Veronica Speedwell’s sixth adventure, An Unexpected Peril, set in 1889 London, allows our favorite lepidopterist, always thirsting for adventure, to play a role that by birthright is hers: princess, but not of the Windsor variety.

Veronica and her inamorato, the Hon. Revelstoke Templeton-Vane, better known as Stoker, are living on the lovely Rosemorran estate while they curate its vast collection of art, artifacts and treasure of every description. Victoria notes of herself and Stoker that “between sleuthing out murderers, cataloging the Rosemorran Collection, and allowing ourselves to experience the rumbustious pleasure of the flesh, we had little time to spare for hobbies.”

Unless the hobby involves murder.

Just such a crime comes to light at Veronica’s beloved Hippolyta Club affectionately known as the Curiosity Club, “an establishment devoted to the edification and fellowship of women of adventure.” Victoria, the newest member of the Curiosity Club, is tasked with designing an exhibit to honor Alice Baker-Greene, an intrepid mountaineer and feminist, who tragically died in a climbing accident in the tiny country of the Alpenwald. While unpacking Alice’s artifacts, Stoker and Veronica discover the rope she was using on that fateful climb was obviously cut, clear evidence that Alice’s fall was not an accident but a sinister murder.

Stoker is not eager to get involved in international politics, but he can see the gears turning in Veronica’s mind.

The two are both endearing and amusing when they spar. They know each other’s hot buttons and take every chance to push them.

He asks of her “Was it a jealous rival in mountaineering? A thwarted lover? A failed climbing student. . . I presume you have spent the last few hour inventing theories.”

“I do not invent theories” counters Veronica. “I look at the facts and make deductions. There is such a thing as proper scientific method, you know.”

He shrugged. “I presumed you couldn’t resist the urge to fling yourself headlong into another investigation, regardless of my objections.”
I do not fling myself anywhere says Victoria. I have, upon occasion been called upon to use my talents in the pursuit of justice. If I am called upon in the future, I shall of course do so again, but I have not need to go looking for such a thing.”

They take their findings of murder to the patron of the exhibit, Her Serene Highness, Gisela Frederica Victoria Helena, the Hereditary Princess of the Alpenwald, hoping to open an investigation. With Europe on the verge of war, the chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves—and sends a letter with “only a single line of dismissal” to indicate that nothing will be done to investigate the murder.

Veronica feels bereft; she pushes the letter aside “conscious only of a keen sharp-edged sense of loss. I had, by any measure, all that I could wish for. I was healthy and not uncomely. I had work I loved, friends I treasured, and a man for whom I would walk through fire—and, in fact, had upon occasion and in the most literal sense. I could find no reason for the overwhelming sense of agitation I felt, but rebelled against it.”

Veronica again attempts to sway Stoker into joining her in an investigation. He very logically explains that what she proposes “has the potential to create an international incident. The crime, if there was one, occurred in another country, a sovereign country. We have no right, nor does Sir Hugo or any other member of Her Majesty’s government, to interfere in their system of justice.” Before Victoria can counter with an argument of her own, a letter arrives inviting the pair to the princess’s hotel

The country’s Chancellor von Rechstein explains that the princess is missing and that a treaty to avert war is to be signed. He explains that The Alpenwald a tiny country lodged precariously on the border between Germany and France is “one of the few German-speaking states to resist Bismarck’s aggression. She remains independent despite the danger. . . . Should Germany decide to go to war, she will attack France first. The Alpenwald lies in the clearest and most direct route. We would be destroyed if we oppose the German Empire. But oppose her we will” the chancellor said fiercely. And so there is to be a treaty between the Alpenwald and France a binding pact of mutual defense against Germany that will mean “protection of France! Of the whole British Empire!”


Veronica bears a striking resemblance to the princess and not surprisingly is asked to stand in for her at the opera a day before the treaty signing. A one night only performance, or so Veronica thinks. But the princess is still missing the following day and the treaty is to be signed that very evening at a formal dinner at Windsor Castle. Veronica, playing the princess a second time, feels a rush of excitement. She “was going to a banquet at Windsor Castle” home of her “grandmother, the queen.”

