Lady Julia Grey mystery series

by Deanna Raybourn, 1,762 for these 4 titles

I previously reviewed Silent in the Grave, the first novel in this Victorian mystery series. Since then I have read the next four in the series. The Lady Julia Grey novels have a strong first person narration, which means all of the action is seen through the main character's eyes. Since Julia herself is forthright and adventurous this works well most of the time. She teams up with Nicholas Brisbane, a private investigator, when her first husband, Lord Edward Grey, is murdered. While on the surface these have a lighter tone, Lady Julia and Brisbane find themselves delving into the darker side of Victorian society, so it's not all tea and roses. The characters travel from London to the Middle East and from there to Darjeeling, a British outpost on the Indian border with Sikkim. These travels give an exotic flavor to the stories, which adds interest to series. Lady Julia comes from a long line of aristocratic eccentrics, so her family is full of characters who liven up the stories with their antics. This series reminds me quite a bit of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, mixing adventure, history and witty social commentary in with the mystery elements. I'd favor Amelia Peabody over Lady Julia, however, because of Amelia's son Ramses Emerson---now there is a hero to savor----I think of him as Victorian version of James Bond. But that's another series.....

Silent in the Grave

A Lady Julia Grey Mystery

by Deanna Raybourn, 509 pages

Somehow I missed this historical series when it debuted back in 2007. So far I've read this one and the third one (when I couldn't wait for volume 2). I am liking it well enough to read a few more.

This first line definitely perked up my interest:

To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.

That hook gives you a taste of the tone of the book, which has a wry sense of humor throughout. In fact, I think the witty style captured my attention more than the mystery itself.

When Lady Julia Grey's husband dies at a party in their own home, she blames Edward's death on his physical infirmities. Her husband's inquiry agent, Nicholas Brisbane, tells her that it was murder, but Julia thinks Brisbane is just a bounder trying to capitalize on Edward's death. A year later evidence turns up which leads Julia back to Brisbane, and the two of them set about trying to find out who the killer is.

The sense of danger intertwines with a growing attraction between Julia and Brisbane. Though the mystery is solved at the end of the book, the relationship between the main characters is not. Of course not!

I haven't read the second book yet, so I don't know what happens between Julia and Brisbane after the events in volume one. I am happy to read Silent in the Sanctuary to find out!