The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes (2022) Cat Sebastian (London Highwaymen #2)

The second book in the London Highwaymen series takes place concurrently with The Queer Principles of Kit Webb but from Marian and Rob’s points of view.

We learn why Marian hates the duke (her husband) so much, why she married the duke in the first place, and of her part in the plans to blackmail the duke that ends in his death.

Marian is far better suited to killing than Percy, even if she doesn’t escape the murder unscathed.

She was vaguely aware that she was uncomfortable, but the discomfort of her body seemed to be taking place many miles away and possibly to somebody else.

My favorite part of the book was reading the letters Marian and Rob wrote to each other, starting with the first blackmail letter.

You may be interested to know that Dante placed blackmailers in the eighth circle of hell, where they were thrown into boiling pits of tar and guarded by demons armed with grappling claws (or possibly hooks; I am not in the mood for accurate translation).

Your mortal enemy, Marian, Duchess of Clare

I will gladly educate you regarding Dante and any other poets of the Italian vernacular who strike your fancy. My fee is five hundred pounds, payable immediately.

Your mortal enemy, Marian, Duchess of Clare

May I humbly suggest being less of an idiot and doing whatever it takes to make amends with your friends? Or perhaps find some new ones? You are clearly terrible at being alone (I am excellent at it; I will give you lessons for the reasonable fee of five hundred pounds).

What didn’t work for me was, essentially, the conclusion. Yes, it’s a reworking of Robin Hood and Maid Marian, but I had a difficult time believing all the robbing was going to work out the way they thought. Yes, the wealthy getting their comeuppance was an important part of the happy ending, but with all the work the story put into the dangers of pregnancy and how terrible the aristocracy was, their solutions just felt a bit too pat, falling into place without much effort.

It wasn’t a bad story, not at all, I just found the ending unsatisfying.

Characters: Marian Hayes, Rob Brooks, Kit Webb, Edward Percy Talbot, Eliza Talbot, Duke of Clare, Dinah, Earl of Eynsham, Sir John Fanshawe, Marcus Hayes, Netley, Hester, Alice, Betty, Mistress Scarlett

Cover illustration by Bri Neumann

Publisher: Avon

Rating: 7/10

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