Silent in the Sanctuary

Title: Silent in the Sanctuary
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Genre: Mystery
Published: 2008
Series: Lady Julia Grey Mysteries (Book 2)
Next in Series: Silent on the Moor (forthcoming, March 1, 2009)

Review:
Julia has recovered from her shocking investigation of her husband’s murder and is now relaxing in Italy with two of her many brothers. But when Lysander gets married to an Italian lady without his father’s permission they are all summoned home to England for Christmas. Upon arrival at their ancestral home of Bellmont Abbey they realize that Earl March has planned a large house party to celebrate the season.

Among the guests are Nicolas Brisbane and (most surprisingly) his fiancée. But it isn’t long before odd things start happening. There are many reports of a ghostly apparition floating around the old Abbey. Ancient relatives disappear in the middle of snowstorms. An expensive set of pearls vanish. And worst of all, one of the houseguests ends up dead during a game of Sardines!

A fun dash back in time to hobnob with the Victorians, the historical details of this book are very well done. The tension between Julia and Brisbane is palpable and helps keep the story moving the few times it might have stalled out. But as a mystery, it takes forever to get there. The murder doesn’t happen until halfway through the book, although many other odd things take place.

While it does take forever to get to the murder, there are plenty of other things to distract and fascinate the reader. First there’s Brisbane’s odd fiancée; the widowed Mrs. King. I sincerely disliked Mrs. King’s story line, but what she detracted from the book was more than made up for by Julia’s cousins Lucy and Emma and their Aunt Dorcas. They are the most fascinating new characters to the series. I hope we see more of them later, although I rather doubt that we will.

Perspective:
Lady Julia Grey Mysteries are told in first person from Lady Julia’s perspective in past tense.

My Thoughts:
While I didn’t like this installment quite a much as the first, it was a delightful read that had me glued to the page. On my first read through I didn’t even notice how long it took to get to the actual murder. Also, I love Ms. Raybourn’s attention to historical detail. As a historian, it just makes the book that much more enjoyable.

Again, don't let the new covers throw you off. This is a mystery novel, not a sordid romance.

Favorite Scene:
Julia’s confrontation of Brisbane at the riverside is all malice, hurt and jealousy. Quite a fun read!

Who this book is best for:
An adult mystery dealing with some adult topics, I’d keep these for either very advanced High Schoolers or those who have reached their Majority.

Violence: 3 of 5 for murder and a gristly review of the corpse.

Stars: 3.5 of 5

Silent in the Grave

Title: Silent in the Grave
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Genre: Mystery
Published: 2007
Series: Lady Julia Grey Mysteries (Book 1)
Next in Series: Silent in the Sanctuary

Review:
The year is 1886. Lady Julia is the wife of Baronet Sir Edward Grey and daughter of the Earl of March. As far as she is concerned, they live an average life in their London townhouse. But Sir Edward has never been healthy. No one in his family is; his grandfather, father and cousin all either suffer from or have died of heart problems. Therefore, no one is really surprised when Edward collapses at one of their house parties and dies shortly thereafter. No one, that is, except one of their guests that evening: Mr. Nicolas Brisbane. Edward hired Brisbane to uncover who had been sending him threatening notes with frightening bible passages. Julia pays no attention to Brisbane’s warning and a year passes.

With her year of mourning almost complete Julia has changed. Having escaped her unknown imprisonment from under her husband’s thumb she has taken her sister Portia’s advice and changed everything from her hair cut to her wardrobe and is even considering taking a lover. But then Julia undertakes the unpleasant task of cleaning out Edward’s room. There she uncovers a note that is just as Brisbane described. “Let me be not ashamed, Oh Lord; for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.” With this startling evidence of her husband’s murder, Lady Julia enlists the assistance of Brisbane and the hunt ensues.

In this gripping first installment, Ms. Raybourn weaves a complex window into Victorian life, with all its restraints and formalities and disadvantages. The plot is gripping and moves along at a very smart clip. The method of death is ingenious, as is the murder weapon itself. Many times I was certain I had discovered the one piece of evidence that would damn a certain character or another, only to find I was mistaken.

Likewise, I felt a deep connection to Lady Julia. A trying time in her life is only made worse by the reopening of fresh wounds by the discoveries she makes on her investigation. What she turns up changes her life irrevocably, in ways that I myself fully relate to at times and at others are completely foreign. Lady Julia grows from a mousy woman who seeks only to please others and through her trials begins to transform a strong and confident woman.

Perspective:
Lady Julia Grey Mysteries are told in first person from Lady Julia’s perspective, and in past tense.

My Thoughts:
I first picked up this book on the recommendation of a store clerk as I browsed for Jane Austen Fan Fiction. I found myself enthralled with the story, much more enwrapped than I have ever been in any of Agatha Christie’s books. Each chapter begins with quotes from Shakespeare or other well known literary works, which once the full story is known make complete sense and until then just confuse a reader. Overall it’s a wonderful novel, and easily the best mystery I’ve read.

