Double-Feature Friday : A Tale of Two Murders & Grave Expectations by Heather Redmond (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

I did it again. 

I requested a book from NetGalley without paying attention to the fact that it's the fourth in a series I hadn't even heard of before. It's a shame, in a way, because it's a series I could have been reading for a few years now. Thanks to Kindle Unlimited and my library I've been able to fly through at least the first two and may even sneak the third in before getting ready for thee ol' release date for the fourth.

Stranger things have happened. 

I actually finished the first one Monday so it could have easily been a non-linkup post ... or at least this week's Tuesday Intro & Teaser Tuesday ... but then I got it into my head that I could dive right into the next one and I already had a Tuesday post planned so ... Double-Feature Friday it is. 

 

Title: A Tale of Two Murders

Author: Heather Redmond 

Publication: 31 July 2018 - Kensington Books

Format: Kindle eBook

Amazon Description: 

In the winter of 1835, young Charles Dickens is a journalist on the rise at the Evening Chronicle. Invited to dinner at the estate of the newspaper's co-editor, Charles is smitten with his boss's daughter, vivacious nineteen-year-old Kate Hogarth. They are having the best of times when a scream shatters the pleasant evening. Charles, Kate, and her father rush to the neighbors' home, where Miss Christiana Lugoson lies unconscious on the floor. By morning, the poor young woman will be dead.

When Charles hears from a colleague of a very similar mysterious death a year ago to the date, also a young woman, he begins to suspect poisoning and feels compelled to investigate. The lovely Kate offers to help—using her social position to gain access to the members of the upper crust, now suspects in a murder. If Charles can find justice for the victims, it will be a far, far better thing than he has ever done. But with a twist or two in this most peculiar case, he and Kate may be in for the worst of times . . .

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

We're introduced to twenty-two year old Charles Dickens who is working as a journalist for the Evening Chronicle and beyond enthralled with Kate Hogarth, the daughter of his co-editor. At the very onset of the book Charles it at the Hogarth house for Epiphany when they hear screams from a neighboring house. They go over en masse to see if they can be of assistance and before the night is over, a young girl has died. Charles discovers that exactly one year prior a similar occurrence happened in the same neighborhood.  He and Kate do not believe that it was merely a coincidence, hence a tale of two murders (although, of course, there may be more). So begins the tale of Charles Dickens -- journalist, aspiring playwright and author, and half of a crime fighting duo a la Tommy & Tuppence or Nick & Nora. 

The book is loaded with historical details. Perhaps a little too loaded as, at times, it seemed to drag and that took away from the actual story. All in all, though, curiosity over what really happened won out and I'm glad that I saw it through to the end ... and on to the next ...

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Title: Grave Expectations

Author: Heather Redmond 

Publication: 30 July 2019 - Kensington Books

Format: Kindle eBook

Amazon Description: 

London, June 1835: In the interest of being a good neighbor, Charles checks in on Miss Haverstock, the elderly spinster who resides in the flat above his. But as the young journalist and his fiancée Kate ascend the stairs, they are assaulted by the unmistakable smell of death. Upon entering the woman’s quarters, they find her decomposing corpse adorned in a faded gown that looks like it could have been her wedding dress, had she been married. A murderer has set the stage. But to what purpose?

As news of an escaped convict from Coldbath Fields reaches the couple, Charles reasonably expects the prisoner, Ned Blood, may be responsible. But Kate suspects more personal motives, given the time and effort in dressing the victim. When a local blacksmith is found with cut manacles in his shop and arrested, his distraught wife begs Charles and Kate to help. At the inquest, they are surprised to meet Miss Haverstock’s cold and haughty illegitimate daughter, shadowed by her miserably besotted companion. Secrets shrouded by the old woman’s past may hold the answers to this web of mystery. But Charles and Kate will have to risk their lives to unveil the truth . . . .

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

I know, I know. Spoilers right in the description! Of course, seeing as how Charles and Kate actually existed it may not be a spoiler at all that they end up engaged .... married .... parents of ten children .... separated .... so on and so forth. For now, though, we're still in the blissful reminiscence stage of things even if fictionalized by Heather Redmond. And, while still in happy blissful mode, we have another mysterious death to occupy Charles and Kate as they wait to be able to wed. I kind of love that Kate was actually hoping for a mystery to help pass the time. She's my kind of girl.

Again, the pacing feels off at times. It moved along a bit better than the first book, but "less is more" still doesn't seem to have been a concept considered. You can easily skip a paragraph here, a full page there, and possibly a chapter or two. You probably won't feel like you've missed anything at all. Of course, I still have every intention of reading the next one ... or the one after that ... and ... hopefully the pace picks up. 

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As always, Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice & Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.