Veronica’s excitement at this turn of events is tempered with thoughts of her self-worth. “I was the child of a prince, the descendant of queens, and the blood in my veins was no less blue for having mixed with an Irish actress’s. If her marriage had been recognized, I would have worn such garments from my youth, enjoyed the adulation and the applause. But I would also have stifled my own spirit, I reflected. Those quirks of character that made me the woman who I had become were because I had been given the freedom to do as I please. . . . I belonged to no one, was beholden to no one. Whether I starved or whether I throve, the outcome lay firmly in my own hands. And that freedom was worth all the diamonds in the world.”

Still, dinner at Windsor Castle is a lark.

Once at Windsor, Veronica/Princess Gisela runs into Sir Rupert-Templeton Vane—Stoker’s brother who is completely flummoxed by her presence.
“What in the name of seven hells is going on” he asked in a harsh whisper.
“It is not like you to be rude” Victoria tells him in a “soothing tone. “I fear you are hungry and it is making you dyspeptic.”
“’I am not hungry. I am having an apoplexy,’ he said”

During a long dinner, Victoria is Seated between Sir Rupert and the French delegate General de Letellier, who turns out to be a boorish lecher. Victoria decides to put a stop to his unwanted advances, and while he looks away, she puts a teaspoon of salt into his wine. Salt is an emetic; the general, finishing off his tainted wine, has been nicely dispensed with. And the Treaty of Windsor Castle, January 1889 is duly signed and witnessed.

And the murderer, the least interesting aspect of this story, is dispatched.

And the true princess of Alpenwald returns unharmed.

As always, the appeal of these stories is the interaction between Victoria and Stoker who have shared five adventures before they land into this “unexpected peril.” They started out as colleagues then friends and now lovers. And their feelings for each other run deep—to such a point that both are afraid to give them voice.

As Stoker muses on his childhood, marriage and adventures along with other good things, Victoria says “I hope that I am counted among the good that has happened to you.”
He leant forward a little and cupped my chin in the breadth of his palm. He replies, “You are not.”

Wait a minute, wait a minute. Is Stoker going to tell Victoria to drift.

Well no, but he does scare Victoria and the reader for a moment.

Stoker continues. ‘You are not among the good that has happened to me. You are the best of all that I have known. You are what I searched for when I left that house and wandered this earth, boy and man. You are the part of myself I have never thought to find because I did not even dare to dream you existed. You are all that I want and more than I deserve, and I will go to my grave thanking a god in whom I do not believe for bringing me to you.”

“Well.” A
little teary eyed, Victoria says, “it was not Keats, but I suppose as declarations go, it is sufficient.”

Indeed it is, and readers will no doubt look forward to their next adventure. Excelsior!

This is the sixth book in the series, but my first one to read. I was a bit nervous that I would feel lost reading this book so far into the series, but it was no big deal whatsoever. There were a few moments that seemed to reference previous books, but it didn't break my attention to the main plot. The chemistry between the characters is beautifully written. This book reads like a movie, and part of me wish this was one! Or, at least, a television series. I've heard even better things about the previous books, so now I must go check them out!

This is one of my favorite historical fiction mystery series and I do love the main characters whom I've followed from the beginning. Veronica Speedwell, intrepid lepidopterist, and her lover colleague, the natural historian, Revelstoke (Stoker) Templeton-Vane, are always situated to be involved in the affairs of the day, helping out where needed, solving crimes, and involving themselves in serious matters. In this particular book, the pair are swept away by the desire to investigate the death of a pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene. Despite the deterrence offered by the small country of Alpenwald and its figurehead, Princess Gisela, they are determined to prove that Alice's death was not an accident. Not long into their attempts, however, Princess Gisela disappears and Veronica is pressed into service impersonating the Princess for sake of an important peace treaty. NO SPOILERS.

I love the historical details of time, 1889, and place with all the lush descriptions of food, customs, clothing and ceremony. The interaction between Veronica and Stoker is often humorous and I enjoy their relationship. The narrative moves at a fast pace and the plot is always interesting as Veronica is definitely a liberated woman and often on the outs with those who simply don't understand her spirit of adventure and her sense of self. I'm always eager to begin the next installment, and look forward to further development in the lives and times of Veronica and Stoker.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. Be sure to start with the first book!

I have nothing to add to a review of this book that hasn't already been written. Deanna Rayborn is a fantastic author and this book is no exception. She effortlessly combines romance, and mystery with comedic elements that will enthrall and amuse causing you to read the book in almost an entire sitting.

