A. M. Stuart https://www.amstuartbooks.com is the author of four novels. Revenge in Rubies was published in 2020 and is the second of her Harriet Gordon mysteries. It is the 45th book I completed reading in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R. It is 1910, and the widowed Harriet Gordon has settled into a comfortable life with her brother Reverend Julian Edwards. They are having a relaxing morning at home when Gordon receives a note asking for help. A friend, Priscilla Nolan, needs to be comforted.

Sylvia Nolan, the very young wife of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan, has been found dead. Inspector Robert Curran has been called to the scene to investigate. The young woman has been bludgeoned to death in her bedroom. The military wants the investigation kept in-house, but Curran struggles to lead the investigation.

Gordon is an independent-minded woman. She has been a typist at the Straits Settlements Police Force station. This makes Curran her supervisor and friend. Gordon sees her connection to the bereaved Colonel’s sister, Priscilla Nolan, may provide Curran with some insight into the investigation.

The military has a suspect. They are ready for the case to be closed. Curran and Gordon struggle to keep it going. Before long, their efforts draw the attention of the true killer. Sylvia Nolan is joined by other victims as the killer tries to cover his tracks. He begins to view both Curran and Gordon as obstacles to his survival. He takes ruthless measures to remove them as a threat.

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 365-page mystery. I do like mysteries, but one of the reasons I selected this novel is the location. I spent a few months in Singapore in 2018. The story is slow-paced but is well written and has intrigue and suspense. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

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Really interesting mystery. I thought I had it figured out, but I didn’t see the man behind the curtain until the end. I really enjoy the dynamic between the 2 main characters. Harriet and Curran work well together and compliment each other’s strengths. The thing I like best about these is the atmosphere. I can feel the steaminess of the jungle, smell the curry in the air, and hear the drone of birds and insects. It totally wraps you in the environment. This will be a series I follow for a long time.

The binge reading continues with the second book in the Harriet Gordon series. I loved the first book so much that I downloaded the next two in the series and read them each in a day! This is a wonderful series and I cannot believe it took me this long to discover it—-ok rather not discover it since I have had the first book sitting on my shelf for a couple of years—-but read it!

There is so much to love in this series. Complex characters with their own unique stories and history, who don’t try to control or overly protect each other. They are independent and self assured without being arrogant. The setting is exotic and adds a lot of romanticism to the setting, plus gives readers a feeling of escapism, and last but not least the mysteries are top shelf! I always find myself wondering what’s going on and who the killer could possibly be!

If you love historical mysteries that are a little on the cozy side, you need to read the Harriet Gordon books. You will not be disappointed and no doubt longing for more—just like me! I know this book is only the second in the series but I feel like this series has the makings of a longer series. The characters have a lot of depth and the setting offers endless opportunity for exploration. Do NOT miss these books!

Summary
When Harriet Gordon receives word from a friend about a tragic death, she and Inspector Curran are thrust into a web of family secrets that threatens to destroy them both in this all-new mystery from the author of Singapore Sapphire. Singapore.

1910 Singapore. Harriet Gordon has found fulfillment at last. Her young ward, Will, has settled into his new home with Harriet and her brother, Julian. And Harriet’s employment as a typist at the Straits Settlements Police Force has given her an intriguing way to occupy her time and some much-needed financial independence. But when her friend and employer, Inspector Robert Curran, is called to the scene of a brutal murder and Harriet is asked to comfort the victim’s family, her newfound sense of contentment is abruptly shattered.

Sylvie Nolan, the new and much-younger wife of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan, has been bludgeoned to death in her bedroom. The tightly knit military community in Singapore quickly tries to close ranks to hinder Curran’s investigation. Harriet has ties to the Nolan family and realizes that her friendship with the colonel’s sister might prove useful to Curran’s efforts to find the culprit. But to get close enough to the family’s secrets, Harriet must once again face her painful past and Curran is forced to dredge up some long-buried secrets of his own.

And when more shocking deaths occur that all seem linked to Sylvie’s murder, Harriet and Curran realize that they too are in the sights of a callous killer. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
I think the thing I loved about Curran and Harriet the most in these books are that they respect on another. As a police officer Curren is protective but he doesn’t overly try and protect Harriet or even Li Ann. I really appreciate that about his character. In so many lady detective novel the man is always SUPER protective of the female and sometimes it gets tiresome. Curren really let’s Harriet be her own woman and gives her the space and respect to grow in her own ways. He also allows her to help him in his profession not just as a typist but as an investigator in her own right. I really love their relationship dynamic and is a welcome change from other lady detective novels. I also love that the author really gives them space as characters to grow into their friendship.

