Review of The Harlot of St. Cecelia's
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Harlot of St. Cecelia's" by Darcy Graves.]
Eden Brior, a thoughtful librarian, finds herself locked in the library's vault overnight with Simon Cross. She is mortified and believes nothing could be worse. Then she learns that Isabelle Jalbert, an actress and Simon's estranged wife, lies murdered on a library chair. The case is taken up by the thoughtful Inspector Garrett. Garrett is pressured to close the case quickly, and it seems pretty clear who is guilty. However, Eden refuses to see an innocent man hang, so she starts her own investigation because she is convinced that something does not quite add up. Will the murderer be caught, and who did it? Follow the clues detailed in The Harlot of St. Cecelia's by Darcy Graves to find out!
I enjoyed the number of clues that Graves sprinkled throughout the book. When the case was solved, it was easy to see how each clue worked together and painted a clear picture. I also enjoyed how odd some of the details of the murder were. For example, Isabelle's dress had been turned inside out. When this was mentioned, I was thoroughly confused as to what it could mean. I love strange and symbolic details such as this in murder mysteries.
Graves also did an excellent job of bringing the setting to life. Short discussions of the war remind the reader of the horrors that took place a few short years before this plot takes place. I also enjoyed how the investigation relied more on talking to suspects than dealing with physical evidence. It highlighted how different crime solving looked during the 1920s than it does today.
I did notice a number of errors while reading the book. It could use additional proofreading. However, this was my only dislike of the book.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The one star off is due to the number of errors. Should these be corrected, it would be worthy of a perfect rating. The plot, characters, and setting were delightful. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book. I sincerely hope that Graves decides to continue the series, as I would absolutely read a sequel. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a murder mystery. Despite the evocative title, I believe it is suitable for both teenagers and adults.
******
The Harlot of St. Cecelia's
View: on Bookshelves |
Eden Brior, a thoughtful librarian, finds herself locked in the library's vault overnight with Simon Cross. She is mortified and believes nothing could be worse. Then she learns that Isabelle Jalbert, an actress and Simon's estranged wife, lies murdered on a library chair. The case is taken up by the thoughtful Inspector Garrett. Garrett is pressured to close the case quickly, and it seems pretty clear who is guilty. However, Eden refuses to see an innocent man hang, so she starts her own investigation because she is convinced that something does not quite add up. Will the murderer be caught, and who did it? Follow the clues detailed in The Harlot of St. Cecelia's by Darcy Graves to find out!
I enjoyed the number of clues that Graves sprinkled throughout the book. When the case was solved, it was easy to see how each clue worked together and painted a clear picture. I also enjoyed how odd some of the details of the murder were. For example, Isabelle's dress had been turned inside out. When this was mentioned, I was thoroughly confused as to what it could mean. I love strange and symbolic details such as this in murder mysteries.
Graves also did an excellent job of bringing the setting to life. Short discussions of the war remind the reader of the horrors that took place a few short years before this plot takes place. I also enjoyed how the investigation relied more on talking to suspects than dealing with physical evidence. It highlighted how different crime solving looked during the 1920s than it does today.
I did notice a number of errors while reading the book. It could use additional proofreading. However, this was my only dislike of the book.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The one star off is due to the number of errors. Should these be corrected, it would be worthy of a perfect rating. The plot, characters, and setting were delightful. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book. I sincerely hope that Graves decides to continue the series, as I would absolutely read a sequel. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a murder mystery. Despite the evocative title, I believe it is suitable for both teenagers and adults.
******
The Harlot of St. Cecelia's
View: on Bookshelves |
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