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Victorian Mystery #5
Portrait of Peril
For fans of C.S. Harris comes Laura Joh Rowland's fifth Victorian mystery where Sarah must confront her own ghosts--and face her most elusive and deadly adversary yet.
Victorian London is a city gripped by belief in the supernatural--but a grisly murder becomes a matter of flesh and blood for intrepid photographer Sarah Bain.
London, October 1890. Crime scene photographer Sarah Bain is overjoyed to marry her beloved Detective Sergeant Barrett - but the wedding takes a sinister turn when the body of a stabbing victim is discovered in the crypt of the church. Not every newlywed couple begins their marriage with a murder investigation, but Sarah and Barrett, along with their friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly, take the case.
The dead man is Charles Firth, whose profession is "spirit photography" - photographing the ghosts of the deceased. When Sarah develops the photographs he took in the church, she discovers one with a pale, blurred figure attacking the victim. The city's spiritualist community believes the church is haunted and the figure is a ghost. But Sarah is a skeptic, and she and her friends soon learn that the victim had plenty of enemies in the human world - including a scientist who studies supernatural phenomena, his psychic daughter, and an heiress on a campaign to debunk spiritualism and expose fraudulent mediums.
In the tunnels beneath a demolished jail, a ghost-hunting expedition ends with a new murder, and new suspects. While Sarah searches for the truth about both crimes, she travels a dark, twisted path into her own family's sordid history. Her long lost father is the prime suspect in a cold-case murder, and her reunion with him proves that even the most determined skeptic can be haunted by ghosts from the past.
Running Time => 12hrs. and 18mins.
©2021 Laura Joh Rowland (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Victorian London is a city gripped by belief in the supernatural--but a grisly murder becomes a matter of flesh and blood for intrepid photographer Sarah Bain.
London, October 1890. Crime scene photographer Sarah Bain is overjoyed to marry her beloved Detective Sergeant Barrett - but the wedding takes a sinister turn when the body of a stabbing victim is discovered in the crypt of the church. Not every newlywed couple begins their marriage with a murder investigation, but Sarah and Barrett, along with their friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly, take the case.
The dead man is Charles Firth, whose profession is "spirit photography" - photographing the ghosts of the deceased. When Sarah develops the photographs he took in the church, she discovers one with a pale, blurred figure attacking the victim. The city's spiritualist community believes the church is haunted and the figure is a ghost. But Sarah is a skeptic, and she and her friends soon learn that the victim had plenty of enemies in the human world - including a scientist who studies supernatural phenomena, his psychic daughter, and an heiress on a campaign to debunk spiritualism and expose fraudulent mediums.
In the tunnels beneath a demolished jail, a ghost-hunting expedition ends with a new murder, and new suspects. While Sarah searches for the truth about both crimes, she travels a dark, twisted path into her own family's sordid history. Her long lost father is the prime suspect in a cold-case murder, and her reunion with him proves that even the most determined skeptic can be haunted by ghosts from the past.
Running Time => 12hrs. and 18mins.
©2021 Laura Joh Rowland (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Audible Audio
First published January 12, 2021
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About the author
Laura Joh Rowland
46 books1,290 followersGranddaughter of Chinese and Korean immigrants, Laura Joh Rowland grew up in Michigan and where she graduated with a B.S. in microbiology and a Master of Public Health at the University of Michigan. She currently lives in New Orleans with her husband. She has worked as a chemist, microbiologist, sanitary inspector and quality engineer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 6, 2021
I usually love a good Victorian mystery but this was not up there with the best of the ones I have read. The background was all there, the dirty streets, the poverty, the crime, but it was all laid on with too heavy a hand.
I also love an action packed story but this one was relentless. The main character, Sarah, reeled from one violent situation to another. It begins with a murder at her wedding and after that she cannot even have a meal without some fight or other nastiness occurring. I must admit to not finding much to like about in Sarah's character either.
Oh dear, it sounds as if I really disliked the book. In truth it was an okay read, just not a good fit for me.
I also love an action packed story but this one was relentless. The main character, Sarah, reeled from one violent situation to another. It begins with a murder at her wedding and after that she cannot even have a meal without some fight or other nastiness occurring. I must admit to not finding much to like about in Sarah's character either.
Oh dear, it sounds as if I really disliked the book. In truth it was an okay read, just not a good fit for me.
October 28, 2020
Portrait of Peril perplexed me.
Let me preface this by saying that I am an avid fan of Laura Joh Rowland and have definitely enjoyed the four preceding books in this Victorian Mystery series. Something was off-kilter for me in this one. It seemed like someone pulled a lever and we were bombarded with incoming missiles from all directions in the wind-up of this storyline. Overkill (Pun intended)
It's October of 1890 in London in the aftermath of ol' Jack the Ripper. Sarah Bain and her band of friends/co-workers run a crime photography business and have been employed by the Daily World News. They've been involved in quite the brutal crimes of the past.
But today Sarah is finally marrying Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett in a small ceremony in St Peter's Church. As the ceremony ends, a woman dashes into the church screaming that there is a dead body in the church tunnel. Sarah and Thomas leave their guests awe-struck and run to the crime scene. The body belongs to Charles Firth a neighboring photographer. It will soon be revealed that Firth was engaged in spirit photography after they search his shop. But who would have wanted him dead?
Rowland introduces interesting historical facts from the time period in which the Victorians were seeking ways to speak with their dead family members. Automatic writing was thought to be instigated by the spirits making contact. But there were large groups that opposed such thinking as nonsense. The novel takes on an eerie flavor and we readers are locked in.
As Portrait of Peril is winding down, Rowland seems to slip in too many conflicting incidents to shore up why the murderer is the murderer. Way out of left field. In addition, the backstory of Sarah's missing father is growing a beard in itself. As readers, we grow weary of it. I hope that the next offering will regroup and stick with the winning formula of the original books and bring back a rejuvenated Lord Hugh and Mick. Sometimes too much is just too much.
I received a copy of Portrait of Peril through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Laura Joh Rowland.
Let me preface this by saying that I am an avid fan of Laura Joh Rowland and have definitely enjoyed the four preceding books in this Victorian Mystery series. Something was off-kilter for me in this one. It seemed like someone pulled a lever and we were bombarded with incoming missiles from all directions in the wind-up of this storyline. Overkill (Pun intended)
It's October of 1890 in London in the aftermath of ol' Jack the Ripper. Sarah Bain and her band of friends/co-workers run a crime photography business and have been employed by the Daily World News. They've been involved in quite the brutal crimes of the past.
But today Sarah is finally marrying Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett in a small ceremony in St Peter's Church. As the ceremony ends, a woman dashes into the church screaming that there is a dead body in the church tunnel. Sarah and Thomas leave their guests awe-struck and run to the crime scene. The body belongs to Charles Firth a neighboring photographer. It will soon be revealed that Firth was engaged in spirit photography after they search his shop. But who would have wanted him dead?
Rowland introduces interesting historical facts from the time period in which the Victorians were seeking ways to speak with their dead family members. Automatic writing was thought to be instigated by the spirits making contact. But there were large groups that opposed such thinking as nonsense. The novel takes on an eerie flavor and we readers are locked in.
As Portrait of Peril is winding down, Rowland seems to slip in too many conflicting incidents to shore up why the murderer is the murderer. Way out of left field. In addition, the backstory of Sarah's missing father is growing a beard in itself. As readers, we grow weary of it. I hope that the next offering will regroup and stick with the winning formula of the original books and bring back a rejuvenated Lord Hugh and Mick. Sometimes too much is just too much.
I received a copy of Portrait of Peril through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Laura Joh Rowland.
December 4, 2020
When crime photographer and news reporter Sarah Bain gets married to
Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett, the ceremony gets interrupted by a murder. The victim is a photographer specializing in taking scam photos of ghosts. Sarah investigates the technology and tricks used to con grieving people.
A Portrait of Peril is book 5 in the Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland, published by Crooked Lane Books. The setting is London 1890 and we follow newspaper photographer Sarah Bain, her police husband and her news photography/reporter team as they investigate how some members of the spiritualist community use a combination of new technology and tricks to con grieving people. Sarah and Thomas’ wedding ceremony is interrupted when
a scam photographer is found murdered in the church crypt. Later his publisher is found dead too. A member of Sarah’s team is standing over the body with blood on his hands and he ends up in jail charged with the murder. Besides investigating the two murders, Sarah secretly looks into the murder case relating to her own family.
Main character is crime photographer and reporter Sarah Bain. She is very self sufficient and has a hard time controlling her temper and struggles with the relationship with her late mother. She seems a complex and believable character who is my favorite of this story.
Supporting character is detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett. He seems a bit bland to me, and I struggle to connect with him. But I picked up on his deepest respect/fear for his mother. I wonder what that might mean for his relationship with fiercely independent Sarah.
