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Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries #4
Tears of Pearl
Set amid the beauty and decadence of the Ottoman Empire, Lady Emily's latest adventure is full of intrigue, treachery, and romance.
Looking forward to the joys of connubial bliss, newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves, diplomats of the British Empire, set out toward Turkey for an exotic honeymoon. But on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered, strangled in the courtyard of the sultan's lavish Yildiz Palace. Sir Richard St. Clare, an Englishman who works at the embassy in Constantinople, is present and recognizes the girl as his own daughter who was kidnapped twenty years earlier. Emily and Colin promise the heartbroken father that they'll find her killer, but as the investigation gains speed, they find that appearance can be deceiving―especially within the confines of the seraglio.
As a woman, Emily is given access to the forbidden world of the harem and quickly discovers that its mysterious, sheltered walls offer no protection from a ruthless murderer. As the number of victims grows, Emily must rely on her own sharp wit in a heart-stopping finale if she is to stop a killer bent on exacting vengeance no matter how many innocent lives he leaves in his wake.
Looking forward to the joys of connubial bliss, newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves, diplomats of the British Empire, set out toward Turkey for an exotic honeymoon. But on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered, strangled in the courtyard of the sultan's lavish Yildiz Palace. Sir Richard St. Clare, an Englishman who works at the embassy in Constantinople, is present and recognizes the girl as his own daughter who was kidnapped twenty years earlier. Emily and Colin promise the heartbroken father that they'll find her killer, but as the investigation gains speed, they find that appearance can be deceiving―especially within the confines of the seraglio.
As a woman, Emily is given access to the forbidden world of the harem and quickly discovers that its mysterious, sheltered walls offer no protection from a ruthless murderer. As the number of victims grows, Emily must rely on her own sharp wit in a heart-stopping finale if she is to stop a killer bent on exacting vengeance no matter how many innocent lives he leaves in his wake.
307 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
493 people are currently reading
2793 people want to read
About the author
Tasha Alexander
32 books2,591 followersThe daughter of two philosophy professors, I grew up surrounded by books. I was convinced from an early age that I was born in the wrong century and spent much of my childhood under the dining room table pretending it was a covered wagon. Even there, I was never without a book in hand and loved reading and history more than anything. I studied English Literature and Medieval History at the University of Notre Dame. Writing is a natural offshoot of reading, and my first novel, And Only to Deceive, was published in 2005. I'm the author of the long-running Lady Emily Series as well as the novel Elizabeth: The Golden Age. One of the best parts of being an author is seeing your books translated, and I'm currently in love with the Japanese editions of the Emily books.
I played nomad for a long time, living in Indiana, Amsterdam, London, Wyoming, Vermont, Connecticut, and Tennessee before settling down. My husband, the brilliant British novelist Andrew Grant (I may be biased but that doesn't mean I'm wrong) and I live in southeastern Wyoming. I still don't have a covered wagon, but a log house goes a long way toward fulfilling my pioneer fantasies. Andrew makes sure I get my English characters right, and I make sure his American ones sound American.
I played nomad for a long time, living in Indiana, Amsterdam, London, Wyoming, Vermont, Connecticut, and Tennessee before settling down. My husband, the brilliant British novelist Andrew Grant (I may be biased but that doesn't mean I'm wrong) and I live in southeastern Wyoming. I still don't have a covered wagon, but a log house goes a long way toward fulfilling my pioneer fantasies. Andrew makes sure I get my English characters right, and I make sure his American ones sound American.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 647 reviews
October 3, 2016
I was disappointed with Tasha Alexander's Tears of Pearl. It simply doesn't compare well with previous adventures of Lady Emily and Colin Hargraves in Paris, London and Vienna. Even though they are now married, this is not the source of my disillusionment since romance in this series was always at the background.
This time we are taken to the declining Ottoman empire, and what saves the story is the dream like descriptions of Constantinople. The crimes and mysteries that the pair of protagonists endeavor to solve are far from believable, as a result there is practically no suspense. Still the writing was fair and I was able to finish it. 2 stars.
This time we are taken to the declining Ottoman empire, and what saves the story is the dream like descriptions of Constantinople. The crimes and mysteries that the pair of protagonists endeavor to solve are far from believable, as a result there is practically no suspense. Still the writing was fair and I was able to finish it. 2 stars.
August 30, 2009
I found myself repeatedly sighing out loud and rolling my eyes at the ridiculous, unlikely, unbelievable and melodramatic events and dialogue throughout this mediocre murder mystery.
I know Tasha Alexander can do better. She created wonderful characters in Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves in 'And Only to Deceive' and she continued to develop their relationship in 'A Poisoned Season'. I thought both books were wonderful and I would recommend either of them to any one who enjoys good historical fiction or likes mysteries.
Unfortunately 'Tears of Pearl' has little or no character development, a poor mystery at it's core, unrealistic dialogue and a completely unbelievable string of events. There is an overwhelming amount of trembling and tingling being described but sadly there wasn't any chemistry between the characters. The constant double entendres exchanged between Emily and Colin seemed forced and far too contemporary.
The reader does learn some new things about Lady Emily's youth but they feel as if they are facts given to fill in the blanks, some of which were repeated a bit too often for my tastes. Alexander also includes letters in the book that add nothing to the story. She did this with 'Fatal Waltz' as well.
The only thing I liked about this book was when Lady Emily recalled events that happened in the first two books.
I thought the mystery was lack-luster the events ridiculous and the author turned what had been very likable characters into caricatures. This, the double entendres and unbelievable dialogue has made me swear off any more Tasha Alexander novels until she returns to the quality of writing that she produced in her first two novels.
Ms. Alexander please stop resting on your laurels and get back to work writing something you can be proud of.
I never would have finished this if I hadn't selected it through the Vine program and been obligated to review it. Had I paid for this book I would have been very angry to have wasted my money on this.
I would recommend some similar but very well done historical mysteries; Deanna Raybourn's 'Silent' series and Kate Ross' 'Julian Kestral' mysteries. And Ashley Gardner has a nice series set in a little bit earlier time period, the 'Gabriel Lacy' series.
*S*P*O*I*L*E*R*S
And I will now be specific about some of the things that had me rolling my eyes.
Emily and Colin listen to Sir Richard tell about how his daughter, Ceyden, was abducted as a child and how he has never stopped looking for her. Then *bam* there she is.
Ceyden was abducted at the age of three yet her father instantly recognizes her as a grown woman.
And in case the reader had any doubt about her father's ability to identify her, the author has given Ceyden a unique tattoo so her identity can be confirmed.
Ceyden was abducted and later sold into the harem by some one other than her abductor, but she somehow still maintains her birth name.
Sir Richard has supposedly searched the world over to find his missing daughter yet she uses her birth name. Perhaps if he had just searched the world over looking for people named Ceyden we would have been spared this story.
There were some interesting ways that people died; a child burned to death playing with matches, a son commits suicide by cutting himself with scissors.
The anachronistic use of words like crash and stalking.
Emily suggest that Benjamin is having an affair with his sister, who is still called Ceyden. Perhaps he might have noticed the family resemblance AND her name before he fell in love with her?
Emily is being comforted in the mosque by complete strangers while her husband is a short walk away.
Emily cries at will in order to get the caretaker at Nuruosmaniye to leave.
Margaret "crashes" Emily and Colin's honeymoon.
