British Imperialism, Singapore, intolerance, family-dynamics, friendship, misogyny, murder, murder-investigation, British Forces, historical-fiction, historical-research, history-and-culture, law-enforcement

The first victim was much lauded as an angel by her husband and many others, but the autopsy revealed cracks in the facade as well as her skull. Then there was the problem of interference and clue destruction by the military that felt more like a cover-up. Add in the personal problems of the main protagonists (these were very important), Singapore and it's many faces, and you have a convoluted murder mystery with a host of red herrings. I loved it and its many colorful characters!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!

A.M. Stuart brings Harriet Gordon back in Revenge in Rubies, a history mystery set in Singapore in 1910. This mystery follows closely after the events of Singapore Sapphire and fleshes out Harriet's character as well as that of her friend (and new employer), Inspector Curran.

After the gruesome death of military wife, Slyvie Nolan, Harriet finds herself embroiled in Curran's investigation since she is acquainted with the sister-in-law of Mrs. Nolan. The military would rather close ranks and solve this murder "in house", which makes Curran's job much harder, and is further complicated by a ghost from his past as well as a malaria flare up. Luckily, Harriet is willing to put to use her social capital and her conversations with those involved ultimately end up being necessary to cracking the case of Mrs. Nolan's murder (as well as those that follow after).

Like the first book, the author does a fabulous job of creating a sense of place in Singapore in the early twentieth century. The details that the author includes make for this to be a highly atmospheric read and the character development for Harriet and Curran fully flesh out the novel making it more than just a mystery. Harriet and Curran are both intriguing characters and discovering more about each character's history is what kept me reading (the mystery was good too!). Typically authors set up two characters like Harriet and Curran to be romantic as well as investigative partners, at this point in the series, that doesn't seem to be the case. Normally that would be something that I would have felt to be missing here, but the author does a fabulous job making both Harriet and Curran interesting individually and giving both of them fully fledged lives outside of the mystery. And with Curran already being involved with someone, I don't know that I really want to see a romance between Harriet and Curran! (The romance reader in me is shocked!)

Revenge in Rubies is another clever and historically charged mystery from A.M. Stuart. This series is perfect for fans of C.S. Harris and Abir Mukherjee.

This was a very readable historical mystery featuring widow and police stenographer Harriet Gordon. Harriet lives in Singapore with her cleric brother. She has not had an easy few years -- she lost her husband and child to typhus, and then became involved in the women's suffrage protests in Britain and was imprisoned and force fed. She is private and does not share her past too freely.

She is also intelligent and wildly curious. In the first novel in the series she gets involved in investigating a murder and meets Inspector Curran. He is an interesting character in his own right, and lives with an Asian partner whose drug lord brother viciously attacked his sister and Curran. At the end of the last book, the police hired Harriet in a secretarial capacity, which of course gives her more opportunity to involve herself in murder cases.

In this outing, there has been a brutal murder in the British army community. An officer's wife is found bludgeoned to death and Harriet appears to help comfort the survivors. It's a complicated case made more difficult by the closed nature of the military brotherhood and the presence of an old enemy of Curran's.

These novels highlight some of the hypocrisies of the time, particularly the British imperial attitude, misogyny and racism. There are lots of plot complexities, good characterizations, and smart writing. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Harriet is a police secretary in 1920 in Singapore, and unusual position for a woman at the time. She lives with her clergy brother and their young ward, and their social circle includes the sister-in-law of a young socialite who has just been brutally murdered. In spite of sharp divisions between rich and poor, white and brown, men and women, and military and civilian, Harriet undertakes to learn who the murderer is. In the course of the case, secrets are revealed about Harriet's past, as well as that of her boss and friend Inspector Curran. The pace is quick and the resolution is satisfying.