I enjoyed how this story starts where similar reads have ended- with marriage. I found it strange and surprising that Sarah and Thomas didn’t find it terribly disturbing to have their wedding ceremony interrupted by a murder. They seemed to go on with things like on a normal day.
The plot contained details of previous stories which made it function as a standalone, but I would have preferred to read the series from the beginning to get to know the characters and follow their development through the series. As I jumped in at book 5, I felt I had missed out on this.
My favorite part of the story was descriptions of the living arrangements with Sarah’s group of unlikely friends and co-workers. The least favorite part was descriptions of an autopsy procedure.
Anyone who loves historical crime fiction will enjoy this. As will fans of Laura Joh Rowland. Similar authors to explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Erin Lindsey.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
Conclusion: A Portrait of Peril is the interesting and entertaining story about a wedding ceremony interrupted by the murder of a photographer specializing in ghost photos to con grieving relatives.
Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett, the ceremony gets interrupted by a murder. The victim is a photographer specializing in taking scam photos of ghosts. Sarah investigates the technology and tricks used to con grieving people.
A Portrait of Peril is book 5 in the Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland, published by Crooked Lane Books. The setting is London 1890 and we follow newspaper photographer Sarah Bain, her police husband and her news photography/reporter team as they investigate how some members of the spiritualist community use a combination of new technology and tricks to con grieving people. Sarah and Thomas’ wedding ceremony is interrupted when
a scam photographer is found murdered in the church crypt. Later his publisher is found dead too. A member of Sarah’s team is standing over the body with blood on his hands and he ends up in jail charged with the murder. Besides investigating the two murders, Sarah secretly looks into the murder case relating to her own family.
Main character is crime photographer and reporter Sarah Bain. She is very self sufficient and has a hard time controlling her temper and struggles with the relationship with her late mother. She seems a complex and believable character who is my favorite of this story.
Supporting character is detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett. He seems a bit bland to me, and I struggle to connect with him. But I picked up on his deepest respect/fear for his mother. I wonder what that might mean for his relationship with fiercely independent Sarah.
I enjoyed how this story starts where similar reads have ended- with marriage. I found it strange and surprising that Sarah and Thomas didn’t find it terribly disturbing to have their wedding ceremony interrupted by a murder. They seemed to go on with things like on a normal day.
The plot contained details of previous stories which made it function as a standalone, but I would have preferred to read the series from the beginning to get to know the characters and follow their development through the series. As I jumped in at book 5, I felt I had missed out on this.
My favorite part of the story was descriptions of the living arrangements with Sarah’s group of unlikely friends and co-workers. The least favorite part was descriptions of an autopsy procedure.
Anyone who loves historical crime fiction will enjoy this. As will fans of Laura Joh Rowland. Similar authors to explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Erin Lindsey.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
Conclusion: A Portrait of Peril is the interesting and entertaining story about a wedding ceremony interrupted by the murder of a photographer specializing in ghost photos to con grieving relatives.
January 13, 2021
Hauntings unbridled!
Strangely, I has a secondary comment running though my consciousness when reading this. I was remembering my pleasure when I purchased the Phantom Comic, "Married at Last," when Mr. Walker and Diana Palmer finally tied the knot. Of course there's no prize for guessing what spurred that memory being dredged up from my brain's vault. After a torrid relationship Sara Bain and Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett are no sooner finishing their last I do's in a church in Bethnel Green when chaos breaks out. Murder in the crypt!
It's fitting that the action takes place in the caverns and crypts under the church, in the hazy fog of the day. All is shades of grey frequently stained by the bizarre. Mediums and criminals mix. A clever title that looks to the interests of the day through a different lens.
Sara Bain / Barrett is a complex character. A crime photographer and reporter for the Daily World newspaper, she's loyal, determined, gifted and haunted.
Haunted by her childhood, by her father's life, by her mother's hardness. Her father,
"Benjamin Bain, had been missing for twenty-four years...The prime suspect in the 1866 murder of a young girl, he’s a fugitive from the law." Sara and her newly found half sister Sally have reunited with him and are trying to prove his innocence.
This next episode of Sara's life is no less harrowing than the previous.
Relationships are bruised and mended with new understandings. Once again, as one door closes another opens beckoning us on with Sara.
I think reading this without reference to former parts of the series reduces an understanding of Sara and her group of 'family', including Lord Hugh Stanton and Mick O'Reilly which impacts the reader’s deeper perspective. I am always on tenterhooks with Sara. She's an unusual character, likeable and yet not, even shocking at times. From the beginning I've had this love/hate relationship with her. Even so, her story is never dull.
A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Strangely, I has a secondary comment running though my consciousness when reading this. I was remembering my pleasure when I purchased the Phantom Comic, "Married at Last," when Mr. Walker and Diana Palmer finally tied the knot. Of course there's no prize for guessing what spurred that memory being dredged up from my brain's vault. After a torrid relationship Sara Bain and Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett are no sooner finishing their last I do's in a church in Bethnel Green when chaos breaks out. Murder in the crypt!
It's fitting that the action takes place in the caverns and crypts under the church, in the hazy fog of the day. All is shades of grey frequently stained by the bizarre. Mediums and criminals mix. A clever title that looks to the interests of the day through a different lens.
Sara Bain / Barrett is a complex character. A crime photographer and reporter for the Daily World newspaper, she's loyal, determined, gifted and haunted.
Haunted by her childhood, by her father's life, by her mother's hardness. Her father,
"Benjamin Bain, had been missing for twenty-four years...The prime suspect in the 1866 murder of a young girl, he’s a fugitive from the law." Sara and her newly found half sister Sally have reunited with him and are trying to prove his innocence.
This next episode of Sara's life is no less harrowing than the previous.
Relationships are bruised and mended with new understandings. Once again, as one door closes another opens beckoning us on with Sara.
I think reading this without reference to former parts of the series reduces an understanding of Sara and her group of 'family', including Lord Hugh Stanton and Mick O'Reilly which impacts the reader’s deeper perspective. I am always on tenterhooks with Sara. She's an unusual character, likeable and yet not, even shocking at times. From the beginning I've had this love/hate relationship with her. Even so, her story is never dull.
A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
October 19, 2020
Set in 1890's London, team Sarah is at it again. This time they're investigating the murder of a spirit photographer.
Surrounded by fog, gaslight, dirt and darkness, this is historical fiction as I like it. Portrait of Peril is a highly entertaining Victorian mystery with a twist. Another great installment in an excellent series.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.
Surrounded by fog, gaslight, dirt and darkness, this is historical fiction as I like it. Portrait of Peril is a highly entertaining Victorian mystery with a twist. Another great installment in an excellent series.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.
January 4, 2021
Portrait of Peril
A Victorian Mystery Series #5
Laura Joh Rowland
https://www.facebook.com/laurajohrowl...
Release Date 01/12/2020
Publisher Crooked Lane Books
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
For fans of C. S. Harris comes Laura Joh Rowland's fifth Victorian mystery where Sarah must confront her own ghosts--and face her most elusive and deadly adversary yet.
Victorian London is a city gripped by belief in the supernatural--but a grisly murder becomes a matter of flesh and blood for intrepid photographer Sarah Bain.
London, October 1890. Crime scene photographer Sarah Bain is overjoyed to marry her beloved Detective Sergeant Barrett--but the wedding takes a sinister turn when the body of a stabbing victim is discovered in the crypt of the church. Not every newlywed couple begins their marriage with a murder investigation, but Sarah and Barrett, along with their friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly, take the case.
The dead man is Charles Firth, whose profession is "spirit photography"-- photographing the ghosts of the deceased. When Sarah develops the photographs he took in the church, she discovers one with a pale, blurred figure attacking the victim. The city's spiritualist community believes the church is haunted and the figure is a ghost. But Sarah is a skeptic, and she and her friends soon learn that the victim had plenty of enemies in the human world--including a scientist who studies supernatural phenomena, his psychic daughter, and an heiress on a campaign to debunk spiritualism and expose fraudulent mediums.
In the tunnels beneath a demolished jail, a ghost-hunting expedition ends with a new murder, and new suspects. While Sarah searches for the truth about both crimes, she travels a dark, twisted path into her own family's sordid history. Her long lost father is the prime suspect in a cold-case murder, and her reunion with him proves that even the most determined skeptic can be haunted by ghosts from the past.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
When everything is crumbling around her, which course will she follows ...
As it is my first read in this series, I feared to be a bit lost, but the author offers many insights to catch up with the heroine and her team of friends.
Yet while I believed the wedding of the main character was a good time to enter this series, it appears from early reviewers and my own feelings, it was not.
Sure the main plot stands alone, but the characters’ arc is not at is best, with the heroine’s team disbanding, her love relationship at stake. All their lives are spiraling down, so not the best moment to get to know them.
Sarah is running after more than two rabbits at once. Yet there is no confusion about the many threads linking everything together but it dilutes the main inquiry and put Sarah at-odds, looking after one murder then two, seeking answered about her father, worried for one friend then frightened for the other, doubting her own character and finally questioning her marriage.
