I enjoyed this entry into the Veronica Speedwell series, but I was hoping for just a little more, particularly in regards to Veronica and Stoker's relationship. At the end of the previous book they have taken a break, so I was expecting this one to be full of angst. It seemed to have resolved a little too easily and the revelation of the killer should have elicited more of a response from Stoker, in my opinion, which is really the only thing keeping this from being a 5 star book. I love these characters and this series - and the covers are always gorgeous. Veronica and Stoker must try to put aside their personal problems to solve a mystery and keep Tiberius safe from a mysterious killer bent on revenge. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars

In the eighth adventure of Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell historical mystery series, Veronica is traveling with her erstwhile partner Stoker's brother Tiberius in Italy. In the previous entry, Veronica's husband, whom she thought dead, turned up alive and well, sending Stoker off on his own to process his shock and dismay. While abroad, Tiberius receives news of the deaths of two of his university friends along with a death threat. He urges Veronica to accompany him to Germany to ask Stoker to return to England with them to get to the bottom of the deaths of his friends and to protect him from whomever is threatening to kill him. The threat harkens back to the long-ago death of another of Tiberius's university friends during a holiday at the Templeton-Vane estate, Cherboys.

Most of the novel is set at Cherboys where the two remaining friends from Tiberius's university days are invited to lure out the killer. Raybourn writes with period-specific descriptions and vocabulary. Her dialogue is witty and her characterizations are well-defined. The clues are fairly laid out and the justice that is meted out in the end comes as a surprise. For fans of well-researched historical mysteries like Sunjata Massey's Perveen Mistry series or C.S. Harris's Sebastian St. Cyr series.

Veronica and Stoker are back! The conclusion of An Impossible Imposter left readers unsure of what this dynamic duo’s relationship would look like going forward. Lots of uncertainty between them, with Stoker taking off on one of his trips in order to clear his mind, and Veronica not contacting him out of his own request.

Then Stoker’s brother, Tiberius, Lord Templeton-Vane, contacts Veronica requesting that she accompany him to fetch Stoker, ultimately asking them for help with a problem he’s having. It seems he’s received some mail, a veiled message along with the obituaries of two of his past friends, and he believes someone from that old friends group has committed murder and has his name on their list as the next kill. So he wants to invite the remaining members to his estate for a gathering of sorts, hoping to lure them out while Veronica and Stoker investigate.

This was a fun mystery. I always enjoy the dynamic between the Templeton-Vane brothers, as well as the push and pull between Veronica and Stoker. Over the past several books, they’ve been in impossible situations, chocked full of danger and intrigue, but they’ve managed to come out the other side closer to each other and full of love and admiration. The last book, with the revelations about Veronica’s past, has strained their relationship and I hated not knowing what was going to happen.

Veronica is just as resilient, quick-witted, and capable as ever, while Stoker remains the gruff, yet lovable character I’ve fallen in love with. They are such magic together. Each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but still devoted and loyal to one another. This book delves deeper into Stoker’s family’s past, and the sometimes contentious relationship the brothers have with each other. While Veronica has to come to terms that some of her assumptions and decisions about her romantic relationships may be holding her back from a happy life with her beloved.

The mystery plot is well-crafted, with just enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the end. All in all, a very satisfying read. I look forward to more adventures with this couple.

This story has murder and mayhem in it. The murderer is hard to find.
Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on March 7th.

One man is killed when he falls down the cliff on rocks. It was no accident, someone shoved him...

Then two more were killed. They were a group of men that worked together.

The remaining members find themselves watching carefully. Who knows who will be next?

Veronica gets involved because her love is one of them.

She gets shoved off a cliff, too, but survives because her skirt caught on something. She can't figure out how to escape but her love comes after her.

It was amazing who the murderer is. They even confess.

It was a good read but you need to pay attention to what is going on.

