the woman in the veil

3.5 Stars

A good historical fiction mystery/thriller that can be read as a stand alone novel.

This is the second book I’ve read in this book series. (I read the second book, and now the fourth book). Even though the books center on mostly the same characters and certain story arcs carry through to each new book, as with the second book, the main story of each book is one complete story. So, you can pick this book up and read it as a stand alone and enjoy it without having to go back to the first book and start there.

I enjoyed this book. I like the main characters, Sarah Bain and her friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O’Reilly, who are crime scene photographers for the Daily World newspaper. They have a knack for solving crimes, much to the chagrin of the police department. Sometimes, officers treat Sarah and her friends severely when they feel they’ve been embarrassed. This is one sticking point I have about the books. I think the author’s handling of the police officers that don’t like the trio, and their tactics against them, are too extreme and ridiculous and detract from the books. Sometimes a quieter and more cunning form of revenge is more devastating (and compelling) than a theoretical bludgeon to the head.

In this book, the trio are called to photograph a crime scene on the bank of the Thames. The unidentified woman is naked and her face is severely slashed. As Sara begins to photograph the victim and scene, she discovers that the woman is alive. When the woman finally awakens in the hospital, she has amnesia and doesn’t know her name. After publicizing her story, Sarah helps the police cull through throngs of people hoping that the woman is their missing loved one. The woman eventually recognizes someone that comes to claim her, and happily reunites with her family. But when a person close to the investigation is murdered, Sarah and her friends find themselves accused of the murder.

This story was interesting and had a few good twists, but I thought the author included a few too many twists. I can’t go into too many specifics without spoiling the book, but just like accessorizing an outfit, less is more. Better editing to eliminate at least one or two twists would have kept the story clean and precise. This, in turn, would have made the story less cluttered and distracting. But, I’m nitpicking. The book is a fun, quick, easy read that I enjoyed and recommend you read.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.