| Title | : | Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar (A Laetitia Rodd Mystery, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 371 |
| Publication | : | First published August 8, 2019 |
Joshua Welland was an Oxford scholar; brilliant, eccentric and desperately poor. Nobody can say exactly when he disappeared from his college, but he took to wandering the countryside and one day simply failed to return. Since then, there have been several sightings of his lonely, ragged figure. Ten years ago a friend spotted him in a gypsy camp, where he was rumoured to be learning great secrets that would one day astound the world.
Mrs Rodd uses her search as an opportunity to reconnect with a couple from her past, but then a violent murder is committed and Scotland Yard are called to investigate. Mrs Rodd's old friend Inspector Blackbeard doesn't want to hear any nonsense about gypsies or secrets, but Mrs Rodd is convinced that something very sinister is lurking in this peaceful landscape.
Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar (A Laetitia Rodd Mystery, #2) Reviews
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This is the wonderful second in the 53 year old Laetitia Rodd series, set in the Victorian era by Kate Sauders. located in London, and in this addition, Oxford. A clergyman's daughter, Rodd is the impoverished childless widow of an Archdeacon, living with her confidante and landlady, Mrs Bentley, with a famous criminal barrister brother, the irreverent Frederick Tyson, with his chaotic household of 11 children. It is Frederick who is the source of the cases she takes on, and which provide a welcome additional income that Rodd desperately needs. The 40 year old Jacob Welland is a wealthy man dying of consumption and his dying wish is to see his younger brother, Joshua, a man he has not seen for a decade after falling out over a woman, Hannah Laurie, and to whom he wishes to bequeath his vast fortune. The elusive philosopher Joshua was at Gabriel College in Oxford, but abruptly left after making the reasoned decision to leave behind the modern world to wander as a ragged scholar in Oxford's countryside, and there have been numerous recent sightings of him.
With time against her, Rodd departs for Oxford, making use of her extensive church contacts to stay with Arthur Somers and his wife, Rachel, with every intention of loudly and persistently letting the locals know of her mission to ensure words reaches Joshua as soon as possible. She encounters a wide and disparate range of characters, such as the philanthropic and wealthy Daniel Arden who has gone out of his way to do good works and help the poor in the district, and Henry Barton, an invaluable source of help to Arthur in his religious duties. Arthur had recently listened to the death bed confession of Tom Goodly, a confession that has set off rumours locally, and he spends a huge amount of time at a controversial monastery. Rodd is concerned and worried about the Somers marriage, a union in which she played a hand in engineering, and finds herself amidst a tangled nest of intrigue and stories of gold. Joshua is a hard man to get hold of, and Rodd finds herself caught in a series of murders that she works with Inspector Blackbeard of Scotland Yard to get to the bottom of, in the search for a clever killer.
Saunders writes a delightful and twisted historical murder mystery, with a wonderful central character in Laetitia, a determined and resourceful woman with a deep religious faith and sense of morality. She is often completely convinced of the righteousness of her actions and interventions in the affairs of others, but here is forced to learn a little humility as she sees she has made errors in the past. Furthermore, her judgemental attitudes on the morality of the others she is surrounded by, has her beginning to question her humanity as she softens her position. This is a brilliantly entertaining historical series, with a complex, well plotted, and compelling mystery at the heart of the novel, set in an era where the poor and outcasts of a desperately unequal society find ' every door is locked with gold, and opens but to golden keys'. I look forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC. -
The second book in the charming series shows no signs of the dreaded 'sophomore slump'. Mrs Rodd remains clever, her barrister brother Fred is outrageous as ever and Mary Bentley continues to be a very helpful woman.
Readers looking for a fast-paced, exciting story need to go elsewhere. The pace is leisurely; the plot unfolds in fits and starts (just like real life). What starts as a quest to find a missing person, shifts sideways into a convoluted murder mystery. We have a good bit of church politics, rumors of stolen gold, lovers caught in a scandalous situation, and an excuse to visit Oxford. The murdered man(a country vicar) is well-known to Mrs Rodd; his lovely wife stands accused of poisoning him.
Inspector Blackbeard of Scotland quickly arrests the wife and the curate and considers the case closed.