Veronica Speedwell does it again! An intrepid, smart and thoroughly unconventional Victorian Englishwoman, Veronica is a scientist, has taken lovers as she pleased and is the secret child-by-Irish-Catholic-marriage of the Prince of Wales and Granddaughter of Queen Victoria. In her latest adventure, Veronica is separated from the love of her life, Stoker because of event described in the previous book in the series. Stoker’s old brother Tiberius, Viscount Templeton-Vane, invited Victoria to join him in Italy…he needs to find Stoker because his life has been threatened and two of his long ago friends have already been murdered. At the Templeton-Vane country estate, these three joint a cast of characters from their past and present to uncover a murdered and keep Tiberius safe. A new murder puts everyone on edge and solving old and new crimes becomes imperative. Throughout the race to unmask the killer, Veronica and Stoker dance around their intense love for each other and Veronica’s need to wall off her heart and trust no one. I love these characters.

A Sinister Revenge is a delightful and well-written historical mystery by Deanna Raybourn. The story follows amateur sleuth Veronica Speedwell as she investigates a series of murders that seem to be connected to her own mysterious past.
Victoria and Stoker are at an impasse. Veronica resorts to getting Stoker’s brother, Tiberius, Lord Templeton Vane, to accompany her there. They lure Stoker back home with an offer to repair an iguanodon. His natural historian fever takes over, and he sets about fixing it for a very special dinner party. The party is set up by Tiberius after getting a cryptic note that implicates him in a long-ago murder. He invites all who were there that night.
One of the standout elements of this book is the richly detailed and immersive setting. Raybourn does an excellent job of bringing Victorian England to life, and the descriptions of the lavish mansions and foggy streets are vivid and evocative. The historical details are well-researched and add depth and authenticity to the story.

The plot of A Sinister Revenge with Veronica Speedwell and Stoker is well-crafted and full of twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing. The resolution of the mystery is satisfying and well-done, and the climactic final scene is particularly tense and exciting.

Overall, this is a delightful and engrossing read that is sure to please fans of historical mysteries. Deanna Raybourn is a talented writer, and this book is a must-read for fans of the genre. So, it is a highly recommended read for anyone who enjoys a well-written mystery set in Victorian England.

I skipped the last Veronica book because I heard she and Stoker hit a bump in the road and my heart couldn’t handle it. Aside from that, I’ve read and loved this series and I’m eager to be back with my favorite feminist lepidopterist and tattooed taxidermist. Now she’s teamed up with Stoker and Stoker’s brother Tiberius, who’s a strong character in his own right, to prevent Tiberius’ impending murder.

This is full of the humor and wit we’d expect from Veronica and Deanna Raybourn. And you’ll likely run to the dictionary once or twice, which I never mind. I felt the first quarter was slow, and I missed Veronica working with Stoker, but it all came together well. Veronica’s even had a bit of character growth.

A Sinister Revenge is yet another marvelous installment in the Veronica Speedwell series. Deanna Raybourn does a masterful job of creating the most engaging characters, who solve intricate mysteries while tearing their way through the world of Victorian Britain.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Veronica Speedwell, lepidopterist, had a falling out with her beau Stoker, before he traipsed off to Bavaria on a scientific hunt. Veronica eventually responds by heading to Europe with his brother Tiberius to do some butterfly hunting on her own. But, then Tiberius says they must track down Stoker in order for the pair to assist him with an urgent matter.

Tiberius thinks someone is going to try to murder him, after receiving some threatening letters. The letters link him to two other accidental—or were they?—deaths related to the untimely passing of their mutual friend 20 years go. Clearly the next step is to enlist Veronica and Stoker’s help. Of course events lead to a traditional English house party that gathers all the possible suspects. The ensuing unraveling of the story is a treat for any mystery lover.

This story features an entertaining and intriguing mystery that kept me guessing throughout the book. But it is the fully drawn characters, who have grown throughout this series, that make this story so hard to put down. In addition to solving the mystery Tiberius presents her with, Veronica also struggles with the changes to her relationship with Stoker. She has a tough time admitting, even to herself, that just maybe she might be at fault for their latest relationship bump.