Veronica and Stoker become embroiled in another dangerous escapade when a member of the Hippolyta Club’s tribute turns into a murder mystery involving royalty.

Alice Baker-Green, a member of the Hippolyta Club, fell to her death in what was thought to be a tragic climbing accident. While preparing for her tribute, Stoker and Veronica stumble upon evidence that shows her fall was no accident. Stoker would like to leave things to the authorities of the Alpenwald, where the “accident” occurred, but Veronica is determined to find justice for Ms. Baker-Green. Just as Veronica think she’s hit a roadblock; another avenue of investigation opens up. The royal delegation of Alpenwald reaches out to Veronica for help in a desperate situation giving Veronica the perfect inside access to those with firsthand knowledge of Alice before her death.

Veronica Speedwell never fails to make me laugh. Her adventures and romance with Stoker are endlessly entertaining. These two found exactly the right person in each other to fall in love with. Although, <spoiler> I am disappointed for Stoker because his ideas of romance are a little more traditional (as in marriage) than Veronica’s. Mine are too, so I’m firmly on the side of Stoker here, and even though he says he’s fine with their arrangement, I hope Veronica changes her mind in the future. I think it would disappoint him otherwise in the long run. </spoiler>

Another clever, engaging installment in the Veronica Speedwell series. If you haven’t started this series yet you’re missing out!

I received this and as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me access.

There is no doubt that I love a good historical mystery and Raybourn has done it again! Can this series be a Netflix series or movies? Because I would watch every minute of them!

Here we are following Veronica and Stoker on yet another adventure that has all the things we crave; doppelgängers, missing people, murder -- or was it just an accident --, sexually charged characters, and the sass! Oh how I love Veronica's sass.

I can't wait for the next installment to find out more on Stoker and Veronica's relationship.

What I love the most about this series is that Veronica is an independent woman living during a time in history when women weren’t independent and had to fight for every extra freedom. Stoker, her best friend and lover, as he fallen her who was once part of the English nobility, knows how different Veronica’s life could have been. He adores her for her strength of character, even though at times that same character makes him want to tear his hair out. We’ve seen through this series how their relationship has evolved from adversaries, to friendship, to being in love and how those feelings have changed who each of them are; an interesting evolution during normal times but fascinating in the Victorian era. It is these two characters that keep me coming back to this series, not the mysteries they find themselves solving, although those are also interesting.

I think this mystery was probably the least interesting for me. I think because it didn’t help reveal anything new about these characters beyond a little hint of familial want in Veronica. Otherwise, it was just two characters I seriously like solving a somewhat interesting crime. I wasn’t enraptured, but I was captured by the plot.

If you love historical mysteries, this series is truly a fun one. As I said above, these two main characters have a lot of heart and their involvement with each other has been a long time coming and it’s fun to see them in a romantic relationship. If you haven’t read any of these novels, I’d start with the first. I don’t think these should be read as a stand alone novel.

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

I have been a fan of Veronica Speedwell since the very first book. I adore the slow burn chemistry between Veronica and Stoker (her love interest) and the mysteries are always satisfying. Deanna Raybourn is such a great writer, I read her Lady Julia series as well as some of her standalone books and all have been so delightful!

One of the things that makes this series stand out to me more than some other historical mysteries is that both Veronica and Stoker have unique professions. Veronica is a butterfly scientist/hunter and Stoker is a taxidermist—although he has had quite a few other jobs in his life so maybe it’s better to consider him an adventurer with a colorful background. Their unique professions make them great at solving mysteries because they use their own scientific approach to the mystery.

Every time I pick up one of their books I always expect to read a mystery that included a deductive approach to solving the crime and of course I expect to have a little romance in the book. Stoker and Veronica’s chemistry has been so great, though the last book it finally came to reality but it seemed a little forced so I was really looking forward to seeing how their romance played out in this one.

Summary
A princess is missing, and a peace treaty is on the verge of collapse in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

January 1889. As the newest member of the Curiosity Club—an elite society of brilliant, intrepid women—Veronica Speedwell is excited to put her many skills to good use. As she assembles a memorial exhibition for pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene, Veronica discovers evidence that the recent death was not a tragic climbing accident but murder. Veronica and her natural historian beau, Stoker, tell the patron of the exhibit, Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, of their findings. With Europe on the verge of war, Gisela’s chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves—and before Veronica and Stoker can figure out their next move, the princess disappears.