Mrs Rodd believes them innocent, persuades Fred to defend them, and sets out to find the real killer. It is not a straight-forward investigation, in any sense. A second murder just complicates matters even more.
I really enjoyed the exchanges between Mrs Rodd and the Inspector. I also liked the fact that the author gave our heroine a good-size flaw in this story--one that she has to acknowledge and work her way through.
I figured out who the baddie was, but I admit that I had no clue why the crimes were committed. All is wrapped up quite satisfactorily at the end and I closed the book with a smile on my face.
I will definitely keep my eyes open for the next book. I don't want to lose track of the marvelous Laetitia Rodd. -
I liked the atmosphere of this story and that the protagonist Laetitia Rodd is a female investigator in a period of time that women didn't have opportunities to be anything else than wives and mothers!
I like her and her relationships with her family, police officer Blackbeard and Mrs. Bentley!
The characters involved in this story are likeable to the point that I would have felt sorry for each one of them being the murderer!
The plot of the mystery is quite engaging and is easy and enjoyable to read! I really like this series! -
Band 2 der historischen Krimiserie um die Pfarrerswitwe Laetitia Rodd hat mir noch besser gefallen als Band 1. Die Geschichte ist ziemlich gemächlich und niemals actionreich, aber die Geheimnisse um den vermissten Gelehrten und die späteren Mordfälle sind doch so interessant gewesen, dass ich mich nicht eine Sekunde gelangweilt habe. Die Personen sind alle sehr sympathisch und was mir besonders gefällt, ist die gefühlte Historizität. Die Personen handelt und reden und denken nicht nach unseren modernen Maßstäben und auch die offene Thematisierung von Glaube und (damaliger) Moral finde ich sehr gelungen.
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Three years ago I read a book with the words A Laetitia Rodd Mystery on the cover, and I wrote:
I was sorry when the story was over; but I’m very glad that this is the first book of a series, and I’m looking forward to meeting Laetitia and her family and friends again.
I looked out for a second book but it didn’t appear and I had pretty much given up hope when I saw this book bearing those same words.
It was lovely to step back into a world and feel completely at home, even though it had been a long time since my last visit.
Laetitia Rodd was the widow of an archdeacon and, as she had limited means, she had taken lodgings with Mrs Mary Bentley, and they had become good friends.
Her younger brother, Frederick Tyson, was one of London’s most celebrated criminal barristers, and he had come up with a plan that would help both of them. He sometimes employed her to carry out ‘special investigations’, knowing that ladies could move in circles that gentlemen could not, and that they could find out things that no gentleman could ever find out for himself.
In 1851, a wealthy businessman made a request that would draw Mrs Rodd into a most unusual investigation. Jacob Welland was dying of consumption and he wanted somebody to find the brother he had not seen for fifteen years and to put a letter into his hands, in the hope that he could speak to him once more, to put things right between them after a long estrangement that he had come to realise was his fault.
The circumstances were unusual.
Joshua Welland was an Oxford scholar; quite brilliant, but terribly eccentric. After the schism with his brother, he had gradually withdrawn from his college. He had spent more and more time out in the countryside, until the day came when he failed to return. There had been a number if sightings over that years; and a friend had once spotted him in a gypsy camp, where it was said that he was doing great work, and that when he made it public the world would marvel.
Mrs Rodd knew a young clergyman with a living in the area, his wife was a dear friend – and she had introduced them – so she made arrangements to pay them a visit.
That made me think of Patricia Wentworth’s Miss Silver, who always seemed to have a connection of some kind anywhere she might go; and, though the two ladies are generations apart and had very different characters, they had much in common. They were both able to apply skills they had gained in previous occupations to their investigations, to handle people well and find things out, to make logical deductions and then to act calmly and sensibly ….
Mrs Rodd investigated and searched carefully and, though she wasn’t able to put the letter into the missing man’s hands, she was able to return to London secure in the knowledge that it would reach him; and Jacob Welland, who was very frail and near the end of his life, was very happy with the results she achieved for him.
That wasn’t the end though; and when news of a suspicious death reached her, Mrs Rodd knew that she had to travel to Oxford and investigate again.