As with the first book, the mystery is top notch! Every time I thought I had it figured out, my suspect ended up dead leaving me to wonder who the culprit might be! I loved navigating the military component as well. I love military history and I thought this aspect added a lot to the mystery and story for me. The characters and suspects all had appropriate motive and opportunity for the murder/s and like Curran and Harriet, I had to try and discern who the killer could be. With all the twists, my interest was held and I couldn’t put it down until I knew who was responsible and why. I did wish however, that gemstones somehow played into the story. I loved that part of the first book and based on the title of this one I thought we might get more gemstone trade info, but it wasn’t really part of the story. Ultimately it was fine, but it was just something I noted while reading that I wanted more of. The military aspect gave me something else to sink my teeth into though. I also liked how Curran’s past seeped into the story through that avenue too. It was a nice segway into future books and sets readers up for the third book really well.

This was another winner for me and easily a 5 star book and series thus far. It’s very rare for me to find a series that every book holds up. Obviously some books will be better than others or I might enjoy something more than another in certain books but so far this series has been strong and solid. In this book we get to know more about Curran’s past but his illness forces him to take a bit of a back seat at times and as a result we see Harriet grow into her character without Curran overshadowing her. It’s really a great transitional book and installment to the series. Highly recommend this series so far! I would say read the first book before reading this one. You will appreciate the characters and story much more!

Book Info and Summary
Kindle Edition, 384 pages

Published September 15th 2020 by Berkley Books

ASIN B082S29K84

Book copy provided by personal collection. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: historical mystery, detective novel, cozy mystery

I loved these mysteries because they are set in an Asian setting! The author does an excellent job in describing Singapore! It makes me feel as though I was there! I love Harriet Gordon! She is a very relatable protagonist! She is intelligent, observant, and independent! I found the mystery to be very fascinating, and it kept me guessing! Thus, this mystery novel was very refreshing! I recommend this for fans of The Gaslight Mysteries!

I liked this historical mystery! I read these sort of books more for the history than the mystery; I thought both were well done here.

The author notes at the end of the book that she is reflecting the historical time period and prejudices therein. For this author, that means centering the white characters in the book. One POC gets a decent amount of page time, but most of the book is about the British community in Singapore.

I like both of the main characters- I sort of hope that the author does NOT make them a romantic couple, especially because Curran is currently in a relationship with a character I hope to hear a lot more about. I've been to Singapore once, and while I don't know the geography well, I was interested to read about Chinatown and the Hindu temple within it, which I've seen. Harriet, it turns out, was involved in the suffrage movement in England before coming to Singapore. She was incarcerated and force-fed. I've read a bit about this but the description of what Harriet suffered and how close it came to killing her was gruesome. Curran's long-gone father becomes a plot point and it looks like the author is setting up another mystery there. Harriet gets a love interest but I have a feeling that he's not going to stick.

This book concerns itself a lot with the honor code and culture of the British military (and the hypocrisy often associated with it). I had a bit of a hard time keeping track of the cast of characters- there were a lot of suspects! The author did a good job of keeping me guessing. She did cheat a bit by keeping the killer out of the picture until later in the book. The body count racked up in a startling way towards the end too!

These books almost feel cozy because of the depiction of the generally tranquil lives of the main characters, but there's enough bloodshed and darkness that I wouldn't call them that. I am liking this series more and more.

I enjoyed the first book from AM Stuart's Harriet Gordon Mystery series and was excited to read book two, Revenge in Rubies. I was not disappointed. I am giving it four stars.

In this follow-up to Singapore Sapphire, A. M. Stuart has his protagonist, Harriet Gordon, enjoying her new job as a typist with the Straits Police Force and living with her brother, Julian, and ward, Will. She is drawn into the murder investigation of the much younger wife of an army officer when she is asked by Inspector Robert Curran to accompany him to comfort the family as he questions them. Her friendship with family members of the military community allows her to help Curran with his case.

