DANGEROUS TO KNOW by Tasha Alexander

Publisher: Minotaur
Date published: October 6, 2010
ISBN: 9780312383794
Suspense, Mystery, Historical
Hardback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by library


Having survived the intrigue and threat to her own life in a harem in Constantinople, Lady Emily Hargreaves finds herself ensconced in Normandy at her mother-in-law’s home. More devastating than the bullet that almost took her life was the loss of her and husband, Colin’s, child. Her mother-in-law is less than supportive of the sadness that envelopes Emily. On the heels of her own personal loss, Emily stumbles on the body of a young woman, murdered in the fashion favored by Jack-the-Ripper. She gives in to her fear and horror at the crime and then begins to turn her attention toward finding the murderer.

Colin wants nothing more than to keep his bride safe yet he understands what drives her into humanity’s darkest doors. He strives to find a balance in ensuring his wife’s happiness yet remain in the bounds of their very restrictive Victorian society. His mother is not the strongest of Emily’s supporters. In fact, she would rather he not have wed Emily at all. The arrival of Emily’s dearest friend Cecile and wily thief Sebastian Capet set the wheels in motion to either solve the crime or lead to Emily’s demise. When the original victim’s doctor is found dead of an apparent suicide, Emily knows she is close to finding the killer The question is, will she find him before she becomes his next victim.

I have enjoyed all of Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily Novels of Suspense. DANGEROUS TO KNOW, however, is the crown jewel of this amazing collection of these historical fictions liberally laced with mystery and suspense. Not only do readers see more on Emily’s own inherent strength in DANGEROUS TO KNOW, but each of the other characters is more fully drawn. There is more depth to Colin, Cecile is even more the kind of person you want for your own best friend. The return of Sebastian became part of a fun adventure. In his prior appearance I wasn’t too impressed with the character and he left me cold, but in this latest installment, with more of his personality revealed, I couldn’t wait for his next scene.

Ms. Alexander transports her readers to the stories venues with the addition of a sense of sampling the very dishes Emily enjoys. You just know what that marvelous pear dessert tastes like!

If you have not read the Lady Emily series, I highly recommend it from beginning to this latest read. I’ve said it before, but it bears saying again, If I have one complaint about Tasha Alexander’s books it is that I have to wait for the next one to arrive. They are the kind you read again and again and each time find something new to enjoy.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

TEARS OF PEARL by Tasha Alexander

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN: 978-0-312-38370-1
Genre: Victorian Mystery
Hardcover
Obtained via Library
Reviewed by Gina


At long last embarking on her honeymoon with Colin Hargreaves, Lady Emily is more than ready to take in the archeological sites she has read and dreamed about for the past several years. Tucked away on a train to their first stop, Emily and Colin finally have some time to themselves, that is, until, one of their traveling companions, Sir Richard, takes ill on the train. Not ones to leave a fellow Englishman in the lurch, Emily and Colin become involved in Sir Richard’s concerns including some missing documents. When they arrive in Constantinople, before the Hargreaves can begin to truly explore the ancient city, while on an outing to hear the Sultan’s opera, a woman rushes to the Sultan with news of a concubine, Ceyden’s death. Following the Sultan to the scene of the murder it isn’t long before Colin and Emily are called upon to help solve the crime. While highly unusual for the English to be so involved they are considered key to the investigation because the murdered woman is revealed to be Sir Richard’s daughter.

Colin embarks on the investigation of the comings and goings of his fellow Englishmen and Emily is given access to the harem and its residents yet at each turn she is thwarted because while she is assured they will tell her all they know, she is certain they have been told exactly what to say.

The former valide Sultan, Bezime, befriends Emily yet plays her own brand of political games. As each layer of intrigue is unveiled, another springs up. With the arrival of her friend Margaret, Emily has another woman she can trust and bring along on her queries into the harem. Suspects abound—did Sir Richard kill his daughter in response to the knowledge that she lived as a concubine? Was it her brother Benjamin? The head eunuch? The valide Sultan or another woman jealous of Ceyden catching the Sultan’s eye? As the web thickens Emily must also face the shadows of her own past.