A Sinister Revenge is a great book that will satisfy any mystery lover. I loved this classic style mystery, down to the house party and big reveal in the library at the end. Truthfully, though, it is strong, outspoken and vivacious Veronica, along with Stoker and their cast of supporting characters, that make me rush back to Deanna Raybourn’s work again and again.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Sinister Revenge picks up six months after [book:An Impossible Impostor|58065804], and finds Veronica and Stoker's brother Tiberius meeting up with Stoker in Bavaria, where he fled after learning of Veronica's technical marriage to another man.

Tiberius needs their help. Twenty years ago he hosted a party at his family estate with an old group of friends. They called themselves the Seven Sinners. One of their party died that fateful day and in the back of his mind, Tiberius always thought foul play was afoot. Now, his suspicions are all but confirmed when he receives word that two of the Sinners have died and Tiberius will be next.

He decides the best course of action is to have a reunion of sorts between the remaining members at the same estate. Figuring on keeping the suspects close giving Veronica and Stoker time to figure out the true murderer before it's too late.

For me, the mystery plot was second string to what is going on between Veronica and Stoker. With the way Deanna Raybourn left things between them at the end of the previous book, I appreciated so much that their reunion happened relatively quickly at the beginning of this book. I say reunion meaning that they are back within each other's company, but things are by no means settled between them. Stocker feels slighted that Veronica wouldn't immediately go after him upon learning that she wasn't really married. Veronica is hard-pressed to give up anything that could mean the loss of the independence that she's fought so hard for her entire life. In running after someone in her mind that equals relying on someone, giving up her agency just even a little to someone else.

In other words Veronica is afraid to truly give herself to someone (even though that someone would never take her independence), but Stoker wants the grand gesture.

Unlike their usual partnering during their sleuthing, and despite being in a houseful of people, Veronica is on her own more often than not with Stoker pursuing is own path. This leaves a lot of time for self-reflection and I think that Veronica comes to see Stoker's perspective on things where initially she was quick to dismiss because she didn't want to look too closely at herself.

Still, the mystery was nicely crafted with some very well placed twists that only enhanced the overall storyline. I kind of appreciated that it was a little lighter. Meaning, there's not a lot of running around, events are kept to the Templeton-Vane family estate within the small village of Dearsley and the suspects are kept within the visiting group. I felt like the book and mystery were very focused which made it good in that we could then focus on Veronica and Stoker. Nothing was overshadowing anything else.

Overall, another wonderful entry in this extremely delightful series. I've loved and appreciated the character development and the driving storylines from the beginning. I look forward to many more books in the series!

Deanna Raybourn, take all my money. After netgallying her books, I buy them. I love them so much. This series is one of my favs and I inhale it the second it comes out.

#ASinisterRevenge #NetGalley Another adventure that keeps you up late at night! Action packed fiction.

For me, the last two books in this series were on the disappointing side. But this one feels like a return to what I expect from a Veronica Speedwell novel: well-plotted mystery, distinctive suspects, a little romantic tension, and plenty of fusspot humor.

I love Tiberius. When he's around, things just happen and, in a lot of ways, this one is very similar to book 4, A Dangerous Collaboration, which marked his last significant appearance. Tiberius is a really compelling character in his own right, but I just love his chemistry with Veronica and Stoker respectively. For some reason, he drops out of the story a bit toward the end, which doesn't make sense since he's the host of this murder ball.

Speaking of murder balls, I enjoyed the mystery. It wasn't as convoluted as its immediate predecessors. I called the murderer pretty early, though, so that kind of made the reveal a little lackluster and tedious, even.

And Veronica finally (!) gets some character growth! Let's see if she can hold onto it.

Veronica Speedwell and her partner Stoker return in the latest thrilling installment A Sinister Revenge, by Deanna Raybourn. Stoker's brother Tiberius and his friends are the target of a murderer, and it's up to Veronica and Stoker to investigate, as Tiberius invites them all to his estate.