Yet I liked the vivid and bleak world the author brought to me with the twirl of her pen, Sarah is far from perfect, she makes mistakes after mistakes but she is getting desperate as the claws of evil are closing on her. What I really did not like was Sarah always making a parallel with her mother’s character, a devious one she believes she is reproducing. Every new act she plans, she compares with her mother, always thinking the worst about her own deeds. Like she is haunted, instead of acting on her own free will.
Yet after seing the heroes at their lowest, I hope the next installment will bring them up and give them back their aura.
So while I would not recommend to begin with this book, the author demonstrates a great talent at knitting and unknitting her characters’ life. The world she describes is lively and full of colors even if they are rather bleak.
In all, it is a good read and the cliffhanger at the end leaves hope most everything will be righted in the next installment.
4 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 one detailed lovemaking scene.
I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Crooked Lane Books, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
A Victorian Mystery Series #5
Laura Joh Rowland
https://www.facebook.com/laurajohrowl...
Release Date 01/12/2020
Publisher Crooked Lane Books
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
For fans of C. S. Harris comes Laura Joh Rowland's fifth Victorian mystery where Sarah must confront her own ghosts--and face her most elusive and deadly adversary yet.
Victorian London is a city gripped by belief in the supernatural--but a grisly murder becomes a matter of flesh and blood for intrepid photographer Sarah Bain.
London, October 1890. Crime scene photographer Sarah Bain is overjoyed to marry her beloved Detective Sergeant Barrett--but the wedding takes a sinister turn when the body of a stabbing victim is discovered in the crypt of the church. Not every newlywed couple begins their marriage with a murder investigation, but Sarah and Barrett, along with their friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly, take the case.
The dead man is Charles Firth, whose profession is "spirit photography"-- photographing the ghosts of the deceased. When Sarah develops the photographs he took in the church, she discovers one with a pale, blurred figure attacking the victim. The city's spiritualist community believes the church is haunted and the figure is a ghost. But Sarah is a skeptic, and she and her friends soon learn that the victim had plenty of enemies in the human world--including a scientist who studies supernatural phenomena, his psychic daughter, and an heiress on a campaign to debunk spiritualism and expose fraudulent mediums.
In the tunnels beneath a demolished jail, a ghost-hunting expedition ends with a new murder, and new suspects. While Sarah searches for the truth about both crimes, she travels a dark, twisted path into her own family's sordid history. Her long lost father is the prime suspect in a cold-case murder, and her reunion with him proves that even the most determined skeptic can be haunted by ghosts from the past.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
When everything is crumbling around her, which course will she follows ...
As it is my first read in this series, I feared to be a bit lost, but the author offers many insights to catch up with the heroine and her team of friends.
Yet while I believed the wedding of the main character was a good time to enter this series, it appears from early reviewers and my own feelings, it was not.
Sure the main plot stands alone, but the characters’ arc is not at is best, with the heroine’s team disbanding, her love relationship at stake. All their lives are spiraling down, so not the best moment to get to know them.
Sarah is running after more than two rabbits at once. Yet there is no confusion about the many threads linking everything together but it dilutes the main inquiry and put Sarah at-odds, looking after one murder then two, seeking answered about her father, worried for one friend then frightened for the other, doubting her own character and finally questioning her marriage.
Yet I liked the vivid and bleak world the author brought to me with the twirl of her pen, Sarah is far from perfect, she makes mistakes after mistakes but she is getting desperate as the claws of evil are closing on her. What I really did not like was Sarah always making a parallel with her mother’s character, a devious one she believes she is reproducing. Every new act she plans, she compares with her mother, always thinking the worst about her own deeds. Like she is haunted, instead of acting on her own free will.
Yet after seing the heroes at their lowest, I hope the next installment will bring them up and give them back their aura.
So while I would not recommend to begin with this book, the author demonstrates a great talent at knitting and unknitting her characters’ life. The world she describes is lively and full of colors even if they are rather bleak.
In all, it is a good read and the cliffhanger at the end leaves hope most everything will be righted in the next installment.
4 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 one detailed lovemaking scene.
I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Crooked Lane Books, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
December 29, 2020
"Life's big and small events are connected by fragile threads of happenstance."
The Story: Set in London 1890, the body of a photographer is discovered in the crypt of a church where Sarah and Barrett are holding their wedding. The victim, Charles Firth, was a photographer who was into "spiritual photography" and someone Sarah knew. When the photographs he took in the church were developed, Sarah discovers a blurred image who seems to be attacking Charles. It was said that the church is haunted and a ghost had attacked Charles. This does not sit well with Sarah, and soon Sarah and Barrett find themselves embroiled in one very puzzling case.
My thoughts: This fifth installment of Victorian Mystery series did not disappoint at all! I enjoyed it! The plot just gets better every time. I did find that the story here is more complex, more depth and since it is also about Sarah trying to find evidence to prove his father's innocence, there seems to be A LOT going on. But in the end, the author pulled off writing one suspense-filled multilayered mystery. It was fantastic!
Victorian London was plagued with spiritualism, occultism and mysticism during the 19th century and it was really interesting to learn how these shaped the people's thinking and beliefs back then.
I love it when characters have more depth as a series progresses. As always, I just love how well-developed these characters are. Sarah and Barrett is one endearing couple and I am excited for their new journey of marriagehood.
This book can be read as a standalone. The author did not leave readers in the dark but gives enough background stories from the previous books of this series. I really appreciate that!
In a nutshell, this was one terrific read and a wonderful addition to this series. If you are looking for a good, solid Victorian mystery, give this a read!
Pub. Date: Jan 12, 2021
***Thank you Crooked Lane Books, author Laura Joh Rowland and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review.***
The Story: Set in London 1890, the body of a photographer is discovered in the crypt of a church where Sarah and Barrett are holding their wedding. The victim, Charles Firth, was a photographer who was into "spiritual photography" and someone Sarah knew. When the photographs he took in the church were developed, Sarah discovers a blurred image who seems to be attacking Charles. It was said that the church is haunted and a ghost had attacked Charles. This does not sit well with Sarah, and soon Sarah and Barrett find themselves embroiled in one very puzzling case.
My thoughts: This fifth installment of Victorian Mystery series did not disappoint at all! I enjoyed it! The plot just gets better every time. I did find that the story here is more complex, more depth and since it is also about Sarah trying to find evidence to prove his father's innocence, there seems to be A LOT going on. But in the end, the author pulled off writing one suspense-filled multilayered mystery. It was fantastic!
Victorian London was plagued with spiritualism, occultism and mysticism during the 19th century and it was really interesting to learn how these shaped the people's thinking and beliefs back then.
I love it when characters have more depth as a series progresses. As always, I just love how well-developed these characters are. Sarah and Barrett is one endearing couple and I am excited for their new journey of marriagehood.
This book can be read as a standalone. The author did not leave readers in the dark but gives enough background stories from the previous books of this series. I really appreciate that!
In a nutshell, this was one terrific read and a wonderful addition to this series. If you are looking for a good, solid Victorian mystery, give this a read!
Pub. Date: Jan 12, 2021
***Thank you Crooked Lane Books, author Laura Joh Rowland and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review.***
March 8, 2021
3.5 stars. Earlier books in this series were a bit stronger...perhaps because there was just so much going on in this book with the different subplots.
January 23, 2021
Reporter and murder investigator, Sarah Bain marries Barrett, her long time companion. Unfortunately they discover murder has happened at the location where they've married. Hugh, still mourning the loss of Tristan, growing up too quickly Mick, and now Sarah's half sister Sally, put their Scooby Gang skills to work to solve the murder. Sarah also makes attempts at clearing her father's name.
Another beautifully written novel by Laura Joh Rowland. She never disappoints. This one is set during Halloween, and the theme is 'ghost'. Right up my alley. I think this might be my favorite of the series. It's left on a cliffhanger, so I'll be very excited to have another one hopefully next January. That seems to be the pattern of release.
Highly recommend this Victorian murder mystery series as a whole.
Another beautifully written novel by Laura Joh Rowland. She never disappoints. This one is set during Halloween, and the theme is 'ghost'. Right up my alley. I think this might be my favorite of the series. It's left on a cliffhanger, so I'll be very excited to have another one hopefully next January. That seems to be the pattern of release.
Highly recommend this Victorian murder mystery series as a whole.
January 14, 2021
1890 Victorian London. For Sarah Bain who was very different from the usual woman of the times, it was not a comfortable place to be. She resided with three men for a start, she was a crime photographer as a second and she was getting married to the love of her life. Detective Sergeant Barrett was a good man - but he could not stand up to his mother who disapproved of all of the above. Not a very good start anyway and when a murder happens at the very church where the wedding is being solemnized and Sarah runs off to start her work and her husband goes off in the middle of the party to attend to his, it does not add for much family harmony anyway.
