DANDY DETECTS (A Victorian San Francisco Story) by M. Louisa Locke and narrated by Alexandra Haag **AUDIOBOOK REVIEW**

(I received a free copy from the author for review consideration.)

Blurb:
In this short story it is the fall of 1879 and San Francisco swelters under a heat wave while Barbara Hewitt, a reserved schoolteacher, uncovers a mystery with the help of her son's Boston Terrier, Dandy.
This story is set in the gas-lit world created by Locke in her Victorian San Francisco Mystery series, which includes Maids of Misfortune, Uneasy Spirits, Bloody Lessons, and the short story "The Misses Moffet Mend a Marriage".

Review:
After reviewing Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits here on my blog, I found Dandy Detects to be a delightful window into Barbara's life and mindset. Previously a minor character living in Annie's boarding house, we learn the reason Barbara is wary and somewhat reserved.  It was also interesting to view Annie and her boardinghouse from a resident's perspective.  
The basis of this short story (just 41 minutes for the audiobook) is the mysterious disappearance of a neighbor woman and her dog.  Barbara has made a real effort to meet the neighbor, feeling a kinship with her circumstances, but when she disappears after one hot night, Dandy's behavior supports Barbara's fears. 
The narrator, Alexandra Haag,  has a nice, rich, soothing voice, although at times I was distracted by what was almost a robotic quality of careful enunciation and steady tone. But overall, I thought she did a great job. 
The audiobook is prices at $3.99 and the ebook is just 99 cents.

GOODREADS
AUDIBLE
AMAZON
B&N
Author's website HERE.

   

BLACKDOWN (A Thriller and Murder Mystery) by D.M. Mitchell

(I bought this book.)

Blurb:
‘THE MOST SAVAGE OF BEASTS IS TO BE FOUND WITHIN THE HEART OF MAN.’

It is 1817, Regency England. Thomas Blackdown, a thieftaker and ex-soldier, receives word that his brother and father are in deep trouble and need his help. But Blackdown is a man that harbours bitter memories; a man banished from his homeland because of a terrible accident, and so is reluctant to return to his ancestral home in Somerset.

However, once there he discovers that his brother has been savagely murdered – torn to shreds, some say by a mythical creature the locals call the Blackdown Beast. Thomas Blackdown does not believe in any creature of fantasy, and is determined to bring to justice his brother’s murderer, encouraged by his brother’s fiancé, Julianne Tresham, and aided by the faithful servant Addison.

But Blackdown is quickly drawn deep into a complicated web of deceit, power, greed and murder involving Lord Tresham – Julianne’s father – and the cold Sir Peter Lansdowne. What is the mysterious Lupercal Club? Why do ex-soldiers go missing from Commodore Pettigrew’s travelling theatre? What strange thing is happening in Devilbowl Wood where Blackdown’s brother was found mutilated? And does a savage, hellish creature really prowl the night?

Soon, Blackdown must fight for his own life and face up to his demons both imaginary and real. He will need all his wits and skills to survive if he is ever to discover the shocking truth behind the evil that has penetrated as far as the government itself.

Set in Regency England following the end of the Napoleonic wars, ‘Blackdown’ is D. M. Mitchell at his creative best, crafting a believable world of strange, larger-than-life characters, with his trademark intricate plotting and surprise ending, it is a novel that is a rollicking good thriller, horror and adventure story rolled into one.

And in Thomas Blackdown, Mitchell has given us a hero like no other before – a D’Arcy with bite, a Bond in breeches…

