A nice little Victorian mystery sounded right up my alley last week so I was happy to try A Lady in the Smoke by Karen Odden. The lady referenced is Lady Elizabeth who, while traveling to her country home, is involved in a terrible train crash. Injured and attempting to care for her ailing mother, Elizabeth is informally introduced to Paul, a train surgeon who has come to help the survivors. In all the bustle, Elizabeth conceals her rank and takes advantage of the chaos to do whatever she would like. With her newfound, and brief, freedom, Elizabeth chooses to help the doctor as he desperately tries to keep more people from dying and to ease the pain of as many people as he can. When Elizabeth overhears Paul talking with a friend about the suspicious nature of the train crash, she inserts herself right into the mystery, partially out of curiosity, but also because her fortune is dependent on the success of the railroad. When Elizabeth finds herself falling for Paul, she is not the least bit put off by their difference in station, but how could it ever work between them?
This book was a fun, absorbing mystery that kept my attention. Set in 1874, it is historical fiction just as I like it- the right amount of description without becoming overbearing while still making me feel like I could see the characters. Also, unlike SO many historical fiction books of late, it wasn't set during World War II, which in my opinion has been overdone. This was a quick, light read and I think you'd like it. Give it a shot and tell me what you think.
No comments:
Post a Comment