Dance with Death by Will Thomas ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Dance with Death is book 12 in the Barker and Llewelyn mystery series. I've not read any books in the series and I don't think it is actually necessary to start with book 1. While I'm not sure I'm a fan of Victorian mysteries, I really liked the characters of Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

April 2021; Minotaur Books; 978-1250624772
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); mystery

Nicholas, heir to the Russian throne (the Romanov who will be executed with his family during the Russian Revolution), is in London for the wedding of Prince George and Mary of Teck. Nicholas is young and full of himself. He has a mistress and is easily bored. Queen Victoria is also playing matchmaker with his life. Jim Hercules, a Black American in the employ of the Russian Royal Family as a personal guard. has learned an assassin has been hired to kill Nicholas. Jim alone can't protect him and he does not trust anyone in the Russian delegation to care if Nicholas is killed (he is seen as a silly boy standing in the way of their own power). So he hired Barker and Llewelyn, private enquiry agents, to find the assassin and foil the plot.

The mystery didn't really interest me. Though the twist at the end did pique my interest. It was really the characters that kept me reading.

Barker is a complex character. He has a gruff exterior but he is a real softy inside. He is always helping people, though he doesn't make it seem like charity. Thomas, though, was my favorite. The story is told from his point of view. He is a fun character. He is inquisitive and knowledgeable. I love his relationship with his wife Rebecca. It is a very small part of the story but their moments together are memorable. I want to go back and read previous books in the series just to see their relationship progress to this point. It is also the main reason why I would read another book in this series. The twist at the end has an impact on their relationship and I want to see how it plays out.

Definitely, if you love Victorian mysteries, then this book is one you should read. The writing was great. I felt like I was on the streets of London. The climax of the story was exciting and fast-paced. I was as shocked and appalled as Thomas at a particular event. I don't want to spoil anything so I'm being vague, but I want to point out that the writing led me to be invested in the characters and I could feel their reactions as if they were my own.

Buy Dance with Death at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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