Deanna Raybourn - A Murderous Relation

Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to help with a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, known as the Club de l'Etoile, and the proprietess, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve the jewel from the club before scandal can break.
Worse yet, London is gripped by hysteria in the autumn of 1888, terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper--and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.
Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Aurore's high class brothel, where another body soon turns up. Many secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family--and it's up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it's too late for all of them.

Comment: This is the 5th installment in the Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn, featuring an adventurous and confident woman and her close friend Stoker. They are both of scientific beliefs and while working on their personal and mutual projects they find themselves in more trouble than they expected...

In this new story, which takes place not long after the events of the previous one, where emotions were running high, Veronica and Stoker are back to their usual routines of work when lady Wellie asks Veronica's - and Stoker's - help with a very delicate issue. It seems perhaps prince Albert Victor might be somehow related to two scandals, a jewel in the possession of a woman who shouldn't have it, and the terrible cases of the killer in Whitechapel. It will be up to Veronica and Stoker, by now very experienced in finding creative and clever ways of investigation, to determine if the prince is as innocent as his personality suggests. However, as they go on about the investigation, others have nefarious plans to develop and some aren't easy to solve...

One of the things I like the most in these novels is their consistency. I know what I'm going into and I feel the author presents a balanced work from book to book, and often in long series that can be harder than what it seems. As always, there are details we read and wish were different and according to anyone's preference it can be many different things, but I'm happy to say it's never boring to read, even if the plot is focusing on things I wish I could have more suited to me of if the characters say/act in a way I'd like to be different.

This time the pair has two different issues to deal with, although they get mixed up at some point.There's the case of the jewel which could be a scandal for the royal family - and Veronica and Stoker have obvious reasons for it to not develop, for it could reach them as well - and then there's the situation regarding a plan to change the monarchy as it is known. This second situation is actually a little sequential to the events on book #1, but I don't think any reader would feel it missing if this is where they start. Well, in terms of plot at least, for the rest is so much more rewarding to go through if the previous books had been read too.

The author also manages to use the timely subject of the killer known as Jack-the-Ripper, which still to this day continues to be a source of mystery, because of the references done to the killer's activities and there is even a small scene where Veronica escapes him almost by pure luck. Obviously, this is the author's artistic licence going on, but I confess I feel quite happy the author didn't give in to the temptation of putting our protagonists in the path of the killer or more directly involved with him, I feel that would lead nowhere and would be too distracting.

I think the plot is quite engaging and easy to follow, not only because things happen in a captivating way but also because while the characters need to deal with very specific things, we still get glimpses of their routines and regular tasks, such as actions some kind of reference to what they have to do. Veronica is the narrator of the books but her "voice" is very appealing and alluring and it is always fun to be in her head. If there is a criticism I see in her is that she is often too focused on the things she believes are the evidence of her free spirit and independence and I would prefer to see a bit more of her vulnerable side/thoughts.

Many might wonder how is the romance going, considering the events in the previous book. I can say nothing is rushed nor simplified because the couple has a lot to worry about but I kind of liked how the pace in the romance happens, is makes everything feel sweeter. Perhaps, and here I can say this is a personal preference, we could have more clear clues about the actual intensity or strength of their feelings, because since Veronica narrates and some things we can only infer, it's still a bit of a blind spot to guess how likely it is for them to last as a couple if they never discuss things or show their emotions in a much more obvious way.

I had a great time reading this story and will certainly read the next ones too.

Grade: 8/10