Book Review: ‘Portrait Of Peril: A Victorian Mystery’ By Laura Joh Rowland

The fifth book in author Laura Joh Rowlands Victorian Mystery series is all action. It starts off fast and never lets up. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite series of books. The trio of Sarah, Hugh and Mick are some of the best written characters in books.

It’s 1890 and for Sarah and Barrett it’s finally their wedding day. And just as their pronounced man and wife, a woman runs in and says there’s been a murder. It fits the day they think. As Sarah, Hugh, Mick and Barrett go to investigate, Sarah says she knows the victim Charles Firth. He sold her the first camera she bought ten years ago. They start the investigation of who might have murdered him. Some people think the church where he was killed is haunted and he was killed by a ghost. Of course Sarah and the crew don’t believe it. They soon learn there are a lot of potential suspects. And then another murder takes place that could be tied to this one and Mick is arrested and charged with it (he is innocent). Now Sarah has days to figure out who did it and it soon leads to a shocking climax.

Other story develoments as well include Sarah and her sister trying to find evidence that her father is innocent of a murder from 24 years ago, having to deal with her new mother-in-law and threats from Reid. And a shocking ending sets up the next book.

You can pick up Portrait Of Peril in stores Tuesday, January 12th from Crooked Lane.