The Lady And The Highwayman (Proper Romance Victorian)

by Sarah M Eden

[sstaley]

The Lady and the Highwayman is a clever twist on a Proper Romance. Sarah Eden has crafted a tale like none she's done before. Everything from the characters, setting, and plot are unique and exciting. This is not a Regency Romance but takes place during the Victorian era in England.

Both of the main characters are authors of the "Penny Dreadfuls" that were the rage among the working-class men. Elizabeth writes under the pseudonym of a Mr. King. As the headmistress of an all girl's school, she needs to remain in good standing with the upper class of Victorian Society. She meets fellow author, Fletcher Walker, who also writes Penny Dreadfuls. The novel is told from both Elizabeth's and Fletcher's POV. I also really loved how we were also able to read the stories written by Mr. King and Fletcher. What an incredible undertaking for Eden to write so many "stories" within the pages of this novel.

I learned so much about the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the social and political causes of their working-class readers. This novel once again shows the incredible work and dedication that Sarah Eden does in researching before she writes a book. I found an article that gave great information about The Dread Penny Society and the Penny Dreadfuls that were written. It was all very interesting.{http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160502-the-shocking-tale-of-the-penny-dreadful}

This new novel is a brilliant combination of mystery, suspense, history, and of course romance. The witty dialogue makes the interaction between Elizabeth and Fletcher a delight to read. If you are a Sarah Eden fan, be prepared for something new and just as well written as her previous books.