Spirit photography is popular with the Victorians and seances and people who can talk to spirits is all the rage. The dead man is one of these spirit photographers and uncovering who could have murdered him is not easy as there are many who felt cheated by these charlatans who preyed on the weakness of those left behind.
Add to the story a deep seated antagonism by Barrett's boss to Sarah who he felt bested him in a previous investigation, and quite a bit of history added to the story this was a good Victorian type of mystery murder. The unconventional lifestyle of Sarah added interest too.
Spirit photography is popular with the Victorians and seances and people who can talk to spirits is all the rage. The dead man is one of these spirit photographers and uncovering who could have murdered him is not easy as there are many who felt cheated by these charlatans who preyed on the weakness of those left behind.
Add to the story a deep seated antagonism by Barrett's boss to Sarah who he felt bested him in a previous investigation, and quite a bit of history added to the story this was a good Victorian type of mystery murder. The unconventional lifestyle of Sarah added interest too.
June 28, 2022
London, England. October 1890. Laura Joh Rowland’s Portrait of Peril (Victorian Mystery #5) opens to Sarah, a crime scene photographer, about to walk down the aisle to marry her love, Detective Sergeant Barrett. Sarah turns to Lord Hugh Staunton and says quietly, “If I fall, will you hold me up?”
“At your service,” Lord Hugh squeezes Sarah’s hand and smiles.
They are about to begin ‘the walk’ down the aisle of St. Peter’s Church in Bethnal Green, but isn’t THAT church haunted? So begins this story of marriage, murder, ghosts, and extreme dislike and manipulation between Sarah and a certain Inspector Reid, an officer of the law and the court who has changed since the Ripper Case but not for the better! The protagonist, Sarah, has too many negative ideas and images on her plate when she should only have marriage and her love for Detective Barrett on that plate. (Now, I am somewhat disadvantaged here as I did not read The Ripper’s Shadow by L.J. Rowland, and it is mentioned in this story a few times, but I shall continue this review from what I ‘saw’ in this story.) Directly after the ceremony, a body is discovered in St. Peter’s crypt. Immediately, Sarah, her new husband, and Sarah’s friends become involved with this body which appears to be a victim of murder. Then a major problem becomes obvious between Sarah and her new mom-in-law. Sarah also has her own ghosts from her past - her mom being one, a major one! Her dad presents difficulty too. Two of her close friends are hurting on top of that! Then ‘Spiritualism’ which was very in at this time period may be tied into the murder. Where is her new husband and the love they share or do they? And bad continues to present itself to Sarah! It is all overwhelming to me. I believe the author has Sarah facing too much, and it made the story and the characters bounce all over the place. I was exhausted when I finished the book, and it took me longer than usual to complete this book. 3 stars.
“At your service,” Lord Hugh squeezes Sarah’s hand and smiles.
They are about to begin ‘the walk’ down the aisle of St. Peter’s Church in Bethnal Green, but isn’t THAT church haunted? So begins this story of marriage, murder, ghosts, and extreme dislike and manipulation between Sarah and a certain Inspector Reid, an officer of the law and the court who has changed since the Ripper Case but not for the better! The protagonist, Sarah, has too many negative ideas and images on her plate when she should only have marriage and her love for Detective Barrett on that plate. (Now, I am somewhat disadvantaged here as I did not read The Ripper’s Shadow by L.J. Rowland, and it is mentioned in this story a few times, but I shall continue this review from what I ‘saw’ in this story.) Directly after the ceremony, a body is discovered in St. Peter’s crypt. Immediately, Sarah, her new husband, and Sarah’s friends become involved with this body which appears to be a victim of murder. Then a major problem becomes obvious between Sarah and her new mom-in-law. Sarah also has her own ghosts from her past - her mom being one, a major one! Her dad presents difficulty too. Two of her close friends are hurting on top of that! Then ‘Spiritualism’ which was very in at this time period may be tied into the murder. Where is her new husband and the love they share or do they? And bad continues to present itself to Sarah! It is all overwhelming to me. I believe the author has Sarah facing too much, and it made the story and the characters bounce all over the place. I was exhausted when I finished the book, and it took me longer than usual to complete this book. 3 stars.
January 28, 2021
In 1890 London, crime photographer Sara Bain is getting married to Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett, culminating their love interest developed in the first four books of this series.Startlingly, as the ceremony concludes, a body is discovered in the crypt of the church. Fittingly, Sara and Thomas delay their wedding night to delve into this unexpected crime, as befits their respective professions.Sara in particular is an unconventional personality, foreshadowing the nascent evolution of more liberated women. She lives in a house with two housemates, a street orphan Mick and the gay Lord Hugh, who is attended by his butler.Sara has had a conflicted childhood and her domestic arrangement has allowed her to both house her business and enjoy a sense of family that was sorely lacking during her early years.In a sense, the current case provides a respite from the transition from her secure and familiar present to her highly anticipated but unknown plunge into marital bliss.
The crypt that houses the victim is rumored to have ghosts.Moreover, the deceased is a “ spirit photographer,” previously known to Sara.He had surreptitiously snuck into the church to photograph ghost spirits.These revelations arouse the curiosity of the public and lead Sara and Thomas to explore the world of spiritualism and the conflicting groups that function within this culture.Along the way, another murder occurs, Mick meets a spot of trouble, Lord Hugh goes missing and Sara also is chasing the “ ghosts” of her missing father, who was convicted of murder twenty four years earlier.
I have enjoyed this series. As my précis shows, there are many plot points in this book. I suspect that there may be a few too many plot devices in this work.The strength of the series has been the interrelationships of Sara and her housemates. In this book, Mick and Hugh play less of a role to accommodate the multitude of storylines. The resolution of the mystery, accordingly, appears rushed.
Nevertheless, the strengths of the book overcome the structural observations I have noted.The book is also quite atmospheric in depicting late Victorian London.I look forward to the next book in this series.I rounded this review up to 3.5 stars.
The crypt that houses the victim is rumored to have ghosts.Moreover, the deceased is a “ spirit photographer,” previously known to Sara.He had surreptitiously snuck into the church to photograph ghost spirits.These revelations arouse the curiosity of the public and lead Sara and Thomas to explore the world of spiritualism and the conflicting groups that function within this culture.Along the way, another murder occurs, Mick meets a spot of trouble, Lord Hugh goes missing and Sara also is chasing the “ ghosts” of her missing father, who was convicted of murder twenty four years earlier.
I have enjoyed this series. As my précis shows, there are many plot points in this book. I suspect that there may be a few too many plot devices in this work.The strength of the series has been the interrelationships of Sara and her housemates. In this book, Mick and Hugh play less of a role to accommodate the multitude of storylines. The resolution of the mystery, accordingly, appears rushed.
Nevertheless, the strengths of the book overcome the structural observations I have noted.The book is also quite atmospheric in depicting late Victorian London.I look forward to the next book in this series.I rounded this review up to 3.5 stars.
December 15, 2025
RATING: 3.5 STARS
2021; Crooked Lane Books
I love Rowland's Victorian mystery series, so it pains me to rate this one only 3 stars. I was happy to see Barrett and Sarah finally get married in this novel, but things felt off. We get more of Barrett, which was a good thing. We saw him trying to figure out his relationship with Sarah, as his wife and his mother's overbearing ways. Hugh wasn't as present in this novel, and I really missed him. His charm and easygoingness is a great balance, to Barrett's stiffness. I felt like there was a lot going on with this novel, but there also seemed to be something missing. In Portrait of Peril, Rowland looks at the spiritualism of ghosts in pictures. A man proposing he can take pictures of you and your passed loved one, is found murder in a church. In the church Sarah and Barrett get married in on their wedding day. There is a past personal connection to Sarah so she feels bound to solve it. Sally and Sarah are also still trying to clear their father, and more truth of Sarah's mother come out. I was a bit annoyed with Sally in this one. While I understand her need to exonerate her father and be with him, she takes it out on Sarah, which just rubbed me the wrong way. With the way the novel ended, I am ready to take on book six.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2021; Crooked Lane Books
I love Rowland's Victorian mystery series, so it pains me to rate this one only 3 stars. I was happy to see Barrett and Sarah finally get married in this novel, but things felt off. We get more of Barrett, which was a good thing. We saw him trying to figure out his relationship with Sarah, as his wife and his mother's overbearing ways. Hugh wasn't as present in this novel, and I really missed him. His charm and easygoingness is a great balance, to Barrett's stiffness. I felt like there was a lot going on with this novel, but there also seemed to be something missing. In Portrait of Peril, Rowland looks at the spiritualism of ghosts in pictures. A man proposing he can take pictures of you and your passed loved one, is found murder in a church. In the church Sarah and Barrett get married in on their wedding day. There is a past personal connection to Sarah so she feels bound to solve it. Sally and Sarah are also still trying to clear their father, and more truth of Sarah's mother come out. I was a bit annoyed with Sally in this one. While I understand her need to exonerate her father and be with him, she takes it out on Sarah, which just rubbed me the wrong way. With the way the novel ended, I am ready to take on book six.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
February 2, 2021
I will give this a 2 rating only because it almost was a ghost story. Maybe it was because the book was fifth in a series and I didn't know enough of the back story, but I found the book quite boring.