I won’t say too much about the story, but I will say that the plot had many interesting strands and that it was very well constructed. It was of its time, but it told a story that the great writers of the age could never have told.
I caught echoes of some of those authors, and I was particularly pleased when I spotted what I suspected were references to Anthony Trollope’s Barsetshire, and even more pleased when my expectations were subverted. I must mention the bishop’s wife, who was viewed with trepidation by many in the diocese. I thought of Mrs Proudie, but when Mrs Rodd asked this lady for assistance she was concerned and she was very helpful. As a friendship developed between the pair, she explained that she didn’t enjoy the role she was expected to play, but she loved her husband and played her part to the very best of her ability for his sake.
The story drew in a wonderfully rich range of characters and settings; and there was always something to hold my interest and something to make me think.
I identified the murderer just a little before the end of the book, but I didn’t work out everything, and I was very pleased to realise that this was the kind of book that had much more to its resolution than catching the criminal and explaining everything.
This second Laetitia Rodd mystery was a lovely progression from the first; and I hope that there will be many more. -
4.5 stars - I have to knock off 1/2 star for a bit of a meandering start, but I still love Laetitia, her irreverent, loving brother, Fred, her landlady and dear friend, Mrs. Bentley, and the crusty but dogged Inspector Blackbeard.
Fred, a successful criminal defense barrister, helps the widowed Laetitia support herself by using her to carry out discreet investigations. This time, a dying client wants Letty to track down a beloved brother he hasn’t seen in 15 years; the brothers fell out over a woman they both loved. The brother was a brilliant Oxford scholar, but desperately poor; he was eccentric and given to wandering the countryside, one day simply not returning to college.
This part was interesting for the glimpse of rural life in 1851 England, but felt less than urgent, and while I enjoyed the new people Mrs. Rodd met, and seeing her visit and reconnect with old friends Arthur and Rachel, (she has friends and relatives among the clergy all over the place, very useful in her investigations and a bit of a joke with her brother and Inspector Blackbeard), I wasn’t sure when the plot would pick up. Then there is a murder, and things pick up as Letty investigates, often alongside Inspector Blackbeard - they make a good team, as he realizes Letty, a vicar’s widow, can get people of all classes to open up, and is very discreet.
I enjoyed this part very much - it was almost Dickensian in the amount of characters, and the underlying discussions of goodness, decency, poverty, and love. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it was a sad but satisfying ending. This is a delightful series with great characters, I look forward to (hopefully) many more adventures with the warm, human, smart, decent and humble Mrs. Rodd! -
I enjoyed the first Laetitia Rodd book back in the spring of 2017 and am only surprised at the span of time between reading the two books. I repeat my review of the first book in stating that the characters are very real and likable and the brother/sister relationship works well. Mrs. Rodd is the widow of an archdeacon who died suddenly at the age of 51 leaving her without provision. Her successful lawyer brother continues to use her as a private investigator and she works well again with a certain police Inspector Blackbeard who relies on her skills.
It is 1851 or thereabouts.
The action begins when Laetitia Rodd, of Hamstead Heath, is hired by a wealthy but dying gentleman to find his brother so he can make amends. The task has some peculiar challenges in that the brother was a scholar at Oxford who bolted from the school (many years ago) into the woods where he remained for years, rarely sited, sometimes living with gypsies, sometimes the charcoal folk.
Laetitia decides on visiting an old friend in the area, a house where she can lodge and devise her schemes on how to catch up with the "wandering scholar." This puts her in the way of more crime, and, yes, murders to solve.
There are many characters, several interesting themes and locations and a good bit of religious thinking.
Library Loan -
3.5 stars. I almost rounded down, but that felt too severe for the quality of writing.
Our private investigator is more rounded and self-aware here. Yet I found the unrelieved centrality of piety and religious life heavier and more wearing in this lengthy novel than in the debut.
This story had a more serious, less light and charming feel. That should be to my liking, but I found the nicely-nicely tone and shocked innocence versus the darker themes and procedural plodding of the book not complementary but out of sync.
The plot is more convoluted than necessary, and I found it less than compelling. The ending is at odds with some traditions of the mystery novel such that it wasn’t inventive or fresher than genre, just less satisfying than honoring the rules would have been.
