My Thoughts:
Oh, I just loved this one! Since Veronica is being honest with her feelings for Stoker, and Stoker shows in every way that Veronica is it for him, I’m not stressing or feeling frustration over their romance. There was a sensual quality to one of the situations they find themselves in and the sexual tension between Stoker and Veronica was palpable at times! Loved it!

However, this one had me on the edge for different reasons. The situation Veronica and Stoker get into was dicey at times and I was worried at how they were going to get out of it! Thrills, suspense and a couple surprises. I loved every minute! The murders by Jack the Ripper play a side part in the story and I enjoyed how Ms. Raybourn shone a light on the victims instead of making Jack the Ripper the focus as a majority of stories do.

I read this installment, but I’ve also listened to the audio versions in the past, and I have to say Angele Masters performance has been brilliant! She narrates this newest installment as well so if you’re an audio lover you’re in for a treat!

Veronica Speedwell and her colleague Stoker are relaxing when a request comes in that sends them off on another adventure. Veronica gets to know another of her relatives and quite likes him. All of this is with Veronica, Stoke and the relative in great danger. Set at the same time as the Jack the Ripper crimes there is a lot of history in the background of the story. This was a nice conclusion to a problem from a previous book. More and more people know who Veronica's father is. It just keeps coming up and causing trouble. Oh! Veronica and Stoker finely find time to get together in a more intimate way. About time!!!

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

FINAL DECISION: The book I have definitely been waiting for in this series. Funny and romantic and a great mystery.

THE STORY: Veronica Speedwell and her partner in crime Stoker are asked to retrieve a jewel that can link the prince to a notorious private club. Veronica and Stoker end up having to go undercover at the brothel where they run across a murder victim whose murder threatens the royal family. At the same time, it is 1888 and Jack the Ripper is haunting the streets of London.

OPINION: Smart and funny. I loved this book. This is the book that fans of the series have been waiting for. The book has mystery and thrilling adventure and romance and humor and emotion. I couldn't put in down from page one and I was cheering by the end of the book.

As with the other books in this series, I love how Veronica and Stoker use their intelligence and daring to solve the case. There is more going on than it appears in teh beginning and the multiple threads of the stories are woven together so well by the end.

The book is entertaining and the connection between Veronica and Stoker just keeps getting better. This series is not a romance but rather a historical mystery with strong romance parts, but I just love the story here. These two are perfect together -- both as partners in their investigations and as love interests.

I don't want to give away anything as to the mystery...but it is good as well.

WORTH MENTIONING: Good news that the series will continue.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A MURDEROUS RELATION is the fifth book in the Veronica Speedwell series. Each book has a self-contained mystery story. There are, however, overarching stories related to the characters which makes this series better read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own. I also purchased a hardcover copy of the book after its release.

After the last harrowing adventure and moment of truth in their relationship, Veronica and Stoker are back at the earl’s residence cataloguing his family collection for the museum, squabbling as usual, and feeling the littlest bit unsure of how to move things to the next level in the relationship. But, a secret royal summons, a naïve prince, and a dastardly killer in the East End known as the Ripper land them in their next deadly adventure and a case that gets personally swiftly enough for Veronica.

A Murderous Relation is the fifth book in the Veronica Speedwell series. It is a series that must be read in order to follow the overall series arc for Veronica’s character development and the development of the relationships around her.

In the last book, I was close to shaking Veronica until her teeth rattled because of the depth of her denial and fear about her feelings and relationship with Stoker. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated her getting past a lot of that and slowly starting to accept and do something with her feelings. Of course, she wouldn’t be Veronica if she didn’t make a big deal out of each step in the relationship. Alongside her newly understood feelings for Stoker is the return of her ambivalent feelings toward her natural father, the Prince of Wales, and his family. In A Murderous Relation, it was particularly poignant to see her get to spend time with the eldest of her younger half-brothers as part of the harrowing danger their latest case involved.

As usual, this is all narrated from Veronica’s perspective, but she’s a keenly interested and detail-oriented observer so the reader knows the other characters very well when all is said and done. Stoker absolutely shines as Veronica’s rock and most loyal friend. She is not an easy person and she is exceptionally skilled and intelligent, but Stoker isn’t intimidated and doesn’t back down from her bossiness nor does he back away his support and strength especially when she faces her personal demons. He is exactly what she needs and it was great seeing this continue to settle in her mind and heart right after some deadly action scenes.

