A Fatal Waltz

A Fatal Waltz (2008) Tasha Alexander

Set in 1891

This finds Lady Emily, Ivy, and others at a political house party–a party where the host is making it quite clear he will do everything in his powers to break Emily’s engagement to Colin.

That was my least favorite part of the story–the whole Emily isn’t good enough for Colin bit. I’m sure things like that happened, but considering that Emily spent the entire previous book putting Colin off, it just felt like the author was going out of her way to make romantic problems.

There are plenty of historical bits, to remind one how different a place the past is.

The morning’s bag had been lined up for us to admire before we ate, and we all did our best to muster appropriate enthusiasm over the bounty.

“How many of them are yours?” I asked Colin.

“I didn’t count,” he said, giving me his arm and steering me away from the group.

“It’s rather obscene, don’t you think? There must be fifteen hundred birds here.”

The weather in London was atrocious, a dense yellow fog settling on the town and paralyzing its inhabitants as it crept into every corner of the city. This was not the transparent, floating sort of fog that artists adored. It was a killing fog, one that would lead to an increase in deaths in the poorer parts of the capital, where people were already suffering respiratory ailments.

The mystery was somewhat weak, but since I wasn’t expecting that much (especially on a re-read) it was an enjoyable adventure.
Rating: 7/10

Published by HarperCollins

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