Perilous Passages by Edale Lane features a Victorian era style deductive investigator and her talented musician girlfriend.
When Xavier Wellington, preeminent London detective is being their true self, they are Miss Stetson Goody. Victorian England is not ready for a brilliant woman detective so she does the work in disguise and makes sure most people don’t interact directly with the mysterious private eye. In the previous book of The Wellington Mysteries Miss Goody met and fell in love with Miss Evelyn Merritt. This series of novellas sees the couple travelling across America with Evelyn’s theatrical company.
Not able to bear a three month separation, Stetson accompanies her love but can’t avoid mysteries and adventures along the way. Evelyn loves the brilliant detective but worries for her safety every time she goes out to search for clues and catch bad guys. Stetson uses the journey to search for the father she has never met. All she knows is he wears a hat she is named for.
Writing
Beginning with a rousing detective adventure, the book is a series of mystery novellas in one volume, in the style of the Sherlock Holmes books. Because this is the second book there must be a bit of backstory from the first volume and the author does this especially well. The mysteries are each well-crafted and interesting, and for one long-running mystery there were a lot of clues I didn’t catch until I went back to re-read some passages. I figured out one of the mysteries, which is always fun, and another had a great setup with a surprising and romantic payoff. The author is handy with a red herring. Throughout, there was a lingering, mysterious antagonist like Holme’s Moriarty.
Stetson and Evelyn are suitably lustful for a new couple, and each is very attuned to what the other needs professionally and personally. Xavier does not make a lot of appearance making him somewhat of a minor figure in a book with a large number of characters.
The author does not sugar coat the realities of late nineteenth century urban life, which for anyone not affluent was gritty, perilous, and unforgiving. Evelyn and Stetson, while not well off, are in a better position than a lot of other people in London, and I liked how the author takes the reader up and down society’s levels.
Narration
The narrator has a nearly languid reading speed, which suits the Victorian prose and slower moving stories. Enunciation is always spot on, even when reading the pesky American accent passages. That accent was the weak part of the narration, but that’s a large bridge to cross as a speaker so it didn’t bother me much. The narrator’s biggest strength is using the breadth of British accents to distinguish characters. London was the melting pot of society at that time, giving the narrator many choices. Male and female characters are portrayed with slight changes in pronunciation, sharpness of tone and levels of emphasis. I didn’t notice any attempts to lower their voice’s register for the male characters, and that totally worked for me.
As a somewhat literal minded American, it was especially nice to discover how to pronounc the name Bertram Bythesea.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
One of the great things about Holmesian mysteries is how they engage the reader in trying to work them out. The author always gives enough clues to figure out whodunnit, but I was led astray a couple of times. It makes correctly guessing that much sweeter, if you can manage it. Even if the reader doesn’t get it, this is a solid dive into a peculiar time and place in history that has always fascinated me. The author provided good details to ground the stories in the Victorian era. I especially enjoyed Stetson’s and Evelyn’s enjoyment and envy of the indoor flush toilets – porcelain toilets!
There are several places the author uses real historical characters and objects, like the SS Servia the women take to New York City. It was a Cunard Line vessel (same as the Titanic a few years later), giving the voyage an affluent setting and nicely constrained class system to create extra hindrances to Stetson’s investigation. Once in the states, Stetson meets and works with Jacob Riis, a real life crusading reporter.
Evelyn and Stetson are both brilliant in their endeavors, but neither are stuffy or superior. Despite the caution they must constantly maintain, I found their romance heart warming and sweet. I especially enjoyed the story The Mysterious Box because it completely encapsulates everything that is right and fun about the couple.
Heads Up
Death of children.
The Conclusion
In the first book of the trilogy Evelyn Merritt met and fell in love with Stetson Goody, who passes for Mr. Xavier Wellington, one of Victorian London’s premiere detectives. In this second installment of mystery novellas, the two embark with Evelyn’s theatre company on a tour of the states. While there, Stetson fends off murderous attacks, gangland violence and ennui while taking the opportunity to search for the cowboy father she has never met.
Stetson and Evelyn are a sweet couple who are both brilliant in their respective occupations without being stuffy or conceited. They are lusty but suitably circumspect as the times required. Just as entertaining as their romance are the mysteries, delivered as a set of novellas. There are enough clues to give the reader a chance to guess the bad guy, and a good measure of adventure throughout.
Excerpt from Perilous Passages by Edale Lane
Stetson gave her a sardonic expression and sighed. “No. No one trailed me back to the Dulwich Picture Gallery, then to the police station, and then here. Evelyn, darling, I would never place you in danger. If I thought for one moment—”
Evelyn placed a finger to her lips to end the protest. “I know. You need some sleep now.”
When she rolled away and climbed out of bed, Stetson’s voice pled with her. “Where are you going? We have so little time to spend together as it is.”
To see the lost lamb expression on the face of one so daring and in command tugged at Evelyn’s heartstrings. Stetson was a force all her own, but here she lay vulnerable, gazing up with such longing in her eyes.
Evelyn skirted around the end of the bed to Stetson’s side, Sebastian’s glare glued to her movement all the while. “I am going to the market to get us something to eat.” She lighted for a moment beside her gallant heroine. “I promise to wake you in a most intimate manner when I return.” She placed a kiss on Stetson’s forehead, and directed, “Sleep now.”
With a contentment washing over her, Stetson settled into comfort and closed her eyes. “You’d better.”
When did I fall so helplessly in love with you? Evelyn wondered. Was it when you brought Sophie’s killer to justice, or when you confessed who you really are to me? Was it the look of rapture on your face when you first heard me play? Our first kiss? Or the time you saved a trainload of passengers from robbers? The night we first made love? No, she considered. It was a gradual thing, one heartbeat at a time. We just shifted from acquaintances to friends to lovers and somewhere along the way you captured my heart. No, not captured. Now out of her nightgown and into her day dress, Evelyn’s amorous eyes returned to the woman sleeping in her bed. I gave it to you willingly… and would do it again.
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Series: The Wellington Mysteries
Perilous Passages
Daunting Dilemmas
Bits and Bobs
ASIN number: B0B16FWN3
Publisher: Past and Prologue Press
Audiobook Publisher: Melodie Romeo
Narrator: Jennifer Lewis
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