A Slash of Emerald is a great follow-up to Murder by Lamplight. Reminiscent of Bramwell (PBS, 1995-1998), Dr. Julia Lewis is fighting an uphill battle against misogyny towards women physicians in Victorian London. Inspector Richard Tennent of Scotland Yard recognizes her keen intellect and comes to rely on her observations in this investigation into prostitution and sex trafficking intertwined with prominent artists of the day. While I guessed the killer, red herrings kept me guessing the motive! I hope there will be many more entries in this series to come. I look forward to Julia's continued attempts to smash the hierarchy with Tennant's burgeoning support.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooksfor the opportunity to read an eARC of #ASlashofEmerald.

I really like this series, which includes interesting characters and lots of historical detail. More to come that stays strong!

Having read the first Dr. Julia Lewis novel, Murder by Lamplight, I was excited to have the opportunity to read A Slash of Emerald. It's fascinating to read about the struggles women endured to be accepted in the professions, and disheartening to read about how many women turned to prostitution to survive, as well as the number of young women who were trafficked and later discarded. Kudos to the author...this is one of the more well-written historical mystery series featuring women protagonists. The story moves along quickly, sparing us a lot of extraneous details, there's a budding romance but we aren't inundated by the main character's emotions. Not least, I didn't struggle with a lack of proofreading, as is increasingly common. I thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read the eARC, and I look forward to further titles in this series.

This is the second book in the series, but the first I've read and in fact the first book I've read by Patrice Mcdonough. I thought it was a thoroughly enjoyable Victorian-era mystery and I'm very happy to say I didn't see the ending coming! Great read!

It was great to be back in this world! While the mystery was less terrifying than book one, it was still very engaging and the suspenseful. I had an inkling about the perpetrator, but the clues kept me wondering until the end. The author once again did a great job of setting exploring the social issues of the time and incorporating them into the mystery. I enjoyed the progression of the relationship between Julia and Richard, and I'm very excited to see where their story will go.

I love this take on crime solving in the Victorian era - it's not just a look at how crimes were solved prior to the technologies available in modern days, it's also seeing how politics of the time and a female medical examiner would have played out during those years. Other than creating really interesting characters in Julia and Tennant as well as complex supporting characters another thing this author does really well is create situations were you actually feel bad for the murderer and not so bad for the victims. I did not feel particularly bad for the murder victims here as they were all pretty repugnant, but once again the author also has the murderer go just one step too far so you cannot feel completely bad for them. This story also has so many interesting twists and turns and events that do not seem connected at all only to be the next clue in figuring out what all is going on. For example, this goes from a frozen lake breaking up to threats against female artists to pornography/sex trafficking to multiple murders. And it never feels like there is too much going on or that the author is going out of their way to make things connect that really do not. I also really liked getting to see some of the story from a supporting character's point of voice - it added such an interesting dynamic to the story. The book ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger and definitely left me even more excited for book 3 to see what happens next!

3.5 stars for another entertaining read in the Dr Julia Lewis series. I’m wholly invested in where this series is going, and can’t wait for the next. The middle of the book sagged somewhat, and at one point I struggled with all the names and how they were all connected, but it came together nicely in the end. (Must brag that I did guess the murderer much before the reveal.)

(Review copy from NetGalley)

4.25/5⭐️

Second in the Dr. Julia Lewis mystery series set in the Victorian era, and I’m still enjoying Dr. Julia’s strength and determination in forging inroads as Scotland Yard’s first female medical examiner. She is supported by the intelligent and upstanding Detective Inspector Richard Tennant. Love them both and how they complement each other in their jobs.

This mystery involves the art world, specifically a group of female artists and artist models who are being targeted and threatened. A well thought out plot that kept me guessing on the villain.

I hope that this series continues as it’s smart, interesting and entertaining.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing the free early arc of A Slash of Emerald for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

The second book in this very promising series set in Victorian London is a well-plotted and enjoyable read. Dr, Julia Lewis is back and again working with the very open-minded Inspector we met in the first book in the series. This can be read as a standalone, although I’d recommend reading the first just because it’s also a good read. This time the mystery centers on murders and other crimes in the art world and specifically among artists’ models. As with the first book, this one gives good historical detail and context without becoming merely descriptive. We learn more about some of the characters’ pasts, and the mystery itself is well done. My only real quibble is one of personal preference, which is that I really dislike cliffhanger endings. That said, I’m looking forward to seeing how this one resolves. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

A well thought out Victorian mystery with the main character being a female MD. I didn't see the ending coming! A bit sad concerning how women were treated but a good story.

A gripping and compassionate mystery, set in Victorian London.
Disappearances of sitting models, murders, and suicide(s)—it all seems somehow linked and then again not. The knots are convincingly untangled at the end.
The story involves a true partnership between the detective inspector and a woman doctor. While both are more privileged than many in their position, they strive to do their best in the course of serving justice and those less privileged. The secondary characters are written out, compassionate and provide depth to the context.
The romance is very subtle and a slow burn. It also exists mainly in the comments of others. Nevertheless, it provides a welcome respite during the main story.

Can't wait for the third book (probably another year! :( ) and am curious how the author will resolve the final cliffhanger (that seems a bit out of character, but the final judgment is withheld until the resolution).

Can be read as a stand-alone, but is better as a continuation of the first part.
For the fans of historical mysteries by Andrea Penrose, Pam Lecky, Irina Shapiro, Isabella Duke and Emily L. Finch.

I was provided a free advanced reading copy by NetGalley. This is my honest - and voluntary- review.

