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The Circus Salmagundi Mysteries #1
Truly the Devil's Work
After the rigors of the Great War and Spanish Flu pandemic, Miss Rose Ivy is eager to leave tragedy behind and enjoy a new career as Circus Salmagundi’s tattooed lady.
But their engagement in the quiet town of Esquimalt is cut short when a housekeeper is bludgeoned to death, a nightmarish devil mask is stolen from a private art collection, and Rose is accused of both murder and theft.
To clear her name, Rose must root out the real killer. Her investigation unravels a seedy history of stolen artifacts, forgotten folklore, and hidden identities. Where did the devil mask come from and who would kill to get it back? Is the murderer a stranger, a villager… or one of her troupe? Her new circus family has welcomed her with open arms but Rose wonders, who can she really trust?
Set against the vibrant backdrop of sideshow performers, carnival prodigies and fortune tellers, Truly the Devil’s Work explores the sinister nature of imperialism, vengeance, and family secrets. Can Rose uncover the killer’s identity, or will she take the fall for their crimes? In a world left scarred by war and tragedy, Rose Ivy must use the skills of her violent past to protect any hope for her future.
But their engagement in the quiet town of Esquimalt is cut short when a housekeeper is bludgeoned to death, a nightmarish devil mask is stolen from a private art collection, and Rose is accused of both murder and theft.
To clear her name, Rose must root out the real killer. Her investigation unravels a seedy history of stolen artifacts, forgotten folklore, and hidden identities. Where did the devil mask come from and who would kill to get it back? Is the murderer a stranger, a villager… or one of her troupe? Her new circus family has welcomed her with open arms but Rose wonders, who can she really trust?
Set against the vibrant backdrop of sideshow performers, carnival prodigies and fortune tellers, Truly the Devil’s Work explores the sinister nature of imperialism, vengeance, and family secrets. Can Rose uncover the killer’s identity, or will she take the fall for their crimes? In a world left scarred by war and tragedy, Rose Ivy must use the skills of her violent past to protect any hope for her future.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2022
1 person is currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Kim Bannerman
32 books22 followersKim Bannerman's stories have appeared in anthologies like ‘She’s Shameless’ (Tightrope Books), ‘Teen Angst Poetry’ (St. Martin’s Press), ‘Wolf-Girls’ (Hic Dragones Press), and ‘When Birds Are Near’ (Cornell University Press). She received a Canada Council Grant to complete her novel ‘Bucket of Blood’ in 2008, and her novels include the Circus Salmagundi Mysteries series, beginning with ’Truly the Devil’s Work’, and the modern fairy tale, ‘The Tattooed Wolf’. She can be found online at www.kbannerman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 19, 2026
4.5 rounded up
Rose Ivy is glad to leave her past behind. Returning to the town of Esquimalt with her fellow circus performers takes a dramatic turn when a local estate she visits experiences a murder, as well as the theft of a mask worth thousands of dollars. Rose is named the obvious culprit, and has to do everything she can to clear her name before injustice prevails.
*****
I'm not sure what I expected going into this one, but a tattooed circus lady with Sherlock Holmes vibes had me delightfully surprised! I loved that the FMC is older, not traditionally attractive due to her wealth of scars, and had a past that caused her small flashbacks and emotional turmoil in her current day. There were layers to the mystery that slowly unfurled as we read, that added some depth and understanding to each character's motivations and lives which I really enjoyed. The fellow performers may have been strange in their own right, but there was empathy and companionship in their descriptions that had me wanting to know more about them. It was also so satisfying to have the book set in an area I know! Even if done in a time period much different than my own, I loved the references to our Canadian west coast.
From there, the undertone of anti-colonialism that the author weaves with the masks no longer being with their rightful culture was lovely. Rose's heart aching to have them in their rightful homes was such a satisfying take to see on page, and it tied in so well to the theft of the mask and her working to solve the mystery and clear her name. Her also mourning that the culture was locked away indefinitely from those it belonged to, while it sat unused made her such a relatable character, because it's so poignant to today, and how colonizers have always treated other cultures.
Overall I devoured this one. It was a fast-paced, interesting mystery, with a clever and likeable heart-of-gold FMC.
*****
Thank you to the author, Kim Bannerman, for the complementary gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rose Ivy is glad to leave her past behind. Returning to the town of Esquimalt with her fellow circus performers takes a dramatic turn when a local estate she visits experiences a murder, as well as the theft of a mask worth thousands of dollars. Rose is named the obvious culprit, and has to do everything she can to clear her name before injustice prevails.