Oh, and don’t let the new covers, which make it look like a sordid romance novel, throw you. It really is a mystery.

Favorite Scene:
Julia’s walk with Portia in Hyde Park was great.

Who this book is best for:
An adult mystery dealing with some adult topics, I’d keep these for either very advanced High Schoolers or those who have reached their Majority.

Violence: 3 of 5, for murder, suicide and other such unpleasantness.

Stars: 4.5 of 5

Ruby in the Smoke

Title: Ruby in the Smoke
Author: Phillip Pullman
Genre: Mystery
Published: 1985
Series: Sally Lockhart Trilogy (Book 1)
Next in Series: Shadow in the North

Summary:
Puzzled by a mysterious letter after her father’s death, Sally sets out to find out what the Seven Blessings are and how they’re connected to her father’s last days. Little does she realize that she’s tossing herself into two different mysteries. As if that weren’t enough, Sally is troubled by a lifelong nightmare, an old biddy out to kill her, and a lack of money for rent Sally’s days are never free of stress, but she handles it well and finds friends along the way.

Review:
Sally Lockhart certainly has her strengths and weaknesses, but does her best to turn everything to her advantage. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. Still, I felt like I never really got to know Sally herself: that she didn’t really let her guard down. And that’s how it was for most of the characters. Perhaps that will get better later in the series.

Victorian London in Ruby in the Smoke is not quite what actual Victorian London was. Everyone was far too ok with Sally, a single and unescorted female, roaming around places she shouldn’t have been.

Perspective:
This story is told from third person omniscient point of view.

My Thoughts:
While it is entertaining, I found Ruby in the Smoke a bit historically inaccurate as to how women were expected to act in Victorian England. The characters were a little flat, but that doesn’t detract from the story. It was a worthwhile read overall, and I’m planning on getting the next book soon.

Favorite Scene:
Sally telling off Mrs. Rees was great. Reading about people not taking guff when they don’t deserve it really makes my day.

Who this book is best for:
Middle school kids, boys and girls, who want a fun romp in the past full of intrigue and suspense.

Violence: 3 of 5 for murder and opiate use

Stars: 3 of 5

A Great and Terrible Beauty

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty
Author: Libba Bray
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2003
Series: Gemma Doyle Trilogy (Book 1)
Next in Series: Rebel Angels

Summary:
Right before Gemma’s mother is murdered by a strange shadow in Victorian India, she tosses her daughter a crescent eye necklace. That was her first vision. Now, Gemma is then on her way to a homeland she has never seen to be turned into a lady at a finishing school. To save face, she must say that her mother died of cholera and pretend her father isn’t addicted to opiates. And then there’s the odd young Indian man, Kartik who followed her to England, with dire warnings to end the visions she cannot control. Soon, Gemma is wading her way through the delights of finishing school politics and attempting to take charge of her strange powers. Led by the diary of a girl she believes long dead and with the fickle help of her finishing school chums, Gemma enters a world fraught with trouble.

Review:
Gemma is a typical sixteen-year-old in that she has done things she regrets, wants to fit in (even against her better judgment), falls for someone she can never have, can’t always control her temper, and looks up to a teacher who encourages her to think outside the Victorian box. She’s an abnormal teen in that she has odd powers. She’s very well developed as a character and despite her many flaws, you come out loving her.

And it’s not just Gemma who is fully fleshed out. Somehow all the characters seem like real people. Everyone has their secrets, the things they strive to fix or make up for in their lives. Gemma’s friends, her teachers and family are a product of their environment, and either struggle against it or are overwhelmed by it.

The portrayal of Victorian England is very true to what I’ve studied of it, and the finishing school Spence leaps off the page. Its goal is to turn young girls into proper Victorian Ladies, but is defined by its’ past. The fire that killed the school’s founder (and possibly others) is something that Spence is still trying to recover from, to hide the smudge the fire left on Spence’s reputation.

Perspective:
A Great and Terrible Beauty is told from first person present perspective, which is very rare for any book, fiction or non.

My Thoughts:
This is a phenomenal book. I am always overjoyed to find strong female heroines (which is probably obvious in my reviews), but most of them have so few flaws. I adore that Gemma comes across as an actual woman, flaws and all. She makes some colossal mistakes, worries consistently about how to mend them. Her realization that she must learn to accept what she can’t change is a lesson I wish I had learned earlier. Finally, a fantasy novel where the lessons can be applied to real life!

Favorite Scene:
My favorite scene would have to be where Gemma is locked into the chapel. It’s spooky with a touch of romance, Gothic in the extreme. I get happy chills just thinking about it.

Who this book is best for:
Any girl from 14 on up will benefit by reading this. My sister (code name Poppy) said this: "I finished A Great and Terrible Beauty. Woah, that was real good. I'll have to borrow the other ones from you sometime."

Violence: 2 of 5 for murder and death scenes

Adult Content: 2 of 5 for some suggestive scenes

Stars: 5 of 5 (if I could give it more, I would.)