This is the second book in Raybourn’s Victorian Veronica Speedwell series. The first book was entertaining with ridiculous humor that propped up a weak plot. I wasn’t looking for great literature when I picked up this book. I read half of this book in waiting rooms for various appointments. It was a good choice because it required so little of my attention. Later when I was able to focus solely on the text, the story annoyed me in too many ways. The solution to the murder was obvious from the beginning. The sexual tension between the two amatuer detectives was too contrived to maintain either the sex appeal or the humor. In fact the author was so anxious to put sexual innuendo into every conversation between any of the characters at any time, it’s amazing that she was able to write a conclusion to the mystery at all. I won’t be looking for another book to follow, even for waiting room reading.
A Perilous Undertaking - Raybourn
2 stars
This is the second book in Raybourn’s Victorian Veronica Speedwell series. The first book was entertaining with ridiculous humor that propped up a weak plot. I wasn’t looking for great literature when I picked up this book. I read half of this book in waiting rooms for various appointments. It was a good choice because it required so little of my attention. Later when I was able to focus solely on the text, the story annoyed me in too many ways. The solution to the murder was obvious from the beginning. The sexual tension between the two amatuer detectives was too contrived to maintain either the sex appeal or the humor. In fact the author was so anxious to put sexual innuendo into every conversation between any of the characters at any time, it’s amazing that she was able to write a conclusion to the mystery at all.
I won’t be looking for another book to follow, even for waiting room reading.