The mystery was a good one though the suspense was more how they would thwart the villains since they learned quickly enough who that was and what their motives were. It was exciting and riveting which is what I love about this series. Veronica and Stoker got to show their prowess time and again.

The historical backdrop was organic to the story. I have always been fascinated by Jack the Ripper and even the British Royal family so with the strong dose of both in the story it was bound to capture my attention. But, added to this was also the life of the London poor, class struggles, and Irish Home Rule as strong subject matter.

So, all in all, it was another fabulous installment in the series and I was glad to learn there were more on the way. Those who want both depth of character plotting, strong romance, and an action-packed suspense side should definitely pick up the Veronica Speedwell series.

A Murderous Relation is the third in the Veronica Speedwell series. I read and loved the second book so I jumped at the chance to read the ARC and was charmed and delighted. In this book, Veronica and Stoker, her partner in adventures all over the world, have returned to England to the Earl of Rosemorran's estate. They are staying as his guests to catalog his considerable collection and trying to find a spare second to consummate their growing attraction. Delayed once again by an urgent call from the Queen's fixer, Veronica and Stoker find themselves embroiled in intrigue and politics as the Princess of Wales asks them to retrieve a valuable gem from a "house of entertainment" to save the young heir from scandal. The adventure takes place during the time just after the Queen's Jubilee while she is in mourning for the loss of her husband. The people are dissatisfied with the monarchy and various factions are plotting to overthrow the crown, All this amidst fear and unrest cause by the horrendous attacks of Jack the Ripper. As a legitimate daughter of the Crown Prince, Veronica is a tantalizing target which leads to more than one obstacle in her quest to help the Monarchy

Raybourn creates a believable account of Victorian England and is a master at setting and atmosphere. The plot moves quickly and was thrilling to the end. Veronica Speedwell has an extensive vocabulary and her independence and self-reliance are inspiring, as is her attraction to the dashing Stoker. Raybourn gives enough background that you should be able to keep up without reading the first two books, but I recommend you read those too. Settle down with a cup of tea and immerse yourself in Speedwell's world - you'll be glad you did!

A Murderous Relation is the 5th installment in author Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series. London, Autumn of 1888; Upon returning from Cornwall, at the urging of Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk, lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell, along with natural historian, explorer, and taxidermist Revelstoke "Stoker" Templeton-Vane, are swept up in a mystery involving crowned Prince Albert Victor. Lady Wellie, who believes it is her duty to protect the royal family from scandal and gossip, requests that Veronica and Stoker help Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Veronica's stepmother due to her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

FYI, the Prince of Wales is Veronica's father but she is considered to be illegitimate and therefore unrecognized by the Royal family led by Queen Victoria. It seems that Veronica's half brother Prince Albert (affectionately known as Eddy) has been frequenting a club of bad reputation and has given a expensive gift to the enigmatic owner of the Club de l'Etoile named Madame Aurore. The scandal that could arise should this information be made public is astronomical. Alexandra wants Veronica/Stoker to steal back Albert's ring that he's given away.

Lady Wellie is also worried about the Jack the Ripper murders happening in Whitechapel which might also lead back to Eddy. **Prince Albert Victor was the subject of many rumors while he was alive, and some scholars theorized (later disproven) he was Jack the Ripper.** Even though Veronica has been treated unfairly by the family, she has always chosen to protect them instead of burying them under scandal after scandal. Veronica's own uncle once tried to overthrow the monarchy for her. The fact that Veronica initially tells Alexandra, then ends up doing it anyway doesn't matter.

Although Raybourn has been teasing Jack the Ripper storyline for a couple of books now, it's in no way a major part of this story which is too bad. Raybourn focuses on the women, the victims, rather than placing too much inherent focus on Jack the Ripper himself. Veronica and Stoker have gained quite the reputation for sleuthing and surviving against unbelievable odds. They might have to do so again in order to walk away from deadly twists and surprises. They have admirers and adversaries like Sir Hugo Montgomerie Head of Special Branch at Scotland Yard. Sir Hugo and Lady Wellie both consider their most important role is to protect the royal family.

