Review: Pretty Good Victorian Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 9, 2013
This is the second book I have read by this author, and this book was indeed a little edgier than her last.  One of the possible reasons this may be the case is that it is a mystery instead of a straight romance.  But don't be concerned--you will find fantastic romance and a strong heroine as in her other story.  In addition to these elements, the reader will devour a mystery that is typical and yet spine-tingling.Cady and Doyle make an unlikely couple as they investigate the inexplicable murders of young women.  While I ultimately did discern the culprit, the author did not drop hints to make this a simple mystery.  She even introduced a taboo social issue that surprised me but didn't offend me--homosexuality.  Seeing this through the Victorian eye certainly sets this apart from other books in this genre.  I honestly was not aware of the prevalence of women's preparatory colleges in that day and age, and this book inspires me to do a little research of my own on this topic.While the book was intriguing for the most part, there were portions of the book that seemed a little slow.  I am honestly not certain why I could not always connect with the characters, and sometimes the love portion of the story seemed a little stinted.  There is a lot more profanity in this book than her last--not hardcore, thank goodness--and I didn't feel it was always necessary, but I did not let that affect my enjoyment nor rating of the book.  I would have either preferred a little more action and/or a little more romance.  This being the author's first mystery (as far as I know), perhaps I will enjoy her next one even more.In short, I could recommend this book to those who love Victorian era mysteries and romances.  The reader won't find hot and heavy bedroom scenes (for this, I am extremely grateful), and the morals of the characters are either good or reformed.  I have no problem recommending this to a majority of readers I know who like this genre.I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.