The author gave background, which was good, but he problem was that it was the same thing over and over again. The main character couldn't make up her mind if she wanted to catch the murderers or let them all go lest their crimes coming out would hurt someone else.
Nothing happened in the book that didn't make the lead character think of her father and her past, which got old really quickly for me.
I know that story is the continued theme in each of the books, but I found myself not caring about that story or the present story.
The author gave background, which was good, but he problem was that it was the same thing over and over again. The main character couldn't make up her mind if she wanted to catch the murderers or let them all go lest their crimes coming out would hurt someone else.
Nothing happened in the book that didn't make the lead character think of her father and her past, which got old really quickly for me.
I know that story is the continued theme in each of the books, but I found myself not caring about that story or the present story.
August 30, 2020
3.8 Stars
The leading lady, Sarah Bain, a crime scene photographer for Daily World, is getting married to Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett, her beloved. Right after the wedding, the dead body of a ‘spirit’ photographer Charles Firth is found in the crypt. Who committed the crime? Will Sarah and Barrett uncover the mystery? This forms the main plot of the story.
Being a series, we also see a strong subplot of Sarah and Sally’s (half-sister) father Benjamin Bain and the crime he is supposed to have committed, the murder of a young girl Ellen. Sarah and Sally are determined to prove his innocence even if it means they’ll have to wake up the dead ghosts of the past.
Of course, we see only the main plot coming to a conclusion while the subplot moves ahead just enough to keep us interested and eager for the next book.
This is the fifth book in the series and my first. Did it affect my reading? No. The references to the previous cases don't bother much. The main plot doesn’t depend on those. We have recurring characters, the homosexual friend Lord Hugh, his faithful valet, and Mick, the 15-year-old orphaned photographer, all of whom are Sarah’s friends and support system.
We also have Inspector Reid, the typical villain within the police department who doesn’t like Sarah and Barrett. He waltzes in and out of the story whenever Sarah needs to add another problem to her overflowing list.
The main plot has a lot of characters, from spiritualists to professors to models to an heiress, who is determined to expose mediums and fake ghosts. The suspect list grows, and we go from one clue to another, one piece of information to another.
Sarah talks, thinks, and rambles (at times) in the present tense (yes, first-person, present-tense narration) about the murder, her mother, her past, and how her life was hard. While I needed to know the details as a new reader, I did find it becoming repetitive towards the end. I’m not sure how the readers of the series would take it, considering they’d have been reading about it in the previous four books.
But there’s quite a bit of action in the cold and foggy London streets and houses. It was refreshing to read a story with characters who do not belong to the elite London society. This is definitely more real and grounded.
There are predictable scenes between Barrett’s mother, Sarah, and Barrett. Our leading lady is an independent woman with fears and insecurities. There was drama, but nothing over the top. That’s was a plus.
I did have an inkling about who the killer(s) would be, so the revelation wasn’t much of a surprise. But I am glad that the writer did not throw in an unexpected twist to give the story an extra punch. It’s good to see the ideas and hints connect well and come out as a proper piece.
Overall, this is an engaging read and picks up pace after the first 70 pages or so. I noticed that my reading speed increased in parallel. If you like Victorian mysteries that are set in the middle class and lower-middle-class sections of London and a heroine with spunk, you’ll enjoy this book.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.
The leading lady, Sarah Bain, a crime scene photographer for Daily World, is getting married to Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett, her beloved. Right after the wedding, the dead body of a ‘spirit’ photographer Charles Firth is found in the crypt. Who committed the crime? Will Sarah and Barrett uncover the mystery? This forms the main plot of the story.
Being a series, we also see a strong subplot of Sarah and Sally’s (half-sister) father Benjamin Bain and the crime he is supposed to have committed, the murder of a young girl Ellen. Sarah and Sally are determined to prove his innocence even if it means they’ll have to wake up the dead ghosts of the past.
Of course, we see only the main plot coming to a conclusion while the subplot moves ahead just enough to keep us interested and eager for the next book.
This is the fifth book in the series and my first. Did it affect my reading? No. The references to the previous cases don't bother much. The main plot doesn’t depend on those. We have recurring characters, the homosexual friend Lord Hugh, his faithful valet, and Mick, the 15-year-old orphaned photographer, all of whom are Sarah’s friends and support system.
We also have Inspector Reid, the typical villain within the police department who doesn’t like Sarah and Barrett. He waltzes in and out of the story whenever Sarah needs to add another problem to her overflowing list.
The main plot has a lot of characters, from spiritualists to professors to models to an heiress, who is determined to expose mediums and fake ghosts. The suspect list grows, and we go from one clue to another, one piece of information to another.
Sarah talks, thinks, and rambles (at times) in the present tense (yes, first-person, present-tense narration) about the murder, her mother, her past, and how her life was hard. While I needed to know the details as a new reader, I did find it becoming repetitive towards the end. I’m not sure how the readers of the series would take it, considering they’d have been reading about it in the previous four books.
But there’s quite a bit of action in the cold and foggy London streets and houses. It was refreshing to read a story with characters who do not belong to the elite London society. This is definitely more real and grounded.
There are predictable scenes between Barrett’s mother, Sarah, and Barrett. Our leading lady is an independent woman with fears and insecurities. There was drama, but nothing over the top. That’s was a plus.
I did have an inkling about who the killer(s) would be, so the revelation wasn’t much of a surprise. But I am glad that the writer did not throw in an unexpected twist to give the story an extra punch. It’s good to see the ideas and hints connect well and come out as a proper piece.
Overall, this is an engaging read and picks up pace after the first 70 pages or so. I noticed that my reading speed increased in parallel. If you like Victorian mysteries that are set in the middle class and lower-middle-class sections of London and a heroine with spunk, you’ll enjoy this book.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.
January 16, 2022
I came into this at a disadvantage. Mystery Guild is sometimes the worst place to buy books since they never tell you what book in the series it is and I forgot to look it up (that's on me). I was thrilled that to see a Victorian mystery where the sleuth has a job that would bring her in contact with crime, in this case photographer. And if this book had kept to that this would have been more highly rated.
I'm missing a ton of back story of course missing the first 4 books but this opens with Sarah marrying Barret (the detective) and someone is killed in the basement of the church where they're being married. Now that's a stunner of a plot right there but it is instantly muddied by two things a) Barret is held in low regard by his bosses who are actively against him (usually a hard no in my book when it comes to detective stories) because of something from the first book and the Jack the Ripper case and b) Sarah's father was accused of raping and murdering pedophile when she was 10 and he fled and now he's back in her life and hiding out. she has finally learned the truth and wants to clear her father's name.
That latter muddy point takes up more than a third of the book (and not really a spoiler is going to be the main plot of book 6) and I just didn't care. Maybe if I had worked up to this I would have but I couldn't help thinking this guy got to America 20 years ago, shouldn't he have just stayed there and I don't know, wrote letters under an assumed name. Maybe it's because I've moved all over and only keep in contact with most of my family via phone/email or the fact this is the time period my family immigrated and didn't have contact with their family (they couldn't read or write) If you want your father safe maybe not being in London would be a good idea.
Anyhow the main crime was interesting, Charles Firth, the man who started Sarah on her photography career has been killed by a ghost or so his widow believes. This leads us into the world of spiritualism, ghost photography, frauds in both realms and scientists who believe they can prove it's real. if the book had centered itself on this, I would have enjoyed it much more. Instead the main crime felt like an afterthought with Sarah's personal dramas (her dad, Barrett's issues on the force and how much her new mother in law hates her and is trying to ruin her life or at least make her a proper non-working house wife) takes up way too much time. Mix this in with her friend, Hugh's own drama (he was outed as a gay man at a time where this will get you jailed) it's just too much on Sarah and not enough on the crime. Sarah comes across as very judgemental too which was a turn off.
So, would I go back and read 1-4...maybe? If the library had it. I feel free to skip book 6 when it comes out. I don't care about her father (and I have no idea how she could clear his name 20 years after the fact). Also if Barrett being in conflict with his bosses is a thing in these books that's a turn off for me. Ah well. I still like the idea of Sarah and her career.
I'm missing a ton of back story of course missing the first 4 books but this opens with Sarah marrying Barret (the detective) and someone is killed in the basement of the church where they're being married. Now that's a stunner of a plot right there but it is instantly muddied by two things a) Barret is held in low regard by his bosses who are actively against him (usually a hard no in my book when it comes to detective stories) because of something from the first book and the Jack the Ripper case and b) Sarah's father was accused of raping and murdering pedophile when she was 10 and he fled and now he's back in her life and hiding out. she has finally learned the truth and wants to clear her father's name.
