Sick of Shadows

I wanted to add a few quick points since other reviewers have so succinctly covered the gist of the book. This "mystery-lite" series, set in Edwardian England, while not the most enthralling, mystery wise, is above par in characterizations, fun dialog and giving the reader the ambiance of the period the stories take place in. I read the first three books back to back: first-Snobbery With Violence, second-Hasty Death, and third-Sick of Shadows-and I do recommend the reader read the books in order so they can follow the flow of Rose, Harry and crews adventures and misadventures. I am an avid reader of Miss Chesney's Regency Romances and I can honestly say that this series is just as entertaining. Chesney is well known for her intriguing bits of info about the period the book is set in and it is here as well. I learned so much about the social customs, beliefs, superstitions and slang of the period. I would suggest this series of any fan of period fiction who is looking for something a bit lighter and more funny than say The Historian, LOL. There is enough mystery to satisfy your average mystery fan, though mystery purists may feel unfulfilled. There is a fun and sweet side story of Romance that continues throughout and read the series if for no other reason than Rose's Ladies maid and companion-the hilarious Daisy! I hope Miss Chesney writes more in this charming series-5 stars. As to book three-of the three first books in this series, this one I liked the least. There were parts of the storyline I just wanted to strangle the two leads, Rose and Harry, for their thickheaded behovior towards each other and like another reviewer said, I do hope Miss Chesney quickly marries them so the storyline can evolve to bigger and better things. That being said, I still think the series is very good and I'm about to start book four and I hope for more in this series in the future.

This is the third in a series of murder mysteries set in Britain in the first decade of the 20th century featuring Captain Harry Cathcart and Lady Rose Summer. To date there are four books in the series, which are Snobbery with Violence Hasty Death Sick of Shadows Our Lady of Pain The author writes romantic fiction, mostly humorous regency romances plus one or two set in the Edwardian period, under the name Marion Chesney; and also writes mystery/detective stories such as the Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth series under the name M.C. Beaton. This Edwardian series is a something of a cross-over between the two - part romance and part murder mystery - and the books often have both names on the cover (usually something like "M.C. Beaton writing as Marion Chesney.) At the start of this third book, Lady Rose Summer is engaged to Captain Harry Cathcart. They agreed an engagement to prevent her parents, the Earl and Countess of Hadfield, shipping Lady Rose out to India to find a husband. Neither has admitted even to themselves that they actually have feelings for each other. Lady Rose has arranged to meet Dolly Tremaine, the latest beautiful debutate to mesmerise London society, but finds her murdered, with Dolly's body laid out as a horrible parody of the painting "The Lady of Shallott." Despite the fact that fierce arguments between them cause their engagement to be broken off, Lady Rose and Captain Cathcart must work together again to find out who murdered Dolly. Meanwhile they have to deal with a pair of noble blackmailers and with wicked society gossips ..... The main characters in the series are: Captain Harry Cathcart, younger son of a Baron, has left the army after being injured in the Boer war. At the start of the first book in the series he carried out a service for Lady Rose's father for which he gained a reputation as a fixer, and by the time of this third book he is successfully running a business as the Edwardian equivalent of a Private Investigator - though this makes some members of "Society" look down on him as being "in trade." Lady Rose Summer, only daughter of the Earl and Countess of Hadfield - slightly notorious as having briefly been involved with suffragettes. Chafes at the fact that society will not allow her a useful role, and constantly looking for something more challenging to do - fom working as a typist for a bank to helping the police solve murders. Beckett - Harry's valet: in love with Daisy Daisy - Lady Rose's companion. A former chorus girl, but when Captain Cathcart recruited her to play the role of a maid with a contagious disease as one of the escapades in the first book, Lady Rose recruited her to do the job for real. Later Lady Rose promoted her from Maid to Companion. In love with Becket. Detective Superintendent Kerridge - a senior policeman of humble origins and carefully supressed radical views, reinforced by the fact that whenever he has to interview an aristocrat they always threaten to report

I'm not a big fan of this series, but since the books are small and breezy, I wanted to finish them. Sick of Shadows is my favorite in the series. Or, perhaps more accurately, it was the book I disliked the least. Here's why: *I liked that Rose and Daisy got to spend some time in the country with a new family. It did wonders for Rose's humanity. *Harry and Rose are finally taking steps to forming a real friendship and admiration. *The tone was a little more fast-paced which made for a better, more tightly written mystery. I found myself actually caring whodunit and that wasn't so for the previous books. *Harry's new Secretary, Ailsa. Who can't love a character like her? Even while gin soaked, she still manages to fend off bad guys with a gun. Love her.

Other reviewers wrote great reviews telling the plot, etc. So I won't do that. Instead, I'm writing this review to let you know whether or not the book is worth your hard-earned cash. In my opinion, Sick of Shadows is a worthy purchase. These are the reasons that I liked Sick of Shadows: 1) The prose is "light" and easy to read. Its simplicity is actually charming. 2) There are no explicit sex scenes. 3) I enjoy the banter among the characters. 4) I enjoy the TV-script-like plights and miscommunications (reminds you of the "trouble" that "Lucy" would get into). Why I withheld one star. I do not like historically incorrect details specifically modern attitudes ascribed to Edwardian characters (in this case--the main characters semi-accepting homosexual proclivity as acceptable behavior which was not the case in Edwardian times). The books in this Edwardian mystery series by Marion Chesney are delightful to read. I read all three published to date and look forward to additional stories in the future. If you haven't read the first two books in this series, I recommend that you do so, in order for you to really get to know the characters, although Sick of Shadows is fine as a stand alone book. Again, this review is to let you know about the book itself and its entertainment value to me. Thank you and hope you enjoy this book as well.

Her father is an earl so Lady Rose is firmly ensconced in polite society, a situation she abhors because women have no freedom and are passed from their father to their husband. Lady Rose circumvents the system by arranging a pretend engagement with Captain Harry Cathcart so her parents won't try to find suitors for her or send her to India for a husband. One night at a ball, Lady Rose meets country girl Dolly Tremaine who seems miserable. Dolly hates the city and wants to return to the country but her socially ambitious parents want her to find a wealthy aristocratic husband. Feeling sorry for the girl, Rose arranges to meet her in Hyde Park but when she goes to the place they were supposed to meet, she finds Dolly knifed to death. Believing that Dolly confided in her and she has an idea who killed her, someone tries to kill Lady Rose. When the assassin is killed, they find out he was hired by someone to murder Rose which means her life is still in danger. Marion Chesney, author of the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series under the pseudonym M.C. Beaton, has written an entertaining and charming tale. Rose is not the typical aristocrat but a woman who sees the class divisions and tries to help the poor. She refuses to let the restrictions her parents impose on her get in the way of doing what she really wants. The romance between Lady Rose and the captain is funny because both constantly misunderstand the other and that gets in the way of the feelings that are growing between them. SICK OF SHADOWS is a fantastic Edwardian amateur sleuth mystery. Harriet Klausner