Series: None
Author: Cindy Anstey
Published June 23rd 2020 by Swoon Reads
Goodreads Synopsis
1834. Sophia Thompson wants nothing more than to be one of the famed Bow Street Runners, London's most elite corps of detectives. Never mind that a woman has never before joined their ranks--and certainly never mind that her reclusive family has forbidden her from pursuing such an unladylike goal.
She gets the chance to prove her capabilities when an urgent letter arrives from her frantic cousin Daphne, begging Sophia to come look into the suspicious death of Daphne's brother.
As Sophia begins to unravel the tangled threads of the case--with the help of a charming young policeman--she soon realizes that the murderer may be even closer to her family than she ever suspected.
Goodreads
Review
Sophia Thompson has always wanted to be a detective, and wants to be the first female agent with the Bow Street Runners. After a scandal in the family which has left her marriage prospects unlikely, this is even more of a goal, and when her cousin, Daphne, asks her to visit, a year after the unsolved murder of Daphne's older brother, Andrew, she jumps at the chance. Now in the village of West Ravenswood, there are strange things occurring and Sophia's uncle has called in the assistance of Bow Street Runner trainee, Mr Jeremy Fraser. Jeremy and Sophia must work together to discover just what is happening, who killed Andrew, and who is killing others getting close to the investigation.
Cindy's books have always been some of my favourite YA books, and this one was no different. Though not my favourite of hers, I loved the mystery and all of the twists and turns we had until we got to the climax. Sophia was a fantastic character, who would be a perfect detective if not for her sex, and she wasn't phased by anything. Whereas Jeremy might've been apprehensive about working with a young lady, he wasn't put off at all, and they way they bounced ideas and motives off each other was perfect. Others in the village, and in the household, might've been against this young couple working on a murder case, but they could face it together. Their blossoming romance flowed naturally, and wasn't forced at all. When it came to the mystery aspect, I guessed a few things, and had my suspicions about one of the characters from a very early point, but couldn't have imagined the full scope of the crimes. I can't wait for Anstey's next book, and look forward to seeing what she does next!
Dates Read:
August 21-23, 2020
Rating
4 Stars