Harriet Gordon is a recent widow who moved to Singapore to live with her brother. With the suffragist movement is gaining ground in England and some of the social mores loosening in the Empire's outposts, she is employed as a typist by the local police department. There, she types for friend, Inspector Curran. The story uses the frame of the small world of the military base in Singapore after the wife of their Colonel is found bludgeoned to death. Sylvie was a recent arrival to Singapore on the arm of her new husband and the military closes ranks to the South Straits police, burns evidence and are altogether not as forthcoming as they could be. I loved the twists and turns the story took. The history that unfolds about the regiment was interesting and although I kept thinking about those rubies, didn't guess the reveal too easily. Stuart's attention to historical detail for the time period was very good. I was so interested in the setting, that through a bit of Googling, I was able to see photos of some of the real places used in the book, like the tea room at John Little's.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley (Thank you), and was well into the story before I realized it was the second in a series. But that didn't prevent me from enjoying the story, and follow the characters.
I loved the setting of early 20th century Bangkok, and the character of Harriet Gordon. I will go back and read the first book.

I very much enjoyed the era and the setting of this story The mystery was solid with multiple clues and twists, that had me guessing. The writing style was atmospheric and was rich in detail.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Harriet Gordon Mysteries series takes place in Singapore, 1910. Harriet and her brother, Julian, are unexpectedly summoned by Harriet’s friend, Priscilla Nolan. When they arrive they find that Inspector Curran is already there because Ms. Nolan’s sister-in-law was found dead in her bed. Harriet, Curran, and the police department quickly find that they’re hunting a serial killer.

The Harriet Gordon Mystery series has become one of my favorite historical mysteries. The characters are great and the descriptions are fantastic. Just when I thought I figured it out, there was a twist that kept my guessing. If you like strong female characters or historical fiction and mysteries, you’ll probably like this series. I recommend you start with the first book, Singapore Sapphire, as it gives a little more backstory on the characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is not a fast-moving, full of tension mystery. It is thoughtful, full of details and gives a deep view into the characters. The setting is unusual; Singapore 1910, and the author describes it beautifully. The main character Harriet Gordon is clever, resourceful and daring in a quiet way. I liked this book enough to buy the first in the series and look forward to reading any future ones.

Police report typist Harriet Gordon has settled into life in Singapore, 1910. A brutal murder upsets her world, though, and tests her detective and social skills. The murder of Sylvie Nolan, wife of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan, also threatens the local close-knit military community. Can Harriet help Inspector Robert Curran discover the killer before someone else is murdered?
I enjoyed reading "Revenge in Rubies." The story flows well and includes plenty of twists and turns as it unfolds and we discover who committed the murder.
The second in a series, I think the book stands alone, but I also think there's a lot of content I would have understood better if I had read the first book in the series. Also, I did expect the title to make sense sooner, but I get why the author waited and didn't introduce the rubies until close to the end of the book.
I would definitely read more books in this series.

I liked the first book in the series and I enjoyed coming back to these characters in this engaging historical mystery.

Inspector Robert Curran and our heroine Harriet, who is also the force’s typist, are investigating the murder of the battalion commander.’s wife in Singapore in 1910. Harriet wasn’t meant to be involved in solving the murder but she’s determined. The case ties back into events that occurred years ago and reading as this unfolded kept me on the edge of my seat.

The characters were all multi dimensional and I was interested in following their story. The well written details kept me engrossed and I enjoyed the historical details. I’m looking forward to a third book in the series!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

I am a fan of historical mysteries, and the Victorian/Edwardian eras are most appealing to me. Revenge in Rubies, the second mystery featuring Harriet Gordon, is an absorbing tale with an exotic atmosphere full of murder with an honor before all sentiment set in British Colonized Singapore at the turn of the twentieth century.

After fleeing her past in London, Harriet has settled in Singapore, living with her cleric brother Julian and ward Will while working for the local police. She is thrown into an investigation when her boss is called to investigate the gruesome murder of Sylvie, the young wife of the local regimental commander. The near impenetrable military community’s reluctance to accommodate Inspector Curran and his current ill health make investigating difficult. However, Harriet’s friendship with Sylvie’s sister-in-law provides an in to make inquiries. As the body count rises and secrets are revealed, both military and familial suspects abound, and Harriet and Curran must do their best to solve the mystery.

I really like Harriet. She is obviously resilient, intelligent, and ever curious. She does occasionally make missteps, some with big consequences, but she, overall, makes an admirable sleuth. Inspector Curran is diligent, respectable, and perceptive. Readers learn quite a bit about him and his love Li An. Other characters are well drawn and engaging. I appreciate that Stuart does not sugar-coat the inequities and treatment of both the Chinese and Indian residents in Singapore. The British are not depicted as devils or saints making it feel like an appropriate representation of colonial life in 1910. The murder mystery is well executed with plenty of twists and turns. I did not figure out whodunit until quite late in the story. The pace is steady throughout and the story compelling.