Having noted Veronica’s resemblance to the princess, von Rechstein begs her to pose as Gisela for the sake of the peace treaty that brought the princess to England. Veronica reluctantly agrees to the scheme. She and Stoker must work together to keep the treaty intact while navigating unwelcome advances, assassination attempts, and Veronica’s own family—the royalty who has never claimed her. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
In this book, Stoker and Veronica are officially an item of sorts. Over the previous five books, their relationship and feelings have been building, then the last book finally having them come together in a romantic way but that finally happened at the very end, so this is the first book where they are now officially a couple of sorts. One of the best things about this series has been their chemistry and their romance……this one did not deliver for me on the romance front. I understood Veronica’s reluctance and even aversion to settling down with Stoker and living a semi conventional life but I also found it frustrating.

Veronica felt unnecessarily stubborn in this one and Stoker uncharacteristically traditional. Plus there was limited romance in this one, the focus was truly on the mystery rather than the characters. I am considering the author’s reasons for this in multiple ways, on one hand I think this is the ‘questioning’ book. Meaning now that they have become something more intimate, Veronica must decide what that means in the long run and same for Stoker. So I am thinking that maybe the upcoming books will hash out some of that. But I would be lying if I didn’t note I felt disappointed with the lack of romance in this one.

While the romantic element might have left me longing for earlier books when Stoker and Veronica were all slow burn and angsty, the mystery was a nice distraction! I enjoyed the mystery, it wasn’t as exciting as some of the others but I enjoyed getting to know the Alpenwalder court and trying to solve the mystery. I was also puzzled by the missing princess, I thought that added a little twist to the mystery. As I have come to expect with the Veronica Books, there is plenty of humor, a well developed setting, and complex characters. I loved the smart vocabulary and the well times humor but mostly I just enjoy Veronica (even if she is stubborn) and Stoker (who is broody and swoony!) so much that even if this one was just ok for me, I am ultimately looking forward to the next book in the series!

Book Info and Rating
Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: March 2nd 2021 by Berkley

ISBN0593197267 (ISBN13: 9780593197264)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: historical fiction, mystery, detective novel

An Unexpected Peril is book number six in Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series. I have not read the previous books in this series and it can be read just fine as a stand alone. Actually had I not already known that it was part of a series, I probably wouldn't have realized while reading the book.

I largely chose this book because of the cover. It is very eye-catching and beautiful. But I had also read another Victorian mystery that I enjoyed and I wanted to see if this is a genre, which I had avoided, might be one I actually enjoy. Thirdly, the main characters are interested in natural history, which was a popular topic of the time period and one that I'm also interested in. So it was with some anticipation and expectation that I set out to read this novel.

While the series is named for the female protagonist Veronica Speedwell. Indeed the story is written as if she is the one telling the story. However, Stoker (Revelstoke Templeton-Van) is almost equal as the male protagonist. I liked both of these characters greatly and you know how I love mysteries featuring couples. So I really wanted to like this book and was patient with the laying out the backstory and the introduction of an accidental death that might just have been murder.

As I said this can be read totally as a stand alone. There are a few characters that have brief appearances that probably are in the previous books but the bulk of the cast are unique to this story. And I liked the characters. Raybourn creates great characters.

Unfortunately, I found the plot to be boring. It sounds exciting enough - a death of a celebrated climber, a missing princess, and the rumblings of the continental threat from Kaiser Wilhelm and the German empire. I did find the historical references to the expansion of the German empire and the Kaiser as I haven't read much about the lead up to World War I. But I didn't really feel any tension or urgency. Perhaps it is because Veronica herself isn't urgently searching for justice or truth. I didn't think about that until Stoker made mention of her true intentions towards the end of the novel (I won't say what so I don't spoil it for you).

I really wanted to like this novel, particularly when I found the characters so delightful. I recently watched Miss Scarlett and the Duke on PBS and I found myself having the same feelings and thoughts about An Unexpected Peril as I did the show. I think if you enjoyed the television show then you will also enjoy this book.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/03/an-unexpected-peril-by-deanna-raybourn.html

This book was an absolute delight, cover to cover. I have read all six books in this series and not a single one has let me down. Raybourn continues to deliver on Veronica stories and allows the characters grow and adapt to situations both physically and emotionally. She is unafraid to give her characters flaws making them more human and relatable and I swear I love them more with every book.