*****
I'm not sure what I expected going into this one, but a tattooed circus lady with Sherlock Holmes vibes had me delightfully surprised! I loved that the FMC is older, not traditionally attractive due to her wealth of scars, and had a past that caused her small flashbacks and emotional turmoil in her current day. There were layers to the mystery that slowly unfurled as we read, that added some depth and understanding to each character's motivations and lives which I really enjoyed. The fellow performers may have been strange in their own right, but there was empathy and companionship in their descriptions that had me wanting to know more about them. It was also so satisfying to have the book set in an area I know! Even if done in a time period much different than my own, I loved the references to our Canadian west coast.
From there, the undertone of anti-colonialism that the author weaves with the masks no longer being with their rightful culture was lovely. Rose's heart aching to have them in their rightful homes was such a satisfying take to see on page, and it tied in so well to the theft of the mask and her working to solve the mystery and clear her name. Her also mourning that the culture was locked away indefinitely from those it belonged to, while it sat unused made her such a relatable character, because it's so poignant to today, and how colonizers have always treated other cultures.
Overall I devoured this one. It was a fast-paced, interesting mystery, with a clever and likeable heart-of-gold FMC.
*****
Thank you to the author, Kim Bannerman, for the complementary gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 20, 2024
Wow! If this was ever the nudge you needed to try that indie author, that ‘new to you’ genre, or dive into a book regardless of the cover or title or synopsis- and just give it a shot- THIS is it!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
The main character is totally delightful- she alludes to a traumatic past she is running from, and has found her community now in a travelling circus group (her role? The tattooed lady!) When they land on Vancouver Island, they set up on a farmer’s property and have great success performing their show for locals. However, they all quickly get swept up in a terrible crime & she is accused of murder.
What follows is almost like a giant game of Clue, as she so cleverly works to try to solve this mystery, clear her name, and save new friends.
The writing style is so descriptive and fast-paced, and I was totally invested in this character, this mystery, and her future!
I totally recommend this one to fans of mysteries- and I’ll say, I found it to be more fast-paced & deeper characterization than the stereotypical cozy mystery.
Thank you Kim for sharing this one with me- I will absolutely follow Rose on wherever her journey takes her!
BC people- there are nods to Esquimalt, Victoria, Stevenson, Vancouver & Nanaimo!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
The main character is totally delightful- she alludes to a traumatic past she is running from, and has found her community now in a travelling circus group (her role? The tattooed lady!) When they land on Vancouver Island, they set up on a farmer’s property and have great success performing their show for locals. However, they all quickly get swept up in a terrible crime & she is accused of murder.
What follows is almost like a giant game of Clue, as she so cleverly works to try to solve this mystery, clear her name, and save new friends.
The writing style is so descriptive and fast-paced, and I was totally invested in this character, this mystery, and her future!
I totally recommend this one to fans of mysteries- and I’ll say, I found it to be more fast-paced & deeper characterization than the stereotypical cozy mystery.
Thank you Kim for sharing this one with me- I will absolutely follow Rose on wherever her journey takes her!
BC people- there are nods to Esquimalt, Victoria, Stevenson, Vancouver & Nanaimo!
January 31, 2025
Impressive! Bannerman's voice is strong, her phrasing colorful, her sense of how to write a mystery strong. I've never been a fan of the circus. My mother said once, she was surprised by a gorilla when she was pregnant. True tale. But in Bannerman's hands, the circus folk, even the "freaks" are treated respectfully.
Rose Ivy is a strong, intelligent protagonist who doesn't shy away from anything or anyone, surprising, and yet not, since she is a survivor of abuse. Her scars and tattoos tell a story I hope we hear at some point in this series.
I love that this story is set in old Victoria (1920s) in the small town of Esquimalt. A fusion of historical fiction and murder mystery, it will keep you rivetted.
Rose Ivy is a strong, intelligent protagonist who doesn't shy away from anything or anyone, surprising, and yet not, since she is a survivor of abuse. Her scars and tattoos tell a story I hope we hear at some point in this series.
I love that this story is set in old Victoria (1920s) in the small town of Esquimalt. A fusion of historical fiction and murder mystery, it will keep you rivetted.
January 12, 2025
A rollicking good read, especially for folks interested in quirky mysteries! A lively plot and delightful characters offered up against a circus backdrop.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews