For Lucy Campion, a seventeenth-century English chambermaid
serving in the household of the local magistrate, life is an endless repetition
of polishing pewter, emptying chamber pots, and dealing with other household
chores until a fellow servant is ruthlessly killed, and someone close to Lucy
falls under suspicion. Lucy can’t believe it, but in a time where the accused
are presumed guilty until proven innocent, lawyers aren’t permitted to defend
their clients, and—if the plague doesn't kill the suspect first—public
executions draw a large crowd of spectators, Lucy knows she may never find out
what really happened. Unless, that is, she can uncover the truth herself.
Determined to do just that, Lucy finds herself venturing out of her expected
station and into raucous printers’ shops, secretive gypsy camps, the foul
streets of London, and even the bowels of Newgate prison on a trail that might
lead her straight into the arms of the killer.
In her debut novel Murder at Rosamund's Gate, Susanna Calkins seamlessly
blends historical detail, romance, and mystery in a moving and highly
entertaining tale.
*********************************************************
Lucy
Campion is a chambermaid for the Magistrate in London. She becomes a bit of an
amateur sleuth when her brother Will is falsely accused of a servant’s murder.
Or when her brother is falsely accused of a murder, she becomes a bit of an
amateur sleuth. One of the things I enjoy about reading historical fiction
is the history in the story. The author, Susanna Calkins, does a nice job of
painting a virtual picture of London in the 17th century and the
constant struggle of women and station/class.
Trying to legally free someone of a crime without any prior
law experience is one thing, but doing so as a young woman and especially as a
servant, made Lucy very brave and ambitious in my eyes.
I loved her strong spirit and determination. Though for all
her smarts, she tended to have some moments where her choices were questionable
and not all that smart. With a killer on the loose murdering women, I thought
she could have been a little more careful than she was.
All in all, A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate was an
entertaining story with a mystery that wasn’t very obvious to solve and a
little romance thrown in to make things a little more interesting. Readers who
enjoy historical fiction with a light mystery should check this book out.
Rating: 3 ½ out of 5.
**I received this book from St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur
Books in exchange for nothing, but my honest review.**
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