Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1353758 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 512 pages

Synopsis
"These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife

Customer Reviews

A stunning tale.
A historical setting, with a delicate attention to detail, Deanna Raybourn has captured a time, a place and a voice that combines into a thoroughly convincing piece of writing. There is wit, mystery and an engaging charm that makes this a most memorable read.

Silent in the Grave is refreshing, featuring a strong convincing leading lady, spirited and outspoken, oozing class and sophistication.

This novel undoubtedly has one of the most engaging opening lines, ever;

"To say I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor."

setting the tinged unique tone that is consistent throughout the novel.

After this opening line and the death of her husband, Lady Grey's period of mourning is broken by the arrival of Mr Nicholas Brisbane, the dark stranger mentioned within the opening line. As the story unfolds, Brisbane informs Lady Julia that her husband did not die of a heart condition, rather that he suspects murder. This marks the beginning of the duo's quest to solve the crime, taking Lady Julia outside of her snug environment and into darker worlds. The friction, the chemistry, the exchanges between these two characters is wholly convincing. The story, the visuals and the voice all jump from the pages.

Raybourn has created a thoroughly likeable strong female character, oozing intelligence, sharpness of tongue and yet balanced with vulnerability . The characterisation is refreshing, unique and I am finding it difficult to compare her to another writer. Her originality is worthy of comment. The plot has twists and turns that delight the darkest of minds.

This is a thoroughly delightful read, one that I recommend to you without reservation. Dark, sinister, tinged with a familiarity that I can't quite put my finger on.

I am left thoroughly satisfied, anticipating the next in the series and in awe of Deanna's craft. I truly enjoyed this book.

A fabulous, feisty new heroine.
Lady Julia Grey is the kind of woman that was almost unheard of in the late nineteenth century. Clever, outspoken, elegant and feisty. When her husband, who has long suffered a heart condition, suddenly dies during a dinner engagement, Lady Julia is left to contemplate a year of mourning, the descent of her Aunt Ursula, a relative who only comes to stay when there has been a death in the family, and a childless, empty household to manage. However, the conventional mourning period is disturbed by the arrival of Mr Nicholas Brisbane - dark, tempestuous, and convinced that her husband had been murdered.

Lady Julia and Brisbane form an unlikely duo as they work to solve the mystery, but if you think that Lady Julia is going to settle down demurely whilst the gentleman takes the lead in the investigation, you are sorely mistaken. Backed by her less than orthodox family, Julia defies danger in order to finally solve the crime.

Raybourne has created a character who is simply delightful. Written in the first person, Julia's witty observations, honesty and dogged determination to find an answer to the mystery makes it impossible to put this book down. The period was captured beautifully and the characters are all drawn with exquisite detail. And Raybourn clearly left things 'hanging' so that we know this is not the end of Lady Julia and Brisbane. I can't wait to read the next book.

Gripping, great, but occasionally grating!
This book found me in the midst of a reading desert, when nothing was satisfying me. When I opened this book, I was initially frustrated by the glaring spelling and cultural errors outlined by another reviewer here - the author and her protaganist spoke with an American voice and the book is set in Victorian England. If someone is writing a novel set in your country, it seems a bit disrespectful not to get basic things right - no-one would EVER refer to Curzon St as "Curzon" and we (especially in Victorian times!) would never say "normalcy" - argh. Also this book is being sold as the UK edition with US spellings. Aren't we a big enough market to treat properly?? But despite this, I got really drawn in and the pace and plot made for a great read. It got me out of my reading desert and was a delight despite the numerous grating inaccuracies.