I went into the second book of the Harriet Gordon series hoping to find an improved follow-up to the first book, which had an interesting setting and tantalizing character backstories, but didn't feel fully fleshed out. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with Revenge in Rubies and am unlikely to continue with the series. Curran makes for a satisfying, if standard inspector with a dark past, but his relationship with Harriet this book felt limited to chasitising her. Harriet felt somewhat one-dimensional and self-centered in this story, with an odd jealous fixation on Li Ann. My main complaint in the previous book was the local characters were relegated to servants or plot devices, and in this book we only hear from the local constables or Li Ann. I was looking forward to more character development to Li Ann, but she felt exoticized and her main dialogue was her asserting that she was in fact "civilized". While I appreciate that the author was trying to show the prejudiced realities of colonial Singapore, Li Ann and the servants felt like props, and I had a hard time moving past that. This book also introduced a very large number of secondary characters in relation to the mystery, and it was occasionally hard to keep track. The mystery plot itself felt slow, and there was a lot of back and forth between characters that didn't move the plot forward. The ending seemed to rush to a reveal after such slow progress during the investigation, and it all could have been avoided if one person had spoken to the police. Overall, I found the unique setting and the potential for a determined female lead could not win out over the other shortcomings of the writing.

I really enjoyed this book! When I first began Revenge in Rubies, I was having trouble settling in. You meet a lot of people early on. But once I got to know the characters, Inspector Curran and Mrs. Harriett Gordon, I really began to enjoy the story. I know almost nothing about Singapore and even less about Singapore a century ago. Reading about life in a British colony was fascinating and troubling in our 21st century lens. The treatment of people of color and the class system was sad to read. The roles prescribed for women and the lack of options was also sad. It made me glad I live today. But it wouldn’t hAve been authentic to have left all of that out. The plot is to solve a murder of the beautiful much younger wife of one of the highest ranking members of the British military regiment in Singapore. Bodies start to stack up, and it isn’t a bunch of accidents! I liked everything about this book. It is second in a series, and I will definitely be looking to read more of the series! #netgalley #arc

Good who-dun-it set within the British military ranks of Singapore. Book 2 of 2 in a series of Harriet Gordon Mysteries with possibilities for many more as Harriet breaks 1910 social norms by being the only woman working with and for the local police department. Plot twists and turns that keep you up until the wee hours to find out what happens next. Surprise ending too!!

Worthy and convoluted mystery a la Agatha Christie. One does not know the true story until the very end. Lots of red herrings dropped as the multiple story lines play out. A varied and diverse set of characters make the novel more interesting. The one downside of the cast of characters is that it can be hard to follow who is who and how they are related at times. A list of the core characters with who they are at the beginning would have made keeping track of the character easier in the beginning of the book. They came at me quickly were a bit hard to keep clear and separated at the start. The author seems to be aware of this in the notes at the end of the book. I did like the strong female characters, especially set at a time the women were more in the background and there to support and serve the men. Setting the story in colonial Singapore was a plus, Provided a diverse population - Malay, Chinese, Tamil, European and others. I loved the way the diverse cultures were woven in the story. What most attracted me to read this book was the setting in Singapore, a place I have spent an amount of time in. Recognizing places and scenes brought me joy in reading the book. I plan to go back and read the previous novel in the series to learn more about Harriet's history.
Well worth the read.

Singapore Sapphire was one of my favorite books of 2019 and one of the best debut historical mystery series in a long while. The setting, characters and time period just grabbed me and would not let go. I must confess that I am a sucker for a pre-WW1 time period - then end of innocence - and a British colonial setting. Put any characters into that history and geography and I'm hooked. But while I am easy get you have to be really good to keep me jonesing for more and the author does that in spades! I was curious to see how she would develop the murky ickiness of British imperialism and she does not disappoint. The subtle and not so subtle nods to the systemic racism and classicism and misogyny in British Colonial society is always there and she does not turn away from it. I like how she writes about it and acknowledges it but also just says, "hey this is just how it was" because to not include it would be saying that it didn't happen even by people with the best intentions. Harriet continues to be a revelation. Complicated and flawed but also a heroine to cheer on. I also love Inspector Curran - he's quite swoony and while I appreciate his romance with An Li - end game is Harriet right? Their slow burn romance is not obvious but I love their interactions and I'm curious to see how it plays out. The setting is mysterious and exotic and real. I feel the heat and smell the smells and see the all the different kinds of people and cultures that make up Singapore and appreciated that the author knows the place and its history well. The mystery is whoo-boy - crazy intricate and dark but I love the unraveling of military life in the colonies and how the social politics of it work. A great sequel and I will continue to push this series every way I can at NYPL.

