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3.15 AVERAGE
3.15 AVERAGE
I've decided for this short series of books to review them as a whole. I read them one after the other in about a 24 hour time period, so they all sort of seem like one really long book to me, and I am not at all sure that I could review them separately.
My plan is to copy and past the review to each of the four books, so I will post most all of the review under a spoiler cut, because I am sure that I will mention things that would be considered spoilerish.
My overall rating for the series is 3.75 stars...ok, actually it was 3.63, but I rounded it up.
The books are all light, breezy, and very quick reads--all of them clocking in at just under 225 pages.
I enjoyed the books as a whole, the characters (while sometimes extremely frustrating to me) were engaging, the writing style was pleasing, and while the books were mostly lighthearted and amusing, there were a few tense moments as well. The mysteries were pretty easy to figure out, and therefore didn't require much thought...which is something that I sometimes look for in a book.
I liked both Harry and Rose, though both--at times--made me wish I could shake them, for the reasons mentioned above as well as for other things. Though both did show some emotional growth and maturity during the series...Rose especially.
I liked the secondary storyline between Harry's manservant, Becket, and Rose's lady's maid/later companion, Daisy.
Two characters I could hardly find any redeeming qualities in at all were Rose's parents. OH MY WORD what an insufferable pair they were!
I've read that the author isn't planning on writing anymore books in this series, preferring instead to concentrate on her two other series, so I'm glad that this one ended the way it did. The implied happy ending is there, but it is also open ended enough to pick the series back up should the author ever change her mind.
My plan is to copy and past the review to each of the four books, so I will post most all of the review under a spoiler cut, because I am sure that I will mention things that would be considered spoilerish.
My overall rating for the series is 3.75 stars...ok, actually it was 3.63, but I rounded it up.
The books are all light, breezy, and very quick reads--all of them clocking in at just under 225 pages.
I enjoyed the books as a whole, the characters (while sometimes extremely frustrating to me) were engaging, the writing style was pleasing, and while the books were mostly lighthearted and amusing, there were a few tense moments as well. The mysteries were pretty easy to figure out, and therefore didn't require much thought...which is something that I sometimes look for in a book.
Spoiler
I think the thing that frustrated me the most was the back and forth between Lady Rose and Captain Harry. They both loved each other, but neither could admit it to themselves, much less the other. The on again/off again engagement of convenience between the two grew very tedious very quickly as did the 'I love you but am to scared to show it so I act as if I hate you' trope that the author employed througout the series to create conflict between the two. One would see or hear something about the other that they'd misunderstand and then go off in a snit until they found out they were wrong. I could see that happening in the first book since they didn't know each other that well, but by the time the fourth book rolled around there really should have been some other means of conflict between the two or just have them get together and acknowledge their feelings for each other . I don't know...maybe it wouldn't have bothered me so badly if I hadn't read all four of them so quickly.I liked both Harry and Rose, though both--at times--made me wish I could shake them, for the reasons mentioned above as well as for other things. Though both did show some emotional growth and maturity during the series...Rose especially.
I liked the secondary storyline between Harry's manservant, Becket, and Rose's lady's maid/later companion, Daisy.
Two characters I could hardly find any redeeming qualities in at all were Rose's parents. OH MY WORD what an insufferable pair they were!
I've read that the author isn't planning on writing anymore books in this series, preferring instead to concentrate on her two other series, so I'm glad that this one ended the way it did. The implied happy ending is there, but it is also open ended enough to pick the series back up should the author ever change her mind.
i liked the way this one fooled you into thinking it was ending and then - bam! a new direction.
Rosary is official finally. It's so funny how this book is written to be read in a different era and yet you see the same patterns in media with the never ending slow burn of romance and the drama of high society.
Well, I'm not sure what happened with this book. It started out much the same as the others books, and I was enjoying it, but the last 1/8 of the book are complete insanity. None of the characters really acted like themselves and everyone's emotions were so up-and-down! Not to mention that the ending was a semi-cliffhanger. Our Lady of Pain is by far my least favorite Edwardian Mystery book.
Fun murder mystery with slightly cringey, romantic relationships. Fast, easy listen. Great narrator.
Like the others in the series, a bit slow but enjoyable.
