending the Club de l’Etoile to steal a piece of jewelery from Madame Aurore, that bears the Royal mark. The tale that unfolds soon has Stoker, Veronica and Prince Albert Victor in grave danger.
This was a clever case and wove in headlines and threads from the notorious Jack the Ripper murders. Raybourn’s thread felt plausible and added to the danger for our trio. I honestly worried whether Stoker would survive this and quite forgot my quest for them to finally act on their desires. Even in danger, Veronica did not…
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12 February, 2020:
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12 February, 2020:
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