In this installment, Veronica poses as a princess from a visiting country, the princess herself having disappeared without a trace. Of course, Stoker is against the idea as the princess is in danger and if Veronica poses as her she will be putting herself in danger. Veronica, not one to listen to Stoker’s fussing, goes ahead with the plan and, of course, drama ensues.

An Unexpected Peril has forbidden love, hidden heartbreak, political drama, and a very fierce cast of female characters that take life by the horns. If you enjoy historical mysteries and haven’t started reading this series I have to ask what you are waiting for? Mystery, drama, the slowest of slow burn romance, vibrant characters, these books have it all and this latest installment is no exception.

This being the sixth book of the series I don’t feel like I can go into much detail without there being spoilers for the previous books but know that I loved this one and it is probably my second favorite of series behind A Dangerous Collaboration. I urge you to give them a chance as they are escapism at its finest.

Deanna Raybourn does it again!
This is the sixth book in the series and I was so happy to be back with Veronica and Stoker.
Veronica poses as a princess and gets a glimpse of the life she could have entered. Instead, she kept her independence and is better for it.
The romance and repartee between Veronica and Stoker is well developed and fast-witted.
More books please!!! I can't wait for the next one!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC for this book in exchange for my honest review.

Six books in, the Veronica Speedwell series shows no hint of getting stale or slowing down. In An Unexpected Peril, our intrepid lepidopterist finds herself once again embroiled in a murder investigation, putting her own life at risk as well as that of her hot, devoted, decidedly dangerous lover Stoker.

Veronica is Victorian-era spunk and determination personified. She’s a fearless explorer, a scientist passionately devoted to pursuit of rare butterfly species and the works of Darwin, a devoted sensualist, and a woman who does not back down. So when she and Stoker are commissioned to put together an exhibit dedicated to Alice Baker-Greene, a pioneering mountain climber who died tragically while attempting to summit an alp in the small (and fictional) country of Alpenwald, she finds herself unable to look past evidence that the death was murder.

Meanwhile, Veronica’s noted physical similarity to the princess of Alpenwald comes in handy when the princess disappears and the country’s diplomatic entourage to England recruits Veronica to act as a public stand-in. Naturally, nothing goes quite according to plan, and before long, Veronica and Stoker find themselves — yet again — in mortal danger as they pursue the truth.

An Unexpected Peril is a fun romp of a book, with royal glamour, risky adventures, misleading clues, and the deliciously passionate relationship between Veronica and Stoker. Their banter is always funny and outrageous, and their connection and relationship remain unconventional yet deeply loving.

The through-story of the series, related to Veronica’s background and her connection to the British royal family, remains simmering in the background, and I’m sure will be explored further as the series continues. (Book 7 should be released in 2022, and I hope there will be many, many more to come!)

This series is worth starting at the beginning. Veronica is a delightful character, and her adventures never fail to entertain. Start at the beginning (A Curious Beginning), and keep going!

An Unexpected Peril is another fun adventure for Veronica and Stoker. They want to find out who murdered a renowned mountain climber. And, since she so closely resembles the suddenly missing Princess of Alpenwald (a tiny and fictional mountainous country), Veronica will pose as Princess Gisela during an exhibit honoring the dead climber. I'm laughing as I write this and I laughed a lot while reading the book. I love the dry wit and consternation Veronica and Stoker have with each other and other people in general. The duo find themselves in the midst of royal political machinations that could put them in quite a jam. It was an enjoyable read and can stand alone for readers new to the series - so don't let the fact that this is the sixth book stop you from jumping on the Veronica and Stoker train!

An Unexpected Peril is the sixth book in the Veronica Speedwell series. I am entirely hooked on this series. In each book Stoker and Veronica get pulled into a new mystery and adventure. They reconnect with past characters but also meet new and interesting characters. I love trying to put the pieces together as they solve crimes, work through mysteries, and still find time to build their relationship.

This book tells the story of Princess Gisela and her village of Alpenwald. The area is known for their mountain climbing and when a climber dies it is realized that it was not accidental. Of course, Veronica cannot leave it at that. She must find out who would want her dead. Things never go exactly as planned for Stoker and Veronica but somehow they always solve their case, meet interesting people, and get tangled up in unique circumstances.

