The Willing Game

Marianne Starr #1

by Issy Brooke

London, 1890: a new woman in an old world, science in an age of wonder, and a thrilling new historical mystery. When scientific investigator Marianne Starr – rich in talent but poor in everything else – meets excitable trader George Bartholomew, she initially refuses to take his case. Her job is to publicly unmask fake mediums, not to unravel his strange story of fake fathers. But now, with George lying dead in squalor and a man in a blue top hat shadowing her every move, she must take the case. She can’t rely on her own scientific training. She needs the help of her socialite cousin Phoebe, her paranoid stage magician friend Simeon, and even her father – when he’s lucid. She isn’t doing it for the money, or even her good name. Because if she can’t discover the dangerous secrets behind the Bartholomew family before the pistol-waving Prussians catch up with her, she’ll pay with her life – and everyone she loves will be next. Light, fun and intriguing, THE WILLING GAME is the start of a thrilling new historical mystery series from the author of the popular Lady C. Investigates series. It's a complete novel with no cliffhanger. They can be read in any order.

Genres: Mystery, Historical, Historical Mystery

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 6, 2018

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun. I enjoyed reading it and would read others in this series.

Marianne is a strong, intelligent and independent-minded character, who is determined to live a life of her own choosing despite society wanting her to adhere to its narrow and repressed views on who and what women "ought" to be. I loved her for that alone!

The supporting characters in this are also likable and fun to know. Phoebe, despite being everything that women are supposed to be, has a cheeky side and is more than willing to go along with schemes Marianne cooks up when needed. She is a very good partner in crime, and I liked her a lot.

Simeon is completely neurotic and nutty, but he, too is a willing assistant with Marianne's continuing adventures whenever she asks, and since Marianne returns the favour by being there for him when he needs her, it is a fair friendship and delivers some very funny dialogue between the two on both sides.

The plot was interesting and kept me engaged all the way along. Marianne's involvement in more than one crazy situation made for some funny moments and I laughed more than once reading this.

This book was just a fast, fun, easy-reading story, with likable, relatable characters, silly-but-fun situations and a quick-moving enjoyable story. I will look for more books in this series and recommend it for those who like "plucky down-on-her-luck but smart and capable" heroines getting in trouble but figuring it out.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story. Marianne is a psychic investigator, she has been thru college or at least as much as they would let her. Her father is very sick and they are living with her cousin and her husband. She debunks mediums and She has no love interest. This is a very convoluted tale. George Bartholomew comes to her, his father is not his father, even though they have been estranged for years.
The characters are so vivid and lifelike. Even the bad guys have depth. The descriptions are wonderful. The plots are easy to read, they have so many problems to be solved and they just seem to pile them on top of each other. The author has put action, learning and the love of a parent and a cousin. I loved the book, so many characters kept it so interesting, it was almost impossible to put it down.
I received this ARC and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Taida · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 33%. Perhaps this author’s books is not for me. I have now attempted to read two different series by this author and in both series I have found the lead female character to be quite boring. In this series Marianne is a scientist interested in electricity and debunking the spiritual claims of mediums. She is lured into an investigation at one of her cousins’ parties by a man who may not be all that he seems. Meanwhile she is also being followed by the mysterious Jack Monahan.

I admit that I found Marianne a rather uninteresting character largely because her smarts seemed affected. It felt like the author said here is a smart and witty character without actually writing her as such. All tell and no show so to speak. At one point, I realized the author thought the dialogue witty and cleaver too although I experienced it as silly. Not for me.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needing to earn money after taking her university degree Victorian lady Marianne Starr takes employment as an investigator to unmask fake mediums. But she is approached by George Bartholomew, who has just returned from Prussia, and after seeing his father for the first time in many years is convinced he is an imposter, and wants Marianne to prove it. But this is just the start of her problems. There is the situation of her cousin by marriage, Price Claverdon, and Jack Monahan.
An enjoyable story with some varied characters, mostly likeable. A good start to a new series, which I looking forward to reading,
Received an Advanced Reader Copy.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable if you are willing to overlook the historical anachronisms caused by the main character’s actions (pretty sure even a “bluestocking” of the upper classes wouldn’t visit an unmarried man alone in his rooms ... also an amazing amount of upper class Victorian women reading newspapers and their husbands/fathers not saying a thing. Hmmm. ) HOWEVER, otherwise, a nice, action-packed mystery with fun characters.

[Cynthia Pratt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got about a third of the way through this book and decided I just didn't really care what happened any more. I thought from the description that I would like the protagonist but somehow she just seemed kind of matter of fact and all the action was just action and not furthering the plot much.

[Lynnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The first in another light murder mystery set in the Victorian era by Issy Brooke.

Though I didn't find Marianne Starr as immediately engaging as Lady C from her previous series, I do enjoy Issy's writing style and research and it was an enjoyable action packed mystery.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

A really good cozy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. Looking forward to the next book.

[Shelly Morrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

It a quick read, fun and I enjoyed it

[Inishowen Cailín · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great beginning to a new series. Looking forward to more.A very good start to a brand new series. Intriguing, exciting and suspenseful. I loved the scenes with the séances and all the tricks the mediums employed to hoodwink their clients. Very entertaining. The mystery itself was quite complex with various characters hiding secrets and enough loose threads to be resolved in future installments.
I look forward to reading more of this series.