We are now on the 8th volume of Veronica's series, and I'm happy to say that I feel like after the last one (An Impossible Imposter), I feel like we are back on track with both Veronica's personal arc, and her relationship with Stoker, and pleased were that has headed. The mystery was compelling as well, and had the feeling of homage to some of the classic Christie mysteries. I do feel that Veronica and Stoker are kept a part for longer chunks of time in this book than any of the previous, but I think that makes sense given what they need to work personally at this point.

I continue to recommend this series to lovers of historical mysteries with romance. As always, Veronica Speedwell books are page turners, and I look forward to the next one!

4 and a half stars, rounded to 5

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this copy, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Readers of the Veronica Speedwell books will love this new title -- it is hard to resist an old-fashioned English house party murder, especially one with a fun, smart heroine like Veronica. This is a mystery, complete with a slow-burning romance -- both of which will keep readers turning the pages. Although completely different in terms of genre and historical era, readers who have discovered Deanna Raybourn through her book, Killers of a Certain Age, would very likely be interested in this book as well.

A very slow mystery to start and the "solve a mystery from 20 years ago" is usually not my favorite type of mystery but Ms Raybourn does a good job of including a nice house party of danger and intrigue.

The very definition of an easy, funny, romantic mystery that needs little to no brain power. I've loved the Veronica Speedwell mysteries since they came out (and the [book:Silent in the Grave|267869] series before), but this is, by far, the most farcical of the series. The flirting is abundant, the hijinks border on ridiculous, and Veronica is at her thirstiest. It's like different personalities have taken over the characters, making them caricaturish versions of themselves. But I swanned through this in a day, and enjoyed it immensely. I won't remember much, but it was highly enjoyable and very entertaining. 3.5 stars.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review</i>

Veronica and Stoker have spent several months apart and still nearly speaking when Stoker's brother requests there help. Another brilliant (and funny) addition to this excellent series. If you are like me you will read one and then start book one.

At the end of An Impossible Imposter, our hero and heroine go separate ways. Their relationship is damaged by a revelation from Veronica's past. Both Stoker and Veronica, their pride hurt won't bear their heartfelt feelings to each other. So Stoker goes off to Bavaria on a beast hunt while Victoria is off to Italy with Stoker's older brother, which further irks Stoker.

Stoker's brother, Lord Templeton-Vane, aka Tiberius, suddenly announces he is in dire need of Veronica and Stoker's help because someone is going to murder him. The pair set off to locate Stoker and then head to the family estate on the coast of England where Tiberius will lay a trap for the would-be murderer.

Twenty years ago, Tiberius and six friends, known as the Seven Sinners, traveled the continent as young men, sowing their wild oats. On a visit to the Templeton-Vane family estate, one of the young men died. Now twenty years later someone is killing the remaining members of the Seven Sinners and Tiberius is next. He has invited the remaining men and their wives back to the estate to flush out the villain. Lord Templeton-Vane has asked Stoker and Veronica to help find the current murderer and to reveal the truth of what happened twenty years ago when their friend died.

With Stoker and Veronica at odds with each other, this is going to be a difficult case. Can the pair succeed and mend their relationship as well? Veronica is as determined and headstrong as ever. Stoker does his best to keep Veronica safe against her will. Deanna Rayborn is a master of the historical novel dropping historical facts and figures into the mix of a compelling mystery.

Another fun Speedwell/Templeton-Vane romp.

Stoker returns to his childhood home for the first time since he ran away as a child. Twenty years ago, one of his brother's friends was killed when the cliff containing the dinosaur skeleton he unearth collapsed. Was it an accident, or was it murder? Someone is convinced it was murder, and the Viscount's friends are paying the price. Can Veronica and Stoker unmask a murderer (murderers) before someone else dies?

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of A Sinister Revenge.

Excelsior! Veronica and Stoker are back for another adventure. Tiberius, fearing for his life, recruits our favorite pair of Victorian detectives to accompany him to Cherboys, the family estate. We meet The Seven Sinners, or at least what’s left of them and learn what happened years ago. Proper twist at the end and I was very excited that there were no kidnappings or shootings this time! Also, can we get a spin-off of J.J.’s adventures?