Thoroughly entertaining.

I was a little bit worried about this book. I’ve been looking out for a new book by Gillian Linscott since I finished her last one in 2004 and have been rather disappointed as time have gone on and no book has appeared. A few months ago I searched the web looking for a reason why she hadn’t published another book and found out that she was now publishing under another name. Although I wanted to read this new author I was worried that a book under a new name would be a complete change of style and approach. The new book looks a lot girlier than the old ones and the heroine is a 22 year old called Liberty.

I needn’t have worried. This is undoubtedly the same author with a new series breathing firey life into new characters. This story is set in 1837 - old King William is dying and Princess Victoria is about the ascend to the throne - and I’m sure that Liberty Lane would approve of Linscott’s suffragette character Nell Bray should her later life ever entwine with the young Nell. In this book Liberty learns that her father has been killed in a duel at Calais. She’s certain this is a lie and gets into an investigation that takes her across several strata of life in early Victorian England.

Overall it’s a really good read; interesting characters, entertaining plot, nice detail, historically elucidating without getting boring. Much the same things I liked Gillian Linscott for really. I hope she picks up a new readership and doesn’t need to change names again!