It wasn’t a bad read—deftly written and solid in many respects even while I never came to care much about what would or did happen. I expect to continue the series, but I will hope for more in the next installment. -
In this second installment of the series, we again meet up with the indomitable and intelligent Laetitia Rodd. An impoverished widow of an Archdeacon, Laetitia is able to supplement her meager income through the investigative help she provides her brother Frederick Tyson, an irreverent but successful London barrister. Frederick sends her to meet Mr. Jacob Welland who is dying of consumption. Jacob asks her help in locating his younger brother Joshua, a once promising Oxford scholar who he has lost contact with after Jacob and Joshua fell out over their love for the same woman. Joshua left his studies and began to wander the countryside, becoming a hermit, only rarely sighted by the surrounding peasants and some of his old classmates. Laetitia sets out for the area he was last seen and decides to stay with the local vicar and his wife, Arthur and Rachel Somers. Years ago, Laetitia was instrumental in bringing the couple together. At first, she is happy to see the domestic bliss they have fallen into however, during her stay in the household she soon realizes that all is not as it seems. The introduction of a young curate, Mr. Henry Barton into the neighborhood, maybe upturning the relationship of this couple. Secrets and a violent murder soon propel Laetitia into investigating more than her original assignment.
This is an engaging and delightful Victorian mystery with red-herrings galore. Laetitia is a determined and resourceful woman, who is not afraid of the situations and issues she needs to confront. Determined to get at the truth and to help all those she cares about, she doggedly peruses every lead and refuses to be intimidated by the men she encounters. This well-researched novel contains many aspects of life in the Victorian era, where women and the poor often had to deal with harsh and inequitable conditions. A well-plotted and intriguing mystery, with a delightful heroine as well as interesting and complex secondary characters, this sequel is sure to please, and readers will be looking forward to Laetitia’s next adventure.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC. -
Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar by Kate Saunders is an historical fiction cozy crime mystery. Now that's a mouthful! Set in 1851, Mrs Laetitia Rodd is a widow in her 50s who earns her living as a very discreet private investigator.
The wandering scholar of the title is the estranged brother of Jacob Welland, and on his deathbed suffering from consumption, Jacob hires Mrs Rodd to find him.
Even though this is the second book in the Laetitia Rodd mystery series and I hadn't read the first (
The Secrets of Wishtide) I was still able to read and enjoy this as a standalone.
It was also easy to imagine this as a TV series on the big screen, as Mrs Rodd jumps in and out of carriages, converses with Inspector Blackbeard from Scotland Yard and talks her way into crime scenes and drawing rooms in an attempt to solve the mounting crimes.
As an aside, this novel also put me in mind of She Be Damned by M.J. Tjia as this was set in London in 1863 and also featured a female sleuth.
Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar by Kate Saunders is recommended for readers who enjoy a cozy crime mystery within an historical setting.
* Copy courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing * -
It is nigh on 3 years since I was last with Laetitia Rodd when I discovered the first novel and then hoped for more so I was more than delighted when I got the chance to read and the review the second one. I hope there will be more.
So what do you need to know about Laetitia Rodd? A fifty something widow of an archdeacon who is kind of down on her luck financially. She lives with her landlady Mrs Benton, one time landlady of the well known poet John Keats and also Laetitia's friend and confidante.
To earn some sort of existence, Laetitia takes on private investigations normally with the advice and help of her brother, Frederick a criminal barrister who spends a lot of time avoiding his hom, wife and eleven children!
Laetitia is called to see Jacob Welland who make a last dying request to find his brother, Joshua so they can be reconciled after 15 years of not speaking.
But who has seen Joshua Welland and are all the sightings true?
To help her find out, Laetitia seeks out a couple from her and her husbands past and goes to stay with them. However she arrives into another problem and it seems that when bodies start turning up and deathbed confessions are bandied about it brings in Scotland Yard and Inspector Beard, who doesn't not necessarily hold with Laetitia's gut feelings and emotions.
Only the truth will do and surely a place of worship and contemplation will be the place to find it? Or is it all just a facade?
I was entranced by the plot and worked out part of the problem but was most distracted by the red herrings to do with the Welland brothers such was the strength of the writing.
