A Murderous Relation

Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, Book 5

By: Deanna Raybourn

Narrated by: Angele Masters

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

A royal scandal’s connection to a brutal serial killer threatens London in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure from New York Times best-selling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Autumn 1888. Veronica Speedwell and her colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to stop a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, and the proprietress, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve it from the club before scandal can break.

Worse yet, London is being terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper - and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.

Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Auroreʼs high-class brothel, where a body soon turns up. Secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family - and it is up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it is too late for all of them. 

©2020 Deanna Raybourn (P)2020 Recorded Books

#Stoked

Without doubt, Revelstoke Templeton-Vane is the most delicious hero I’ve ever read. He is all things manly and brave and drool-inspiring, wrapped up in romantic notions and poetry. If I said I read these books only to spend copious amounts of time with Stoker, I doubt anyone here would question that it is indeed time well spent. However, I find Veronica Speedwell to be, if not as delicious to my heterosexual inclinations, quite as fascinating; she is a woman who knows her own mind and body, and unabashedly chooses to do as she wishes. If only there were more women like her in the world at large, Beyoncé’s “Run the World” would be a literal interpretation of modern life.
I will encourage my daughter to read these novels as she gets older, and I encourage you to do the same: feed our girls Speedwell from the same hand we feed them Bennet and the Marches.

PS. If none of the above beseeches you to give the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries a read, the Victorian-era cursing may provide the needed push. “Bloody Bollocking Hell” and “Flaming Hades” have been added to my vocabularic (is that a word??) repertoire, amongst others.

More romance than mystery.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, but Veronica has become way too horny for me. The first part of the book is mostly Veronica talking about how much she wants to sleep with Stoker. I prefer mystery to romance, so I’m finished with this series.

Butt Jokes & Plot Holes

This story has the same heroes and villains as the last book, and very nearly the same plot. On top of that, the plot is either too obvious or full of holes. For example, the clever proprietress of a private club full of royalty and secrets unbelievably doesn't know that you can eavesdrop through the vents of her establishment, and apparently no one has ever tried it before our heroes attempt it. Also, our extra smart protagonists are imprisoned for days before they suddenly realize they can just climb out the window. Who needs to plan a harrowing and intriguing escape when the author can just bail you out? Convenient!

I also found the Anglophilia to be so over the top as to be farcical. That and the humor about phalluses and "African asses" didn't do it for me. I know that this series is supposed to appeal to a younger audience, but so young that they're still laughing at the word ass? I bet that even younger me would feel that my intelligence had been insulted.

Sadly, series has fallen off with this installment

(Real listener/fan here.)
I, too, loved the other four books and was really looking forward to the next. But this one was disappointing...just 90% fluff. Also, the narration is off... The dry, slow, clipped cadence works in some parts, but not for the entire book! And not SO harsh and shrill. It was fine in the previous books and even added to the humor, but the narrator gets the timing and tone wrong this time around. (Especially for the character's voices.)
Plot-wise, there was too much mental "figuring" and not enough actually happening. Also, after the way the last book ended, teasing the sexual connection for another whole book was just disrespectful to the intelligence of your faithful readers. It ended well. But it was too little, too late.

This book = more mystery and less heat

And the mystery was just okay, so the absence of heat between Stoker and Veronica was a let down. My least favorite in the series thus far, although an enjoyable listen

One of Her Best . . . So Far

How can an author raised in Texas, and then educated at the University of Texas, do so very, very well with the British vocbulary and dialoge? The British have a way with words, and Ms. Raybourn has, once again, wonderffully captured that way. The dialogue between Veronica and Stoker is, to me, still the highlight of these books, followed by Veronica's observations and reactions, spoken in Britishese. The plot continued with just one more adventure/mystery that I thought would end the book, but, thankffully, did not. I hope Ms. Raybourn writes #6.

My least favorite of the series

Because of COVID I have been using audibles as an escape, falling mostly into “brain candy” stories. The Veronica Speedwell and Julia Gray books are great for that purpose and I find the narrators excellent (esp the Lady Gray narrator).
This book is my least favorite of the series, and If it had been the first I likely wouldn’t have moved on to the others. Personally, I found the story silly and it didn’t tie together well, which I think is evident in the forced dialogue at the end of the book - ritually explaining the back story because it just doesn’t naturally flow.
Despite my feelings about this book, I find the series entertaining and a nice break from the seriousness of current circumstances. I think if these books are accepted for what they are, a slightly more in-depth Harlequin Romance Novel, they will be enjoyed. If one is looking for quality fiction, you may find yourself disappointed.

Thats it????

After 4 books , waiting for the consummation of Veronicas and Stokers relationship, after 4 books and all the lead up and heat up. The actual event was so
Disney channel!!! What a disappointment!!! Other than that good book

Always witty, always great!

Another amazing book, read so well and leaving you wanting another! Veronica and Stoker are back at it with intrigue and adventure and their ridiculous, perpetually thwarted romance.

Amazing.... AGAIN!

I have re-listened to this series 3 times, and was so happy to add this new book to my third round of listening. There is some thing so endearing about all of the characters and the way they connect to one another, obviously with Veronica and Stoker‘s relationship being the most fun. I’m looking forward to starting the series over for the fourth time. I tell everyone I can about these books, what a talented writer Ms. Raybourn is & what a spectacular narrator Angele Masters is. I found the authors note at the end to be a very sweet and thoughtful inclusion. Can’t wait for the next book in the series. Excelsior!