Author: Bianca Blythe
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense
Publisher: Somerset Park Press
Book Release Date: 2024
Pages: 194
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: A jilted heiress, a blood-drenched ex-fiancé, and scandal in Gilded Age Boston.
Boston 1892. Ruby Irving, heiress of a Nevada tycoon, is thrilled to have landed a viscount. Ascending to the English aristocracy is normally reserved for elegant New Yorkers and New Englanders. Unfortunately, when she stands at the altar before Boston’s bewildered elite, decked in a bridal gown from the House of Worth, and the church brimming with orchids shipped from Africa, her fiancé jilts her. Shortly after, she discovers him dead, stabbed with the wedding cake knife.
The scandal is immediate, and everyone declares her father the killer. If only Pa hadn’t loudly threatened to kill the viscount when he jilted her, and if only the police didn’t insist Boston’s high society incapable of committing such an atrocity. Ruby’s father might be brash, and his money might be the unappealing new variety, but Ruby knows he’s no murderer.
Since the police insist they’ve solved the case, Ruby decides to discover who killed the viscount herself. Unfortunately, catching a murderer is rather more difficult than achieving good grades in Renaissance art, and she has the dreadful suspicion her own life might be at stake.
A delightful cozy historical mystery from the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Sleuthing Starlet series.
My Review: Ruby Irving is the heiress of one of Nevada’s wealthiest men. She thinks she has a catch when she becomes engaged to an English viscount. On her wedding day, her fiance jilts her at the altar. After Ruby was jilted, her family decided to still carry through with the wedding banquet. During the banquet, Ruby’s fiance is found dead with a wedding cake knife in him. The primary suspect is her father who threatened to kill her fiance after he jilted her. Could Ruby clear her father’s name and find out who actually murdered her fiancé.
Ruby seems like an interesting character. She is a rich heiress who was jilted on her wedding day. She should have experienced much betrayal, embarrassment, and heartache. However, I did not feel connected with her at all. She seemed to be a very paper thin character. She is not fully fleshed out. She came across as selfish, vain, and prideful. She does very little sleuthing. She also doesn’t seem like she has much affection for her fiance. Therefore, Ruby had potential to be a great character. However, it was not shown very well. I was not really invested in Ruby’s story.
Overall, this book is about betrayal, secrets, and family. I thought the characters were also not developed enough. They seemed very flat. The mystery had promise, but it seemed to be very rushed. There were also a few details that were not explained very well. I think that this novel should have been longer so that it could take time to develop the characters and mystery. Nevertheless, it was a light and cozy historical mystery. I did like how it portrayed the wealthy society of Boston. I will look forward to future installments in this series! I recommend this for fans of The Murderous Misses of Concord, Nell: Marshall of Brodie, and No Life For A Lady!
Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars
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