Our Lady of Pain was a really great conclusion to a light and enjoyable series. I was a little worried that the series was going to be cut short, and therefore have no conclusion, but Chesney wrapped the longstanding plot points up smoothly and I'm definitely happy about it.
I still think Harry Cathcart had a lot of unearthed potential. I do wish the series would have spent more time on him and not as much on the lollygagging of Rose and Daisy, but it's only a small gripe. I enjoyed the character arc of Daisy in this installment, so I think it made up for it.
The ending is pretty much exactly what you would expect from a Chesney novel. That being said, being a Chesney fan, I was fully on board.
I still think Harry Cathcart had a lot of unearthed potential. I do wish the series would have spent more time on him and not as much on the lollygagging of Rose and Daisy, but it's only a small gripe. I enjoyed the character arc of Daisy in this installment, so I think it made up for it.
The ending is pretty much exactly what you would expect from a Chesney novel. That being said, being a Chesney fan, I was fully on board.
Edwardian End
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (December 2008) of the original Minotaur hardcover (April 2006)
Our Lady of Pain concludes the story of Lady Rose Summer and Captain Harry Cathcart in the 4th of 4 Edwardian Murder Mysteries. The mystery elements were mostly secondary in these plots and are more like MacGuffins. The main story arc was always the 'will they or won't they' courtship of the 2 principles. This concluding episode ties things up in the inevitable fashion but does so almost at the last instant, so there is the mild suspense of thinking it will still fall apart.
I've completed my pandemic reading splurge of cozy mysteries by M.C. Beaton, the penname used by [a:Marion Chesney|50258|Marion Chesney|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1226562598p2/50258.jpg] (1936-2019) for her popular Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series. Chesney first became a writer with various historical romances from 1977 onwards, before branching out into the crime genre with her first Hamish Macbeth in 1985 and first Agatha Raisin in 1992. Romances are not my genre, but Chesney's mini-series of 4 Edwardian Murder Mysteries sounded like enough of a crossover between her historical fiction and her cozy mysteries to follow up on.
The narration by veteran [a:Davina Porter|500666|Davina Porter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1276540528p2/500666.jpg] (approx. 230 book narrations to her credit) was excellent throughout. Porter is especially good with her range of voices that is able to effectively mimic male as well as female tones.
All of the Edwardian Murder Mysteries series are available free to Audible Plus members.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (December 2008) of the original Minotaur hardcover (April 2006)
O splendid and sterile Dolores,
Our Lady of Pain.
- excerpt from the poem Dolores (Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs) by Algernon Charles Swinburne, used as the epigram for Chapter 1 of Our Lady of Pain
Our Lady of Pain concludes the story of Lady Rose Summer and Captain Harry Cathcart in the 4th of 4 Edwardian Murder Mysteries. The mystery elements were mostly secondary in these plots and are more like MacGuffins. The main story arc was always the 'will they or won't they' courtship of the 2 principles. This concluding episode ties things up in the inevitable fashion but does so almost at the last instant, so there is the mild suspense of thinking it will still fall apart.
I've completed my pandemic reading splurge of cozy mysteries by M.C. Beaton, the penname used by [a:Marion Chesney|50258|Marion Chesney|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1226562598p2/50258.jpg] (1936-2019) for her popular Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series. Chesney first became a writer with various historical romances from 1977 onwards, before branching out into the crime genre with her first Hamish Macbeth in 1985 and first Agatha Raisin in 1992. Romances are not my genre, but Chesney's mini-series of 4 Edwardian Murder Mysteries sounded like enough of a crossover between her historical fiction and her cozy mysteries to follow up on.
The narration by veteran [a:Davina Porter|500666|Davina Porter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1276540528p2/500666.jpg] (approx. 230 book narrations to her credit) was excellent throughout. Porter is especially good with her range of voices that is able to effectively mimic male as well as female tones.
All of the Edwardian Murder Mysteries series are available free to Audible Plus members.
Mostly an enjoyable read, despite a few plot twists and additions that felt like filler and stalling -- only to have the Rose-Harry and Beckett-Daisy storylines wrapped up in the last seven minutes.
Again Davina Porter's narration was great.
Again Davina Porter's narration was great.