Colin catches Sir Richard as he falls at the reception at the British Embassy.
When Emily tells Roxelana that she has a plan to help her escape Roxelana falls to the floor with joyful prayers even though we know that someone is always listening and often watching the women. Perhaps they might have noticed Roxelana's happiness and wondered what the cause was?
Emily tells Roxelana that she doesn't believe that she has been completely honest with her but that she will help her escape the harem anyway.
Emily gives no thought to how Roxelana will survive in the world after she escapes.
The bad guy tells Emily where to meet him and only because she has read so extensively about the area does she know about the location.
Emily and Roxelana are trapped with the bad guy in the dark
Luckily Emily still has a candle and matches in her reticule.
Luckily the bad guy is afraid of the dark.
Luckily the door keeping them trapped with the bad guy has just the type of latch that Emily knows how to open from the inside.
Pleeeeze...
Okay, I think that might be more than enough.
I know Tasha Alexander can do better. She created wonderful characters in Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves in 'And Only to Deceive' and she continued to develop their relationship in 'A Poisoned Season'. I thought both books were wonderful and I would recommend either of them to any one who enjoys good historical fiction or likes mysteries.
Unfortunately 'Tears of Pearl' has little or no character development, a poor mystery at it's core, unrealistic dialogue and a completely unbelievable string of events. There is an overwhelming amount of trembling and tingling being described but sadly there wasn't any chemistry between the characters. The constant double entendres exchanged between Emily and Colin seemed forced and far too contemporary.
The reader does learn some new things about Lady Emily's youth but they feel as if they are facts given to fill in the blanks, some of which were repeated a bit too often for my tastes. Alexander also includes letters in the book that add nothing to the story. She did this with 'Fatal Waltz' as well.
The only thing I liked about this book was when Lady Emily recalled events that happened in the first two books.
I thought the mystery was lack-luster the events ridiculous and the author turned what had been very likable characters into caricatures. This, the double entendres and unbelievable dialogue has made me swear off any more Tasha Alexander novels until she returns to the quality of writing that she produced in her first two novels.
Ms. Alexander please stop resting on your laurels and get back to work writing something you can be proud of.
I never would have finished this if I hadn't selected it through the Vine program and been obligated to review it. Had I paid for this book I would have been very angry to have wasted my money on this.
I would recommend some similar but very well done historical mysteries; Deanna Raybourn's 'Silent' series and Kate Ross' 'Julian Kestral' mysteries. And Ashley Gardner has a nice series set in a little bit earlier time period, the 'Gabriel Lacy' series.
*S*P*O*I*L*E*R*S
And I will now be specific about some of the things that had me rolling my eyes.
Emily and Colin listen to Sir Richard tell about how his daughter, Ceyden, was abducted as a child and how he has never stopped looking for her. Then *bam* there she is.
Ceyden was abducted at the age of three yet her father instantly recognizes her as a grown woman.
And in case the reader had any doubt about her father's ability to identify her, the author has given Ceyden a unique tattoo so her identity can be confirmed.
Ceyden was abducted and later sold into the harem by some one other than her abductor, but she somehow still maintains her birth name.
Sir Richard has supposedly searched the world over to find his missing daughter yet she uses her birth name. Perhaps if he had just searched the world over looking for people named Ceyden we would have been spared this story.
There were some interesting ways that people died; a child burned to death playing with matches, a son commits suicide by cutting himself with scissors.
The anachronistic use of words like crash and stalking.
Emily suggest that Benjamin is having an affair with his sister, who is still called Ceyden. Perhaps he might have noticed the family resemblance AND her name before he fell in love with her?
Emily is being comforted in the mosque by complete strangers while her husband is a short walk away.
Emily cries at will in order to get the caretaker at Nuruosmaniye to leave.
Margaret "crashes" Emily and Colin's honeymoon.
Colin catches Sir Richard as he falls at the reception at the British Embassy.
When Emily tells Roxelana that she has a plan to help her escape Roxelana falls to the floor with joyful prayers even though we know that someone is always listening and often watching the women. Perhaps they might have noticed Roxelana's happiness and wondered what the cause was?
Emily tells Roxelana that she doesn't believe that she has been completely honest with her but that she will help her escape the harem anyway.
Emily gives no thought to how Roxelana will survive in the world after she escapes.
The bad guy tells Emily where to meet him and only because she has read so extensively about the area does she know about the location.
Emily and Roxelana are trapped with the bad guy in the dark
Luckily Emily still has a candle and matches in her reticule.
Luckily the bad guy is afraid of the dark.
Luckily the door keeping them trapped with the bad guy has just the type of latch that Emily knows how to open from the inside.
Pleeeeze...
Okay, I think that might be more than enough.
August 17, 2009
First Sentence: It is always a mistake to underestimate the possibilities of a train compartment.
Newly-married Lady Emily and Colin Hargraves are off to Constantinople for their honeymoon. On their way there, they meet a fellow Englishman with a tragic past who has lived there for years. Many years’ prior, he and his family had been attacked while camping. His wife was murdered and his 3-year-old daughter kidnapped. He now finds his daughter again: grown, living in a harem and murdered.
This is a hard one. I loved Ms. Alexander’s previous books, but this one; not so much. I did love the setting and enjoy that the books are almost wonderful travelogues conveying the sights, smells, people and history of the locations.
There was awkwardness in the very beginning that so bothered me, I wrote Ms. Alexander and suggested a simple way to work around it. She was kind enough to understand my point and say she might make the change to the paperback release. Had I not been reading the book to review, I might have stopped at that point.
The plot seems far-fetched in the extreme and began with massive coincidences. I don’t mind some historic liberties, and I understood to reasoning behind those which were taken, but it still bothered me.
The biggest problem I have is with Emily. On one hand, she is getting worried and worrying letters from a dear friend; on the other hand, she puts herself at great risk almost ensuring the resulting outcome. Perhaps had the letters not been there, I wouldn’t have been so bothered. I also found I liked Emily less-and-less as the story progressed.
I really was disappointed in this book and I acknowledge that the problem may be my expectation of what I would like the book to be as opposed to the author’s intent. Alexander seems to have moved away from historical mystery over strongly into the category of romantic historical with a touch of suspense. The focus is on the relationship of the two protagonists and Emily's independence, the latter of which became a bit tiresome.
I absolutely loved the first book in the series, but with each successive entry, I am less enchanted. It's too bad.
TEARS OF PEARL (Hist Rom/Mys-Lady Emily-Constantinople-1892) – Okay
Alexander, Tasha – 4th in series
Minotaur Books, 2009, ARC, ISBN: 9780312382701
Newly-married Lady Emily and Colin Hargraves are off to Constantinople for their honeymoon. On their way there, they meet a fellow Englishman with a tragic past who has lived there for years. Many years’ prior, he and his family had been attacked while camping. His wife was murdered and his 3-year-old daughter kidnapped. He now finds his daughter again: grown, living in a harem and murdered.
This is a hard one. I loved Ms. Alexander’s previous books, but this one; not so much. I did love the setting and enjoy that the books are almost wonderful travelogues conveying the sights, smells, people and history of the locations.
There was awkwardness in the very beginning that so bothered me, I wrote Ms. Alexander and suggested a simple way to work around it. She was kind enough to understand my point and say she might make the change to the paperback release. Had I not been reading the book to review, I might have stopped at that point.