A refreshing historical crime novel with a independent female detective and not afraid to delve perhaps into what was seen as the most deviant parts of Victorian society,
I hope I don't have to wait another three years for another book. -
I really do enjoy Ms. Saunders writing. And she does a wonderful job of setting up the time period and having her characters act and think according to the times. This does not mean Laetitia never questions things or amends her beliefs, but she never acts like a 20th/21st Century woman set down in the 1850's. A big plus.
The story line in book 2, however, was not as strong as book 1. Arthur's secret was glaringly obvious from the get go although, due to the time period as mentioned above, Laetitia's initial naivety is believable. When Arthur turned up murdered, I immediately guessed the guilty party. Mainly because he seemed too good to be true throughout. Even before Arthur died, I thought Arden would be involved. I did not like the end. Everyone treated Arden as a hero. The author's end notes at least helped explain her reasoning as the plot line was based on a true story, but it's still disappointing not one of our main characters held a different opinion. Well, maybe Fred. Good grief, though, if Fred is the voice of reason.
All in all, a little too predictable. -
Laetitia Rodd, a detective in her early 50s, returns with this murder mystery that is all about love, loss, and redemption. Mrs. Rodd’s next job is to find a ‘lunatic’ wandering scholar and give him a letter by his affluent brother who is on his deathbed. As Laetitia looks for ways to fulfill her duties while simultaneously enjoying the company of an old friend, she eavesdrops on some information that rouses her suspicions. But a suspicious murder sets her back on this path where she must go back and find the source and reasons for this death.
Set in the 1850s, the story relies mainly on country gossip and witness statements to find the murderer. Mrs. Rodd is joined by her friend Inspector Blackbeard, an officer of Scotland Yard who has been called to preside officially on the investigation. As Mrs. Rodd moves from one place to another, the connections start to surface.
Rodd is unlike any other detectives I have come across. Her method of working relies a lot on instincts. She has a fulfilling relationship with her family and is a widow, and spends a lot of time thinking about how her late husband would react or advise. She is diligent and meticulous and works efficiently. As I reader I found it extremely easy to follow her train of thoughts and go with her wherever the investigation went.
‘The Case of the Wandering Scholar’ just like any other historic murder mystery, has clues lying in plain sight. A Lot of the characters are inspired by characters from other books or people in real life, souls who aren’t meant to be forgotten. Saunders presents us with a convincing case and provides us with the necessary closure. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie’s books or like to read a murder mystery that doesn’t have modernization interfering with it, this is a great book to read. Enjoy the countryside and unwind with a great mystery that is well written and engaging. -
I'm slightly disappointed by this one. I really liked the first Laetitia Rodd book. This one is okay, but not quite as good. I like mysteries that keep me thinking and guessing. Unfortunately, it was too easy for me to guess things about characters, including who is the murderer.
At the same time, I still enjoyed the book. I like that Mrs. Rodd is middle-aged and very English. I will continue to read this series. -
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Disclaimer: APhysical ARC was provided via Bloomsbury India in exchange for an honest. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
The Case of The Wandering Scholar is my introduction to Letitia Rodd, a resourceful widow in her 50s; who has established quite the reputation as a detective.
In this newest case bought to her by her barrister brother; is all about finding a long lost brother of an influential man on his death bed. Little does she know, that this case will soon be connected to a murder of a family friend and will have actually to do a whole lot of introspection before she closes this intriguing case.
Set in the 1850s, this historical mystery fiction is sedately paced and based mostly on gossips and rumours to sift through the multitude of clues found through tid-bits and hearsay! This meant that the reader, aka yours truly, had the opportunity to actually try and solve the case alongside our protagonist; not from evidence per say; but through revelations and so many instances of he said; she said issues.
Letitia Rodd is a wonderful character – intuitative and quick-witted; she had to be survive and actually have a living for herself in a time where women didn’t really have access to opportunities! She also had this uncanny ability to ferret out the truth; determined and a little judgemental and rigid at times; she still opened her eyes to the possibility that maybe her own sense of righteousness could have shades of gray in them.
The Case of The Wandering Scholar was a wonderful historical mystery; not too intense nor too dry; achieving the perfect balance for those lazy afternoons when you just want to cuddle up with a cup of tea (or coffee or hot chocolate) and just get lost in a book!
