Book Log #25: Silent in the Sanctuary, by Deanna Raybourn

[annathepiper]

Silent in the Sanctuary, book 2 of Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey series, features Lady Julia coming home again from a sojourn with her brothers in Italy to learn that Nicholas Brisbane, the man who helped her investigate her husband's murder, is inexplicably engaged to be married to another woman. Yet she has little time to confront him about his apparent new relationship--or to challenge him with the young Italian count bent on gaining her affections--for her family's gathering for the holidays soon leads a murder. And one of her own family members claims to be the killer.

This was unfortunately not as satisfying to me as Book 1, in no small part because the chemistry between Julia and Brisbane was dialed down significantly. While it was good to see Brisbane written more discreetly, without the book trying so hard to emphasize his various skills and talents, it seemed as if he hardly got any camera time at all. On the other hand, it was interesting to get into more of Julia's background and meet more of the highly colorful members of her family. So all in all a light read, and not bad. Three stars.

Comments

[kieri.livejournal.com]

"SIlent on the Moor" is the next one and it's recently out -- I picked it up for my Kindle after Silent in the Sanctuary was offered for free as a promotion. :) I enjoyed SotM more than the second one, I think, though the resolution was a bit overly tidy.

My best friend writes these lovely 19th century semi-paranormal stories, and each time I read a story similar in tone or setting to hers, I think, "Well, yay, at least the market exists!" And since Raybourn's stuff is doing quite well, who knows. :)

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I've already seen it out. Glad to hear Book 3 read better for you than Book 2!

And oh yeah, the market for paranormal historicals exists. Shana Abe writes in that vein too.