The plot seems far-fetched in the extreme and began with massive coincidences. I don’t mind some historic liberties, and I understood to reasoning behind those which were taken, but it still bothered me.
The biggest problem I have is with Emily. On one hand, she is getting worried and worrying letters from a dear friend; on the other hand, she puts herself at great risk almost ensuring the resulting outcome. Perhaps had the letters not been there, I wouldn’t have been so bothered. I also found I liked Emily less-and-less as the story progressed.
I really was disappointed in this book and I acknowledge that the problem may be my expectation of what I would like the book to be as opposed to the author’s intent. Alexander seems to have moved away from historical mystery over strongly into the category of romantic historical with a touch of suspense. The focus is on the relationship of the two protagonists and Emily's independence, the latter of which became a bit tiresome.
I absolutely loved the first book in the series, but with each successive entry, I am less enchanted. It's too bad.
TEARS OF PEARL (Hist Rom/Mys-Lady Emily-Constantinople-1892) – Okay
Alexander, Tasha – 4th in series
Minotaur Books, 2009, ARC, ISBN: 9780312382701
March 6, 2011
I'm becoming very disillusioned with this series. Lady Emily, who started out as such a smart and thoughtful person, has devolved into a selfish me-me-me! who can't seem to realize that she isn't going to get life exactly as she wants it. I was so disgusted with her for most of this book that I really didn't want to finish it. And the solution to her dilemma was convenient to say the least.
The mystery here wasn't involving. In this one, I figured out whodunit shortly after the murderer arrived on the scene. Yes, there were the usual red herrings, but it seemed fairly obvious from the beginning. But that isn't why I didn't like this book. What I didn't like in this book was Emily and her refusal to acknowledge the obvious because it isn't what she wants.
What I found intriguing about this series was how Emily was going to balance the expectations and realities of her life/world with what she wants out of life, the things that interest and excite her. However, it seems that the author has instead taken the easy way out.
I didn't like Emily's attitude toward her possible situation and when she has her moment of epiphany, it occured to me that Emily is one of those women who only wants something when she can no longer have it. She didn't love her late husband until long after he had died, not even paying enough attention to know what kind of man he was, not bothering to get to know him or letting him know her. I accepted that in the first book, but considered that she'd begin to grow past her infatuation with her own intelligence and independence. But I was sadly disappointed.
She lies to her husband, Colin, over and over about her condition/illness, while knowing all the while that she is, in fact, lying to him. Perhaps she was lying to herself as well, I don't know, but for a relationship that is built on equality and honesty, well, Emily isn't offering much honesty.
Again, all I can say is disappointing.
The mystery here wasn't involving. In this one, I figured out whodunit shortly after the murderer arrived on the scene. Yes, there were the usual red herrings, but it seemed fairly obvious from the beginning. But that isn't why I didn't like this book. What I didn't like in this book was Emily and her refusal to acknowledge the obvious because it isn't what she wants.
What I found intriguing about this series was how Emily was going to balance the expectations and realities of her life/world with what she wants out of life, the things that interest and excite her. However, it seems that the author has instead taken the easy way out.
I didn't like Emily's attitude toward her possible situation and when she has her moment of epiphany, it occured to me that Emily is one of those women who only wants something when she can no longer have it. She didn't love her late husband until long after he had died, not even paying enough attention to know what kind of man he was, not bothering to get to know him or letting him know her. I accepted that in the first book, but considered that she'd begin to grow past her infatuation with her own intelligence and independence. But I was sadly disappointed.
She lies to her husband, Colin, over and over about her condition/illness, while knowing all the while that she is, in fact, lying to him. Perhaps she was lying to herself as well, I don't know, but for a relationship that is built on equality and honesty, well, Emily isn't offering much honesty.
Again, all I can say is disappointing.
April 13, 2024
A very intricate mystery.
___ THE PLOT IN SHORT____ Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves, diplomats of the British Empire, are finally married and can't wait to enjoy a relaxing and magnificent honeymoon in an exotic place. Their choice falls on the wonderful Constantinople.
Of course as always, plans don't go as planned and on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered, strangled in the courtyard of the Sultan’s lavish Topkapi Palace.
An Englishman who works at the embassy in Constantinople is present and recognizes the girl as his daughter, kidnapped twenty years earlier.
Emily and Colin promise the heartbroken man that they will find the girl's killer.
As a woman, Emily has access to the forbidden world of the harem and soon discovers that its mysterious, sheltered walls offer no protection from a ruthless killer.
As the death toll grows, Emily must rely on her sharp wits, putting her life at great risk and possibly with very serious consequences.
***************
The author is very good at deluding the reader that one can predict things, actually it is not.
More and more characters are entering the scene with each chapter and any hypothesis formulated by the reader in the end turns out to be unfounded.
You can't figure out how things went until the penultimate chapter.
Lady Emily's Adventures often take place outside her motherland (England) and I like this very much, even here the places, the most important buildings, uses and customs are described very well, so well that it seems to be there.
In each book (this is the fourth in the series, but I have already read others in no particular order) are mentioned some of her past adventures and several characters who are part of her life, some of whom are often involved in his investigations or appear in the book even sporadically maybe writing a letter or making a courtesy call, which makes Lady Emily's life and her character seem really real.
I'm giving this Lady Emily mystery 3 stars only for 2 reasons:
1)__the complicated mystery is enthralling, but when things get too long and never come to a solution it gets maddening and I get tired of reading the book...I've read the last few chapters quickly because for my taste it seemed to always go in circles without reaching the finish line and I was tired.
2)_ When I was little I was fascinated by the story of Aladdin's lamp and by Alibaba and the 40 thieves, by women dressed in colorful veils and by sultans with golden turbans.
Becoming an adult and seeing too many negative things on the TV news, those countries have lost their charm in my eyes and even if in the book the author tries to highlight the positive sides of that country and society, the middle east is not the place I would like to travel.
So the setting is well described and I don't doubt it was and still is fascinating, but it doesn't suit me and because of this the book didn't fully capture me as the other books I've read in this series did.
( As I always write : I'm from Italy and my English is not the best, I hope I was able to explain what I meant. Thanks for reading :-) )
___ THE PLOT IN SHORT____ Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves, diplomats of the British Empire, are finally married and can't wait to enjoy a relaxing and magnificent honeymoon in an exotic place. Their choice falls on the wonderful Constantinople.
Of course as always, plans don't go as planned and on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered, strangled in the courtyard of the Sultan’s lavish Topkapi Palace.
An Englishman who works at the embassy in Constantinople is present and recognizes the girl as his daughter, kidnapped twenty years earlier.
Emily and Colin promise the heartbroken man that they will find the girl's killer.
As a woman, Emily has access to the forbidden world of the harem and soon discovers that its mysterious, sheltered walls offer no protection from a ruthless killer.
As the death toll grows, Emily must rely on her sharp wits, putting her life at great risk and possibly with very serious consequences.
***************
The author is very good at deluding the reader that one can predict things, actually it is not.
More and more characters are entering the scene with each chapter and any hypothesis formulated by the reader in the end turns out to be unfounded.
You can't figure out how things went until the penultimate chapter.
Lady Emily's Adventures often take place outside her motherland (England) and I like this very much, even here the places, the most important buildings, uses and customs are described very well, so well that it seems to be there.
