A Fatal Waltz

This is the second Tasha Alexander murder mystery I've read. The first was DEATH IN THE FLOATING CITY (Venice). I like reading her books set in famous cities that I have visited because she makes the cities and the their histories an important character in the novels. She also usually presents several female characters in varying stages of personal development during a certain period of history. Her recurring main character is almost too advanced in her thinking and behavior for the period of the novels. The books are interesting and hold your attention. I am now waiting to receive and read IN THE SHADOW OF VESUVIUS. I recommend A FATAL WALTZ (Vienna).

As I read each of the delightful books in Tasha Alexander's series featuring Lady Emily Ashton, I can't decide which character I would most like to be: the spirited and intellectual Margaret, the regal and self-assured Cecile, or the gracious and lovely Ivy. However, I always go back to the leading lady, Emily. In A Fatal Waltz, the third book featuring my favorite 19th-century English sleuth (sorry, Holmes, old chap), we find Emily right where we want her--with intrigue swirling around her. I dove into this book fully anticipating Lady Emily to be at the top of her game as a forward-thinking woman testing the boundaries of elite society, to the cheers of some and the horror of others. But a new character leaves Emily reduced to little more than stammers--a beautiful, worldly, sophisticated countess who is close to the affairs surrounding this new mystery . . . and perhaps too close to Emily's fiance, Colin Hargreaves. The clues uncovered take Emily from the desolate moors of the English countryside, to London's Berkeley Square, to artists' studios in wintry Vienna. Alexander's descriptions of these places are spot-on, and readers will be equally drawn in by this mental time travel as by her superb storytelling.

This is Lady Emily Ashton's best adventure yet. Things get rather dangerous for our fair heroine and it takes a while to figure out "whodunit," which is always a plus. Best of all there is a wonderful subplot when Emily discovers a rival for her fiance's affections. A very satisfying read, well written, charming and suspenseful with excellent depth of character development. I read it in one sitting and went back to re-read parts of the book which I rarely do with this genre. I am looking forward to the next installment of this delightful series of books.

I could not be more pleased that Tasha Alexander is the kind of prolific author who comes out with one book a year seeing as her Lady Emily mystery series is just soooo good that waiting any longer for the next installment would be simply intolerable. To answer the obvious question-yes that means this novel, the third in the series aptly titled "A Fatal Waltz" is just as good, if not better than its predecessors. And far more dangerous... We join Lady Emily Ashton for a shooting weekend at the hideously decorated country estate of Lord Fortescue, one of the most powerful men in England who has taken a great dislike to Emily because of her pursuit of the scholarly arts and her engagement to Colin Hargreaves, who often investigates matters for the Empire that demand a certain amount of discretion (in other words, he's a beautiful spy). The terrible man has decided to make the party hideously uncomfortable for Emily by pointing out one of the guests, a beautiful Austrian countess, was once involved with Colin in a way that no fiancé could be happy about. But Emily's distress over the Countess is put on hold when Fortescue is found murdered and out of all the people in the party it is Robert Brandon, Emily's best friends Ivy's husband, who is charged with the crime because of a rather public argument with his political mentor, Fortescue. Charged by Robert to find proof of a warning of a plot for the Lord's death sent from Vienna to the departed Lord shortly before his death Emily, Cecil Du Lac and Jeremy Sheffield Duke of Bainbridge head to Vienna to find out what they can to help Brandon, where they are shortly joined by Colin. But help is lacking from the Countess, who wants Colin back, and so Lady Emily soon finds herself dealing with anarchists and uncovering plots to send England to war with Austria and Germany-and all the while a man (also at the shooting party) stalks Emily through the snowy streets of Venice, reminding her with bullets in her rooms, pockets and purses that neither she nor Colin are safe in the course they peruse... As Emily delves deeper into the underworld of Viennese society and the complex word of political spying and manipulations she comes to realize what Colin's job really entails-and how dangerous-and invaluable- the work he does truly is. Can Emily, amateur as she is, find a way to exonerate Robert? Can she do so without putting herself or Coin in mortal danger? Can she unwind the mysterious web of suicides and ancient scandals which seem to have led to the Lord's death while trying to thwart a plot to plunge the world into war? And can she accomplish all of this while dodging Bainbridge's obviously growing feelings for her without losing his friendship? Well, if this Mary Elizabeth Braddon reading, Worth wearing, port drinking, crime solving lady of society can't do it then there is no hope for the world at all. Lady Emily is one of the most original, charming and fascinating characters I have come across in age

I have adored Alexander's two previous novels in this series. Each book has been even better than the one before and A Fatal Waltz is no exception. I devoured this book in two sittings--could not put it down. Alexander once again transports us back in time, with vivid images of Victorian England. Emily and Colin sparkle on the page, as does her nearly perfect-pitch prose! I cannot recommend A Fatal Waltz highly enough!

This is the third in the Lady Emily Ashton series and it's my favorite yet. I won't give any spoilers, but the ending is SO perfect that I cried and smiled at the same time. Alexander brings back my favorite characters from the previous books and deepens Emily and Colin's characters and relationship by bringing in new characters from Colin's past and providing us with some devilish new antagonists. And, as always, I learned more about the customs of the period and the clothing and housing details are great fun. Absolutely my favorite of the series so far!