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LAETITIA RODD AND THE CASE OF THE WANDERING SCHOLAR
Kate Saunders
Private detective Laetitia Rodd (a clergyman's widow in her 50's) gets an urgent request for her services through her barrister brother. Mrs. Rodd is asked to find her neighbor's brother who has been missing for fifteen years. There is a bit of a hurry as the neighbor is dying.
Ms. Rodd gets busy looking for Joshua Welland who had been a scholar at Oxford and is a bit eccentric. He is and was poor but several people have seen him so Mr. Rodd set off to find him.
I really enjoyed the book, it was read as a stand-alone but is part of a series. I enjoyed the characters as they were really well-drawn and the plot was strong. -
Just great. This is such an enjoyable series. The protagonist, Mrs. Rodd, is just the person you would want to solve a mystery with--and I love her brother, Fred, and his joyous approach to -- everything, even murder. The plot was quite intricate, and I think I lost track of a curate or two, but everything held together (I did guess the murderer two-thirds through...) in a logical and satisfying way. I can't wait for the next one.
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Keeping herself busy, and enjoying the small infusions of cash for taking on small investigations, Laetitia Rodd is requested to help a dying man find his long absent brother, last seen at Oxford. The man had been a scholar before he disappeared voluntarily into the woods.
Laetitia travels to Oxford and stays with a Arthur Somers who worked with her deceased husband, and his wife Rachel. While there she meets Henry Barton who helps Arthur care for those in the parish. Laetitia also notices that Henry is in love with Rachel.
Laetitia informs everyone she meets that the man she’s looking for has a very sick brother who wants to reunite with the former scholar for one last time. She also meets others in the parish she likes, and who help her in her search. Then, Arthur is murdered, and Rachel and Barton are arrested. So of course Laetitia investigates, finding out more than she ever wanted to about Arthur, the sect of super religious brothers Arthur spent all his time with, Rachel’s’ and Arthur’s marriage, and about an old crime in the area that has bearing on this case.
Laetitia also ends up discovering that her biases and preconceptions have steered her wrong more than once, and have even done harm to those she cares about. She’s heartily chagrined, and determined to do better. She also, despite uncovering unpleasantness and criminal actions amongst suspects, retains the good and kind opinions of everyone she’s dealt with. That Laetitia is just so darned nice that even the murderer thinks well of her.
Can’t wait to see who she charms in her next outing. -
I really enjoyed this book, and the first in the series. The books are very atmospheric - great descriptions of both the interiors and the landscapes, the smells and the flavors of Victorian England. Letty is a wonderful protagonist-smart, no-nonsense, and extraordinarily well-connected! Her network is impressive and I like the way the author shows a very normal person who is able to winkle out secrets and solve crimes. Can't wait for number 3!
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I really appreciate how Kate Saunders captures the tone and feelings of her time period so well.
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The Case of the Wandering Scholar is a Laetitia Rodd mystery involving the search a nomadic Oxford scholar tied with a series of murders and suspects who seem completely unrelated to each other. Set in mid 19th century with most of the action taking place in the English countryside, this book presents a delightful mystery shrouded with romantic and pastoral pastoral imagery that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book.
Mrs Rodd is hired by Mr Jacob Welland, who is on his death bed. His last wish is to see and sort out the differences with his brother Joshua, who lives as a wandering scholar. There’s very little that is known about Joshua and his whereabouts, and Mrs Rodd must find him as soon as possible because Mr Jacob Welland has only a few days left with him.
Mrs Rodd leaves for Oxford and finds a good company with her host cum old friends- Arthur and his wife Rachel. Joshua is said to be living in the company of the gypsies. As Mrs Rodd becomes desperate in her search of Joshua, an intricate web of seemingly unrelated lives unravels in the countryside and she is forced to witness events that she little expected to. Just when Mrs Rodd gives up her hunt, there is a murder and things take an unexpected turn.
*My Verdict
The best thing about this book is the writing. It is highly atmospheric. The picture of the countryside and its people that Kate Saunders has painted is similar to that of the Bronte sisters. Because of the setting and the writing, I actually felt that I was reading some classic work of literature. This delightful writing combined with the intriguing premise worked really well for me.
