#Review - Deadly Curious by Cindy Anstey #YA #Mystery #Blog #Giveaway

Deadly Curious
Cindy Anstey
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: June 23rd 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Young Adult

A twisty tale reminiscent of Jane Austen—with a dash of murder—Cindy Anstey’s Deadly Curious is perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Agatha Christie.

1834. Sophia Thompson wants nothing more than to be one of the famed Bow Street Runners, London’s most elite corps of detectives. Never mind that a woman has never before joined their ranks—and certainly never mind that her reclusive family has forbidden her from pursuing such an unladylike goal.

She gets the chance to prove her capabilities when an urgent letter arrives from her frantic cousin Daphne, begging Sophia to come look into the suspicious death of Daphne’s brother.
 As Sophia begins to unravel the tangled threads of the case—with the help of a charming young policeman—she soon realizes that the murderer may be even closer to her family than she ever suspected.

Some secrets are better left buried...

Cindy Anstey's Deadly Curious is a twisty tale reminiscent of Jane Austen and with a dash of murder, is perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Agatha Christie. This historical mystery novel is set in the year 1834. 18-year-old Sophia Thompson aspires to be an investigator for the *Bow Street Runners which truly did exist but was disbanded in 1839 in favor of the Metropolitan Police.* She's read about murder investigations, but women were not allowed to be police in 1834. 

After Sophia receives a letter asking for help from her cousin Daphne, who knows of  Sophia's interests, asking for help in solving her brother's murder, Sophia talks her father into traveling to West Ravenwood. Nearly 1 year ago, 23 year old Andrew Waverley was murdered and dumped in the woods. The constable in charge has no clues and no suspects except for Edward Waverly who has been pushing for a much thorough investigation from anyone who would listen and who recently found the alleged murder weapon. 

Daphne advises Sophia that her family is being targeted, and she has been beset with accidents, lapses in memory, and mistakes in judgment. While Sophia is visiting, strange "accidents" do start to happen. It could be something as small as an old toy left on the stairs for someone to trip on. Then there are shots into the house that could have hit Sophia or Daphne. It appears that someone really was out to get the family.

Enter 20 year old Jeremy Frasier, the 4th son of a minor baron and a young detective for Bow Street Runners. He hasn't had a murder case yet, but he was sent from London by Sir Elderberry to help out on Andrew's murder. Sadly, he was told nothing about the case or why he was even going to this small town. Mr. Waverly had asked for their help after finding a new clue. Upon arrival, Jeremy learns the family is struggling to deal with Andrew's murder. Jeremy wants to prove himself and starts looking into things right away. After his driver is poisoned, both Jeremy and Sophia believe this all has to do with Andrew's murder. The list of would be killers is exhausting.

Sophia pushes her way into Jeremy's investigation because Jeremy realizes quickly that she's both helpful and has her head on straight. We can scoff at Sophia believing that reading one book would give her a leg up, but her logical mind does go where Jeremy's doesn't. With some minor hiccups, they both work well together and thus feelings do develop. Part of the reason for my rating is that the romance is not a large part of the book. It is subtle with hints that later in the story one of them is going to kiss the other and sparks are going to fly. 

As Sophia and Jeremy question a rather large group of suspects and follow the clues to where it might take them, they understand that the family, and even Sophia is being targeted and that someone close to the family has to be the murderer. It is fair of me to say that I identified the suspected killer almost immediately after this person was introduced. Too many clues pointed directly to this character as well as perhaps one or two others. Sophia's desire to break into a male-dominated field will appeal to young readers who have been told they can do or be anything they want. 

I respect the fact that the author wrote Sophia's father as being supportive, and not immediately wanting her to get married to the first eligible bachelor with money. Too many times the parental unit is worthless or non-existent which is the cause of so many problems we are currently dealing with in our society today.

Cindy Antsey is the author of Love, Lies and Spies; Duels & Deception; Suitors and Sabotage; Carols and Chaos; The Hummingbird Dagger; and Deadly Curious

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Author Bio:
Whenever she is not sitting at the computer, throwing a ball in the backyard, gardening or reading, Cindy can be found–actually, not found–adventuring around the world with her hubby.
She has lived on three continents, had a monkey in her yard and a scorpion under her sink, dwelt among castles and canals, enjoyed the jazz of Beale St and attempted to speak French.
Cindy loves history, mystery and… a chocolate Labrador called Chester.

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#Review - The Hummingbird Dagger by Cindy Anstey #YALit #Mystery

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Mysteries

A brother and sister are caught up in a deadly mystery after they take in a young woman who lost her memory in a near-fatal carriage accident in this YA thriller from the author of Love, Lies and Spies.

1833. A near-fatal carriage accident has deposited an unconscious young woman on the doorstep of Hardwick Manor and into the care of young Lord James Ellerby. But when she finally awakens, it is with no memory of who she is or where she came from.

Beth, as she calls herself, has no identity; the only clue to her circumstances is a recurring nightmare of a hummingbird, blood dripping from its steel beak.

With the help of James and his sister, Caroline, Beth tries to solve the mystery of her own identity and the appalling events that brought her to their door. But nothing could prepare her for the escalating dangers that threaten her and the Ellerby clan. From the hazardous cliffs of Dorset to the hostile streets of London, Beth will fight to reclaim her past, hunted by a secretive foe with murderous intentions.