 
Review:
What a fantastic book!  It's a mystery, thriller, suspense, and historical all wrapped up in one incredibly enjoyable package.
Thomas Blackdown was kicked out of his ancestral home at the age of 13, and he has spent the last 20 years becoming a battle-hardened soldier and trying to forget his past. He's a fascinating man.  Although disowned by his titled father and treated with disdain and hate, Thomas has retained his sense of honor, nobility and compassion.  He's a hard man, but a just one.  Out of the army now, he's making a living as a successful thieftaker, making use of his skills. He's a mix of undercover operative, spy, soldier, and is basically just existing.
Returning home after such a long time, he's shocked at the condition of his family estate, and discovers that his brother has died since sending the letter two years ago.  He's persuaded to investigate his younger brother's death, which seems to have been caused by a legendary monster that dwells in the deep woods nearby.  This Blackdown Beast is apparently on the rampage again, and the violently shredded sheep may just be the beginning, as Thomas learns that several ex-soldiers working for a traveling entertainment troupe have disappeared as well.  He also learns that his father was falsely accused of treason, an old friend and neighbor is buying up the Blackdown property for reasons of his own, and a new nobleman in the area has created an armed police force that seem to threaten and intimidate more than they keep the peace.  The more Thomas investigates, the stranger and more connected these mysteries become, and before long he's threatened and then attacked.
The cast of characters is extensive and intriguing, and their lives are prisms through which life in 1817 Regency England and the village of Blackdown is viewed.   His father's lawyer may be a parasitic manipulator, the kindly neighbor may have ulterior motives, the traveling troupe members are hiding a dangerous secret, and the town is preparing for an ancient pagan festival connected to the Blackdown Beast.  The overwhelming power and impunity of the local nobles is in stark contrast to the desperation and grueling nature of the servants, townspeople and traveling entertainers. 
This novel is like a beautiful piece of classical music.  The characters are the orchestra, and the author the conductor - he appreciates and develops each instrument in the orchestra, carefully guiding their actions to create a richly interwoven tapestry of mystery.  The sense of dread and rapidly encroaching danger increases with each page, and by the time I got to the shocking twist near the end I could not put the book down!
A simply outstanding story!



Buy from B&N HERE.
Buy from Amazon HERE.

Visit the author's Goodreads page HERE.

Uneasy Spirits (A Victorian San Francisco Mystery) by M. Louisa Locke

(I bought this book.)

Blurb:

In this sequel to Maids of Misfortune, it is the fall of 1879 and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, has a problem. Despite her growing financial success as the clairvoyant Madam Sibyl, Annie doesn't believe in the astrology and palmistry her clients think are the basis for her advice.

Kathleen Hennessey, Annie Fuller's young Irish maid, has a plan. When her mistress is asked to expose a fraudulent trance medium, Arabella Frampton, Kathleen is determined to assist in the investigation, just like the Pinkerton detectives she has read about in the dime novels.

Nate Dawson, up-and-coming San Francisco lawyer, has a dilemma. He wants to marry the unconventional Annie Fuller, but he doesn't feel he can reveal his true feelings until he has a way to make enough money to support her.

In Uneasy Spirits, this cozy historical mystery of romantic suspense, Annie delves into the intriguing world of 19th century spiritualism, encountering true believers and naïve dupes, clever frauds and unexplained supernatural phenomena. She will soon find there are as many secrets as there are spirits swirling around the Frampton séance table. Some of those secrets will threaten the foundation of her career as Madam Sibyl and the future of her relationship with Nate Dawson, and, in time, they will threaten her very life itself.

Uneasy Spirits is the second book in M. Louisa Locke's Victorian historical mystery series, the first is Maids of Misfortune, and there are currently two short stories based on the characters from the novels, Dandy Detects, and The Misses Moffet Mend a Marriage.

Review:
Fabulous book!  Uneasy Spirits is another beautifully written, evocative, full-immersion trip to San Francisco in 1879.  The independent and intrepid Annie Fuller is asked by one of her boarders, Miss Pinehurst, to investigate a popular medium who has seemingly manipulated Miss Pinehurst's grieving sister by channeling the spirit of her dead child.  San Francisco has many such mediums, as the Spiritualist movement is very popular, and attending a seance is as fashionable as it is thrilling.  Annie, while open-minded, is suspicious of the beautiful Arabella Frampton and tries to discover how she performs her tricks.  Although Annie is quite sure Arabella is a fake, she can't figure out the performances of the strange and enigmatic Evie May, a young girl with a mysterious and compelling ability to channel a variety of spirits and change her very appearance right in front of witnesses.