I also liked the characterization in the novel. There are a lot of characters and I admit, at times it becomes difficult to make out who is who. But still there are some characters that stand out namely those of Mrs Rodd, Arthur, Rachel, Mr Barton, Daniel Arden and of course Joshua- the wandering scholar, who doesn’t appear till the very end.
This novel is a page-turner. Despite that I had my issues with the plot. The search for Joshua ends in just about 100 pages, in the sense that Mrs Rodd gives it up. It is through the investigation of the murder and what follows it, that Joshua enters the plot again. I felt this was a major weak point in the plot. Nevertheless it was still impressive to see how everything was linked together. But again I was disappointed with the final revelation.
As far as the crime and mystery part goes, this book was disappointing. But the experience that this book provides makes up for that. So it was worth the time. The theme of religious factionalism runs throughout the novel. The christian principle of Confession and the atoning of sins also forms an important part of the narrative. Adultery and homosexuality too feature in this work.
What I admire about the author is that there is no incongruity between the setting and the actions of the characters and themes underlying the novel. Her characters are well rooted in the time to which they belong. There are some literary references too about which the author has talked in the afterword to the novel. I enjoyed these immensely. All in all, this was an enjoyable work for me.
My Rating: **** (3.75/5)
--Originally published on
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The second book in the Laetitia Rodd series takes us through the forests and fields around Oxford and the parks and streets of London. Mrs. Rodd, the daughter and widow of clergyman, is hired by a wealthy, dying man to find his long-estranged brother so he can atone for past mistakes. Little does Mrs. Rodd know that locating this wayward former scholar will set off a chain of events that will lead to murder, endanger her friends, and cause her to question her judgment.
The standout aspect of the book for me is the the wonderful characters that the author has created. Her characters are warmly drawn, but presented warts-and-all. Mrs. Rodd contends with her own blindspots and biases as she puzzles her way through the mysteries surrounding her, but never loses our interest or sympathy as she wrestles with the moral dilemmas the case brings up for her. I found myself particularly enjoying many of the side characters - such as Mrs. Rodd's mischievous brother and "the Gorgon", also know as Mrs. Watts-Weston, an enterprising Oxford matron that Mrs. Rodd becomes acquainted with over the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries steeped in period detail and reads first and foremost for getting to know the sleuths and their sidekicks over the course of a series.
While the mystery itself was ambitious, I thought the pacing and the plotting could have been tightened. I guessed the murderer quite early on, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but thought there was a bit too many red herrings and dead ends before the murderer is discovered.
I have not read the first book in the series, but found the characterization strong enough in this entry that it can be read as a standalone. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an advance electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. -
So this book is all about fear of homosexuality, and it just so happens that all the gay characters die. On top of that, the murderer is someone who was born in the worst of poverty and became rich and wants to help poor people out. So obviously that man is evil. The politics of this book seem accidentally awful. Like the author didn't think about what was being said through all of the characters actions. Also, the way the author goes out of her way to describe one gay male character as womanly is just too much. She beats you over the head with it. Like, it's supposed to be subtle, but it's a hammer. And it's bad. And I know she is trying to do a thing where the book is supposed to feel like it is written by a woman in the 1860s but it doesn't work nearly as well in this book as in the last.
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There was so much low grade preaching of heteronormative values in this book that it was painful. I only listened to the end because I wanted to know how bad it was to the end.
I understand that Dodd is meant to be a product of her time with values to match, but there’s low grade homophobia here and high grade shaming of people without children. And the only known queer person on the page dies (not because he’s gay, but that’s hinting at for a long time). It’s just a really insensitive book and did not feel like a sequel in spirit to book one. -
I love Mrs. Rodd, a widow left improvised after the death of her husband, who earns money making “discrete inquiries” for her lawyer brother’s wealthiest clients. This case seems simple enough, find a long missing brother of a dying man so he can make amends, turns into something quite complicated. Academia and religion give this book an interesting mix, as well as a shocking scandal. A solid second entry.
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Perhaps this should be called The Case of the Wandering Plot as it takes awhile for things to come to a boil but the superb narration makes up for any plot foibles.