In each book (this is the fourth in the series, but I have already read others in no particular order) are mentioned some of her past adventures and several characters who are part of her life, some of whom are often involved in his investigations or appear in the book even sporadically maybe writing a letter or making a courtesy call, which makes Lady Emily's life and her character seem really real.
I'm giving this Lady Emily mystery 3 stars only for 2 reasons:
1)__the complicated mystery is enthralling, but when things get too long and never come to a solution it gets maddening and I get tired of reading the book...I've read the last few chapters quickly because for my taste it seemed to always go in circles without reaching the finish line and I was tired.
2)_ When I was little I was fascinated by the story of Aladdin's lamp and by Alibaba and the 40 thieves, by women dressed in colorful veils and by sultans with golden turbans.
Becoming an adult and seeing too many negative things on the TV news, those countries have lost their charm in my eyes and even if in the book the author tries to highlight the positive sides of that country and society, the middle east is not the place I would like to travel.
So the setting is well described and I don't doubt it was and still is fascinating, but it doesn't suit me and because of this the book didn't fully capture me as the other books I've read in this series did.
( As I always write : I'm from Italy and my English is not the best, I hope I was able to explain what I meant. Thanks for reading :-) )
July 25, 2010
This is the first book of this series I've actually reviewed since I read the others before joining Goodreads, but that hasn't stopped me from recommending them all over the place! I'm just glad to finally be able to review one with events fresh on my mind.
In this book more than the others, Emily reminded me of Amelia Peabody (and I can't think of a higher compliment!). Even silly things put me in mind to the series by Elizabeth Peters-like the use of the word "ablutions". In any case, Emily's character is always willing to plunge headfirst into schemes that she feels are just, and that Amelia-esque attitude is quite charming. (I'm glad the characters aren't real, Colin probably wouldn't appreciate that getting back to Emily, since the side effect of her crazy ideas is usually danger.)
Colin...he is very worthy of his position as the dreamy hero. In fact, he might be a little TOO perfect. Emily obviously has her faults, but Colin (to my memory) has yet to show any. That isn't really a complaint, just an observation. I like my fictional heros a tad too wonderful. It just made it harder for me to swallow the end, I didn't like the thought of him being put through something when he never makes mistakes.
I was thrilled that their relationship didn't get boring after their marriage, too often series get stale once the characters get together. I suppose, however, that life with the Hargreaves could really never be boring.
The mystery plot in this one was also particularly strong. I love this series so much mainly for the characters (and I missed all the side characters horribly in this installment!), but I am always thrilled with the mysteries in this series. I don't really want to talk about anything specific since the fun is in "meeting" all the suspects and trying to figure things out for yourself.
I am surprised this has already gotten so many low ratings, I loved it and definitely consider it a favorite of the series. It IS hard to declare a favorite though, especially when I consider Colin giving Emily all his books in Poisoned Season one of my favorite scenes of all time. But in any case, I adored this one, and am thrilled to see that Tasha Alexander is going strong! I'll definitely be looking forward to the next one. (Also, I really need to befriend her so she can invite me to travel with her when she does book research, she chooses the most interesting locations!)
In this book more than the others, Emily reminded me of Amelia Peabody (and I can't think of a higher compliment!). Even silly things put me in mind to the series by Elizabeth Peters-like the use of the word "ablutions". In any case, Emily's character is always willing to plunge headfirst into schemes that she feels are just, and that Amelia-esque attitude is quite charming. (I'm glad the characters aren't real, Colin probably wouldn't appreciate that getting back to Emily, since the side effect of her crazy ideas is usually danger.)
Colin...he is very worthy of his position as the dreamy hero. In fact, he might be a little TOO perfect. Emily obviously has her faults, but Colin (to my memory) has yet to show any. That isn't really a complaint, just an observation. I like my fictional heros a tad too wonderful. It just made it harder for me to swallow the end, I didn't like the thought of him being put through something when he never makes mistakes.
I was thrilled that their relationship didn't get boring after their marriage, too often series get stale once the characters get together. I suppose, however, that life with the Hargreaves could really never be boring.
The mystery plot in this one was also particularly strong. I love this series so much mainly for the characters (and I missed all the side characters horribly in this installment!), but I am always thrilled with the mysteries in this series. I don't really want to talk about anything specific since the fun is in "meeting" all the suspects and trying to figure things out for yourself.
I am surprised this has already gotten so many low ratings, I loved it and definitely consider it a favorite of the series. It IS hard to declare a favorite though, especially when I consider Colin giving Emily all his books in Poisoned Season one of my favorite scenes of all time. But in any case, I adored this one, and am thrilled to see that Tasha Alexander is going strong! I'll definitely be looking forward to the next one. (Also, I really need to befriend her so she can invite me to travel with her when she does book research, she chooses the most interesting locations!)
November 7, 2019
Wow, NOT my favorite of the series, obviously.
The first problem I had was the number of coincidences that lead up to Colin and Emily investigating the murder of a harem girl in Constantinople--the entire way they get involved just seemed completely unbelievable to me.
And then it also felt obvious to me from the start who the real culprit was, which made it frustrating to have to sit through an entire book waiting for Emily to FINALLY get to the same conclusion, especially when she completely misses several very obvious clues.
In the midst of this, she's worrying about possibly being pregnant as if the thought that this could happen had never even occurred to her, which also really frustrated me. I mean, it just seems obvious that if you get married and start having sex with someone, a baby might come along. And it seemed ridiculous that as much thought as she put into agreeing to marry Colin in the first place, having a baby with him was apparently not something that passed through her brain even once. And then the way things turn out in the end...ugh. I just wanted to smack her.
And it also seemed really weird that Margaret randomly shows up on Emily and Colin's HONEYMOON. Maybe honeymoons weren't as big of a deal back then as they are now, but...really?
Disappointing, especially as I loved the setting and was really excited about this book taking place in Constantinople. I'll read the next book, but I'm definitely not expecting too much from it. Grump.
The first problem I had was the number of coincidences that lead up to Colin and Emily investigating the murder of a harem girl in Constantinople--the entire way they get involved just seemed completely unbelievable to me.
And then it also felt obvious to me from the start who the real culprit was, which made it frustrating to have to sit through an entire book waiting for Emily to FINALLY get to the same conclusion, especially when she completely misses several very obvious clues.
In the midst of this, she's worrying about possibly being pregnant as if the thought that this could happen had never even occurred to her, which also really frustrated me. I mean, it just seems obvious that if you get married and start having sex with someone, a baby might come along. And it seemed ridiculous that as much thought as she put into agreeing to marry Colin in the first place, having a baby with him was apparently not something that passed through her brain even once. And then the way things turn out in the end...ugh. I just wanted to smack her.
And it also seemed really weird that Margaret randomly shows up on Emily and Colin's HONEYMOON. Maybe honeymoons weren't as big of a deal back then as they are now, but...really?
Disappointing, especially as I loved the setting and was really excited about this book taking place in Constantinople. I'll read the next book, but I'm definitely not expecting too much from it. Grump.
June 6, 2019
I tried to like this book, I really did, I read a few chapters before I had to stop. I just couldn’t take it, the story wasn’t pulling me in and I was skimming pages, looking for something interesting; but nothing stood out.
July 20, 2023
The preachy tone with the storyline surrounding slavery is aggravating. As right during that same time period was the strongest age of colonization for GB, under Victoria.
So why not set this storyline regarding a Coolie individual or group? Or some other person held in an informal form of slavery. This is during the colonization of West Africa, Asia and continued North America and the Caribbean.