Inspector Mornaday from Special Branch is also a character to keep an eye out for. He's coveted his bosses position for some time now, and ends up right in the middle of Veronica and Stoker's investigation. Intrepid female reporter J.J. Butterworth can definitely be added to the admirers category after this story. Veronica has a decidedly un-Victorian her view of relationships between the sexes, and of the role of women in society which makes her stand out. Between Veronica and Stoker, however, they still haven't yet acted on the feelings they professed to one another in Cornwall. I liked seeing Veronica interact with Eddy who has been given quite the reputation by historians. Eddy might actually that Veronica is his sister and if circumstances were different, possibly have an actual familial relationship.

When Veronica and Stoker are summoned by Lady Wellie, they are surprised to be greeted by the Princess of Wales herself, personally begging them for their help. Her darling son, Prince Albert Victor, has become rather taken with a certain woman, the owner of an exclusive private club. Worse, he has given Madame Aurore an extremely expensive gift, one that can easily be traced back to the crown. Should scandal break, the match the Princess had in mind for her son would be ruined.

As if frequenting an upscale brothel wasn’t concerning enough, Victoria and Stoker learn Lady Wellie’s true reason for calling on them: Jack the Ripper has been terrorizing the city and she believes the prince himself may be the killer. To protect the prince’s reputation, the pair agree to visit Club de l’Etoile in disguise. But when the jewel is stolen – and a body is discovered – they realize they’re in for far more than they bargained for.

A Murderous Relation jumps right into the action, something I always enjoy. Though Raybourn references events in previous novels, she does so in such a clever way: she includes footnotes stating the book being mentioned! Series writers, take note.

After four books, Victoria and Stoker have finally admitted their feelings for the other…and spend the duration of the fifth book going out of their way to avoid acting on those feelings. Fans of slow burn romances (extreme slow burn romances) will be absolutely thrilled here, and while I have grown to adore these two, my patience was beginning to wear a bit thin!

I’m finding myself at a loss for words here, something I didn’t expect would even happen when discussing this series. Veronica is a lepidopterist and the illegitimate daughter of the Prince of Wales! Stoker is a grumpy natural historian! Jack the Ripper is stalking the streets! The majority of this novel takes place in a high-class brothel! There’s royal scandal! The book opens with a tortoise wedding, y’all. Yet somehow, this 300-page book felt much longer and several times I set the book aside after my attention was pulled elsewhere. I really don’t know where A Murderous Relation went wrong.

Despite having pages bursting with royal scandal and murder, A Murderous Relation curiously fell flat. I’m so disheartened to say I wasn’t nearly as invested in this one as I had hoped, even though there was so much in this one that appealed to me individually. As a whole, however, it didn’t work and more than once my attention waned. That said, I’m still so enchanted with this series and will absolutely be back for the next book!

Another entertaining installment from the Veronica Speedwell series. A Murderous Relation has the pair of ameatur sleuths, Veronica Speedwell and Stoker Templeton-Vane, on a quest that they at first refuse. Veronica's half-brother, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, and grandson of Queen Victoria, seems to have embroiled himself advertently between two potential scandals. One involving a high-price present he appears to have gifted to a woman who runs a (ah-hem) private club. The other, of far worse consequence, involves pinning the recent string of grisly murders on the prince, whose innocence seems to be up for debate.

However, there was a lot less plot and mystery to solve, and a lot more of the story simply involved movement from one scrape to another. A little disappointing, A Murderous Relation felt less like part of Veronica and Stoker's story and more like a book to both provide a bridge for their relationship together and to incorporate a rather convoluted meshing of plots. With the expanding of Veronica's acquaintanceship to her royal family and throwing in some of the most well-known murders in history from Jack the Ripper, the majority of this book felt more haphazard and far-fetched afterthoughts thrown into the stew, that would've been well-enough to support this latest installment. But there's also the dreaded madman and uncle to Veronica who has teamed up with a new partner to try and install Veronica on the throne as some kind of puppet queen by legitimizing her ancestry. It was a bit too much and the result came about by more telling than showing with Veronica.

But I still may hold out hope for the next book, because Raybourn has wisely set the duo on a clearer path forward, which I was pleased to see finally come about.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

My favorite amateur sleuths are at it again in this fifth Veronica Speedwell adventure. With a scandal big enough to upend the monarchy, London on high alert with Jack the Ripper wreaking havoc, and plenty of romantic strife, A Murderous Relation is a fast paced, sparkling Victorian romp.

