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Jul 25, 2020phyllis94941 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I really liked this entertaining and very readable historical novel about a young woman who takes advantage of an opportunity in Victorian London that enables her to improve her lot. Similar to a Dickens plot, the reader is carried along as Bella finds herself moving down and up the class stratification, making connections that prove fortuitous as the story develops, and having to keep the secret of her true identity. While it is a murder mystery, you'll have to wait for it as the murder takes place in the last third of the book. I have read a few Rhys Bowen novels, and this well-researched stand-alone is the best one yet, with a satisfying story, a strong female protagonist, incredible period details, and well-plotted intrigue.