There's so much rich history involving British fuckery during this time period its almost inappropriate to not pull from that. It's certainly in poor taste and feeds into a lot of conservative white supremacist mythology. I'm sure the author never intended that but that's what this view of history upholds.
This narrative is kinda grossly colonial. It focuses on the shortcomings of 'exotic' nations all while ignoring the more relevant to this character anyway, dirt at home.
I was so ready for this installment to end.
Fucking yikes on bikes.
So why not set this storyline regarding a Coolie individual or group? Or some other person held in an informal form of slavery. This is during the colonization of West Africa, Asia and continued North America and the Caribbean.
There's so much rich history involving British fuckery during this time period its almost inappropriate to not pull from that. It's certainly in poor taste and feeds into a lot of conservative white supremacist mythology. I'm sure the author never intended that but that's what this view of history upholds.
This narrative is kinda grossly colonial. It focuses on the shortcomings of 'exotic' nations all while ignoring the more relevant to this character anyway, dirt at home.
I was so ready for this installment to end.
Fucking yikes on bikes.
July 24, 2009
Historical mystery with a bit of romance is my kind of guilty pleasure. And "Lady Emily Mysteries" is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I especially loved the last one, "A Fatal Waltz". It was thrilling as a mystery, and the romance between Emily and Colin was part of mystery which kept me wondering until the end. After such a satisfying conclusion, I couldn't help worrying about the 4th book becoming boring.
What would Emily and Colin do after they get married?
Well, I am glad to tell you that Tears of Pearl was another fun adventure for me.
Ottoman Empire was exotic and mysterious, yet portrayed fairly (it made me regret that I missed an opportunity to visit Istanbul last year). Emily's struggle against becoming less independent and the tention between newlyweds because of it felt real.
I'm quite sure "Lady Emily Mysteries" will have many more books, but I hope Colin will not become boring. To me, being too handsome and too understanding is more like a liability than an asset. I'd like him to have more character and participation next time.
What would Emily and Colin do after they get married?
Well, I am glad to tell you that Tears of Pearl was another fun adventure for me.
Ottoman Empire was exotic and mysterious, yet portrayed fairly (it made me regret that I missed an opportunity to visit Istanbul last year). Emily's struggle against becoming less independent and the tention between newlyweds because of it felt real.
I'm quite sure "Lady Emily Mysteries" will have many more books, but I hope Colin will not become boring. To me, being too handsome and too understanding is more like a liability than an asset. I'd like him to have more character and participation next time.
September 13, 2012
I have been up and down about this series, mostly because of Lady Emily. I did not like her in the first book, liked her much better in the next two and now that she is married finally to Colin Hargreaves, I don't like her again. It seems as if marriage has sucked the life out of this series. In this story, Colin and Lady Emily are on their honeymoon in Turkey and get involved in a murder investigation that involves a young English woman who was kidnapped as a child and ended up in a harem. Because of Emily being female she is asked to assist her husband in the search for answers. The mystery for me dragged and while the setting was exotic it never excited me. Emily is back to her self-centered ways and concerns over her possible lack of freedom override everything else in the story. And instead of enjoying themselves on their honeymoon, they are completely distracted, and so we never get any enjoyment out of the fact that they are finally married. The book reflects that distraction. Having read a later one out of order, I know the author gets it together again and this is a good thing or I would be tempted to abandon the series at this point. The writing is still strong and the descriptions of place and the dialogue are all very good. It seems to be a chemistry issue that causes the book to be so flat.
April 5, 2022
It took until book 4, but I’m sold on this series. I love this installment, perhaps because of the interesting locale and the fact that there weren’t as many characters to track as in other books. The layers of the mystery are easier to follow than in past books and they come together nicely! (My complaint about the earlier books was that the pieces didn’t come together in an easy-to-follow way in earlier Lady Emily books).
I thought losing the relationship tension would make the books suffer, but post-marriage Emily and Colin are just as fun and interesting as they were before.
I thought losing the relationship tension would make the books suffer, but post-marriage Emily and Colin are just as fun and interesting as they were before.
July 28, 2020
This book has some really bad criticism for its portrait of ladies! I’m here to say ....get over it. I’m a lady and these were long ago times and honestly it’s a great mystery book. Emily and her adoring husband travel to the Middle East on honeymoon?! And stumble into murder and land of concubines and again murder! Good read and mystery is there.... The Who done it was shocking!
November 17, 2011
The settings in this series of books are like characters themselves. This time we are taken to the waning days of the Ottoman empire and treated to descriptions of Constantinople. This is what saved the book for me, as the main character has become a real pain. In the first book, And Only To Deceive, we met a woman who was discovering her own intelligence and aptitude. She was intriguing and likable because she was open to discovering new things about herself and others. Now we have a woman who is self-absorbed and so obsessed with her "hard won independence" that she lies to her husband (from whom she asks total honesty) about her pregnancy and her dealings with a woman she is helping escape from a harem. It is difficult to see how her independence is hard won when she first lives off her parents fortune, then the fortune of her late husband and currently off the fortune of her second husband. This is Victorian England, so she would be hard pressed to have her own fortune, but I wish the author would make the character a smidgeon less smug. This book would have had more depth if the author had forced Lady Emily to confront what it might mean to be pregnant and have a child and strive to be independent at the same time. Instead, the situation is conveniently dealt with, and only then does Lady Emily have some conflicting feelings about the pregnancy. Still, the descriptions of Constantinople, the Bosphorus, the mosques and life in the harem were interesting and made the book somewhat worthwhile. I do love the descriptions of place, and will probably read more by this author for that reason, and not expect much of the characters themselves or the "mystery", which was apparent from the first time we met the culprit early in the book.
November 10, 2009
Tasha Alexander is still coming along as a writer, but I enjoy escaping into Victorian times with Lady Emily and her Colin. In this book, a honeymoon in Constantinople is interrupted by intrigue. There was a lot of lovey-doveyness, but hey, it was a honeymoon, after all. Constantinople may have been the best character in the book; it came to life with all its sights, sounds, and smells. Most of what I enjoyed about the book was seeing Constantinople through Lady Emily's eyes. The mystery was not the best plotted or most interesting part of the book. The way that Lady Emily plotted blithely to rescue a harem girl from the sultan's harem, despite the disastrous diplomatic and legal consequences if she was caught, was too far-fetched for me. Lady Emily can be a bit smug with her detecting, as coincidence and making the best of mistakes are a large part of her detective work. However, her fears of losing her independence and fears for her pregnant friend were poignant and rescued her from becoming too annoying. I'll look forward to Tasha Alexander's next book.
September 10, 2009
This is the fourth in Tasha's Lady Emily Series and is a great read. It's fun to see Emily and Colin interact as a married couple, especially outside of their usually European setting. Several new characters are introduced and are very welcome additions the story, however the magic of these novels lies in the incredibly likable and utterly charming principle characters.
I must confess that I missed Jeremy! His relentless flirtation made for witty banter and blushes all around and I do hope to see him back in Lady Emily's next adventure.
There was also less talk of Mr. Worth and his elegant designs and not nearly enough references to ancient Greece, but the story had its own charm and the spicy world of the Ottoman Empire is not without luster.
I must confess that I missed Jeremy! His relentless flirtation made for witty banter and blushes all around and I do hope to see him back in Lady Emily's next adventure.