Veronica and Stoker are called to back to London after the events of the previous book, A Dangerous Collaboration, by Lady Wellington Beauclerk, the pair’s employer’s great-aunt. Lady Wellie has devoted her life to protecting the royal family and strategically meddling in their affairs to keep them safe and successful. It appears that Prince Albert “Eddy” has developed quite the attachment to Madame Aurore and her exclusive, posh private club. His attendance alone is enough to cause a scandal, but he has gifted a diamond star to Aurore that easily traces back to the monarchy. The Princess of Wales (Veronica’s step-mother of sorts) tasks Veronica and Stoker with stealing the jewelry. Though they initially refuse, when they learn of Eddy’s potential entanglement with Jack the Ripper, Veronica and Stoker agree to help and find themselves in an ever more dangerous mess than they anticipated.

It is no secret that Deanna Raybourn is my favorite author or that I adore Veronica and Stoker. The mere mention of Jack the Ripper had me salivating and eager to read A Murderous Relation. My beloved Veronica and Stoker matching wits and brawn with the enigmatic Jack? Yes, please! To my disappointment, this is not the tale Raybourn tells. That said, it is the only disappointment of the book. Jack’s victims are mentioned – Veronica, Stoker, and Eddy even interact with one of them – and I appreciate Raybourn’s emphasis on them not being solely prostitutes.

Back to Veronica and Stoker…these two, after finally expressing their feelings, are still pussyfooting around each other, hesitant to cement or consummate their relationship. However, congress is definitely on Veronica’s mind, and some of the funniest moments come from Stoker’s painful resistance to Veronica’s proximity. Their ever present quick-fire repartee is as fabulous as ever, and I do think fans of the series will be pleased with them by the conclusion of the book. Surprising to me is how much I enjoyed Veronica and Eddy together. Eddy might not be the brightest light and a little naïve, but there is real sweetness in his reaction to learning of his half-sister. Veronica, as independent as she is, seems to relish the fleeting relationship with her little brother.

With A Murderous Relation, Deanna Raybourn maintains her place at the top of my “must read” list, and I hope there are many more adventures featuring Veronica and Stoker to come. I highly recommend A Murderous Relation to any historical mystery/fiction reader and who appreciate lively protagonists and smart writing.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Deanna Raybourn involves Veroinica Speedwell, illegitamate daughter of the Prince of Wales in another royal scandal. Prince Eddie has given a royal heirloom to a common mistress; he may be Jack the Ripper. Veronica also tangles her with A Murderous Relation. Veroinca and her partner Stoker find there are plots inside plots; can they survive?

A Murderous Relations is another great book in the Veronica Speedwell series. This time we get to see the dynamic duo of Veronica and Stoker try and retrieve something the prince (Eddy) should not have given away. A character from a previous book shows up and another one turns out to be not so good. As always, there are great adventures to be had by the two with danger around every corner and Stoker as usual getting hurt. This time, we get to see the sparks fly a little more with Veronica and Stoker, as the mutual attraction has always been bubbling at the surface. I love a strong female protagonist and Veronica is one of the few who doesn't hold back on her punches. Deanna Raybourn has done it again and I'm glad Veronica and Stoker's story keeps going.

Book 5 in the Veronica Speedwell series delivers as much fun as every other book in the series.

As Veronica's relationship with Stoker continues to grow, murder happens and they have to deal with all the difficulties that entails. I also enjoyed getting a deeper look into Veronica's (murderous) extended family.

The storyline of this book is an excellent continuation of the previous books. I love the pace of the story, although I did wonder for the first couple of chapters where the story was going to go. It took longer for the murder to happen.

This is a series I love to suggest to people. But be aware that this isn't a series to jump in at the middle. Start at the beginning and read them in order.

This book was a fun surprise! I read the first book in this series and couldn't get into it. However, I decided to give this series another try with book five since the plot line an era is perfect for me. I am so happy I did. Now I plan to read the other books to get caught up.

