The 9th installment of this series. I wasn't happy about the death of a significant character in the last book, and I am definitely not happy about another sudden (and surprising) death of a significant character at the beginning of this book! I am starting to wonder why Charles Finch is killing off some of his characters! Maybe it's just a "sign of the times". These stories are set in the 1870s after all, and people die of illness all the time. (Cops also get shot too, obviously, referring to book #8.)
Anyway, other than a wonderful person dying, I really liked this book. First of all, Charles spends a lot of time with his brother, Edward, and we get to see that relationship up close and personal. They are like any other brothers I know, close & supportive for the most part, with bits of sibling rivalry thrown in from time to time. I like when Charles spends time at the Lenox House and in the town he grew up in. The townspeople are hilarious with him, always assuming he is back to stay forever. (Because honestly, who would want to live in London!) Ha! Their comments provide some of the humor in this book (and other books when Lenox visits his hometown.)
The mystery is interesting. In this case, it starts with a childish drawing, a stolen dog, a stolen bottle of port and ends in an attempted murder/murder. We get to meet a lot of the townspeople and see how they are connected to each other. Meanwhile, in London, Dallington & Polly (and Scotland Yard) are trying to figure out the sudden disappearance of a renowned German pianist who disappeared after performing at a theater, leaving behind his dead "sister". Charles is also connected to this case in London, and returns to London a couple of times to put his two cents in. The new detective agency is still struggling financially, but I am hoping after solving these two cases, things will be looking up by the next book. I want Polly to stop worrying so much and working herself so hard.
Wendy's Rating: ****
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