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[A] well-researched debut…full of period detail and a wonderful cast of secondary characters, this intricate and well-written novel will leave any lover of historical mysteries eager to reach for Lenox's next case. - Tasha Alexander, Bookpage
The best sort of historical mystery - clever, charming, full of period detail, and a delight to read. Charles Finch has provided us with a great sleuth and, we can only hope, the beginning of a great series. - David Liss, Edgar Award-winning author of A Conspiracy of Paper
The mystery keeps the reader guessing, and the real charm here comes from the finely drawn characters. The wide-ranging relationships that Lenox has forged over the years - from his butler to Lady Jane - make this a debut historical in the line of an Anne Perry or David Liss mystery to be savored slowly and with great pleasure. Vividly capturing the essence of Victorian England, Finch presents us with a unique sleuth who combines the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes with the people skills of Thomas Pitt. A sparkling achievement, this is recommended for all mystery collections - Library Journal (Starred Review)
Suspects are many, clues are present and fairly laid out but the plotting is convoluted enough that the reader having a go at solving this crime will have to read close. Charles doggedly sorts through both clues and suspects and with the help of his friends A Beautiful Blue Death comes to a satisfying end. Throughout the story Charles mentions previous cases and the conclusion suggests 'future' cases. Thus, Mr. Finch has room to play and his easy going English Gentleman is likely to appear again as a welcome addition to the historical side of the genre. - Crime Spree Magazine
Delightful…what elevates A Beautiful Blue Death is the relationships Lenox has with the people around him. While the central mystery is fascinating, what captivates readers is the exploration of Lenox’s relationship with Lady Jane and the glimpse it provides of a gentleman of leisure’s life. Their habit of taking tea together illustrates the depth of their relationship, unusual for a time when men and women’s lives had little intersection…it is the man these relationships illuminate which will draw readers to future volumes about Charles Lenox. - Armchairinterviews.com
The story is pleasantly old-fashioned and diverting…with a complicated puzzle to fathom out and a period setting calculated to appeal to fans of that other great Victorian sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. - The Denver Post
A delightful throwback to more traditionally-bent tales and I can't wait to see what happens next with nobleman detective Charles Lenox and his lovely sidekick, Lady Jane. - Sarah Weinman, Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind
Enjoyable from the first page…descriptions of meals, wonderful rooms, and everyday details like the importance of good boots, paint an engaging picture of upper-class British life in the mid-19th century… the mystery is a satisfying puzzle and the characters and tone make this book exceedingly pleasant to read, preferably with a cup of tea at hand. - Mystery Scene Magazine
If you’re wondering where the new, young mystery writers are coming from, A Beautiful Blue Death provides one answer. Charles Finch’s writing is quite wonderful – and at the same time disciplined. He stays laser-focused on the story while dropping in bits and bobs about life in both upper-class homes of the time and the seedier side of London. The writing, pacing and plotting are terrific. I believe readers of any age will enjoy A Beautiful Blue Death. It would be a especially appropriate to give as a gift to favorite young adult readers to introduce them to a new writer who, I predict and hope, will be around for a long time! - Cozylibrary.com
Readers who appreciate refinement and elegance will find it very much to their liking… - The Tampa Tribune
Fans of P.G. Wodehouse and Anne Perry will enjoy A Beautiful Blue Death…a very satisfying solution. - Mystery Lovers Newsletter
[A] multifaceted debut…this is a superior British mystery with tones of Dorothy Sayers and Arthur Conan Doyle – and it’s fun. - The Poisoned Pen Book News
The characters [are] well-drawn…what makes this interesting is the story. - The Valley Dispatch (Massachusetts)
A wonderful addition to the canon of historical mysteries…Finch hits this out of the park. - Crimepays.com |
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