That latter muddy point takes up more than a third of the book (and not really a spoiler is going to be the main plot of book 6) and I just didn't care. Maybe if I had worked up to this I would have but I couldn't help thinking this guy got to America 20 years ago, shouldn't he have just stayed there and I don't know, wrote letters under an assumed name. Maybe it's because I've moved all over and only keep in contact with most of my family via phone/email or the fact this is the time period my family immigrated and didn't have contact with their family (they couldn't read or write) If you want your father safe maybe not being in London would be a good idea.
Anyhow the main crime was interesting, Charles Firth, the man who started Sarah on her photography career has been killed by a ghost or so his widow believes. This leads us into the world of spiritualism, ghost photography, frauds in both realms and scientists who believe they can prove it's real. if the book had centered itself on this, I would have enjoyed it much more. Instead the main crime felt like an afterthought with Sarah's personal dramas (her dad, Barrett's issues on the force and how much her new mother in law hates her and is trying to ruin her life or at least make her a proper non-working house wife) takes up way too much time. Mix this in with her friend, Hugh's own drama (he was outed as a gay man at a time where this will get you jailed) it's just too much on Sarah and not enough on the crime. Sarah comes across as very judgemental too which was a turn off.
So, would I go back and read 1-4...maybe? If the library had it. I feel free to skip book 6 when it comes out. I don't care about her father (and I have no idea how she could clear his name 20 years after the fact). Also if Barrett being in conflict with his bosses is a thing in these books that's a turn off for me. Ah well. I still like the idea of Sarah and her career.
February 11, 2021
5 stars
This is the fifth book in the Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland.
I don’t read a ton of historical mysteries but the Victorian era has to be my favorite.
I have to say first off that this is a new favorite author for me. I am loving her writing style and characters. They just flow off the page like water into my heart.
Sarah is a crime photographer and has just gotten married. Apparently, they thought she should put down her camera and leave the reporting to the boys. Uh, I don’t think so. I really respect this character for standing up for herself.
There is a lot of cool things in this story but the one I liked best was the spirit photography. What a great plot point and a way to ease into the mention of supernatural things. Just loved the concept!
Since this is book five, I am looking forward to reading the past four books in this series. What a great find! So excited to delve more into Victorian London.
If you like historical cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed. Hit me up and ask me for recommendations for this genre! I have some great ideas for cool reads!
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
This is the fifth book in the Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland.
I don’t read a ton of historical mysteries but the Victorian era has to be my favorite.
I have to say first off that this is a new favorite author for me. I am loving her writing style and characters. They just flow off the page like water into my heart.
Sarah is a crime photographer and has just gotten married. Apparently, they thought she should put down her camera and leave the reporting to the boys. Uh, I don’t think so. I really respect this character for standing up for herself.
There is a lot of cool things in this story but the one I liked best was the spirit photography. What a great plot point and a way to ease into the mention of supernatural things. Just loved the concept!
Since this is book five, I am looking forward to reading the past four books in this series. What a great find! So excited to delve more into Victorian London.
If you like historical cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed. Hit me up and ask me for recommendations for this genre! I have some great ideas for cool reads!
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
April 7, 2021
I'm a big fan of Laura Joh Rowland and her Victorian mysteries, and this novel (#5! Wow!) is exactly what I was hoping for. Starting off with a wedding and a murder - a murder AT a wedding - this book hooks you right away. I love how you're "transported" right onto the streets of 1890s London. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the ending will take your breath away. All of these historical mysteries are really well done. Fans of this series will not be disappointed with this one. I enjoyed this fifth book so much that I want to go back and reread them all!
August 14, 2020
In this fifth installment of the 'A Victorian Mystery' series, photographer Sarah (Bain) Barrett is dealing not only with a new case that ends up hitting close to home, but adjusting to life as a newlywed as well. Laura Joh Rowland has written a worthy sucessor with this book, with her trademark excellent plotting and strong characters. I took points off for the violence and sex scenes (not my thing) but overall a good read!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book.
June 15, 2021
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I would say I found the main character, Sarah, too angsty. She continually is comparing herself to her mother and vacillating between her father's innocence/guilt. I think it got in the way. Taking four nights to sleep with her husband after their wedding seemed to indicate Sarah's self-interest vs. her husband. I got tired of hearing about her intentions and dark personality traits. No more Victorian Mystery books by Laura Joh Rowland for me.
September 3, 2020
This book opens with Sarah and Barrett finally getting married. I thought it started a bit slow and really only picked up speed once I was half way through. I like Sarah’s spunkiness especially towards her new mother in law.
It had a good mystery. I enjoyed the story but now I’m ready for the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
It had a good mystery. I enjoyed the story but now I’m ready for the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
December 5, 2021
Holiday pangram! I'm just like Christmas Carol😃. T N B A M E U 🌲
May 23, 2021
Atmospheric historical mystery set in 1890 Whitechapel/London area with sleuth photographer Sarah on the case. I really enjoyed this yet the ending was quite ridiculous and went on and on unnecessarily. Good writing and fine character development from all angles; plot incorporates supernatural photography which was different and well crafted by author to enlighten reader.
January 12, 2021
Portrait Of Peril is the fifth book in the Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland.
The wedding of Sarah Bain, newspaper photographer, and Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett is about to begin, and Sarah’s biggest fear is that when the question is there anyone who objects to the marriage, is that her mother-in-law to be will say yes. Sarah was relieved when there was no objection, but the relief is short-lived. Shortly after Sarah and Thomas’ wedding vows are exchanged, there is a scream, and the person yells that there is a dead body in the crypt. Sarah and Thomas immediately head for the crypt. When they arrive, Sarah is surprised to see the body of Charles Firth. Firth had sold Sarah her first camera when she decided to follow her father’s footsteps and be a photographer. Sarah is surprised to learn that Firth is now a spirit photographer. Thomas begins his investigation of the scene while Sarah photographs the scene. As the investigation into Firth’s death proceeds, Thomas and Sarah will soon be investigating a faction that believes that there is no such thing as ghosts, therefore impossible to photograph them. They are also looking into Firth’s widow and the publisher of the book of spirits that Firth had published. When at an area where ghosts reportedly have been seen, there is another body found. When the body is discovered, Mike, Sarah’s friend, is found holding the used knife. Sarah’s nemesis, Inspector Reed, immediately arrests young Mike.
Besides searching for Firth’s killer, Sarah is also dealing with trying information that clears her father from charges of murder when she was in her early teen years. In addition to Mike, she counts on Lord Hugh to help with her photographing and investigations, who has gone missing.
The story is well-written and plotted, and I feel that it is historically correct. The characters are well-developed and believable. I would like to call all of them a friend.
I will be watching for the next book in this exciting series.
The wedding of Sarah Bain, newspaper photographer, and Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett is about to begin, and Sarah’s biggest fear is that when the question is there anyone who objects to the marriage, is that her mother-in-law to be will say yes. Sarah was relieved when there was no objection, but the relief is short-lived. Shortly after Sarah and Thomas’ wedding vows are exchanged, there is a scream, and the person yells that there is a dead body in the crypt. Sarah and Thomas immediately head for the crypt. When they arrive, Sarah is surprised to see the body of Charles Firth. Firth had sold Sarah her first camera when she decided to follow her father’s footsteps and be a photographer. Sarah is surprised to learn that Firth is now a spirit photographer. Thomas begins his investigation of the scene while Sarah photographs the scene. As the investigation into Firth’s death proceeds, Thomas and Sarah will soon be investigating a faction that believes that there is no such thing as ghosts, therefore impossible to photograph them. They are also looking into Firth’s widow and the publisher of the book of spirits that Firth had published. When at an area where ghosts reportedly have been seen, there is another body found. When the body is discovered, Mike, Sarah’s friend, is found holding the used knife. Sarah’s nemesis, Inspector Reed, immediately arrests young Mike.
Besides searching for Firth’s killer, Sarah is also dealing with trying information that clears her father from charges of murder when she was in her early teen years. In addition to Mike, she counts on Lord Hugh to help with her photographing and investigations, who has gone missing.
The story is well-written and plotted, and I feel that it is historically correct. The characters are well-developed and believable. I would like to call all of them a friend.
I will be watching for the next book in this exciting series.
November 29, 2020
This story begins at Sarah Bain's wedding to Thomas Barrett where she's thinking her worst problem is fearing that her new mother-in-law will stand up with objections. She and Sarah have never gotten along since she thinks her son can do much better than Sarah.
But finding a dead body is the crypt under the church is a bigger problem and leads to Sarah and Barrett's next mystery. Sarah knows the photographer who is Charles Firth and who was the man who gave Sarah a discount on her first photographic equipment. She lost track of him and is now surprised that he is big in the field of spirit photography and who has made a good living taking photos of ghosts.
The spiritualist movement in big in London. There are scientists who are supposedly using devices to prove the existence of ghosts; their are photographers who are capturing images of the ghosts. And there are people who are campaigning to debunk spiritualism and prove the mediums and photographers are frauds.
