A Perilous Undertaking | Review
The second installment of Veronica Speedwell Mysteries
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell Mysteries #2) by Deanna Raybourn
338 pages | Published by Berkley
The Set Up: Veronica and Stoker were set to lead a scientific expedition, but now find themselves stuck in London. Veronica is approached by a member of the royal family, urging her to save a man who is being wrongly accusing of murder and to find the real killer. As they investigate, Veronica and Stoker find themselves enmeshed with a group of artists and a salacious underground club while they race against the clock to prove a man’s innocence.
Okay, I love this series. I’m only two books in, but I’m ready to make it official. I’m obsessed with these characters and all of their humor and intelligence.
Veronica and Stoker are an amazing duo. There is obviously so much more beneath the surface of their friendship and this slow burn is agonizing but incredible at the same time. They are both so sharp and observant, I’m always amazed by the conclusions they are able to come to with so little to go on. I enjoyed the new characters we met in this installment, and of course the frenemy status they have with the men of Scotland Yard is endlessly amusing.
The book was propulsive, and I felt like the story was a bit darker than the first, but Deanna Raybourn kept the tone light and almost whimsical. Her writing is succinct and clever, and making me a fan of mysteries in a way I never thought I would be. The plot of A Perilous Undertaking was really intriguing, with all its salacious detail. Plus, we can see Veronica and Stoker get closer, which is doubly intriguing to the romance reader in me.
“I have never spoken of it. But someday I might, and if I do, you may be certain it will be with you.”
The first book in this series had a lot of world building to do, and this second book felt a bit more contained, which I liked. As a reader I’m familiar now with these characters, and more emphasis can be placed at the singular mystery at hand. The story was wrapped up nicely, and I have complete faith that any lingering questions at the end will be answered in time.
Clearly, I’m becoming a huge fan of this series and I’ve already picked up book three from the library to start soon!