There was also less talk of Mr. Worth and his elegant designs and not nearly enough references to ancient Greece, but the story had its own charm and the spicy world of the Ottoman Empire is not without luster.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2021
This one wasn't that impressive to me, I didn't care about the murder or the people that we were introduced to. The setting was pretty interesting but I didn't get into it as much as I wanted to. But I am all in for Emily and Colin. I love them.
March 22, 2025
Lady Emily series 04 Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense
Fast-paced
Plot or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.0 Stars
Another adventure with Lady Emily. This time we are in Constantinople, and she and Colin are on their honeymoon, when a murder occurs. Obviously, they (Colin & Emily), lend a hand, but then are the foremost in trying to figure out "whodunnit".
Loved the historical elements of the story. The intrigues of the Sultan's harem, and the ability of the women to move and have some sorts of autonomy. Very interesting.
I love how Lady Emily puts herself fully into everything that she does. Cares less for herself, than getting to the truth.
In this story we also have to look at the diplomatic lens that this death could effect, and how two British envoys...could stir up trouble..."just" to find out who was the killer. The idea of live and let live, or let sleeping dogs lie.
Loved how it ended and was resolved. She's not a perfect heroine, but she's always enjoyable to follow around on an adventure.
I will "of course" continue on with the series. No doubt. This is a palette cleanser from the Science Fiction and Fantasy that I often turn to.
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense
Fast-paced
Plot or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.0 Stars
Another adventure with Lady Emily. This time we are in Constantinople, and she and Colin are on their honeymoon, when a murder occurs. Obviously, they (Colin & Emily), lend a hand, but then are the foremost in trying to figure out "whodunnit".
Loved the historical elements of the story. The intrigues of the Sultan's harem, and the ability of the women to move and have some sorts of autonomy. Very interesting.
I love how Lady Emily puts herself fully into everything that she does. Cares less for herself, than getting to the truth.
In this story we also have to look at the diplomatic lens that this death could effect, and how two British envoys...could stir up trouble..."just" to find out who was the killer. The idea of live and let live, or let sleeping dogs lie.
Loved how it ended and was resolved. She's not a perfect heroine, but she's always enjoyable to follow around on an adventure.
I will "of course" continue on with the series. No doubt. This is a palette cleanser from the Science Fiction and Fantasy that I often turn to.
December 1, 2010
Let me say that the main reason I keep reading Tasha Alexander's books is that I feel she takes particular care with her main character's ability to have complicated emotions. What keeps me coming back for more, quite frankly, is not the mystery part of her plot (which is often a bit coincidental and is always quite complicated -- though that's not always a bad thing). It's only sometimes the historical setting (oddly, I preferred her ability to convey a sense of time and place in her earlier works, whereas here I kept having The Aviary Gate flashbacks with this one). The best part of her novels, as far as I'm concerned, is Lady Emily's ability to struggle with feelings that make her a unique heroine for this particular mystery/romance/historical fiction genre. (Okay, and sure, there's a bit of her hunky love interest, Colin, tossed in there, too.)
The first book in the series, And Only to Deceive, opened on a young widow, Lady Emily Ashton, who barely knew her husband and came to fall in love with him only after his death and her investigation into the circumstances surrounding it. Not only did we have the fact that she was coming to care for him when they could no longer have a real romance, but she became aware of just how much he loved her and yet had never really expressed it. Alexander doesn't shy away from exploring the tangled (and often bittersweet) side of things in Emily's personal life. Thankfully, even though Emily has finally married Colin Hargreaves, things don't simply fade into happily ever after, though Colin himself does fade a bit into the background in this book, which is a bit of a disappointment. Sure, they're completely smitten with each other as they take off for their honeymoon and they repeatedly tumble in to bed, but there's also the fact that in a time without contraception, Emily's independence is somewhat in jeopardy should she become pregnant. Books don't often explore the potentially negative sides of this "blessed" event when it's in a stable and good relationship, but Alexander is aware that things are a bit more complicated than that in real life.
Tears of Pearl is set in lush Constantinople, at the beginning of Emily and Colin's nice, long honeymoon... but the reader shouldn't be all that surprised when they're embroiled in a mystery right off the bat. The storyline is dumped into their laps on the train (a surprisingly abrupt and graceless introduction, which is rather uncharacteristic of Alexander, I thought) and involves a British diplomat with a tragic past and an even more tragic immediate future. He traveled the world with his family in tow until one horrific night when his Turkish wife was murdered and his young daughter kidnapped. He managed to protect his son, Benjamin, but then spent the rest of his life seeking leads in hopes that his daughter, Ceyden, might still be alive (as she was likely sold into slavery). This story comes out in a rush when Colin and Emily sit next to this man, Sir Richard, on the train to Constantinople... only to then have him collapse from an apparent overdose of medication. Unsurprisingly, Colin and Emily (especially Emily) take interest in his situation. He repays their kind attention by getting them invited to an opera performed at the sultan's palace and even though the ending of the opera itself is altered to create a happy ending, the event ends with the murder of a young woman from the harem. Have you guessed who she is? Yep. It's Ceyden, the long-lost daughter, and with harem politics the way they are, it's anybody's guess who did this.
Emily, meanwhile, has actually gotten semi-official approval to work with Colin in situations when a feminine hand is required for his missions... like, say, when someone needs to do some interviews of harem-members. Emily gets wrapped up with several interesting characters (including the mother of the sultan, the sort-of-step-mother of the sultan, a young converted Christian desperate to escape the life of sin in the harem, and a very shifty eunuch) while Colin is off investigating other things that seem more official (read: boring), and so Emily wanders a lot of Constantinople on her own (though she's often accompanied by her honeymoon-crashing friend). During all this wandering, Emily notices that she's particularly prone to nausea while taking boats across the Bosporus. Hmm. Whatever could cause nausea in a woman who's been married a few months?
Emily's lengthy and difficult musings on the possibility of having a child were fascinating, because she was willing to admit that she might not be ready for this. She already enjoys a remarkable amount of freedom for any woman of the time -- but with a baby on the way, surely life would change. It would start with being coddled as a pregnant lady by her friends, family and even her loving husband -- and then she'd most likely have to stay close to home to be with a child. So much for rambling all over the world and assisting Colin on investigations. It's not like Colin is putting this pressure on her (though she sees his suspicious and hopeful glances), but Emily starts panicking about what a baby would change. In short, even if she might eventually want a baby, she doesn't feel ready yet and while this depth might not be uncommon in other genres, it's a unique and humanizing detail here, for a heroine whose life has not been full of easy emotions. In the usual historical mystery series, women always seem so ready for that inevitable child and somehow he/she is integrated into her life and the life of her adventuring husband with ease... or a series ends. Hm.
So even if every bit of the novel wasn't a delight for me, I am at least delighted that Tasha Alexander is one of the few writers these days who is staying true to her characters and allowing them the luxury of exploring complicated emotions. It means that I'll keep marking the paperback release of each of her books and I'll eagerly read to see how Emily grows as a character and tackles interesting issues (and mysteries, too).
