annieb123's Review of Silence in the Library (Lily Adler Mysteries, #2)

by Katharine Schellman

Regency widow Lily Adler didn't expect to find a corpse when visiting a family friend. Now it's up to her to discover the killer in the charming second installment in the Lily Adler mysteries.

Regency widow Lily Adler has finally settled into her new London life when her semi-estranged father arrives unexpectedly, intending to stay with her while he recovers from an illness. Hounded by his disapproval, Lily is drawn into spending time with Lady Wyatt, the new wife of an old family friend. Lily barely knows Lady Wyatt. But she and her husband, Sir Charles, seem as happy as any newly married couple until the morning Lily arrives to find the house in an uproar and Sir Charles dead.

All signs indicate that he tripped and struck his head late at night. But when Bow Street constable Simon Page is called to the scene, he suspects foul play. And it isn't long before Lily stumbles on evidence that Sir Charles was, indeed, murdered.

Mr. Page was there when Lily caught her first murderer, and he trusts her insight into the world of London's upper class. With the help of Captain Jack Hartley, they piece together the reasons that Sir Charles's family might have wanted him dead. But anyone who might have profited from the old man's death seems to have an alibi... until Lily receives a mysterious summons to speak with one of the Wyatts' maids, only to find the young woman dead when she arrives.

Mr. Page believes the surviving family members are hiding the key to the death of both Sir Charles and the maid. To uncover the truth, Lily must convince the father who doesn't trust or respect her to help catch his friend's killer before anyone else in the Wyatt household dies.

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Silence in the Library is a well written historical British cozy and the second book in the Lily Adler series by Katharine Schellman. Released 13th July 2021 by Crooked Lane Books, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

I've enjoyed both of the books in this nascent series mostly because they hearken back to my nostalgic fondness for actual period Regency era British mystery without the unfortunate period racism, sexism, and colonialist sensibilities which were unquestioned and prevalent in the actual contemporary literature. The main protagonist is a young widow who is intelligent and (mostly) well regarded and who has, despite her family and upbringing, a strong will and the means and wherewithal to exercise her self-determination and intelligence without (much) reprisal. Her friend and sometimes sidekick is a British Indian naval officer and a product of the Raj period of the colonization of India. He's supportive without being cloying or appallingly sexist and the author does a decent job of mentioning his upbringing and cultural background without being graphic -or- sweeping it under an expensively tasteful rug.

The mystery is twisty and well written and the disparate plot threads culminate in a satisfying resolution and denouement. The language is clean and the dialogue is well written and civilized. The characterizations are competently rendered and three dimensional. I found the almost total lack of romance between Lily and Jack refreshing, although there are hints of a future slow-burn romantic angle between the two.

I'm looking forward to finding out what comes next.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Silence in the Library (Lily Adler Mysteries, #2)

by Katharine Schellman

Reviewed by annieb123 on Jan 5, 2022

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