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Friday, September 2, 2016
Book Review: Masque
Summary: Beauty met the Beast and there was . . . Bloody murder?
It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated.
In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse.
In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman.
And in the card-room, lying in a pool of his own blood, is the body of one of Isabella’s oldest friends: Raoul, Civet’s Head Guardsman. The papers sewn into his sash seem to suggest espionage gone wrong, but Isabella is not so certain.
Lord Pecus, as Commander of the Watch, is of the opinion that Isabella should keep out of the investigation and out of danger. Isabella is of the opinion that it is her murder to investigate, and that what a certain Beast-Lord doesn’t know won’t hurt him. . . .
Will Isabella find the murderer before Lord Pecus does, or will she end her investigation as a bloody spatter on the parlor floor?
Thoughts: Fairy tale, mystery, and Victorian romance all rolled in to one; this book has a little bit of everything!
The opening few chapters were extremely reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice and set the opening stage for a truly delightful cast! Witty dialogue and brilliant escapades create an exciting adventure coupled with a bloody mystery. Isabella is fantastic! I really did love her entirely despite how often she insisted on causing trouble!
I'd been meaning to read this book for forever but only recently got around to pulling it up on my app and actually starting it. Needless to say I was not disappointed! While an avid reader of fantasy mysteries/detective novels might have guessed who the villain was (I had my suspicions from the moment they were introduced), it is kept to mere guesses and the how and why are hidden completely until the very end.
The writing style is wonderful! While never dragging, it keeps up it's Victorian era appearance and never once drops the ball or lags at any point.A really difficult accomplishment I can assure you!
Content: Aside from magic and bloody murders (which are never overly described) there is kissing and few brief, non-descriptive mentions of marital relations. Otherwise a clean read that is highly recommended to anyone looking for a unique story with an exciting twist and fun cast!
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