The first book in the series, And Only to Deceive, opened on a young widow, Lady Emily Ashton, who barely knew her husband and came to fall in love with him only after his death and her investigation into the circumstances surrounding it. Not only did we have the fact that she was coming to care for him when they could no longer have a real romance, but she became aware of just how much he loved her and yet had never really expressed it. Alexander doesn't shy away from exploring the tangled (and often bittersweet) side of things in Emily's personal life. Thankfully, even though Emily has finally married Colin Hargreaves, things don't simply fade into happily ever after, though Colin himself does fade a bit into the background in this book, which is a bit of a disappointment. Sure, they're completely smitten with each other as they take off for their honeymoon and they repeatedly tumble in to bed, but there's also the fact that in a time without contraception, Emily's independence is somewhat in jeopardy should she become pregnant. Books don't often explore the potentially negative sides of this "blessed" event when it's in a stable and good relationship, but Alexander is aware that things are a bit more complicated than that in real life.
Tears of Pearl is set in lush Constantinople, at the beginning of Emily and Colin's nice, long honeymoon... but the reader shouldn't be all that surprised when they're embroiled in a mystery right off the bat. The storyline is dumped into their laps on the train (a surprisingly abrupt and graceless introduction, which is rather uncharacteristic of Alexander, I thought) and involves a British diplomat with a tragic past and an even more tragic immediate future. He traveled the world with his family in tow until one horrific night when his Turkish wife was murdered and his young daughter kidnapped. He managed to protect his son, Benjamin, but then spent the rest of his life seeking leads in hopes that his daughter, Ceyden, might still be alive (as she was likely sold into slavery). This story comes out in a rush when Colin and Emily sit next to this man, Sir Richard, on the train to Constantinople... only to then have him collapse from an apparent overdose of medication. Unsurprisingly, Colin and Emily (especially Emily) take interest in his situation. He repays their kind attention by getting them invited to an opera performed at the sultan's palace and even though the ending of the opera itself is altered to create a happy ending, the event ends with the murder of a young woman from the harem. Have you guessed who she is? Yep. It's Ceyden, the long-lost daughter, and with harem politics the way they are, it's anybody's guess who did this.
Emily, meanwhile, has actually gotten semi-official approval to work with Colin in situations when a feminine hand is required for his missions... like, say, when someone needs to do some interviews of harem-members. Emily gets wrapped up with several interesting characters (including the mother of the sultan, the sort-of-step-mother of the sultan, a young converted Christian desperate to escape the life of sin in the harem, and a very shifty eunuch) while Colin is off investigating other things that seem more official (read: boring), and so Emily wanders a lot of Constantinople on her own (though she's often accompanied by her honeymoon-crashing friend). During all this wandering, Emily notices that she's particularly prone to nausea while taking boats across the Bosporus. Hmm. Whatever could cause nausea in a woman who's been married a few months?
Emily's lengthy and difficult musings on the possibility of having a child were fascinating, because she was willing to admit that she might not be ready for this. She already enjoys a remarkable amount of freedom for any woman of the time -- but with a baby on the way, surely life would change. It would start with being coddled as a pregnant lady by her friends, family and even her loving husband -- and then she'd most likely have to stay close to home to be with a child. So much for rambling all over the world and assisting Colin on investigations. It's not like Colin is putting this pressure on her (though she sees his suspicious and hopeful glances), but Emily starts panicking about what a baby would change. In short, even if she might eventually want a baby, she doesn't feel ready yet and while this depth might not be uncommon in other genres, it's a unique and humanizing detail here, for a heroine whose life has not been full of easy emotions. In the usual historical mystery series, women always seem so ready for that inevitable child and somehow he/she is integrated into her life and the life of her adventuring husband with ease... or a series ends. Hm.
So even if every bit of the novel wasn't a delight for me, I am at least delighted that Tasha Alexander is one of the few writers these days who is staying true to her characters and allowing them the luxury of exploring complicated emotions. It means that I'll keep marking the paperback release of each of her books and I'll eagerly read to see how Emily grows as a character and tackles interesting issues (and mysteries, too).
September 11, 2022
Historical romance fiction set at the end of the Ottoman Empire has Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, both diplomats of the British Empire, honeymooning in Turkey. But what is supposed to be a romantic honeymoon becomes a mystery for them both as they attempt to solve the murder of a kidnapped daughter of an Englishman who is employed at the embassy in Constantinople. She was kidnapped twenty years earlier and had been sold to the sultan as one of his concubines.
This book, though part of a large series, read quite well as a stand alone. The amazing descriptions of the scenery and life during this time period were marvelous. Also the glimpse into life in the world of the harem was quite eye-opening. There were plenty of twists and turns as they tried to determine the killer as several more murders unexpectedly occurred.
Alexander's books take place in different parts of the world, so I look forward to reading more in this series.
This book, though part of a large series, read quite well as a stand alone. The amazing descriptions of the scenery and life during this time period were marvelous. Also the glimpse into life in the world of the harem was quite eye-opening. There were plenty of twists and turns as they tried to determine the killer as several more murders unexpectedly occurred.
Alexander's books take place in different parts of the world, so I look forward to reading more in this series.
February 27, 2019
Oh, all right. The whole premise of this one was ridiculous, but it was such a fun romp it was worth it. No, a western woman would never have been given ANY access to the hidden world of a 19th Century sultan's harem, no matter he circumstances.
Suspend your disbelief if you are a fan of the Lady Emily mysteries, and if you are a fan you probably suspended your disbelief with th second novel. Enjoy the ride. It's worth it just to experience a Victorian married couple with a healthy, normal happy sex life. No false modesty, no bodice ripping unbridled passion, just regular loving newlywed stuff.
The main characters are at their best, even if the plot is outlandish.
Suspend your disbelief if you are a fan of the Lady Emily mysteries, and if you are a fan you probably suspended your disbelief with th second novel. Enjoy the ride. It's worth it just to experience a Victorian married couple with a healthy, normal happy sex life. No false modesty, no bodice ripping unbridled passion, just regular loving newlywed stuff.
The main characters are at their best, even if the plot is outlandish.
August 5, 2023
Is anyone surprised that Emily and Colin’s honeymoon is filled with drama and murder?
February 8, 2025
Goodness this was so good. I forgot how much I love these books. 🥰
January 13, 2012
In the fourth installment of the Lady Emily mystery series, Tears of Pearl, Tasha Alexander takes us on an exciting journey to Constantinople, where Lady Emily and her now-husband Colin Hargreaves (I’m so glad they finally tied the knot!) attempt to relax on a peaceful honeymoon away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. However, Lady Emily can’t seem to catch a break, as mystery and suspense seem to have traveled with her (and her luggage) to Constantinople. Following an evening at the opera, Emily and Colin are witnesses to the discovery of a murdered harem girl’s body. As the ranking English citizen at the scene, Colin is assigned to the investigation, and is able to secure the Crown’s permission to have Lady Emily assist in the case. The Crown is a little hesitant in allowing her to help Colin, but realize they need a female to gain access to the women of the harem. Even with their misgivings it appears to be an excellent choice, as Lady Emily prepares to do what she does best: solve seemingly impossible mysteries. She explores the harem girl’s family history and discovers that her father is a British diplomat, and that she had been abducted from his care many years prior. She goes on to find even more interesting facts about harem life, all which make the murder seem not quite so out of the blue. Add to all of this the possibility that Emily could be pregnant and you’ve got one hell of a story to follow.
