Death in Hyde Park (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 10)

This tenth book in the Kate and Charles Sheridan series deals with the problem of terrorists (or anarchists as they were called then) in England. Apparently in 1902, during the reign of Edward VII, there was fear of this type of violent action. England has just retreated from the Boer War, and they find that their "Jolly Old" is full of foreigners, and surely some of those foreigners must be dangerous! This book is not a mystery story at all. The only death is an accident when a bomb actually blows up the person who was carrying it. It appeared that the bomb was meant for the King and Queen on his Coronation Day. Charles is asked by his King to find out if there is a real anarchist threat, or whether or not this was an isolated incident. The characters are pretty good, and Kate and Charles are delightful as always. Also the writing team of Bill and Susan Albert (pseudonymously knows as Robin Paige) have done their homework. They do a good job of providing enough historical detail, and actual historical people (in this case the American author Jack London), to make the story interesting. This wasn't a bad effort in my mind.

The husband and wife team who write under the pen name of Robin Paige are making wide inroads into the period thriller field. What a prolific pair - the duo have penned more than 60 books for young adults and she (Susan Wittig Albert) is also the author of the China Bayles mysteries. Their last Victorian mystery, Glamis Castle, ranked high with readers, and "Death In Hyde Park" will undoubtedly do the same as the writers deftly explore turn-of-the-century methods of crime detection and create intriguing fictional characters who mix with actual persons of that time - in this case, Jack London. The year is 1902 when Prince Albert is due to replace the exalted Queen Victoria on the throne to become King Edward VII. Just as it rains on many parades, there was a damp chilly rain falling on Coronation Day. However, there's more than inclement weather to mar what was meant to be a celebration. An anarchist, Yuri Messenko, believed that "Assassination was a moral response to the immoral institutions and governments that spawned" what he perceived as horrors. Further, he was desperately in love with the very mysterious Charlotte Conway, editor of the newspaper where he is employed. Thus, for these two reasons he intended to send the newly crowned king to his heavenly reward by detonating a bomb. However, Yuri was an inept assassin - he tripped, fell on his satchel, and blew himself into pieces. Suspecting that there was more than one involved in the attempt on his life the new King asks his friends, Lord Charles Sheridan and his wife, Kate, to investigate. The Sheridans unearth many clues, all of which lead them in different directions. Their investigation takes a more intriguing turn when the beautiful Charlotte turns up in their home. She has been romantically involved not with Yuri but with American writer Jack London. As always the Sheridans do manage to unravel this tangled mystery and emerge unscathed. For those who take their mysteries with dashes of period drama "Death In Hyde Park" should be on their list of must-reads. - Gail Cooke