This Advance Reader Copy of the book is courtesy of NetGalley and the book’s publishers. I am not receiving any financial or additional benefit for posting this review other than the opportunity to read this book before it’s released publicly.
tl;dr Review:
If you love this series, you’ll love this book!
Full Review:
I’d already read the first two books in this series about Veronica Speedwell (A Curious Beginning followed by A Perilous Undertaking) and had resigned myself to having to wait until the third book came out in the new year.
That is until I stumbled upon an ARC on NetGalley and literally shouted with joy and pumped my fist. (Yes, I’m weird. It’s fine.)
Because I fear in my excitement that I may give too much away in trying to describe the story, here’s the description offered by the publisher:
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Members of an Egyptian expedition fall victim to an ancient mummy’s curse in this thrilling Veronica Speedwell novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey mysteries.
London, 1888. As colorful and unfettered as the butterflies she collects, Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell can’t resist the allure of an exotic mystery—particularly one involving her enigmatic colleague, Stoker. His former expedition partner has vanished from an archaeological dig with a priceless diadem unearthed from the newly discovered tomb of an Egyptian princess.
This disappearance is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the controversial expedition, and rumors abound that the curse of the vengeful princess has been unleashed as the shadowy figure of Anubis himself stalks the streets of London. But the perils of an ancient curse are not the only challenges Veronica must face as sordid details and malevolent enemies emerge from Stoker’s past.
Caught in a tangle of conspiracies and threats—and thrust into the public eye by an enterprising new foe—Veronica must separate facts from fantasy to unravel a web of duplicity that threatens to cost Stoker everything…
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That description right there should be enough to make you pick it up (although I do highly recommend you read the first two in the series prior to reading this one).
I had already fallen in love with the no-bullshit attitude of Veronica and loved how she is brilliant enough to ignore and/or manipulate men to her advantage. (I know that sounds bad, but trust me, it’s not.)
I also loved the irascible Stoker and enjoyed their consistent verbal sparring.
Outside of already loving the series, author Deanna Raybourn has a way of drawing you in with an entirely new tale and aspect of Victorian England with each book. This one brought me into the mindset of those that were raiding (though they’d call it preserving) Egyptian tombs in the 1800s. Despite this being a fictional story, it was fascinating to see the way society reacted to these expeditions back in their day.
Another reason I enjoy these books? Because as much as I try to figure out where they are going or who the bad guy is or what the ending will be, Ms. Raybourn always leaves me confounded. Even when I think I have it, she loops back on me and throws my assumptions to the wind.
If you’re looking for an exciting mystery peppered with hilarious social commentary of the time and a bad-ass protagonist, you’ll want to give this book a read.
That’s why I’m giving it 4.5 out of 5 thumbs up!