While still a solid book, Alexander’s Tears of Pearl felt like it lost a bit of its shine at some points. Emily spends most of the book wondering whether or not she could be pregnant and reeling with thoughts on what having a child could do not only to her independence, but also to her ability to work with Colin. While these were realistic things for her to be thinking about, the constant thought of “Could I be pregnant? Could I be pregnant?” got old after a while. If she’s intelligent enough to solve murders and learn multiple languages in a short amount of time, I’m pretty sure that she could figure out conclusive signs of being pregnant. It felt at times like the mystery was being put into the background while we dealt with the possible pregnancy.
Aside from this debate the remainder of the book is wonderful. Its lush portrait of Constantinople had me eagerly adding Turkey as a destination to visit on my bucket list. Not only were the descriptions of Constantinople’s palaces and temples wonderful, but the dialogue about their social customs was intriguing as well. I’ve said in the past that these novels made me feel smarter upon completion. Tears of Pearl is no different; the conversations that Emily has with the women of the harem are fascinating! You get to hear what others thought about the strictness of British society on women, and how they found it stifling. Of course I found this comical (as did Lady Emily), coming from women living in a harem. Yes, they were allowed an education, but the highest social position that they could rise to was a position entitled Valide Sultan. All this meant was that you were the sultan’s mother, and as such had more control than other women did. The debates between Emily and the harem women on how their social customs were better than each other’s were enlightening conversations that have led me to do more research on the customs of the Ottoman Empire.
Historical fiction novels that are meticulous in research are my favorite kinds. Not only do they offer you an escape from the world we currently live in, but they offer you a chance at learning about another, entirely different, frame of time. Alexander’s books fit the above description to a T, and as such have earned a spot on my “favorites” shelf. They’re obviously scrupulously researched and offer insight into social customs, art, literature, and so much more. If you’re looking for intelligent adventures with mystery and sleuthing thrown in, then the Lady Emily series is the best choice!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-KK
While still a solid book, Alexander’s Tears of Pearl felt like it lost a bit of its shine at some points. Emily spends most of the book wondering whether or not she could be pregnant and reeling with thoughts on what having a child could do not only to her independence, but also to her ability to work with Colin. While these were realistic things for her to be thinking about, the constant thought of “Could I be pregnant? Could I be pregnant?” got old after a while. If she’s intelligent enough to solve murders and learn multiple languages in a short amount of time, I’m pretty sure that she could figure out conclusive signs of being pregnant. It felt at times like the mystery was being put into the background while we dealt with the possible pregnancy.
Aside from this debate the remainder of the book is wonderful. Its lush portrait of Constantinople had me eagerly adding Turkey as a destination to visit on my bucket list. Not only were the descriptions of Constantinople’s palaces and temples wonderful, but the dialogue about their social customs was intriguing as well. I’ve said in the past that these novels made me feel smarter upon completion. Tears of Pearl is no different; the conversations that Emily has with the women of the harem are fascinating! You get to hear what others thought about the strictness of British society on women, and how they found it stifling. Of course I found this comical (as did Lady Emily), coming from women living in a harem. Yes, they were allowed an education, but the highest social position that they could rise to was a position entitled Valide Sultan. All this meant was that you were the sultan’s mother, and as such had more control than other women did. The debates between Emily and the harem women on how their social customs were better than each other’s were enlightening conversations that have led me to do more research on the customs of the Ottoman Empire.
Historical fiction novels that are meticulous in research are my favorite kinds. Not only do they offer you an escape from the world we currently live in, but they offer you a chance at learning about another, entirely different, frame of time. Alexander’s books fit the above description to a T, and as such have earned a spot on my “favorites” shelf. They’re obviously scrupulously researched and offer insight into social customs, art, literature, and so much more. If you’re looking for intelligent adventures with mystery and sleuthing thrown in, then the Lady Emily series is the best choice!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-KK
August 30, 2016
This was a remarkable book, full of suspense from beginning to end. The setting was also intriguing as Colin and Emily take their wedding trip by train to Turkey. Of course they find themselves immediately embroiled in a murder once arriving in Constantinople. This was a great opportunity to see them work together on an investigation, but still have their own separate avenues since the murdered woman was a concubine from the sultan's harem, a place Colin could not enter. Although clues were leading in one direction, I found that I was able to accurately surmise who the murderer was. This in no way detracted from the story, as there were many parts to this mystery that were not that easily revealed.
Alexander gave a wonderful description of the exotic lifestyle of the Ottoman Empire and the buildings - palace, hotel, embassy, mosques - that would have been there at the time. I could easily visualize the Bosphorus, the harem, and the magnificent clothing and furnishings. I really enjoyed seeing Emily and Colin grow closer as husband and wife, still maintaining their own independence and humor in the relationship. This book is filled with emotion and adventure. I'm excited to read the next one!
Alexander gave a wonderful description of the exotic lifestyle of the Ottoman Empire and the buildings - palace, hotel, embassy, mosques - that would have been there at the time. I could easily visualize the Bosphorus, the harem, and the magnificent clothing and furnishings. I really enjoyed seeing Emily and Colin grow closer as husband and wife, still maintaining their own independence and humor in the relationship. This book is filled with emotion and adventure. I'm excited to read the next one!
October 5, 2014
There's nothing really wrong with this series, but it's just not clicking for me. I wanted to try at least one book , but I think there's just not enough whatever here for me. Whatever mysterious thing it is that makes a book work for me.
One plotline did bug me in this one.
I do like a lot of the supporting characters a lot, but not sure that's enough to keep reading.
One plotline did bug me in this one.
I do like a lot of the supporting characters a lot, but not sure that's enough to keep reading.
October 1, 2017
I read Tears of Pearl (Lady Emily #4) by Tasha Alexander out of sequence, but enjoyed it very much anyway. Lady Emily and her new husband, Colin Hargreaves are on their honeymoon on the Orient Express which is taking them to Constantinople. It all sounds so romantic, but upon arrival at the Sultan’s castle, Topkapi, Lady Emily and Colin discover a harem girl has been killed who turns out to be the kidnapped daughter of an English diplomat. Of course, the Hargreaves must help, and Lady Emily gets to work for The Crown as only women are allowed in the harem-women and the Eunuch Guards. Here we go again! I enjoyed this read and learned quite a bit. Lady Emily Mysteries are great escape for me. Recommended!
September 9, 2009
I am so glad that Lady Emily and Colin have returned to my life, especially in my city of fantasy--Constantinople. I loved the development of the relationship between the honeymooning couple, especially as they each came to see that their actions worried the other. I also really loved the glimpses of the historic city as it was before WWI, and the way of life that was their way for generations.
Thanks, Tasha, for another great installment. How long must we wait for another grand adventure? Will the next center around Margaret's wedding to Mr Michaels? Something seems to be brewing there!
Thanks, Tasha, for another great installment. How long must we wait for another grand adventure? Will the next center around Margaret's wedding to Mr Michaels? Something seems to be brewing there!
May 22, 2011
I will tell you nothing!... here's a secret.
I will tell you nothing more!... here's another secret.
I've said too much, I cannot say more!... here's another secret.
These kinds of conversations led me to skim the entire book for the good bits.
Can that be more than annoying? And her antagonist was easy to spot the minute introduced in the story.
She's trying too hard...
I will tell you nothing more!... here's another secret.
I've said too much, I cannot say more!... here's another secret.
These kinds of conversations led me to skim the entire book for the good bits.
Can that be more than annoying? And her antagonist was easy to spot the minute introduced in the story.
She's trying too hard...
August 7, 2015
Wasn't the best of the series, but still a fun read.
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