*I reviewed this for the August edition of Historical Novels Review, the magazine of The Historical Novel Society.
1890. American Cora Beaumont has inherited her father’s dirigible, or airship, the Lady Air, with one caveat: She must be engaged. She indeed becomes engaged to the second son of a duke, Terrance Tristan, and embarks on a lavish voyage from America to London on the Lady Air with Terrance, his brother Nicholas, who is the eldest son, and their cousin Ophelia as three of the many passengers. It is an arranged marriage and Terrance has become decidedly preoccupied and detached. Then a dead body turns up, and Cora, as the owner of the Lady Air, begins an investigation to find the murderer, aided by Nicholas, who is the highest-ranking member of the peerage.
This is an excellent mystery with characters that pull you in right away. Cora is not the typical American daughter who is sold away to British lords so her family can gain prestige. She goes into the arrangement with open eyes and motives of her own. Only her engagement and marriage can secure her inheritance. She is also quite aware that the Tristans need her money. Ophelia is a delightfully feisty cousin and best friend, and Nicholas turns out to be a great investigative partner. This locked-room mystery plays out completely during the airship voyage. This novel has great twists, turns, and red herrings, but the relationships between the characters were the highlight. This was a “sit down and read to the end” book for me. Highly recommended.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites with no half-star option.
I received a free copy of this book via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
April J. Skelly (who also writes as AJ Skelly) is an author, reader, and lover of all things fantasy, medieval, and fairy-tale-romance. And werewolves. She has a serious soft spot for them. As an avid life-long reader and a former high school English teacher, she’s always been fascinated with the written word. She lives with her husband, children, and many imaginary friends who often find their way into her stories. They all drink copious amounts of tea together and stay up reading far later than they should. You can read more of her short stories at www.ajskelly.com
PURCHASE LINKS
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Fab review, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Nicki. I love reading about the Gilded Age.
BTW I finished Smallhope & Pennyroyal today! 😀
I loved the ending!!!
So did I!
What an intriguing review. Love it, Bonnie. Cora’s struggle to claim her inheritance through engagement reminds me of medieval Transylvania, where women’s rights to property were often tied to marriage or widowhood. Different centuries, different settings and continents… but the same thread of women navigating restrictions to carve out their own space 🙂
Gorgeous cover.
Yes, it was a common theme in many places. It makes me think of Downton Abbey also. Mary couldn’t inherit because she wasn’t a man.
This does sound good! With all the mysteries I’ve read over the years, I’ve never been able to figure out a locked room murder.
Interesting! Those are some of my favorites, too.
Wonderful review of this book, Bonnie! It sounds fascinating to me.
The Gilded Age and an airship! Hard to miss.
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