Silent In The Grave
by Deanna Raybourn
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.99 You Save: $2.00 (29%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Silent In The Grave
Book Review: A fun romp
Summary: 5 Stars
For anyone looking for serious Victorian literature, in which the narrator or protagonist abides by the actual conventions of the time and acts accordingly, this book is not for you. But if you're looking for a mystery with period flair - the Victorian period to be exact- then I think you'll fall in love with Raybourn's SILENT IN THE GRAVE. The heroine, Lady Julia Grey, is much like Austen's Emma: wealthy, imagines herself as charitable, excitable, etc. When her husband dies of seemingly natural causes, a mysterious man shows up at the funeral and later tells her that her husband has been murdered. Thus begins a light and fun read in which Lady Julia Grey and Mr. Brisbane attempt to discover what happened to her dead husband. Recommended for anyone who likes mysteries, romances and light historical fiction.Book Review: A romantic Victorian mystery.
Summary: 4 Stars
Deanna Raybourne's Silent in the Grave, is a hard to put down Victorian mystery, both suspenseful and humorous in its details, that unmasks the consequences of that society's moral, gender and class codes upon individuals within society.
Silent in the Grave is a mystery rich in well-researched historical details but also a fast-paced read as each clue unmasks another mysterious layer. Infused with sadness, Silent in the Grave provides humorous relief as the clues lead the reader into an ever increasing dark reality hidden by the masks of Victorian society.
The unmasking of the villain leads to ever increasing shocking details. Murder will out, not only the deed but all the dark truths behind the deed. An exceptional emotional and riveting read!
Book Review: Boring book, superficial characters
Summary: 1 Stars
I agree with the comments by other reviewers giving one or two stars. Character development is weak - the characters are quite superficial, particularly the main character, Julia. The first few pages are compelling but that's about it. There are many, many passive passages where the main character talks to herself about silly things that don't advance the plot. Those pages are really boring and I just flipped through them, and there are many of them. There's very little mystery and the dialogue is not written in a convincing matter (doesn't match the era). Then there's the forced romance between the main character and the dectective, who has visionary power.....this was a very tough book to get through and I don't recommend it.Book Review: Formulaic but engaging
Summary: 3 Stars
Nicholas Brisbane fits the profile of the bodice-ripping, nostril-flaring hero, and our heroine fits the profile of the plucky, prone-to-mistaken-conclusions ingenue.
What raises this book above the Harlequinesque is the author's generally crisp writing and her generally period-accurate language. And at the end of this book, when the reader is certain of the inevitable union between hero and heroine, Ms. Raybourn extends the foreplay into the next book, postponing that climax.
One of the most interesting characters is Aquinas, Grey House's butler. His story could carry a book. Indeed, his might be a meatier story than that of Lady Julia.
Overall, Silent in the Grave is an easy, pleasant read.
Book Review: Great characters
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this novel, although period pieces are not usually my thing. The characters are charming, and their conversation both sharp and witty. The plot is well written, although the mystery not really all that mysterious, and fans of the mystery genre will probably have figured out 'whodunnit' well before Julia, our heroine, does. Not that this mattered much to me, I was enjoying the character interaction too much to worry about it. This is certainly not a tradional romance, and in that arena, very little is settled, although I think that this adds to rather than detracting from the book. I'm really looking forward to the sequel, although I haven't got around to buying it yet. But definitely soon!