This is the 2nd installment in the Harriet Gordon Mystery series. I really enjoyed book #1 so I was looking forward to reading this next book. It didn't disappoint! I am going to recommend that you read this series in order. At least read book #1 before you read any other (once there are more than 2 offerings in the series). Book #1 sets up the characters and gives you some of the background you need in order to fall in love with the characters. Book 2 builds on this and does give you a little bit of history from book #1. However, I'm not sure if it is enough for full understanding of the background. This series is set in Singapore in the early 1900's. Cars are very new and not all people have them. This is pre-WWI. There isn't a lot known about forensic science in this era. I think it is a fairly new science and being in a foreign country, I would think are a little behind. Singapore is a rich mix of Asian, Indian, and English culture. There is racism depicted because that was a fact of the time period. The author does include some historical facts at the end of the book, which I love. I like to know if there are true facts they are basing things on. I am fortunate to have visited Singapore so I have a little sense of the place. This is a step above a cozy mystery. There is more grit to it and a bit more in character depth. I would think fans of Anne Perry or Tasha Alexander would like this series. I am looking forward to the next in the series. I read this book in a day. I didn't want to set it down! I will add that what I read was an advanced reader copy. I am grateful to #Netgalley and Berkley publishing for the opportunity. #RevengeinRubies

I love smart cozies that feature intelligent, ethical people meeting life's challenges with courage and integrity. This series checks all the boxes for me.

The exotic, early 20th Century setting enhances the sense of time and place for the reader, but the main characters exhibit decidedly modern sensibilities regarding the roles of women and minorities in that colonial, male dominated society.

Main characters Harriet Gordon, widowed and living with her minister brother at a boys' school in Singapore, and former military police Inspector Robert Curran are both trying to dispel ghosts from the past in a present that has them dealing with the complexities of life in the Straits Settlements. Harriet's skills at shorthand and as a typist allow her to work in a situation that gives her access to the Curran's investigations.

Revenge in Rubies finds the pair trying to solve the murder of the very young wife of a British colonel. Motives and suspects within the family and within the military community abound. Author A.M. Stuart's in depth historical research is on display and gives the reader a fascinating look at this rigid and often punitive society.

Curran and Harriet at this point are friends with Curran's attention firmly focused on his relationship with Li An, a native woman who has demons from her own past. The mystery is solid and satisfying, and there are enough unresolved story lines for several sequels. I look forward to reading each of them.

Full Disclosure--Net Galley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Harriet Gordon is back for n the case to help Curran discover the killer of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan’s younger wife. Curran is fighting off malaria which gives Harriet more freedom to get involved. We also get to hear more about her time in prison and the suffrage movement in England.
Goodreads

I adore this series! Stuart has done a fabulous job in creating an atmospheric, historically authentic mystery with a sympathetic and intriguing heroine in Harriet Gordon. Harriet's background, covered in the first book and amplified in this second one, brings a layered, fully realized character to the story. She has suffered the loss of her husband and son to typhus in India. She returned to England and was caught up in the suffrage movement, imprisoned and horribly tortured. Harriet has now moved to Singapore to live with her brother Julian, a minister and head of a small boy's school. Her counterpart in these stories is Police Inspector Curran, a complex character, who gives her a job as police typist.

The period and setting is fascinating - 1910 Singapore, a place where outcasts and people of many backgrounds and with many secrets come to live. It is also an outpost of the British empire. This second story provides even more insight into these characters and location. Readers will get more of Harriet's backstory, as well as a glimpse of Curran's personal life. The plot centers around the brutal death of the British commander's new and very young wife. In their search for the truth of the death, Curran and Harriet face roadblocks thrown up by the military, and even more tragedy unfolds. The author has researched the time and place thoroughly, and it shows in the fascinating details, the atmospheric descriptions, and the social norms of the time. Engaging and authentic military detail enrich this story.

Absolutely thrilling! Suspenseful and thoughtful. Readers will find this a totally satisfying series on all levels. Highly Recommended!