Like many readers I eagerly awaited for TEARS OF PEARL, the latest installment of Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily novels of suspense. Sadly the story was quite disappointing to me. At times I felt as if the author was writing by rote with little interest in the story rather than being involved with her characters. Sir Richard tells the story of his younger daughter being kidnapped when she was but a child of five. The moment he lays eyes on the murdered concubine, despite it being almost twenty years later, he knows it is his child. Granted, the reason why is explained, but later on, almost as an after thought. While that may be easily explained, when Bezime meets with Emily she relates some of Ceyden’s history in the harem and how as a child she struggled with speaking English and seemed to have no memory of her past. If that is so, how would they know her name was Ceyden? Being she was kidnapped and sold, it is hard to believe that along the way her name would not be changed. After all, with no memory of her past, how could she say her name? The disclosure was just too pat and appeared to be delivered as simply as possible so Emily and Colin could get involved in solving the murder rather than the personalities involved in it. The whys and wherefores are explained away as if they did not matter.

There are cultural issues and moirés of the time that did not fit for me. Emily’s access to certain areas seemed far too easy to achieve. I didn't feel any emotion from the characters. It was more like they moved along in a two dimensional world as cutouts rather than the exciting characters I read in ONLY TO DECEIVE, A POISONED SEASON and A FATAL WALTZ. Gone was the delicious tension between Colin and Emily as they mutually pursued each other yet at the same time kept their distance.

The unraveling of the mystery was entertaining. Like the petals of a rose opening each layer of the story brought with it its own fascination. Ms. Alexander does pose a good mystery. A FATAL WALTZ had some wonderful cultural nuances and personalities. You could taste the dishes served, smell the scents as the characters did and felt the air they walked in. It is my hope that if the series continues we will see more of the talent seen in the earlier boooks

THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW.

AND ONLY TO DECEIVE by Tasha Alexander

Publisher: Harper Collins
Date published: October 2005
ISBN 978-0061148446
Historical Mystery

Reviewed by Gina


In a class by herself with her historical suspense AND ONLY TO DECEIVE, Tasha Alexander weaves an incredibly fascinating story.

Ms. Alexander came to my attention when I received a copy of A POISONED SEASON for review and was so intrigued by the cover I quickly acquired her backlist, beginning with AND ONLY TO DECEIVE. I was immediately hooked. Set in Victorian England AND ONLY TO DECEIVE takes the reader on a marvelous tour of various museums, a discovery of antiques and through the poetry of Homer. Agreeing to marry Philip, Viscount Ashton more to escape her mother than for an affection for the man, Emily soon finds herself a widow. In far away Africa, Philip fell ill, never to recover. It is only when Emily begins to go through some of Philip’s belongings, his journey and time with his treasured antiques she comes to know the man and, sadly, it is only then she falls in love with him. So begins Emily’s own journey to self-discovery.

Ms. Alexander tells her story in a voice that feels more like someone sitting and telling you their tale than sitting and reading a book. The reader sees Emily’s life through her eyes and there is the feeling you are in the room with her. Each chapter is preceded by a passage from Phillip’s journal and as Emily comes to know him, so do we. AND ONLY TO DECEIVE is defined as a “Novel of Suspense.” It is so much more. It is a rich history, a philosophical discussion into Hector and Achilles, a journey of self-discovery, a mystery and an incredibly beautiful love story. If you pick up no other book this year, AND ONLY TO DECEIVE should be among your top choices.

A FATAL WALTZ by Tasha Alexander

Publisher: Harper Collins
Date published: May 2008
ISBN 978-0-06-117422-3
Historical Mystery
Reviewed by Gina


On the brink of Lady Emily Ashton’s marriage to Colin Hargreaves, the dashing agent of the Crown is sent away on a mission. He returns unscathed, but the date of the wedding has passed. Now, at a hunting weekend given by the dastardly Lord Fortescue Emily becomes aware of another woman in Colin’s life. Lord Fortescue takes no time in gloating to Emily that the woman, Kristiana, was a great love of Colin’s. He also makes certain that Emily knows he engineered the assignment that took Colin away from their wedding plans. He cruelly informs Emily that he will continue to keep the marriage from happening. Before the weekend is but half over, Lord Fortescue is murdered and it is not Emily who finds herself in prison but her dear friend Ivy’s husband, Robert Brandon. Determined to prove Robert’s innocence, Emily embarks on perhaps the most dangerous investigation yet.

Colin once again proves his love for Emily by supporting her decision to ferret out the true killer while he himself departs on a mission for the Crown. The investigation takes Emily to Vienna where she finds she must appeal to Kristiana for assistance. Kristiana plays the game of intrigue most cruelly by taunting Emily with her past relationship with Colin and her unspoken promise to never let him go. Little frightens Emily, however when one of her suspects leaves a bullet for her to find at every turn, for the first time she fears for her life. However, it is when Colin’s life is threatened her world feels as it if will irreparably crumble.