Annie is accompanied to the seances by her enthusiastic, devoted maid Kathleen, and aided in her investigation by her beau Nate Dawson, a young lawyer who recognizes that since he can't stop Annie's unconventional behavior, he may as well go along for the ride to keep up with her.
Pretty soon Annie is the target of threatening notes and physically harmed as she gets closer to the truth.
But is Evie May a victim or a suspect?  This was easily the most compelling part of the story for me, as we see that Evie May has, from a modern perspective, multiple personalities and a background likely filled with abuse.  But to the educated people of 1879 San Francisco, including a famous Spiritualist and trance medium with a similarly abusive background, Evie May is guarded by protective spirits.  Reading this in 2013 it's easy to be dismissive, and assume Evie May has multiple personality disorder, but her knowledge of otherwise secret events would lend credence to the belief that she is, indeed, some form of psychic.  It's also a discreet but vivid reminder that the mental illness of one era is the revered powers of another era.  The fact that Annie keeps an open mind regarding Evie May keeps this subtext alive and added a thrilling layer to the overall mystery.

And by the way, each chapter begins with a pertinent headline or classified ad from the San Francisco Chronicle dated from the exact day the story is taking place.  A really nice touch.

I can't recommend these books enough!


Check out the author's website HERE.

    

THE DEVIL'S GRIN by Annelie Wendeberg

(I got this for free during a recent promotion.)

BLURB:
In Victorian London's cesspool of crime and disease, a series of murders remains undiscovered until a cholera victim is found floating in the city's drinking water supply. Dr Anton Kronberg, England's best bacteriologist, is called upon to investigate and finds evidence of abduction and medical maltreatment. While Scotland Yard has little interest in pursuing the case, Kronberg pushes on and crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes. The detective immediately discovers Kronberg's secret - a woman masquerading as a man in order to practice medicine - a criminal deed that could land her in prison for years to come. But both must join forces to stop a crime so monstrous, it outshines Jack the Ripper's deeds in brutality and cold-bloodedness. 


REVIEW:
If you love blends of historical fact and fiction, The Devil's Grin is for you.  It's a fascinating and compelling story of a woman forced to live as a man in order to study medicine in London at the end of the 19th century.  Although she is one of the most brilliant minds of her day, she would be humiliated and ignored if her colleagues discovered her true identity.  In order to maintain her sanity and her sense of self, she maintains an elaborate and time-consuming daily system of changing from man to woman and back again, spending her days as the renowned and respected Dr. Anton Kronberg, and her nights as Anna Kronberg, living in one of the worst slums of London.
When Dr. Anton Kronberg is called in to consult on a cholera death, she meets Sherlock Holmes, who immediately realizes her disguise.  Rather than "out" her, he quickly realizes her incredibly adept and agile intellect is a match for his own, and treats her as a peer in his investigation.  As they dig deeper into the suspicious aspects of the victim's death, both are placed in great danger, even as a discreet and unspoken attraction grows between them.
This fascinating mystery unfolds against a backdrop of London in 1895 and the inherent dangers of the city. 
Anna is a fascinating creature.  Encouraged by her poor father in her academic studies, she somehow has the intestinal fortitude to live as a man in order to go to medical school, and then to practice as a professor and scientist.  She's in constant danger as a woman living in the slums, and also as her male alter ego, because if she's discovered she risks jail.  Her unflagging mental vigilance, combined with her complicated twice daily gender switches is exhausting, and yet she has such a strong moral compass that she is able to stay the course.
I loved this book, and can't wait to read the next one.

Author's website HERE.
Check out the author's Goodreads page HERE.

  

Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke

(I purchased this book.)

Back of the Book Blurb:
It's the summer of 1879, and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, is in trouble. Annie's husband squandered her fortune before committing suicide five years earlier, and one of his creditors is now threatening to take the boardinghouse she owns to pay off a debt.

Annie Fuller also has a secret. She supplements her income by giving domestic and business advice as Madam Sibyl, one of San Francisco's most exclusive clairvoyants, and one of Madam Sibyl's clients, Matthew Voss, has died. The police believe his death was suicide brought upon by bankruptcy, but Annie believes Voss has been murdered and that his assets have been stolen.