This book is about Veronica Speedwell and her partner Stoker being requested by Lady Wellingtonia to get back a an expensive piece of jewelry the Prince gave to a brothel owner. They are shot at, stabbed and kidnapped in this process. Very fun!

I will say the author does a great job at not making you feel that you "have" to read the other books to understand what is happening. You could definitely read this book as a stand alone book and go back and read the others.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC for my honest review!

Veronica Speedwell and Revelstoke Templeton-Vane are still recovering from their latest adventure, and continuing to hesitate about taking their relationship in the obvious direction, when Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk summons them with an alarming note making reference to the Jack the Ripper killings currently terrifying London. When they arrive, though, Lady Wellie is also receiving a visit from the Princess of Wales (who is, technically, Veronica's stepmother), and Inspector Archibond, of Special Branch.

It seems Prince Albert Victor, family name "Eddy," eldest son of the Prince of Wales, is involved in a bit of scandal, right at the time the royal family is attempting to arrange a marriage for him with Princess Alix of Hesse. Eddy is in love with her, but she is a young lady of strict morals, and learning that Eddy has been carrying on at the most exclusive sex club in London will end the negotiations. The Princess of Wales even fears the scandal could rock the monarchy. It's really unfortunate that Eddy has given the proprietress of the establishment an expensive jewel, with his initials on it.

This fear seems far over the top to Veronica and Stoker, and Veronica is not at all inclined to help the family that doesn't acknowledge her with such a petty scandal. She is firm; the Princess understands, more or less.

Lady Wellie is very, very distressed. So distressed that she is soon unconscious, due to angina or apoplexy, and Archibond tells them of how distressed Lady Wellie has seemed for some days now. Once he's taken his leave, and the doctor has made Lady Wellie as comfortable as possible, Veronica and Stoker talk themselves into searching her desk.

They find evidence that Lady Wellie has received notes hinting that Eddy is the Ripper, and that she's been trying determine if he has a convincing alibi. Based on this, the two further talk themselves into retrieving the jewel after all, and attempting to determine for themselves if Eddy is the Ripper.

This is the start of another harrowing adventure, and they find that they are contending with not one but two plots against the monarchy. It is, as always, complicated, intriguing, and balances Veronica's independent adventures and the reality of both the practical limitations on women in the Victorian ere and the ways women like Veronica Speedwell got around them. The relationship between Veronica and Stoker is mutually respectful as well as mutually devoted, and we get more glimpses of Stoker's owned strained place in the Templeton-Vane family, as well and Veronica's reluctantly growing knowledge of her royal relatives.

It's a lot of fun. Enjoy!

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley

I loved this installment in the series! Although it could be read as a stand alone you would be missing out on a lot of back story and explanation so I highly recommend starting at the beginning! I love the characters in this series and this installment was no different. The sexual tension and connection between stoker and Veronica added a nice element to keep the story interesting. I also loved the uniqueness of the mystery and the way that it delved more into Veronica's past. It might read a little slower than the other books but I still enjoyed it just as much. I definitely recommend this series and starting with the first!

Ah! The tension of it all!

Oh My! That unresolved attraction between Veronica and Stoker. I can hardly bear the tension. Veronica shares that. Moments of seething awareness has appeared between them constantly, only to be shelved as something or someone rudely interrupts. Even here Veronica complains to herself at a key moment, "This was not the time for erotic pursuits, I told myself severely. We had a mystery to solve and would need all of our wits about us. There would be ample opportunity later for the amatory arts."
By now Veronica Speedwell and Revelstoke Templeton-Vane, have become deeply involved in mysteries involving the ton, and the unacknowledged Veronica's royal relations.
Veronica and Stoker are called to Lady Wellie's (Wellingtonia Beauclerk) as a pretext for a direct request from the Princess of Wales, wife to Veronica's father, to recover an ill advised jewellery item, a distinctive diamond star badge, gifted by Prince Albert Victor or Eddy, Veronica's half brother, to a renowned courtesan.
What begins as a refusal to bow to unlooked for and unappreciated family entanglements by Veronica ends in a plot to wrest kingship away from the Prince of Wales, and a deeper motive, that of leaving Britain in the throes of anarchy.
An on the edge of your seat adventure with my two favorite characters Veronica and Stoker, that encompasses unrest in 1880 Britain, the public's Jack the Ripper fears and suspicions, the idiosyncrasies of the Royals, the legality of Veronica's mother relationship with the Prince, murder and mystery, and the magical tie that lies between Veronica and Stocker.
Friends and enemies appear from unlooked places, upping the ante and occasionally levelling the playing field. There's a host of interesting side characters including the audacious lady journalist J. J. Butterworth and Special Branch policeman, Mornaday.
Let's not forget Lady Rose, youngest daughter of their delightfully eccentric, and very British patron, Earl of Rosemorran. Lady Rose is a wonderful inclusion who when we first meet is organizing a marriage for the Galapagos Tortoise Honoria. So quirky!
I felt the same sort of euphoria I remember when the issue of the Phantom Comic hit the shelves in the 1970's headed 'Married at last.' (No, that is not Veronica and Stocker's relationship, I'm just expressing my emotions about them.)
I adored every minute!

