A Sinister Revenge

A Sinister Revenge (2023) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell)

Set in Europe and Great Britain in 1889.

Her eighth book opens with Veronica and Tiberius searching Bavaria for Stoker, who ran off after discovering Veronica had a husband–one who was apparently not dead as she thought he was.

I feel like this was an excellent way to emphasize both how little Veronica trusts those around her–as well as how much she lies to herself.

I was determined to be polite, no matter what the cost. I have already explained that I was in no way at all vexed with the complete and total lack of communication from him for the past half a year. Not in the slightest.

Which is good because I found Veronica’s consistent lying to herself to be a little wearing by this time–to the point that I sometimes found her a bit unlikable.

However, even she she was being annoying, there were so many other marvelous quotes.

“A heart can be broken so badly that the body can no longer recover,”

(I)n common with many British gentlemen, he was far more concerned with appearing to possess virtue than actually having it.

And random bits that delighted me.

I did not, as the clever reader will deduce, die

Occasionally when we’re listening to an audiobook and an exciting bit comes, I’ll tell Michael in a very solemn voice, “S/He doesn’t die at this time.” (a riff on The Princess Bride).

As far as the mystery, I wasn’t correct in who I thought was the original murderer, but that’s ok.

One thing I found a bit annoying was the h/t to Nelly Bly at the end. It wasn’t bad, and I suppose that if someone didn’t know who Nelly Bly was it would be interesting, but it felt a tiny bit shoe-horned in.

Publisher: Berkley

Rating: 7/10

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