usbsticky's review against another edition
4.0
I read book #1 in the series many years ago and for some reason didn't follow up until a couple of months ago. As I recall, it had a Edwardian setting and I liked it. Same thing this time. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The mystery part was ok, not that intense.
Spoilers ahead.
LFF accompanies her friend Gwendolyn and her friend Thomasina to Gwen's family estate. While there, Gwen's father is stabbed to death. Gwen's father is an important diplomat and the family estate is a rich prize to whoever inherits it. So is this a murder for politics or money?
There are a number of visitors to the estate and everyone appears to have some kind of mystery about them. The mystery part was a bit low key. As usual, I found the characters, the interaction between them and the setting more interesting.
I finished book 3 after this but decided not to continue with other books from this author. With the first book, I found the setting of the young aristocratic woman in the Edwardian era a novel read. But in the following 2 books I felt the author didn't follow up and it was just more of the same.
Spoilers ahead.
LFF accompanies her friend Gwendolyn and her friend Thomasina to Gwen's family estate. While there, Gwen's father is stabbed to death. Gwen's father is an important diplomat and the family estate is a rich prize to whoever inherits it. So is this a murder for politics or money?
There are a number of visitors to the estate and everyone appears to have some kind of mystery about them. The mystery part was a bit low key. As usual, I found the characters, the interaction between them and the setting more interesting.
I finished book 3 after this but decided not to continue with other books from this author. With the first book, I found the setting of the young aristocratic woman in the Edwardian era a novel read. But in the following 2 books I felt the author didn't follow up and it was just more of the same.
a_ab's review against another edition
3.0
Great cast of main characters, as was the case in the first book, but the same problems from the first book remain here,too - great story structure, but too stretched out and pacing lags quite badly in the middle: There is too much pointless coming and going and an unnecessary increase in the body count.
The main characters were interesting enough to retain my interest, but some of their antics got repetitive. Especially after the first book, where similar plot points were refreshing and new, this felt like a tedious pragmatic following of a formula established in the first book, which was disappointing.
It's delightful to see a feminist heroine and other smart confident women as prominent characters, and the issues they are dealing with, unfortunately still aren't entirely obsolete. However, I keep hoping to see more character development from the main protagonists of the series. Hopefully future books will have more of that. Especially as we see some relationships being built - maintaining one's independence is often easier than building a truly even-footed relationships.
The main characters were interesting enough to retain my interest, but some of their antics got repetitive. Especially after the first book, where similar plot points were refreshing and new, this felt like a tedious pragmatic following of a formula established in the first book, which was disappointing.
It's delightful to see a feminist heroine and other smart confident women as prominent characters, and the issues they are dealing with, unfortunately still aren't entirely obsolete. However, I keep hoping to see more character development from the main protagonists of the series. Hopefully future books will have more of that. Especially as we see some relationships being built - maintaining one's independence is often easier than building a truly even-footed relationships.
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
4.0
Death Among Rubies is R.J. Koreto’s second novel in the Lady Frances “Franny” Ffolkes historical mystery series. In this story, Franny accompanies her friends, Gwendolyn and Thomasina, to Gwen’s family estate for a quiet weekend working on suffragette projects. Instead, she finds out that her friends have been threatened, and Gwen’s father has been stabbed to death with a ruby dagger that is rumored to be cursed. What’s a lady to do?
If you’re looking for a book with a large, diverse cast of women who become wrapped up in solving a murder to save their friend from being wrongfully accused, you will definitely enjoy this book. If you’re looking for a charming Edwardian-era mystery, you will also enjoy this book. This series has no explicit situations or language – which is very much appreciated.
A few critiques. Early on, it’s obvious who the culprit is, so parts of the investigation feel unnecessary. While there are plenty of antagonists to Franny’s sleuthing, there aren’t many twists and turns to the mystery. Also, some of the sentences could have used more polish. A couple of times, they read like unfinished thoughts, and the next opens with a conjunction. Restructuring certain sentences would have clarified Koreto’s ideas.
Conversely, the character dialogue is fantastic. The female leads are simply wonderful. Who doesn’t love a comeback like this one from Franny: “I am also sorry for losing my temper and calling the inspector an imbecile and coward. It was rude of me to publicize those facts.”
I enjoyed seeing characters and relationships from the first book develop. I can tell the writer loves this time period, as he handles the era’s mannerisms and conventions masterfully. All in all, this is a delightful read, though not as strong as the first book (which I loved).
Review posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/death-among-rubies/
If you’re looking for a book with a large, diverse cast of women who become wrapped up in solving a murder to save their friend from being wrongfully accused, you will definitely enjoy this book. If you’re looking for a charming Edwardian-era mystery, you will also enjoy this book. This series has no explicit situations or language – which is very much appreciated.
A few critiques. Early on, it’s obvious who the culprit is, so parts of the investigation feel unnecessary. While there are plenty of antagonists to Franny’s sleuthing, there aren’t many twists and turns to the mystery. Also, some of the sentences could have used more polish. A couple of times, they read like unfinished thoughts, and the next opens with a conjunction. Restructuring certain sentences would have clarified Koreto’s ideas.
Conversely, the character dialogue is fantastic. The female leads are simply wonderful. Who doesn’t love a comeback like this one from Franny: “I am also sorry for losing my temper and calling the inspector an imbecile and coward. It was rude of me to publicize those facts.”
I enjoyed seeing characters and relationships from the first book develop. I can tell the writer loves this time period, as he handles the era’s mannerisms and conventions masterfully. All in all, this is a delightful read, though not as strong as the first book (which I loved).
Review posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/death-among-rubies/
ssejig's review against another edition
4.0
Lady Frances is again caught up in murder. This time, she has been asked by two of her friends to attend a house party. The two ladies are fellow suffragettes and lesbian lovers who have just been threatened with death because of their lifestyle. Instead of the ladies ending up dead, it is the father of Gwen, Sir Calleford. Unlike most mysteries, it doesn't seem like he has a lot of enemies. Rather, it seems he had few and it will be a strain to find them. Another complicating issue is the fact that, though everyone was gathered together after dinner, they all left the room at varying points and no one seems to be able to provide a concrete timeline.
I like Lady Frances, she's charging ahead into the new century but isn't an anachronism. I'm looking forward to the next book.
I like Lady Frances, she's charging ahead into the new century but isn't an anachronism. I'm looking forward to the next book.
raoionna's review against another edition
3.0
Appealing enough mystery novel with the usual trappings: ladies, big house, country weekend.
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