Deanna Raybourn never disappoints. Her books are fun, unique and must-reads.

An Unexpected Peril is the sixth installment in author Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series. London, January 1889, Veronica and her natural historian partner Revelstoke Templeton-Vane are preparing for an exhibit at the Curiosity Club, a place where Veronica has become the newest member. The Curiosity Club is an elite society of brilliant, intrepid women, and Veronica is excited to put her many skills to good use. As she assembles a memorial exhibition for pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker Greene, Veronica and Stoker discovers evidence that Alice's death was not a tragic climbing accident but murder.

Veronica and Stoker informs the patron of the exhibit, Her Serene Highness Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, that it appears someone intentionally cut Alice's rope which led to her death. What makes the incident especially troubling is that Pompeia Baker-Greene, Alice's grandmother, has already lost several members of her family to climbing incidents, but this one hurts the most because of all the accomplishments she gained as a female climber. Fate knows that Veronica and Stoker always rise to the occasion whenever something doesn't feel right.

With Europe on the verge of war, and tiny Alpenwald stuck between France and Germany, Gisela’s chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves. But before Veronica and Stoker can figure out their next move, the princess disappears without a trace. Could she be the next victim? Veronica’s uncanny resemblance to the princess leads her to pose as Her Serene Highness for the sake of the peace treaty that brought the princess to England. Veronica and Stoker must work together to keep the treaty intact while navigating unwelcome advances, assassination attempts, and Veronica’s own family—the royalty who has never claimed her.

I like how Stoker calls out Veronica when she needs to be called out. Veronica has put her exploration days behind her, but once again charges head first into another investigation that could lead to dire consequences for both she and Stoker. I remain curious why Veronica refuses to meet with her bastard of a father. (Veronica carries a tiny grey velvet mouse named Chester as sole reminder of her father.) After all, everyone knows that she uniquely resembles the rest of the family which is why she gets volunteered to play Princess Gisela.

As Veronica ponders the veracity of her own claim to her grandmother Queen Victoria's crown, and what could have been had her mother's marriage to her father been recognized by the Church of England, you have to wonder how long it will be until someone outside of the family makes it known publicly? Someone like J.J. Butterworth the intrepid female reporter who isn't afraid to use blackmail to get the story she wants. Veronica once again enchants readers with her charming wit and personality, and her hunger for adventure, as well as her banter with Stoker which has got to the point where Stoker has to wonder how much more he can get out of the relationship.

The good news is that according to the publisher, the author has agreed to write another book in this series which is sure to please fans. Excelsior!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost happy release day to this awesome novel! Deanna has done it again! Also, look at the gorgeous cover! This book series truly has to have the most beautiful covers ever.
This book picks up right after Veronica and Stoker’s most adventure and it doesn’t take them long to be pulled into another one…well for Veronica to pull them into another one. It seems that their adventures just fall into their laps and they are just too good at what they do and have to solve them. This one not only involves solving a mystery but also impersonating a missing princess. This was a fun turn of events since we know that Veronica is part of the royal family, even if in secret. What I like about the books is that there is always a slight tease of her meeting up with her family and this one didn’t disappoint! She got to meet another of her family. I am really hoping that eventually, she does meet her dad.
The plot was well written. The story moved along nicely and I enjoyed that you uncovered more of the mystery as you went it wasn’t all thrown at you at once or just in bits and pieces. Instead, it was like the whole story you learn more about it as it went. I always enjoy that there is an adventure, some great humor, and of course some Veronica and Stoker romance. The way he can seem so stern and not the romantic he goes and says some of the sweetest things to Veronica. I think he is slowly whittling away at her cautious nature of relationships and settling and I love him all the more for letting her take her time.
The characters Veronica and Stoker, as always, are well written. I love the banter that happens between them and I find myself laughing out loud. I like that we still see some of the supporting characters from the other books and that you get to know more about them. I am curious to find out more about J.J. and what article she is trying to write. I did miss having some Tiberius time so I hope that he comes back because that trio is a fun one.
I definitely not only recommend this book but this entire series. I can’t wait to find out what mystery Veronica is about to take Stoker on that we were teased at the end.