I greatly enjoyed Revenge in Rubies and look forward to many more adventures with Harriet and Inspector Curran.

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

Revenge in Rubies is the second in the Harriet Gordon mystery series. A delightful historical fiction set in the early 1900s in Singapore, this is a great novel to curl up and spend the day in. Harriet works as a typist for the Straits Settlements Police Force and loves her job. She has a ward, Will, who has finally become used to his home with Harriet and Julian, her brother and she is content in her life. The peace is shattered when her boss and good friend Robert Curran is called to investigate a murder. It is a horrible situation - the young wife of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan was killed in her bed. Asked to comfort the woman's family, Harriet finds herself embroiled in a rash of killings, a military community that prefers to close up rather than help the investigation, and a situation that puts Inspector Curran and herself in increasing danger.. This was an exciting read. I had no trouble keeping up, even though I have not read the first in the series. I plan to do so as soon as possible!! I appreciate the opportunity to read the ARC.

When harriet took a job as a typist she never knew it would lead to getting entangled in a mystery. Keeping you guessing and shocking at each turn

Not having read book one in this series (SINGAPORE SAPPHIRE), I had no problem jumping right into REVENGE IN RUBIES without feeling lost. The Singapore setting is novel and a nice change of pace form my usual historical mysteries set in England. Granted, the story takes place in British colonized Singapore in the early twentieth century, but it is still exotic while being firmly grounded in the familiar.

This tale finds police typist and stenographer Harriet Gordon settling nicely into her new life with her cleric brother Julian and ward Will after leaving behind her traumatic past in London. She finds herself embroiled in the investigation in the gruesome murder of the young wife of the local regiment’s Lieutenant Coronel. As a friendly acquaintance of the deceased’s sister-in-law, she finds herself fully invested in the mystery, especially when her boss, Inspector Curran, is mostly incapacitated by a malaria flare-up. There are plenty of suspects both among the military and Sylvie’s own family, and as the body count rises and secrets are revealed, Harriet and Curran both find themselves searching for answers.

I really like Harriet. She is strong, intelligent, and curious without being annoyingly nosy. Curran is stalwart in his occupation and dedicated to moving beyond his father’s disparaging military reputation. I appreciate author Stuart allowing Curran to be both vulnerable having a debilitating illness and sharp with his investigative mind. I also respect Stuart’s willingness to realistically portray the inequitable treatment of the Chinese and Indian residents of Singapore during this time in history.

The murder mystery is nicely plotted and quite the puzzle. The supporting characters are varied and well developed. There are plenty of suspects and motives to keep readers guessing throughout the book. I did not figure out the culprit until very near the end of the tale.

REVENGE IN RUBIES is a nice change of pace in the historical mystery world, and I look forward to helping Harriet and Curran solve many more mysteries in future installments. Highly recommended.

I gratefully received and ARC of this title from Berkley through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

Murder, mystery, intrigue, suspense underlying stories and all set in a country full of culture and at a time when the world was changing. What more you could you want in an excellent read. This is the second in the series and was just as good as the first. You don’t need to read the first but it is nice to meet old characters from the last book. This book kept me turning the page and unlike a lot of murder mysteries, it didn’t take more than a few pages to get straight into the story. I liked the way Ms Stuart often refers to the relationship of the character helping you keep track of who is who. There was just so much going on but you didn’t get sidetrack because it is so well written. Whether you like historical or contemporary books, I think this is one for everyone. There was no real romance in this book but it is full of relationships which is lovely. I received this as an ARC and freely give my review.

With Harriet Gordon accompanying her employer, Inspector Robert Curran, to the home of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan to provide comfort to the family of the victim, she had no idea of the horror and grim circumstances which would confront them. Nor what it would lead to. The brutal murder of Nolan’s young wife was a shock which rippled through the community and Curran’s job would be a tedious and drawn out one.

With the military closing ranks on all concerned and Curran finding his way stymied at every turn, his intuition kept him directed at what he was sure of. But with malaria once again taking hold of Curran, Harriet followed her instincts, finding snippets of information to help along the way. When another body was found, Curran knew he needed to hurry the investigation along before it was too late…

Revenge in Rubies is the 2nd in the Harriet Gordon Mystery series by Aussie author A.M. Stuart and I loved it. Harriet is an empathetic character, gentle and caring while showing a supreme strength and determination. She and her brother Julian care for their ward, Will and generally live a quiet, satisfying life – until murder gets in the way. This was the first book I have read by this author and it was a good stand alone as well.