A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley

A Murderous Relation is a satisfying read, providing a sense of completion to the series while leaving the door open for future stories featuring Veronica Speedwell.

Each book in the Veronica Speedwell series is an adventure that introduces you to new and interesting characters while bringing back some of my favorites from past books in this series. I picked up A Murderous Relation excited to follow Stoker and Veronica on their next adventure. This adventure introduced me to more of Veronica’s family and showed that not all of them think she is should be kept a secret. There was some history shared with Jack the Ripper storyline but it was mostly fiction and fun.

The attraction between Stoker and Veronica is so hot. I expect them to explode at some point. I enjoy that their relationship is moving slow and that Stoker wants them to come together at the right time but oh my gosh… how long does a girl have to wait?
The excitement, the characters, the mystery kept me turning the pages with the need to find out the rest of the story. I am excited for book 6 to be released since these are now characters that I am invested in, that I enjoy reading about and look forward to seeing what new trouble they can get themselves into.

This was a fantastic installment in a much-loved series! This is the fifth book in the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries series which is a series that is best read in order. I have been with Veronica since the beginning and am finding that I like this series more and more with each installment. I read this book in just a couple of days and found it to be incredibly entertaining. I really had a great time with this book.

I have grown to love Veronica, Stoker, and some of the other recurring characters in this series. Veronica and Stoker work very well together and obviously are quite good at solving mysteries. They also have a lot of chemistry. We have been gradually watching the heat grow between these two since the beginning of the series and while I do sometimes wish things would move a bit faster, it is obvious how much they care about each other.

The mystery in this book was a bit unexpected. Veronica's heritage is a well-kept secret. Because of her connections, she is asked to look into some of the dealings of the prince. He has given a piece of jewelry that can be traced back to him to a woman who runs a scandalous club and his family wants it back before anyone can find out about it. Of course, things are never easy and Veronica and Stoker must navigate a pretty dangerous situation before everything is settled. Throw in the famous Jack the Ripper murders which are happening and you have quite an exciting story on your hands.

This book had everything that I hoped it would have. There were some rather light-hearted moments and some pretty intense scenes. I loved the chemistry between the characters and am loving the way Veronica and Stoker are slowly working their way towards each other. There were a few surprises in this book and I really enjoyed the fact that the Jack the Ripper murders were a part of this story. I thought that the pacing of the story was very well done and I found the book hard to put down.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This is a smartly written mystery series with incredibly wonderful characters. I cannot wait to read more of Veronica and Stoker's adventures!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley.

Ahhhhh.. back to the goodness that is the partnership of one Veronica Speedwell and Stoker, her absolute match. In the fifth installment of this series, they are back together and off for another journey. Brothels, Jack the Ripper and my favorite historical duo? YES PLEASE.

I absolutely adore Veronica and Stoker - both as a duo and individually. These characters have grown over the course of this series. It is nice to see them finally come together in a variety of ways *wink* while showing a bit of their more insecure/sensitive side for once. In this particular installment, we get more into the background of Veronica and her heritage. Place all of this within an expensive brothel and Raybourn's ficitional account of Jack the Ripper - well, you're just hitting all the notes for me with this book.

While I do think these can be read as standalones, I do think it's imperative to read them in order. This way you get the full backstory of all the relationships. More so for appreciating where everything comes together, as I think you'll get those moments where you gasp and where your heart sings for these characters.

All I can say is: BRING ME MORE.