 

The Hummingbird Dagger, by author Cindy Anstey, is a young adult mystery standalone that takes place in 1833 England. Historians call it the Regency Era. The story follows members of the Ellerby household (Lord James, Caroline, and younger brother Walter), after they find an unconscious young woman after a carriage accident, and decide that they will take her in and help discover her who she is, and why she doesn't have any memories before the crash.

The crash survivor calls herself Beth. She has no memories, except a reoccurring nightmare of a hummingbird dagger and lots of blood. She has no luggage, and nobody knows why she was on this particular carriage at this particular moment in time. Friends that I trust have put this story in the same category as one of Jane Austen's stories with plenty of mystery, and a bit of romance splashed in to make things appealing to readers of both genre's.  

For the Ellerby's, the past year hasn't been exactly smooth after they lost their beloved father. Lord James is just short of turning 21 and will soon become a full member of the House of Lords which is currently debating legislation that will have long lasting implications on the county, and especially privateers who work for the crown. So, when Beth comes along and upsets the apple cart, it also changes how they go about living. 

Caroline takes a keen interest in helping Beth, while Walter is a spit fire with plenty of go power that never seems to ween itself out. Walter, I would say, is the most eager character in this entire book. He is the youngest, and therefore doesn't believe he gets the respect he yearns for. But, when he, and his best friend decide to play Sherlock and Holmes, interesting things happen. Meanwhile, James is drawn to the young woman and will put himself and his family on the line in order to protect Beth and discover her secrets.

The best parts of the story were the beginning, and the final chapters of the book when we learn who Beth really is, and why there are so many villains out to get her. Unfortunately, I do have one particular negative that really undermined my liking this story even more. My ARC was formatted in a way that didn't have any breaks between change of settings, or change of characters, or any idea of the passage of time between one particular scene to the next. I hope the finished copy isn’t formatted this way because it confused me so much!

It is fair to say that there are a whole lot of characters that are introduced over the course of this book. Which is why I encourage reviewers not to be afraid to put pen to paper and take copious notes or saving particular lines or sentences while you are reading on your Kindle or whatever else you use to read. Taking notes is also good when it takes you a few days to write your review, and you don't want to come across as an idiot for mistakenly mentioning a wrong character's name, or plot lines, or why you liked, or didn't like the story. 

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ARC #Review - Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey #YALit #Historical Fiction

Series: Standalone
Format: E-Book, 336 pages
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult  / Romance / Historical

Two young people must hide their true feelings for each other while figuring out who means them harm in this YA Regency romance from the author of Love, Lies and Spies and Duels & Deception.

Shy aspiring artist Imogene feels conflicted about marrying the young man her father has chosen for her, but she is willing to at least give him a chance for her family's sake. That is, until she meets Ben, a charming architect's apprentice . . . and her suitor's younger brother.

Unbeknownst to Imogene, Ben feels the same way about her, but he can never let his true feelings be known without betraying his brother. So he resigns himself to merely a friendship with her, enlisting her to teach him how to draw.

But hiding their true feelings for each other becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of unfortunate "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben serious harm. And as their affection for each other grows, so does the danger . . .

Author Cindy Ansley's Suitors and Sabotage is a story that is set in the early 19th Century England. The story revolves around four main characters: Imogene Chively, Emily Beeswanger, Ernest Steeple, and Benjamin Steeple. Imogene is a character who is an aspiring artist who just had a successful season in London. Imogene is expected to accept Ernest's offer of marriage whenever the young man proposes, as he is her only suitor.

In this reality, only a firstborn with a sizable income is suitable for Imogene. At least according to her father. She is also on the shy side unlike her best friend Emily. The problem is that Benjamin Steeple arrives before Ernest, and catches Imogene's imagination. Ben is the more daring, the more interesting, the more forward, and the one who peaks her interest with his wit and humor. He also seems to be a trouble magnet. For some reason or the other, someone appears to want to make Ben's life a living hell. 

While Ernest is the eldest and is expected to retain the families reputation, it is Benjamin who is an apprentice to a renowned Architect. The problem is that he can't draw to save his life. Imogene's forte is architectural details and teaching others how to draw. Learning of Ben's ineptitude towards drawing, Imogene offers to help Ben learn to draw. Now comes the twist. Imogene and Emily are best friends and sisters of the heart.

But, Emily apparently fancies Ben, which creates an internal conflict in Imogene. This is the case of best friends not telling each other how they feel. While Imogene's undeniable feelings for Ben continue to grow, you do feel a sense of isolation as Imogene essentially loses her only confidante. There is always a tricky element when you have two men and one woman involved in a story. Love triangle? Not necessarily. There really wasn't any romantic interest on Imogene's part towards Ernest. More as a friend to friend relationship. 

It's a twisted sort of story where the author takes the readers to various houses that seem to be a summer tradition. There is Fotheringham, Shackleford Park, Chotsdown & Dowersham all apparently in Kent, England. It also has a curious mystery that is played out against the backdrop of everything else that is happening to Imogene, Emily, Ben, and Ernest. A mystery that was rather sad when you really think about it. This book is filled with obvious tension between the characters. I am kind of sad at how the story resolves itself. Not sad that the ending didn't make sense. Sad that the author left things kind of unbalanced in regards to her characters. 

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