The Forgotten Children by Anita Davison (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

Flora, Bunny and my beloved Sally are all back for their grittiest and more heart-wrenching case yet. Anita Davison's Flora Maguire series just keeps getting better and better! The Forgotten Children is the fourth in the series so, of course, I have to recommend that you start at the beginning so you know all of the ins and outs of our main characters. This could be read as a standalone, but you really want to follow them through. They're definitely worth it!

This latest installment sees Flora adjusting to life as a new mum. She and her husband are invited to visit a local children's hospital in hopes of getting them to donate money, but before long they end up investigating some rather disturbing happenings instead. "Rather disturbing" leads to "extremely disturbing," which only makes Flora fight harder to figure it all out.

As always, Anita Davison's attention to historical detail and character development is amongst the best. It's almost as though you can smell all of the smells and feel all of the feels. If you're a fan of historical mysteries and have yet to pick her books up, get thee to the bookstore!

Friday 56 (today is 56% from the ebook) is hosted at Freda's Voice

& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.

A Knightsbridge Scandal by Anita Davison (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

Please do yourself a favor and start this wonderful series at the beginning with Flora's Secret (originally titled Murder on the Minneapolis)! Unlike some series where book after book go by with little change in the main character, Davison's Flora has the kind of life that you really don't want to just jump in at with the third installment. 

The year is 1903 and Flora is visiting London where she gets wrapped up in society, the suffragist movement, international affairs and, of course, murder. There are a lot of other things going on, as well, but we'll not get into those just in case you're a book or two behind. The long and the short of it, though, is that this remains one of my favorite historical mystery series and each installment is better than the last. Considering I gave the first one five out of five stars, we must be up to at least seven stars for A Knightsbridge Scandal -- and I feel that at least one extra star needs to be given for the addition of the spunky lady's maid, Sally! 

Friday 56 (today is 56% from the ebook) is hosted at Freda's Voice 

& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.

Anita Davison's Murder at Cleeve Abbey (Tuesday Intro & Teaser Tuesday)

[Please note that this has since been retitled as Betrayal at Cleeve Abbey.]

Last week I had the great joy of reading Anita Davison's Murder on the Minneapolis, and now (thanks to NetGalley and the publisher) I'm about a quarter of the way through the second in the series -- Murder at Cleeve Abbey! 

The story opens two years after the events of the first and Flora has moved on from being Eddy's governess and onto married life. She returns to Cleeve Abbey, though, upon receiving news that her father has died. Of course, she has a difficult time believing that it was an accidental death. Since she also still has questions about her mother's death when she was young, it's a very emotional visit that, hopefully, will answer a lot of questions.

I'm not far enough in to be able to spoil much (not that I willingly would, anyway), but so far it is just as beautifully written and compelling as the first!

"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. "Teaser Tuesday" from Books and a Beat asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.

Anita Davison's Murder on the Minneapolis (Tuesday Intros & Teaser Tuesday)

[Please note that this has since been retitled as Flora's Secret.]

Another historical mystery series to fall in love with? Yes, please!!!
Flora Maguire is a passenger on the maiden voyage of the ship S. S. Minneapolis. She's governess to thirteen year old Eddy and the two are returning to England after a short stay in New York with his family. It's early in 1900 (thanks to Google I now know the maiden voyage began on March 29, 1900) and the world is rapidly changing. Class lines are beginning to blur. Automobiles are becoming more than just a passing fad. The Strand Magazine is immensely popular and publishing stories by Arthur Conan Doyle on a regular basis -- of which Flora is a huge fan.
Shortly after the voyage begins, Flora comes across the body of another passenger -- dead at the bottom of a stairwell. Although the crew all insist that it was an accident, Flora isn't at all convinced and soon has other passengers (including the slightly nerdy and adorable 'Bunny' Harrington) questioning what really happened.
It's a fabulously well-told story with just the right amount of historical information without feeling text-booky and just the right amount of romance without making me want to hurl. As for the mystery aspect, it felt a bit "Golden Age" in its writing. Of course, since so many of my favorites fit into that original genre, I absolutely love this and look forward to reading more. (Luckily, when I found this on NetGalley I was also able to request the second in the series! Win!)
"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. "Teaser Tuesday" from Books and a Beat asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read. Both the intro and teaser come from early on in the book because, well, "intro" is a bit self-explanatory and the teaser? There were a lot of great bits I bookmarked here and there as potentials to tease, but when it came right down to it: Pirates.

Amazon Description

Young governess Flora Maguire is on her way home from America on the maiden voyage of the S.S. Minneapolis with her young charge Eddy, Viscount Trent, when she discovers a dead body.

Unconvinced when the death is pronounced an accident, Flora starts asking questions, but following threats, a near drowning and a second murder, the hunt is on for a killer. Time is running out as the Minneapolis approaches the English coast.

Will Flora be able to protect Eddy, as well as herself, and uncover the identity of the murderer?

Is her burgeoning relationship with the handsome Bunny Harrington only a shipboard dalliance, or something more?