Customer Reviews

Death at Devil's Bridge

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This is the fourth in a series of period mysteries written by a husband and wife team under a pseudonym. The books are well-written and well-researched, replete with period detail evocative of a bygone era. The main characters are engaging, and with each passing book, the reader becomes more fully engaged with their lives. As with all cozy mysteries, it is not so much the mystery that is of import but the characters that revolve around the mystery. While the mystery is intriguing, it is simply the framework around which the characters evolve.

The series now revolves around Lady Kathryn and her husband, Sir Charles Sheridan. Newly married, the inquisitive duo are now living in Kathryn's ancestral home at Bishop's Keep. When they agree to host an automobile exhibit and race with a hot air balloon show, attended by those most involved in the burgeoning auto industry, little do they know that murder and mayhem will soon follow.

When Sir Charles, an amateur scientist and heralded photographer, joins forces with his wife, Kathryn, an author of mysteries, they manage to unravel the secret of the death at Devil's Bridge, using their combined talents. Together, they are a formidable investigatory team, indeed.

It is of interest that these books always seem to include a historical personages or event that is intertwined into the mystery at hand. The historical notes at the end of the book are most enjoyable, as they allow the reader to understand the reasoning and research that went into such inclusion. In this case, they provide a lot of information about the early auto industry and those who were pivotal to its future success. For those who enjoy history, these end notes are an added bonus to these books. Those who enjoy the historical cozy mystery genre will definitely love this series.

Lady Kathryn and her husband team up to solve a mysterious death during an autocar and balloon race that began on their estate. While Sir Charles experiments with the novel theory of fingerprints to help determine the culprit, Lady Kathryn uses her observations of human nature and knowledge of the local village people to help solve the crime. This is an interesting step back into a supposedly simpler time; we are even in on the meeting of Mr. Rolls and Mr. Royce, who later team up so well to market the motorcar which combined their two names. A murder in a historical setting is still a murder, and the truth is exposed cleverly by Lady Kathryn and her very scientific husband. The story is also enlivened by Sir Charles' experience as a balloonist and Lady Kathryn's wild drive in an early model of a Peugeot. And, of course, there is also a local village woman, descendant of a witch who supposedly could fly, who develops her own flying ointment which is part of the resolution to this engaging mystery.

I really enjoy Robin Paige and his Victorian series, but I found that this book wasn't as good as the previous ones in the series. We get a good look at ballooning and automotive enthusiasts from the late Victorian era, and that part is fun. The way Mr. Paige mixes historical with fiction is a treat. I just found that the mystery wasn't very gripping. Kate and Charles are an engaging couple. We get a good look at early forensics, and some of the problems that were encountered when trying to introduce this fledging science into a court room. But I found the ending kind of left me hanging. There was no clear resolution. Hoping for better things with the next book in the series.

The advent of the motorcar in Victorian England did not easily gain acceptance, especially in the small towns where the people warily suspect dramatic change. In Dedham Vale, tempers flare between the two opposing groups when Kate and Sir Charles Sheridan agree to host an automobile exhibit and a car race combined with a hot air balloon chase. One of the locals recently died on the road when a motorcar sped by, apparently frightening him to death. The local squire leads many of the townsfolk in an attempt to stop the event.

Although the balloon lands safely in an irate farmer's plot, none of the four motorcars arrive at the landing site. One of the drivers who was in a fatal crash, says, with his last breath, that this was no accident but an act of deliberate sabotage. Kate and Charles, who met, courted, and wed during different shared investigations, seek the murdering saboteur before anyone else loses their life.

Robin Paige's Victorian mystery series is a very good, well researched novel that allows readers to glimpse a page out of history. DEATH AT DEVIL'S BRIDGE captures the atmosphere of tension and fear of the unknown due to a major technological advancement. The sense of romance blended into the fascinating who-done-it enables readers to be charmed by the married couple, who adoringly love each other even as they and the audience are challenged by a very difficult mystery. This novel, as well as the rest of the collection, will be enjoyed by anyone who loves a detailed historical mystery filled with action and intrigue.

Harriet Klausner