Silence in the Library

Silence in the Library (2021) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler)

Set in London in 1815

Lily Adler has slowly getting back into life in London, when she received an unexpected visitor: her father. The man disapproves of absolutely everything she does–and isn’t quiet about his opinions.

Although she doesn’t appreciate his demands or her presence, she takes the escape of visiting her father’s best friend, Lord Wyatt, to congratulate him on his marriage. There, she is confused by the Frank’s open hostility to his father’s new wife. She is also unfortunate enough to witness accusations of theft and the ensuing scene.

I am coming to really really like these books.

This story has neurodiversity representation as it would have been seen at the time.

It is a common misperception that because terms like “neurodivergent” are modern inventions, the people they describe are found only in modern times. But plenty of historical accounts show the presence of individuals with what we would consider sensory processing disorders or autism spectrum disorder. The lives of neurodivergent individuals in history varied widely, as they do now, but could be especially challenging if their families did not have the funds for their care.

And as fits into the story.

“On the one hand, he thinks having such a brother reflects poorly on the family and resents him. He especially resents how fond Sir Charles was of Arthur. On the other hand, he’s offended that he’s not one of the people Arthur will speak to.”

The mystery was excellent, the characters were wonderful, and I appreciated that things were not easy (or superficially) resolved with Lily’s father.

There is an undercurrent of romance in this series, and another man has been introduced to Lily–one whom her friends thing she would be a good match for. It’s a small part of the story, but I can’t help preferring Jack, even if Simon is also lovely.

I’ve already started reading the next book in the series.

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Rating: 9/10

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