Victorian mystery / romance—the Scotland Yard Detective and a Woman of Independent Means!
The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen
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I so enjoyed this! Amelie Hampton is a columnist for the Marriage Gazette, a respectable Lonely Hearts publication that introduces perspective couples. Amelie is keen to see how two people she’s put together might hit it off. So, against all the Gazette rules, she decides to observe their meeting. Imagine her surprise when the man turns out to be not the Mr. Dashing he’d presented himself as, but Mr. Radcliffe, the handsome widower who attended her book club, whose presence turns her knees to jelly and her thoughts to mush. When asked about this, Mr. Radcliffe gives Amelie a host of smooth and plausible answers to cover his subterfuge, at least to Amelie’s ears—but not for at least one of her cousins.
Detective Michael Baker notices the young woman standing outside the restaurant in the rain, for at least thirty minutes, spying on the couple. He’s here because he believes the solicitor, Harold Radcliffe may have killed his wife. He’s gathering proof. Intrigued, Michael follows Amelie to question her which turns into something not quite that simple.
After a rocky beginning Michael manages to persuade Amelie to take him to the next book club event to meet Radcliffe socially, as her guest. The book club features a host of interesting characters, including two rather risqué elderly sisters.
Somehow Michael finds himself deputising Amelie and her cousins. This is all rather hilarious as Detective Baker’s world is turned on it’s head—and much to her dismay so is Amelia’s. Amelie is absolutely committed to being a working woman, a Woman of Independent Means.
I love the depth of characterisation that Allen brings to her leads. Both Detective Baker and Amelie Hampton are well rounded, and as the plot progresses we learn so much more about them. They are alive and engaging. Similar growth happens with the secondary characters.
We watch Detective Baker’s relationship with his new partner, Detective Nathaniel Winston develop, the small moments of them becoming a team. Michael’s former partner had not only been his long time friend, but also his brother-in-law. He’d been killed in pursuit of criminal. Michael is still grieving. And now a new partner. This is a huge step! How to move forward and trust someone you don’t know. Allen really capture Michael’s hesitancy. Nathaniel slowly wins Michael’s appreciation—and he wins me!
Murder and nefarious doings lead to a highly charged last few chapters. Taut plot formation pushes the action along.
A rather unexpected Victorian romance mystery that well and truly delivered.
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