A FATAL WALTZ is by far my favorite of Tasha Alexander’s Lady Ashton suspense stories. While I have thoroughly enjoyed Emily’s forays into the museums and antiquities, A FATAL WALTZ takes Emily and her readers into another level of art, this time artists such as Klimt who populated the cafes of Vienna. Ms. Alexander weaves her tale, through Emily’s voice in such a manner that the reader feels he or she is there with her. When the famed tortes of Vienna are served, one can taste the rich chocolate on her tongue. When Emily ventures into the snowy streets of Vienna one feels the chill of winter. More than so than the prior books I felt more a part of the action. That is, perhaps, because I have so enjoyed the prior books and eagerly look forward to the next.

When Kristiana taunts Emily with her prior relationship with Colin I wanted to scratch her eyes out for Emily. I hope in future books more about that doomed relationship will become known. Kristiana is the woman we all love to hate. Each of the characters has an added dimension in A FATAL WALTZ and each becomes more intriguing.

As with the other books in this series, I just couldn’t put it down. It is like spending time with a good friend and there is a moment of sadness when it is time to say goodbye. I hope Lady Ashton will continue to solve crimes for many years to come.

Tasha Alexander is a do not miss. She is a breath of fresh air and a truly distinctive and welcome voice

A POISONED SEASON by Tasha Alexander

Publisher: Harper Collins
Date published: January 2007
ISBN: 978-0-06-117421-6
Historical Mystery
Reviewed by Gina



Lady Emily Ashton is back and this time the crime laid in her lap reaches to the very Crown.

What society deems Emily’s eccentricities, that of drinking port, sitting by herself in the park and acquiring rare antiques, turn to outright outrage when she begins her query into the mysterious murder of one David Francis. That death happens at the same time as an elusive cat burglar is making the rounds seems most curious to Emily. What catches her attention more though is that the items being taken are those purported to have belonged to Marie Antoinette and are coincidental to the arrival of a Charles Berry to declares himself the former French Queen’s heir. Beyond the intriguing puzzle posed by the burglar and Mr. Berry, is when Emily’s very room is invaded by the unknown thief who apparently finds ways to access the most sacrosanct places of her life. Amidst all this drama, Emily’s mother is still quite determined to marry her daughter off, preferably to someone of equal or higher rank. Her mother stops at nothing including taking tea with Queen Victoria herself. When the Queen essentially orders Emily to wed, her mother believes she finally has things firmly in hand.

One of Her Majesty’s staunchest agents, Colin Hargreaves, has already declared his love for Emily. When a secretive suitor begins to follow Emily, leaving her gifts somehow related to Marie Antoinette along with snippets of love written in Greek he is bemused, but confident in his relationship. Despite Emily’s entries to the contrary, he forges a friendship with the odious Charles Berry. As long has he has Emily’s assurances she will not intentionally endanger herself and, with the intrepid Inspector Manning to watch over her, he supports Emily’s investigation.

Ms. Alexander treats her readers to a unique story telling. There is the feeling of sitting down to tea to catch up with an old friend and at the same time there is the sense of a fast paced page turner. In AND ONLY TO DECEIVE and now in A POISONED SEASON, with a bit of it in ELIZABETH THE GOLDEN AGE, there is the aura of knowing the characters. Emily is so very likeable, the kind of character I wish were a real person that I had for a friend. When, at the end of A POISONED SEASON her good friend Margaret wants assurance that she will be in on the “fun” part of Emily’s next adventure I completly related to the sentiment.

If one looks at the different threads of A POISONED SEASON, there is the inclination to think that there is no way you can follow each pattern through the maze of intrigue Ms. Alexander creates. Yet in the way her story unfolds, the reader becomes a part of the very pattern she weaves.

As much as Emily is a woman ahead of her time, Colin too is the perfect foil for her. He loves her enough to allow her to pursue her goals and dreams and at the same time has just a touch of the alpha to want to protect her come what may.

Ms. Alexander also treats her readers to a slices of humor throughout the suspense filled mystery, mostly notably for me when Emily snags a treat for her maid from the Queen’s tea tray.

As I said at the end of my review for AND ONLY TO DECEIVE, this is a book not to be missed.