This gives Sarah a number of suspects to investigate while trying to solve the murder of her old mentor. Of course, Sarah is also trying to prove that her father who is a fugitive from justice who has been accused of rape and murder was in fact innocent. Unfortunately, the actual murderer was her mother's illegitimate son with the assistance of her mother. She gets a number of leads to help her prove this but none of the witnesses want to come forward. Sometimes it's because the revelations will destroy new lives. Other times it's because it will ruin the witnesses' reputations.
Sarah is also concerned about her friend Hugh who is on a path to self-destruction after a homosexual relationship ends. Hugh has gone missing and no one can find him. Worry is taking time from her other investigations.
Even worse, when a second victim is found, her friend Mick is found standing over the body with bloody hands. Sarah's old enemy Inspector Reid is right on hand to arrest Mick and railroad him into a quick trial.
This was an excellent entry into this series. It was filled with great detail about the Victorian period. It also had a lot of action. I liked learning more about Sarah and seeing her battle her own demons.
But finding a dead body is the crypt under the church is a bigger problem and leads to Sarah and Barrett's next mystery. Sarah knows the photographer who is Charles Firth and who was the man who gave Sarah a discount on her first photographic equipment. She lost track of him and is now surprised that he is big in the field of spirit photography and who has made a good living taking photos of ghosts.
The spiritualist movement in big in London. There are scientists who are supposedly using devices to prove the existence of ghosts; their are photographers who are capturing images of the ghosts. And there are people who are campaigning to debunk spiritualism and prove the mediums and photographers are frauds.
This gives Sarah a number of suspects to investigate while trying to solve the murder of her old mentor. Of course, Sarah is also trying to prove that her father who is a fugitive from justice who has been accused of rape and murder was in fact innocent. Unfortunately, the actual murderer was her mother's illegitimate son with the assistance of her mother. She gets a number of leads to help her prove this but none of the witnesses want to come forward. Sometimes it's because the revelations will destroy new lives. Other times it's because it will ruin the witnesses' reputations.
Sarah is also concerned about her friend Hugh who is on a path to self-destruction after a homosexual relationship ends. Hugh has gone missing and no one can find him. Worry is taking time from her other investigations.
Even worse, when a second victim is found, her friend Mick is found standing over the body with bloody hands. Sarah's old enemy Inspector Reid is right on hand to arrest Mick and railroad him into a quick trial.
This was an excellent entry into this series. It was filled with great detail about the Victorian period. It also had a lot of action. I liked learning more about Sarah and seeing her battle her own demons.
April 26, 2023
Close to being a DNF. It took forever to get going. The “murder at the wedding” trope is tired, and there is just too much rehashing of previous plot lines. By the time the story got going, I didn’t care.
January 7, 2021
Portrait of Peril by Laura Joh Rowland is a clever historical mystery. Although this newest release is the fifth novel in the Victorian Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.
Photographer Sarah Bain and Detective Thomas Barrett have just finished exchanging their wedding vows when they become embroiled in another puzzling mystery. The body of photographer Charles Firth has just been found in the crypt of the church and neither Sarah or Thomas can resist trying to find his killer. Sarah is dismayed to discover that Charles, whom she knew as photography store owner, is now a "spirit" photographer. The case takes another turn once she meets his wife, Leonara and his book publisher Richard Trevelyan. Sarah, her friends Mick O'Reilly and Lord Hugh Staunton look for answers within the world of spiritualists and a group lead by Jean Ritchie that tries to expose the charlatans who pose as mediums and spiritualists. When another murder occurs and someone Sarah cares for is arrested for the crime, she and Barrett are under pressure to locate the true killer.
Sarah's marriage gets off on the wrong foot as her new mother-in-law Mildred continues to express her discontent with her son's new wife. Thomas is caught between the two women as he tries to keep the peace but Sarah is furious and hurt when she finds out a secret he has been keeping. Throwing herself into the newest case takes her mind off her troubles as she tries to figure out who killed Charles. Could it be the man who has just developed a new machine that will hopefully detect a ghostly presence? Or is it Jean or one of her associates who has had unpleasant experiences with Charles' wife Leonora?
In between trying to get her marriage on track and solve the latest murder, Sarah and her half-sister Sally Albert continue their efforts to clear their father Benjamin of the years' old murder he is accused of committing. She also worries that her long time nemesis Inspector Reid will find her father and arrest him before she can find new leads that could exonerate him. Sarah knows the identity of the real killer, but she is continuing her search for evidence that will prove Benjamin's innocence. But will the information she uncovers cause her to doubt her father's assertion he is not the killer?
Portrait of Peril is a multi-layered mystery with well-developed characters and an intriguing storyline. Sarah continues to grow and evolve as she enters into matrimony with Thomas. Despite his worries about her safety, she has no intentions of giving up her career. Sarah's investigation into Charles' murder leads her down a thrilling and unexpectedly dangerous path. With plenty of twists and turns, Laura Joh Rowland brings this complex mystery to an action-packed conclusion. With an unanticipated turn of events in the final chapter, readers will be impatiently awaiting the next installment in the exciting Victorian Mystery series.
Photographer Sarah Bain and Detective Thomas Barrett have just finished exchanging their wedding vows when they become embroiled in another puzzling mystery. The body of photographer Charles Firth has just been found in the crypt of the church and neither Sarah or Thomas can resist trying to find his killer. Sarah is dismayed to discover that Charles, whom she knew as photography store owner, is now a "spirit" photographer. The case takes another turn once she meets his wife, Leonara and his book publisher Richard Trevelyan. Sarah, her friends Mick O'Reilly and Lord Hugh Staunton look for answers within the world of spiritualists and a group lead by Jean Ritchie that tries to expose the charlatans who pose as mediums and spiritualists. When another murder occurs and someone Sarah cares for is arrested for the crime, she and Barrett are under pressure to locate the true killer.
Sarah's marriage gets off on the wrong foot as her new mother-in-law Mildred continues to express her discontent with her son's new wife. Thomas is caught between the two women as he tries to keep the peace but Sarah is furious and hurt when she finds out a secret he has been keeping. Throwing herself into the newest case takes her mind off her troubles as she tries to figure out who killed Charles. Could it be the man who has just developed a new machine that will hopefully detect a ghostly presence? Or is it Jean or one of her associates who has had unpleasant experiences with Charles' wife Leonora?
In between trying to get her marriage on track and solve the latest murder, Sarah and her half-sister Sally Albert continue their efforts to clear their father Benjamin of the years' old murder he is accused of committing. She also worries that her long time nemesis Inspector Reid will find her father and arrest him before she can find new leads that could exonerate him. Sarah knows the identity of the real killer, but she is continuing her search for evidence that will prove Benjamin's innocence. But will the information she uncovers cause her to doubt her father's assertion he is not the killer?
Portrait of Peril is a multi-layered mystery with well-developed characters and an intriguing storyline. Sarah continues to grow and evolve as she enters into matrimony with Thomas. Despite his worries about her safety, she has no intentions of giving up her career. Sarah's investigation into Charles' murder leads her down a thrilling and unexpectedly dangerous path. With plenty of twists and turns, Laura Joh Rowland brings this complex mystery to an action-packed conclusion. With an unanticipated turn of events in the final chapter, readers will be impatiently awaiting the next installment in the exciting Victorian Mystery series.
January 12, 2021
Sarah Bain, a crime photographer for the Daily World, has finally consented to marry Detective Sargent Thomas Barrett. The ceremony has barely concluded when a scream brings the celebration to a temporary halt. A body has been found stabbed in the crypt under the church. Sarah and Barrett send the attendees off to the wedding breakfast while they head to the murder scene. There Sarah recognizes the victim as Charles Finch, the photographer who sold her the camera equipment to open her business. He was in the crypt hoping to photograph a spirit, but this was definitely the act of a human.
Firth’s widow points suspicion toward Jean Ritchie and the Ladies Society for Rational Thought. Ritchie was determined to prove that Firth and his spirit photos of lost loved ones were a fraud that took the savings of the bereaved. Denying her involvement, she sends Sarah to Dr. Lodge and the Society for Psychical Studies. Firth was a member, but a number of his fellow members, including Dr. Lodge, wanted him thrown out. When Barrett, Sarah and her co-worker Mick O’Reilly attend an event held by the Society there is another murder. The method is similar to the first murder and all of the suspects were in attendance but the blame falls on Mick. In trying to help the victim, it was Mick who was found with blood on his hands by an inspector who resents Sarah and Barrett. If they are to save him from the gallows they have to solve these murders.
As Sarah works to free Mick, she is also working to save her father, who is wanted for murder. The body of a young girl that he had been photographing was found and he escaped from the country. She knows that he is innocent and that her mother and step-brother were responsible. They are now both dead and her father is back in England where he is in danger of arrest. With a new marriage, two investigations and the pressure to save two important men in her life, Sarah is under mounting pressure. Added to that is a mother-in-law who is not fond of her. She believes that Sarah should quit her job and wants the newlyweds to move in with her so that she can teach Sarah to be a proper wife.
