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Liked It “Really good... interesting.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “To my mind this was more of a suspense thriller than a true mystery. It seemed to me there was little mystery in the book and a lot of violence and anxiety producing scenes.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“To my mind this was more of a suspense thriller than a true mystery. It seemed to me there was little mystery in the book and a lot of violence and anxiety producing scenes.”
Jeanie Doyle Singler wrote this review Thursday, November 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Really good... interesting.”
Rebecca D wrote this review Sunday, November 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I picked up this book because I've loved Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries series. I was willing to try out something else by Barron and although this is an entirely different sort of story it does not disappoint.
Kristen R wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
We are given the information about the plot from two very different perspectives: the first from Queen Victoria of England, and the second from Patrick Fitzgerald, a barrister who is fleeing Victoria's wrath with villans a-plenty chasing him across several countries at Victoria's instigation.
I won't give away the details of the plot here, but suffice it to say the story is clever, interesting and very exciting! There are rooftop scuffles, nighttime flights from the bad guys, and much mayhem and intrigue from a variety of involved parties.
The story alternates between chapters covering Victoria's perspective of what is transpiring, and then Fitzgerald's experience of the same happenings.
The ending is very satisfying, and believeable given the nature of Patrick, a plucky, likable Irishman who is well used to taking hardship and rising above it despite all odds. Patrick is a resourceful, determined, honest man who does everything he can to protect those he loves from the capriciousness and petty vindictiveness of royalty.
The villans in this book are deliciously evil, and the "good guys" are just flawed enough to make them real and encourage you to root for them to persevere. Even the supporting characters are well-developed and add much to the story.
I enjoyed this very much! If you like historical fiction, this may be a book for you.
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“I am a huge fan of Barron's JANE AUSTEN mystery series, and, consequently, I was very excited to see her first foray into non-JA historical thriller fiction had come out. Sadly, though, I found this novel to be lacking in a number of ways. It took longer than usual for me to get into the story; when I *did*, I found bits of it far-fetched and wandering. Ultimately, though I appreciate the effort, I feel like Barron went for a huge story with a grand feel and scope, which falls flat for lack of plausibility. Georgiana Armistead was a strong female character, and enjoyable to follow, but, again, the overall reach of the story takes away from her individual significance.”
Alethea wrote this review Tuesday, March 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The flaw is the hemophilia prevalent in Europe's royal families. There's a flaw in the synopsis on the back cover of the book, try to spot it. Book reads like a movie of the week, with so many loose ends. ”
Annabelle wrote this review Monday, February 16 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The alternating chapters with Queen Victoria's voice were a little odd. I don't know much about Victoria and her reign, so I didn't know how much to believe and how much to discount. The mystery was intriguing and I like the rest of the characters. Carol insists that I will like Barron's Jane Austen mysteries better. ”
Susan F wrote this review Sunday, February 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I liked this quite a bit. I am a big fan of her Jane Austen mysteries. This one also seemed true to the period (Victorian era) and has a surprise ending. a fun read and I learned a lot about Victoria and her family.”
Linda B wrote this review Thursday, October 9 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Great book! I really enjoyed it!”
LSF wrote this review Friday, July 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron is a thrilling Victorian mystery. Irish barrister, Patrick Fitzgerald, and his ward Dr. Georgiana Armistead are on the run for their lives after the death of the Prince Consort, Albert. They are hunted throughout England and on the Continent by German Wolfgang van Stuhlen, but they have no idea who wants them dead or why. Much of the story is built on surprises in the plot, and I don't want to give too much away. Barron alternates chapters between Fitzgerald and Queen Victoria. Writing as the queen is a fabulous conceit, and Barron pulls it off with aplomb. Her fictional view into the queen's mind is delicious and frightening. The plot builds slowly, but as the threads come together, they tighten the plot making it a true masterpiece. Barron takes little known bits of history and re-imagines them with gleeful malice. I've always thought of Queen Victoria as rather boring and a bit stodgy, after this I'm off to read a biography. I look forward to Barron writing more books with this bent.
clockstein wrote this review Thursday, April 3 2008. ( reply | view 2 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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