If anyone could solve a mystery based on one clue, and thousands of miles away from the actual crime, it's Veronica and Stoker. They wind up doing so after finding a cut rope in an exhibit about a late mountaineer - a cut rope instead of a frayed one as everyone claimed. Visiting aristocrats, a royal doppelganger, and more adventures are to come within London for the intrepid duo. This book felt lighter than some of the previous installments though it has its share of sadness. The mystery was intriguing as was the back and forth with Stoker being weary of the entire ordeal while Veronica throws herself in.
Raybourn once again keeps readers on their toes in this intriguing mystery.

I was a little worried going in to this one now that Veronica and Stoker are now officially together. I don't mind a touch of romance or relationship issues in my mysteries but plenty of good series have been ruined by main characters getting into a relationship. But no worries! Veronica is still very much Veronica and Stoker is still very much Stoker and while there is a bit more affection they still argue and discuss and bicker just the way they used to.

The mystery is an interesting one with political intrigue, lots of tales of mountaineering adventure, and a dose of Victorian-era taxidermy. I found the combination entertaining, compelling, and page turning (with a dose of being glad I didn't have to smell Stoker during the whole Walrus taxidermy fiasco) and it kept me reading far into the night.

This is a fantastic combination of adventure and mystery with smart, sharp witted characters which made for a fun and fast read.

It is with decided disappointment that I must report this latest addition has not in fact recaptured the magic of the earlier books in this series.

Entertaining enough, but certainly not the best of the bunch. The mystery while interesting in some regards, did not strongly hook my interest until close to the near end.

So while there were parts I liked, there was nothing that I particularly loved. Aside from Stroker, he continues to be a hopeless romantic and for some reason, I cannot fault him that.

The book, in my opinion, is not some fast-paced, edge of your seat page-turner, but rather a comfortable tea read. A book you can enjoy at your leisure when the mood suits you.

Now I know there is to be at least one more book in this series, so I hope that if it proves to be the final installment that we see some much-needed character growth. And perhaps the return of Stroker's eldest brother Tiberius. I miss him.

Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Ms. Raybourn for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this title. My honest opinions on the book were requested but not required.

It pains me to give an episode in this series even three stars. Lord knows, I eagerly awaited this book and pounced on the "Request" button with the speed of a striking Mako shark (if not that of a lepidopterist upon a blue Rajah birdwing). But in the interests of full disclosure, this book was a little tough to get into. The initial mystery was a slow starter and, like Stoker, I felt no real pull towards it. Veronica, whom the reader expects to be headstrong, stubborn, and, uh, commandeering ("bossy" comes to mind), instead came across as petulant, sulky and whiny. It took several chapters for the camaraderie between Veronica and Stoker to settle back into the familiar push/pull repartee I enjoyed previously.

Veronica herself undergoes some character development to a certain extent when she agrees, under extraordinary circumstances, to impersonate the Alpenwalder princess (this is not a spoiler). She is able to see firsthand what her life would be like as acknowledged royalty, and understand once and for all that she doesn't regret living in (relative) obscurity but definite freedom. On the other hand, even as she bemoans the lack of family (she had grown close to Eddie, and here forms a certain rapprochement with another family member), she fails to recognize that Stoker is now her chosen family - at least for now - and continuously pushes him away. I don't know what she doesn't recognize that he (a) understands her better and more fully than any one else in her life, (b) is her best friend, (c) would never clip her wings and (d) commitment to him (of any sort) isn't a vow of domesticity or dullness, just a commitment to HIM. For all her immense wherewithal, feistiness, and derring-do (as she calls it, "excelsior"), Veronica sure isn't very mature. I would love to see her come to this realization in book #7, because Stoker is the perfect mate for her and deserves better than to be pushed away at every turn.

The mystery itself isn't terribly convoluted but I thought the quasi-realistic politics made it very interesting. It is very fascinating how Queen Victoria's offspring and relations affected world politics so thoroughly. I also enjoyed that Alice Baker-Greene was based on two real mountaineering woman. Mountain climbing has never really interested me but the idea of these women doing it in the early 1900s, with all the restrictions on their gender- corsets! skirts! - and of course of the times - antiquated mountaineering equipment, lack of really warm outer garments, etc - makes their feats all the more impressive.

I guess this book finishes in such a way that if Ms. Raybourn is done writing the series, it's a solid HFN for our intrepid duo, but this reader would like a little bit more final closure than that. Here's hoping that a book #7 is in the works because I'm not ready to part with Stoker and Veronica quite yet.