Laura Joh Rowland has written a strong character in Sarah Bain. She has been forced to rely on herself as she grew up and finds it hard to rely on others. Without a family of her own, she has found a family in her friends Mick and Lord Hugh Staunton. When her relationship with these men is questioned she becomes their greatest supporter. Rowland’s book is an examination of the meaning of family and what one will do to protect the family as well as providing an excellent mystery. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for my review.
Firth’s widow points suspicion toward Jean Ritchie and the Ladies Society for Rational Thought. Ritchie was determined to prove that Firth and his spirit photos of lost loved ones were a fraud that took the savings of the bereaved. Denying her involvement, she sends Sarah to Dr. Lodge and the Society for Psychical Studies. Firth was a member, but a number of his fellow members, including Dr. Lodge, wanted him thrown out. When Barrett, Sarah and her co-worker Mick O’Reilly attend an event held by the Society there is another murder. The method is similar to the first murder and all of the suspects were in attendance but the blame falls on Mick. In trying to help the victim, it was Mick who was found with blood on his hands by an inspector who resents Sarah and Barrett. If they are to save him from the gallows they have to solve these murders.
As Sarah works to free Mick, she is also working to save her father, who is wanted for murder. The body of a young girl that he had been photographing was found and he escaped from the country. She knows that he is innocent and that her mother and step-brother were responsible. They are now both dead and her father is back in England where he is in danger of arrest. With a new marriage, two investigations and the pressure to save two important men in her life, Sarah is under mounting pressure. Added to that is a mother-in-law who is not fond of her. She believes that Sarah should quit her job and wants the newlyweds to move in with her so that she can teach Sarah to be a proper wife.
Laura Joh Rowland has written a strong character in Sarah Bain. She has been forced to rely on herself as she grew up and finds it hard to rely on others. Without a family of her own, she has found a family in her friends Mick and Lord Hugh Staunton. When her relationship with these men is questioned she becomes their greatest supporter. Rowland’s book is an examination of the meaning of family and what one will do to protect the family as well as providing an excellent mystery. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for my review.
September 5, 2020
In Portrait of Peril, Sarah Bain and her housemates Lord Hugh and Mick O'Reilly have returned to working for the Daily World, the newspaper owned and published by Sir Gerald. Sally Albert, Sarah's half sister, is now a reporter at the Daily World as well.
But Portrait of Peril opens on the wedding of Sergeant Thomas Barrett and Sarah Bain. Just as the ceremony ends, the celebration is interrupted by calls of murder. As Barrett and his police colleagues rush to the scene, Sarah, Hugh, Mick and Sally rush over as journalists. Just as Sarah's job and fearlessness caused friction between her and Thomas Barrett, her job leads to conflict with her in-laws as well.
Sarah recognizes the victim as Charles Finch, the kindly photographer and photo shop owner, who gave her a deep discount on her first set of equipment. Sarah is determined to help find his killer. Their investigation leads towards a ghostly presence and to the victim's involvement in selling spiritualist photographs and the like.
The police investigation and Sarah's investigation lead to seances and meetings with spiritualists and their critics. As the investigations progress, the personal lives of Sarah and her friends deteriorates further. While Sarah and her sister have finally found their father, Benjamin Bain remains a fugitive from the law and their meetings must be clandestine help Benjamin Bain avoid arrest. Benjamin Bain remains the chief suspect in the murder investigation.
Sir Gerald's son Tristan has chosen to leave England for Switzerland and Lord Hugh is devastated. He takes to spending days and nights drinking and walking London. Sarah and Barrett have grown closer, preparing for a life together despite the opposition from Barrett's mother.
Hugh is often missing and Sally Albert is angered at Sarah's distrust of their father. Sarah learns that the murder may have been committed by her mother not her father. As Sarah investigates, she begins to question her own instincts -- as the daughter of a murder, is she inclined towards violent behavior herself?
In Portrait of Peril, I enjoyed learning more about Sarah Bain and Thomas Barrett. Laura Joh Rowland gives us characters that we can care about just as much as she weaves a mystery for the amateur sleuths to solve.
#PortraitofPeril #Netgalley #LauraJohRowland #VictorianMysteries
But Portrait of Peril opens on the wedding of Sergeant Thomas Barrett and Sarah Bain. Just as the ceremony ends, the celebration is interrupted by calls of murder. As Barrett and his police colleagues rush to the scene, Sarah, Hugh, Mick and Sally rush over as journalists. Just as Sarah's job and fearlessness caused friction between her and Thomas Barrett, her job leads to conflict with her in-laws as well.
Sarah recognizes the victim as Charles Finch, the kindly photographer and photo shop owner, who gave her a deep discount on her first set of equipment. Sarah is determined to help find his killer. Their investigation leads towards a ghostly presence and to the victim's involvement in selling spiritualist photographs and the like.
The police investigation and Sarah's investigation lead to seances and meetings with spiritualists and their critics. As the investigations progress, the personal lives of Sarah and her friends deteriorates further. While Sarah and her sister have finally found their father, Benjamin Bain remains a fugitive from the law and their meetings must be clandestine help Benjamin Bain avoid arrest. Benjamin Bain remains the chief suspect in the murder investigation.
Sir Gerald's son Tristan has chosen to leave England for Switzerland and Lord Hugh is devastated. He takes to spending days and nights drinking and walking London. Sarah and Barrett have grown closer, preparing for a life together despite the opposition from Barrett's mother.
Hugh is often missing and Sally Albert is angered at Sarah's distrust of their father. Sarah learns that the murder may have been committed by her mother not her father. As Sarah investigates, she begins to question her own instincts -- as the daughter of a murder, is she inclined towards violent behavior herself?
In Portrait of Peril, I enjoyed learning more about Sarah Bain and Thomas Barrett. Laura Joh Rowland gives us characters that we can care about just as much as she weaves a mystery for the amateur sleuths to solve.
#PortraitofPeril #Netgalley #LauraJohRowland #VictorianMysteries
December 28, 2020
I’m a huge fan of all things mystery and historical fiction, so I quickly became a fan of Sarah Bain and her edgy and independent character in the fifth instalment of the Victorian Mystery series!
Thank you Sarah for not conforming to the bindings of a traditional Victorian lady! Sarah’s nonconformity and desire to act on instinct more times than not tend to lead her into the path of trouble, and the reader onto a path of intense intrigue that keeps you hooked and turning the pages.
The focus of spiritualism/occult in the late 1800 also kept me engaged. It helped keep me captivated and wondering where the twists and turns would take me as Sarah sought to find out if the two murders were connected in any way. There definitely were plenty of suspects to choose from as I read, and each one had me guessing as to if they were the guilty party right up till the end.
I also got to explore the new life Sarah has continued to build for herself and her new husband, Barrett, and I’m looking forward to where their marriage will go and any trials it may see in future instalments of this series, since Sarah seems to feel that she has lost some of her independence upon marriage.
What I really enjoyed the most was the reality of the characters, their connections and their lives in foggy London. For once I was not reading a story about the socially privileged and elite of London society. This definitely makes the story even more real and grounded as I followed the action, and there was a lot of action,
For those wondering if this can be a standalone book…The plot and storyline contain details of previous instalments which made this story work on its own. However, I do believe that many would prefer to read this series from the beginning, since I’m really a fan of getting to know each character and their emotional makeup along with their connections to each other.
Overall, anyone who enjoys historical fiction and crime will enjoy this book and series as it was quite the entertaining and intriguing story.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you Sarah for not conforming to the bindings of a traditional Victorian lady! Sarah’s nonconformity and desire to act on instinct more times than not tend to lead her into the path of trouble, and the reader onto a path of intense intrigue that keeps you hooked and turning the pages.
The focus of spiritualism/occult in the late 1800 also kept me engaged. It helped keep me captivated and wondering where the twists and turns would take me as Sarah sought to find out if the two murders were connected in any way. There definitely were plenty of suspects to choose from as I read, and each one had me guessing as to if they were the guilty party right up till the end.
I also got to explore the new life Sarah has continued to build for herself and her new husband, Barrett, and I’m looking forward to where their marriage will go and any trials it may see in future instalments of this series, since Sarah seems to feel that she has lost some of her independence upon marriage.
What I really enjoyed the most was the reality of the characters, their connections and their lives in foggy London. For once I was not reading a story about the socially privileged and elite of London society. This definitely makes the story even more real and grounded as I followed the action, and there was a lot of action,
For those wondering if this can be a standalone book…The plot and storyline contain details of previous instalments which made this story work on its own. However, I do believe that many would prefer to read this series from the beginning, since I’m really a fan of getting to know each character and their emotional makeup along with their connections to each other.
Overall, anyone who enjoys historical fiction and crime will enjoy this book and series as it was quite the entertaining and intriguing story.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
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