A sinister revenge

Longtime fans of the Veronica Speedwell series keep returning for these delightful, Victorian-set mysteries and, of course, for Veronica herself--a vivacious, forward-thinking lepidopterist. But beloved as Veronica is, she has her flaws, which came to the forefront of An Impossible Impostor (2022) when she refused to be completely honest with her lover, Stoker, despite him proving his trustworthiness time and time again. Their relationship is rocky at the start of Raybourn's latest, with Stoker making it clear that although he will always love Veronica, he can't continue their relationship until she trusts him, and she's surprised to discover that not even her seductiveness will break his resolve! Tensions mount when the two visit Stoker's brother, who's been receiving death threats, at his seaside estate during a lavish dinner party in the hopes of solving a decades-old murder. Dinosaur bones might be connected to the mystery, so really, with Veronica learning to balance her independence with a committed relationship and fossils involved, what's not to love here? Raybourn likewise strikes an ideal balance by combining a fun, original mystery with an excellent heroine, lovable cast, character growth, romance, and humor. Another stellar installment in a series that just keeps delivering.

Set in 1889, Raybourn's tantalizing eighth mystery featuring lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell (after 2022's An Impossible Impostor) takes her to Bavaria, where she hopes to reconnect with her estranged lover, Revelstoke "Stoker" Templeton-Vane. Veronica is joined by Stoker's brother, Tiberius, who has recently received two newspaper clippings in the mail describing the deaths of a German fossil hunter and a French bon vivant; in the margin of the second, someone has written: "You will be next. Prepare your soul. VENGEANCE FOR LORENZO." The dead men were part of a group, the Seven Sinners, that Tiberius belonged to at Cambridge University, and Lorenzo d'Ambrogio, another member, died in a storm after uncovering the complete fossilized skeleton of a new species of dinosaur. Though Tiberius believed the death an accident, the deaths of his colleagues, and the threat, have led him to reconsider. Veronica and Stoker return with Tiberius to England to protect him and uncover the truth behind the three deaths. Superior prose matches the clever plot. Fans of Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series will be pleased. Agent: Pamela Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Assoc. (Mar.)

Raybourn's eighth entry in the Veronica Speedwell series finds Veronica at the country estate of the Templeton-Vane family, along with various Templeton-Vane brothers and a house party full of potential murderers. Twenty years ago, a member of Tiberius Templeton-Vane's close group of friends died on the estate, and now members of their friend group are being murdered. Certain that his own life is in danger, Tiberius has invited back everyone who was on the estate at that time, ostensibly to commemorate the anniversary of their friend's death, but really in the hopes of unmasking the killer. Stoker, the brother who has been Veronica's colleague, lover, and constant companion, is not ready to move beyond their romantic problems and agrees to join the house party only when made an offer that's too good to refuse. Without Stoker as her partner in this investigation, Veronica has to adapt her sleuthing strategy and make use of help from unlikely sources. Series narrator Angèle Masters deftly voices the novel's large cast of international characters. VERDICT Raybourn has infused this mystery with wit, humor, and a core of genuine emotion that should make this novel popular, especially where historical mysteries circulate well. Highly recommended for all collections.--Nicole Williams

Partners in work, crime, and love have a falling out that can be fixed only by another wild adventure. Lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell's lover, Revelstoke Templeton-Vane, has left her over a disagreement concerning the husband she had thought dead. When Veronica and Viscount Tiberius Templeton-Vane, Stoker's brother, track the natural historian down in Bavaria, Tiberius has an announcement to make: "I am rather concerned I am about to be murdered." Several of his former friends have recently died, and the obituaries he's received in the mail have been accompanied by a threat that he will be next along with a stark warning: "VENGEANCE FOR LORENZO." All the men were members of the Seven Sinners, a group of bons vivants Tiberius joined during his days at Cambridge. During that time, they paid a visit to Cherboys, the Templeton-Vane estate in Devon, whose sea cliffs contain prehistoric fossils. Lorenzo d'Ambrogio died falling from the cliff while trying to retrieve a fossil. Tiberius, who's invited the surviving members of the group to a reunion to mark Lorenzo's death, bribes Stoker to attend the house party with a chance to restore a sculptured Megalosaurus that their father commissioned years ago and they'd thought lost. The party's guests include Sir James MacIver, a wealthy Scot; his wife, Augusta; Italian Count Pietro Salviati; and Beatrice, his younger American wife. Also on hand are the Greshams, a local doctor and his sister, who were there when Lorenzo died. Once at Cherboys, Veronica stumbles on reporter J.J. Butterworth, her frenemy, who's looking for a story while pretending to be a kitchen maid. When Beatrice dies suddenly at a dinner held in the Megalosaurus, at first it seems that her weak heart gave out, but in fact she was poisoned. Now the quarreling Veronica and Stoker must work again as a team to find the killer before he strikes again. Love, lust, and mystery combine in a winning combination. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

