Lady Emily vs Lady Julia...Part II (A Review of Two Series)

dear readers,

AND IN THIS CORNER WE HAVE LADY JULIA...

SILENT IN THE GRAVE 

written by Deanna Raybourn

(Book 1)
genre: historical mystery, gothic

3.5 STARS

Lady Julia Grey's husband and childhood sweetheart, Edward, has died and she has set in for the year of mourning and taking care of the heir Sir Simon Grey.  On the day of her husband's death she meet the mysterious Nicholas Brisbane who claims he was hired by Edward and he may been been murdered.  She pushes those thoughts aside until discovers the threatening letters and forges ahead to solve a mystery that may not exist.

I loved Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily mysteries and found Lady Julia a good read while I wait for more Emily.  Set in Victorian times - Julia is apart of the eccentric March family whom I fell in love with and the servants were not lumped together as cardborad characters.  It is a fun historical mystery/romance.

link to summary: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/deanna-raybourn/silent-in-grave.htm

I have rest of the books on hold to read soon.  I will post links to my reviews when I have read them for those interested.

http://www.shelfari.com/books/3552591/Silent-in-the-Sanctuary/readers-reviews

Book 3: Silent on the Moor

Book 4: Dark Road to Darjeeling

Book 5: The Dark Enquiry

COMING SOON:

SILENT NIGHT 

(A Novella)

'Tis the season for an investigation! Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane return for a Christmas caper at Bellmont Abbey - .

After a year of marriage - and numerous adventures - Lady Julia and Brisbane hope for a quiet, intimate Christmas together - until they find themselves at her father's ancestral estate, Bellmont Abbey, with her eccentric family and a menagerie of animals.

Nevertheless, Julia looks forward to a lively family gathering - but amongst the celebrations, a mystery stirs. There are missing jewels, new faces at the Abbey, and a prowling ghost that brings back unwelcome memories from a previous holiday - one that turned deadly. Is a new culprit recreating 

When it comes to the first books in the series Lady Julia kicks Lady Emily's butt by .5 stars.  Alexander's series is mostly focused on Emily and then her relationship with the Queen's agent, Colin.  Raybourn, on the other hand, focuses on Julia and her family.  There is an attraction between Julia and private investigator, Nicholas and I find it to be more interesting.  Nicholas is mysterious and we only get his story in strands. In real life you may want to be married to Colin, but when it comes to novels you definitely want to fantasize about Nicholas. 

Julia's family plays a bigger part in the book which adds to the book's flavour; Emily's parents seem a bit more bland.  Raybourn's novel is a bit more dark and mystical - think Sherlock Holmes (novels not movies) mixed with Bronte, and Alexander's novel is more women's rights and adventure - think Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World mixed with Jane Austen.  I liked both books for what they were and if I had to pick, "Silent in the Grave" was the better of the two.  As for series...stay tuned.crimes of the past? And will Brisbane let Julia investigate - ? 

love, 
kris