A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell, #9)
Deanna Raybourn
Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why? Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain—a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?
No posts yet
Kick off the convo with a theory, question, musing, or update
Your rating:
Thank you so much to Berkley, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book! All thought and opinions are still my own.
This series is an all-time favorite and I never want it to end. I've fallen so in love with Stoker and Veronica and this book just cemented that further.
Like with every Veronica Speedwell book, this can definitely be read as a standalone. While you miss some history of the MCs relationship, the mystery elements stand completely on their own, and any relevant points from past mysteries are explained/wrapped up at the beginning of each book.
And this was such a fun mystery! Like with any mystery, I've preferred some more than others throughout this series. And this one was definitely a favorite. I love how this series explores the many facets of women (and honestly anyone "othered"), during a time when people were expecting to fit into neat little boxes.
Despite loving all of that, my favorite aspect of this book was the character development. Or more precisely, getting to see how much these 2 characters have grown since book. Veronica is still feisty and hard headed, but learning her limitations. Stoker is learning how to protect without holding Veronica back. They're both learning to accept help and that other people may have useful skills after all. And their romance ... be still my beating heart.
There were so many passages that left me absolutely swooning. These two love each other so fiercely and I adore them.
I really hope we continue to get more and more Veronica Speedwell books. Because I would read this series forever.
0
© 2024 Pagebound