*Starred Review* Longtime fans of the Veronica Speedwell series keep returning for these delightful, Victorian-set mysteries and, of course, for Veronica herself—a vivacious, forward-thinking lepidopterist. But beloved as Veronica is, she has her flaws, which came to the forefront of An Impossible Impostor (2022) when she refused to be completely honest with her lover, Stoker, despite him proving his trustworthiness time and time again. Their relationship is rocky at the start of Raybourn's latest, with Stoker making it clear that although he will always love Veronica, he can't continue their relationship until she trusts him, and she's surprised to discover that not even her seductiveness will break his resolve! Tensions mount when the two visit Stoker's brother, who's been receiving death threats, at his seaside estate during a lavish dinner party in the hopes of solving a decades-old murder. Dinosaur bones might be connected to the mystery, so really, with Veronica learning to balance her independence with a committed relationship and fossils involved, what's not to love here? Raybourn likewise strikes an ideal balance by combining a fun, original mystery with an excellent heroine, lovable cast, character growth, romance, and humor. Another stellar installment in a series that just keeps delivering. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

Raybourn continues to recognize women's skills and abilities in Veronica Speedwell's eighth adventure. Angry that Veronica didn't trust him enough to tell him about her past, at the conclusion of An Impossible Imposter Stoker left to wander Europe alone. Now, six months later, Veronica and Stoker's brother, Tiberius, track him down in Bavaria. Tiberius, Viscount Templeton-Vane, needs the couple to cooperate because someone is threatening him. Twenty years earlier, Tiberius was part of a group of wealthy young men known as The Seven Sinners. One of them, Lorenzo d'Ambrozio, died when he was fossil hunting at Cherboys, the Templeton-Vane estate. Now, several other members have died, and someone is sending newspaper clippings to the survivors indicating they're next, and the deaths are "Vengeance for Lorenzo." Tiberius invites the surviving Sinners and their spouses to Cherboys. When one of the guests dies, Veronica, Stoker, and Tiberius know the killer is one of the group. A dead man's journal and hidden connections from the past lead Veronica to confront the killer and put herself in danger. VERDICT The best-selling author of Killers of a Certain Age brings her trademark humor to this compelling historical mystery.—Lesa Holstine

Set in 1889, Raybourn's tantalizing eighth mystery featuring lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell (after 2022's An Impossible Impostor) takes her to Bavaria, where she hopes to reconnect with her estranged lover, Revelstoke "Stoker" Templeton-Vane. Veronica is joined by Stoker's brother, Tiberius, who has recently received two newspaper clippings in the mail describing the deaths of a German fossil hunter and a French bon vivant; in the margin of the second, someone has written: "You will be next. Prepare your soul. VENGEANCE FOR LORENZO." The dead men were part of a group, the Seven Sinners, that Tiberius belonged to at Cambridge University, and Lorenzo d'Ambrogio, another member, died in a storm after uncovering the complete fossilized skeleton of a new species of dinosaur. Though Tiberius believed the death an accident, the deaths of his colleagues, and the threat, have led him to reconsider. Veronica and Stoker return with Tiberius to England to protect him and uncover the truth behind the three deaths. Superior prose matches the clever plot. Fans of Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series will be pleased. Agent: Pamela Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Assoc. (Mar.)