by Mary Andrea Clarke
The Crimson Cavalier series book #1
My rating: ★★★★☆
Actually 3,7 stars rounded up to 4.
Very nice lighthearted read, though suitable for "cozy mystery" readers and for young adults.
It was so refreshing to me reading it after
the dark mystery I read before. It was just what I needed and what I was looking for, but as I said it's a good read if you're just looking for "this" kind of read.
___ THE PLOT IN SHORT __ Late 18th century London.
When an aristocratic citizen, a magistrate, is murdered on the road to Bath, along which carriages are often attacked by highwaymen, Miss Georgiana Grey's alter ego, the Crimson Cavalier, is suspected of being the killer.
The Crimson Cavalier, who steals to donate the money obtained from the stolen goods to the most needy, is innocent as regards the murder, but having robbed the magistrate just the previous evening and having his ring, puts her in serious danger.
The only thing left for her to do is discover the real killer, before being arrested and taken to the gallows.
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The story immediately begins with a hint of adventure: the attack on a carriage, the collection of the stolen goods, the indignant aristocrats, the usual melodramatic ladies beyond all reasoning, an escape by the bandit, an unexpected encounter that makes the good bandit fear of being discovered, an embarrassing and funny situation...
A series of situations that reminded me a little of the old films, set in 1700, which were so fashionable in the 30s, 40s and 50s (for example the Scarlet Pimpernel TV series or Scaramouche) and this immediately put me in a good mood, because I knew that there would be no dramatic scene, no death among the good people (in this kind of story only villains get the worst, while all good people survive and can live happily, hurray!!!! ).
____ THE CHARACTERS ____
---> Our heroine, Georgiana, is an aristocrat who robs the rich to help poor people. She naturally loves adventure and the thrill of risking being discovered and caught.
She is immediately likable because she is an independent person who, despite the rules of etiquette of the society of the time, has no problem openly saying what she thinks, opposes forced marriages and stands up to an affectionate but very bigoted brother, who wants to impose a husband on her at all costs.
---> Luckily in the story there is also the usual maid/best-friend Emily, 100% trustworthy, who supports Georgiana and helps her to extricate herself from the messes of her double life.
Even the rest of the servants, despite not knowing the secret of the Crimson Cavalier, constitute a reliable staff always ready to obey their mistress' orders.
---> In addition to the over-protective brother with blinders, we naturally also have the spinster cousin who lives in Georgiana's house, to ensure that the life of our young girl, with a bizarre and slightly rebellious character, always proceeds on the right path.
I must say that this character got on my nerves several times and I would have liked her to be thrown out of the house... but then meddlers, the "know it all" ones, are part of life and how could a character like that be missing? His participation was a given.
---> The male counterpart of our heroine... you were expecting it, right? I understand you and I tell you that he is aristocratic, handsome, kind, protective and very intelligent and intuitive.
His name is Mr. Mawell Lakesby and of course the author is very good at making us hope for something romantic throughout the book...
I don't want to lead you to read this book hoping for a romance, I remind you that I defined the book as "cozy mystery" and unfortunately no romance occurs (maybe I should have put a spoiler warning, but I don't want to give false illusions), even though his interest in her is clear.
I also love his sparkling eyes and his veiled smiles and his gallantry, never artificial but always dictated by honesty and attraction for her.
Of course, I hope there will be at least a hint of open courtship in the next book.
___ YOU CAN READ IT AS A STANDALONE __ This book is the first in a series of 3, but it's also readable as a standalone.
I will also read the next ones, when I once again need light, worry-free reading.
___ COZY MYSTERY ___ The cover and the plot already tell us that it is a cozy mystery.
The language is clean, there are no violent scenes, there is no blood, there are no sex scenes and there are no kisses.
----> Overall, the story was always engaging, from the first to the last page, and I was really curious to know who was responsible for the murder.
----> However, the final solution arrived a little too hastily and this, together with the fact that there wasn't even an open courtship on the part of the male co-protagonist towards the female protagonist, reduced my score: this is why I rated it only 3,7 rounded to 4 stars.
___ HISTORICAL SETTING BUT NOT A HISTORICAL READING __ Although it is set at the end of the 18th century, it has no historical references and there are no characters who actually existed. This also reduced a little my score, but as I said the settings with carriages, bandits, guns and parties with ratafia, tea, gloves and fans, give the story a little of suggestiveness making reading enjoyable.
___ CONCLUSION____ : do I recommend it?
Yes, BUT ONLY to those who love COZY MYSTERIES, i.e. LIGHTWEIGHT and CAREFREE WHODUNITS.
I have read some negative reviews, but I think the books should be evaluated in their genre, comparing them with other books of the same genre.
This mystery obviously cannot be compared with other more intense and dramatic historical mysteries or with strong and impressive scenes and with a much more elaborate plot and mystery, it wouldn't make sense!
:-) Thanks for reading my opinion and forgive my English. It's not my language and while it's easier for me to read in English and make sense of it, it's not at all easy to speak and write correctly.
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