This was delightful second installment following Dr. Julia Lewis, a female doctor practicing in London due to a loophole in British law. In the first installment, she joined forces with inspector Tenant in her role as police coroner and she continues to aid the police in this new investigation.

The plot follows Lewis and Tenant as they track down a kidnapping and prostitution ring at the highest levels of society. Running underneath this are the murders of several people connected with the prostitution ring and the art exhibit featuring female artists amid the suffrage movement.

I thought the plot blended and connected the story lines well and I definitely wasn’t expecting the big reveal until the very end. I liked that the plot moved quickly and didn’t waste time on unnecessary conversations but it also left me feeling uninvested at times. I also would have loved to see more of a connection between the main characters, but I’m guessing that will be saved for the next book.

All in all, a well written historical mystery that I really enjoyed! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this early arc!

'A Slash of Emerald' is a historical mystery that has enough suspense and thrills. It also lays bare a period when the gender and class of people made them more vulnerable to heinous exploitation, thereby making the readers compelled to draw parallels with the present time and evaluate how far or how little we have progressed from then.

This was such a great sequel in the Dr. Julia Lewis Mystery series, I thought the mystery element was so well done and was enjoying the historical element. I enjoyed that the main character was a medical examiner and that it was used in the plot of the book. Patrice Mcdonough was able to write a great historical mystery book and left me wanting to read the next part in this series as soon as possible.

Dr. Julia Lewis and DI Richard Tennant become involved in another murder case involving the art world and the trafficking of women in Victorian London.
As always an interesting mystery to solve, with the addition of some interesting characters.
I like to
see how the relationship between Julia and Richard is slowly moving forward giving each other time.
A good, relaxing read. The ending certainly left me waiting for the next book in the series.

London, 1867, class-consciousness, PTSD, entitled-attitude, family, medical-doctor, medical-examiner, historical-fiction, historical-mystery, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, greed, suspense, law-enforcement, artist, serial-murder, misogynistic-era, misogyny, art-critic, art-exhibition, Scotland Yard, dyes, suicide, investigations, murders*****

Paris Green is deadly.
Dr. Julia Lewis is an MD schooled in America who has a clinic and is a Medical Examiner in London. DI Richard Tennant has proved to be an ally as they are both Crimean War veterans and have a strong need for justice. The murders and social problems that underlaid them were the abuses of single women who were lured from posing clothed for artists to the consumption of laudanum that put them at risk for other non-consensual activities which led to their deaths. While digging into these particular women's deaths they found too many things that "nice people" just don't want to talk about. Good lessons in social history in Victorian times as well as solid investigations.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you! Avail Feb 25, 2025
#ASlashofEmerald #NetGalley #DrJuliaLewisMysteriesBk2

Another excellent book in the Dr. Julia Lewis series. A dark look at the Victorian era’s organized sex slavery and treatment of women. This was classic murder mystery, with less guts and gore than Murder By Lamplight, the first in the series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC.

Dr. Julia Lewis and Inspector Richard Tennant are back with a new case, only a few weeks after their first. This time, the investigation involves murdered artists’ sitters, with plenty of twists and turns that make for a great read. The case takes interesting directions, and the subtle inclusion of historical details added a layer of authenticity to the story. I especially appreciated how the case concluded.
However, my main issue was that, despite the series being called the “Dr. Julia Lewis series,” Julia’s presence in this book felt rather limited. Inspector Tennant takes the lead throughout most of the plot, with only occasional insights from Julia. While the story itself was engaging, I had expected more chapters from Julia’s perspective and found myself constantly waiting for her parts. I love her character and just wish she had been more prominent in this book.
The cliffhanger ending also left me a bit confused, but I’m still curious to see where the series will take Julia and Richard next. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next book!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and the author Patrice Mcdonough for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This thrilling series started with A Murder by Lamplight and continues with this episode A Slash of Emerald. Both books are well researched and immersive, you can almost see the fog and smell the coal fires. The story continues to follow Doctor Lewis and Inspector Tennant in another case. Excellent entertaining book, looking forward to more.

A Victorian mystery which touches on some of the contentious issues of the day.
A Slash of Emerald in book two in a series of Victorian mysteries, centred around Dr Julia Lewis. Julia is unusual in that she was a female doctor (trained in America) practising in England via a loophole in UK law (women were not permitted to train as doctors at the time).
The enlightened Inspector Richard Tennant calls upon Julia to perform the physical examination of women detained under the Contagious Diseases Act. The worlds of medicine, art, and detection become entangled after a near fatal accident involving a doyen of the art world and his sister, an artist.
The emerald referred to in the title is the green paint used by artists, which contains a high arsenic content. Needless to say there is a mysterious death by poisoning with green pigment and some bizarre vandalism of artworks involving emerald paint. The story also follows the murder and disappearance of artists models, some shady pornographic art works, and a despicable trade in trafficked women.
There is much to like about A Slash of Emerald. The highlights are the Victorian setting and that real hot topics of the day formed part of the plot line (such as the controversial Contagious Diseases Act and the age of consent being 12.) The story has a strong premise and the interwoven strands were neatly knitted together.
This was so close to being a great read, but for me just didn’t quite get there. It’s hard to pin down why, but perhaps it was a nagging impression that Julia led a comfortable existence flitting between the occasional patient and being summoned to do the odd post mortem. She seemed to have a remarkable amount of spare time in which to pursue investigations and with very little at stake personally. Just a minor gripe, but one that wouldn’t go away and stopped me getting more engaged.
A 3.5 star read, rounded up to a 4.