A review by skconaghan
Evil in Emerald by A.M. Stuart

adventurous emotional informative inspiring mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

These are no simple cosy mysteries. They are full of interpersonal complexities and such vibrant historical settings, and it’s all South East Asia, which wins me EVERY TIME…*sigh*

[Side-note on Narrators: Yay. Griff is back as an actual Welshman. I do love a Welsh accent and am adamant that if you have Welsh characters you must hire a narrator who knows how to do a proper Welsh accent.]

This time, as Harriet distracts herself by joining a musical theatre company, the mystery lies not only in discovering the culprit of these murderous crimes, but also the confounding motive—there are several viable options that point the finger at a handful of worthwhile suspects. And we get hints throughout, and maybe we guess this one easier than the others, but the crimes at the forefront almost take a back seat to the real story developing behind the scenes…

We pull back the curtain on the ongoing not-so-secret life of Curren and Li An. We now know what happened to bring them together, but there’s more to it than what we’ve already learned, and Li An has scores to settle. Meanwhile, old ghosts have come to haunt Curren, and he too is drawn away from his duties and relationships to pressing personal matters we would urge him to pursue.

Harriet’s past has also resurfaced, and though it seems as though she might be able to keep it all under wraps for now, the threat of exposure leers on the next page. And if the façade is lifted, she might not survive the consequences. Not a second time. An alternative has been offered to her, which I don’t want her to take (does anyone?), but I have a feeling she’ll feel trapped and see no other way... although, I have learned that what I think might happen could be the furthest thing from fate (as in the hands of Ms. Stuart) and so I’m kept waiting to see how all these entanglements will be resolved.

There is a delightful labyrinth of shifting relationships behind these open-and-close murder mysteries. But the sun has set on everything cosy, and a heavy darkness has crept into the veins of the story as the underbelly of classist imperialism bares its crooked tea-stained teeth at our beloved cast of characters. We can only imagine that what lies ahead will indeed be terrifying.

With such unpredictable and sophisticated writing to enjoy, I have shamelessly turned into a compulsive and obsessed reader. Thank you, Ms. Stuart, for hours of acutely intelligent and arresting entertainment.

[As soon as the audiobook for Terror in Topaz is released, I’ll be the first to listen on my cloudLibrary app. In the meantime, I’ve placed an order at Indigo for all four beautifully designed books to be delivered in time for Christmas. Even the covers are gorgeous with the steamy humid feel of Singapore stamped in a fading art nouveau print, reminiscent of the pre-war era of the 1910s. I can’t wait to share them with my Dad. He’s going to flipping love them.]