Nate Dawson has a problem. As the Voss family lawyer, he would love to believe that Matthew Voss didn't leave his grieving family destitute. But that would mean working with Annie Fuller, a woman who alternatively attracts and infuriates him as she shatters every notion he ever had of proper ladylike behavior.

Sparks fly as Anne and Nate pursue the truth about the murder of Matthew Voss in this light-hearted historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco.

Review:

Published in December 2009, this is a wonderful blend of mystery, with a touch of romance, set against a period backdrop of 1879 San Francisco.  I was completely absorbed from the beginning, as the reader sees Annie in her dual roles as a boarding-house owner and in her role as Madam Sibyl (love the appropriate name).  It's fascinating that the word "respectable" needs to be placed in front of the phrase "boarding-house", as they were frequently fronts for a much older profession.  Annie is young, extremely smart, capable, and just barely hanging on to her status and her inherited boarding-house through the profits earned by Madam Sibyl.  Annie had been left destitute when her husband killed himself, after spending the considerable fortune Annie had brought to the marriage through her dowry.  Unable to overtly use her considerable financial and business skills to support herself due to societal constraints, Annie is forced to rely on the charity of her in-laws, and is shunted from one to another until she inherits the house.

When one of her favorite clients and friends dies unexpectedly, Annie believes it to be murder, and has to convince the family lawyer Nate Dawson, who happens to be young, handsome, hunky and open-minded.  His affection for Annie and his tolerance for her escapades is sorely tested, however, as Annie's investigation puts her in all kinds of dangerous situations.

 Annie and Nate feel like real people, and I found myself alternately cheering for Annie and scared to death for her, as she poses as a maid and hunts for clues to the murder.  The setting and situation are so clearly described, I could feel the societal constraints holding Annie back at every turn, always requiring that she dress, speak, and behave a certain way, whether as a respectable widow or as the maid she pretends to be for part of the book.  I was frustrated for her, even as she found methods to work within and around these class rules.
Fascinating story, with a well-crafted mystery, realistic characters, and a lovely romance - highly recommended!

Check out the author's Goodreads page.

Check out the author's website for more information.

Meet the Author

M. Louisa Locke is a retired professor of U.S. and Women’s History, who has embarked on a second career as an historical fiction writer. The first two published books in her series of historical mysteries set in Victorian San Francisco, Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits feature Annie Fuller, a boardinghouse owner and clairvoyant, and Nate Dawson, a San Francisco lawyer, who together investigate murders and other crimes, while her short stories, Dandy Detects and The Miss Moffets Mend a Marriage, give secondary characters from this series a chance to get involved in their own minor mysteries.

Locke's fiction garnered awards from the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and the IndieBRAG and have been consistent best   sellers in the historical mystery category. Locke is also the president of the Board of Directors of the Historical Fiction Authors Cooperative.

Currently living in San Diego, Dr. Locke is working on Bloody Lessons, the next full-length installment of her Annie Fuller/Nate Dawson series. For more about M. Louisa Locke and her work, see http://mlouisalocke.com/. 

    

The Playwright's Woman by R.J. Creaney (A Free E-Book Short Story)

Publisher's Blurb:  In late Victorian London, playwright Kevin Francis Darley struggles with both poor reviews and writer’s block. He begins a dalliance with the mystical spirit absinthe and meets – and falls immediately in love with – an enigmatic young woman from his homeland. She inspires and enlivens him, but the man who knows Kevin better than any other cannot help but be wary of the profound and disturbing change that he sees in his friend.


Mini-Review:  This was a very short story (44 pages) but don't let the length put you off.  Just as a tiny morsel of rich, dark chocolate can be the perfect dessert, this delicious literary bit of spooky, gothic mystery is the perfect hour of reading pleasure.  The story unfolds through the alternating journal entries and letters of Kevin Darley, and those of his best friend.  These alternating points of view chart the path of Kevin's writer's block, his subsequent infatuation with absinth, and his obsession with a mysterious and enigmatic young Irish woman.  I was completely sucked into the downward spiral of Kevin's obsession as he writes as though bespelled, finally gaining success and validation.  Moody, atmospheric, and utterly enjoyable.

For more information check out the author's website at http://rjcreaney.wordpress.com/.