A Ghastly Catastrophe By Deanna Raybourn

A Ghastly Catastrophe is a fun and entertaining murder mystery that proves that this series is still a great read.

Favourite Quote: 

“I do not like to admit it, but I believe you were correct,” I began. 

Stoker sat very still, his eyes closed. He drew in a deep, steady breath, then expelled it through lightly pursed lips. 

“Whatever are you doing?” I asked. 

“Savouring,” he told me. “I so seldom hear those words that their appearance makes a noteworthy occasion.”

Book Synopsis: 

Veronica and Stoker are practically dying for a new adventure but when their wish is granted, they find themselves up against a secret society and a darkly seductive duo in this landmark historical mystery from beloved New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide, and Veronica and her intrepid beau, Stoker, know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.

Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Roma boy may know more about their first victim, but the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear the secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.

The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted. . . . 

Review:

I love this series. It continues to grab my attention and keep me entertained from the first book to this latest installment. I have also found myself enjoying these past couple of books even more because of the shift in Veronica and Stoker’s relationship. For the bulk of the series, these two were colleagues/friends with benefits, but there has always been this emotional wall between them that has stopped them from being anything more. A few books ago, that wall was destroyed, and they became true lovers and are now in an exclusive relationship with one another. This has made the banter/dialogue between these two fun, flirty, and delicious. They have always had that chemistry, but now it’s like it’s been turned up, and it just makes the story that much better. Now, this is not romantic suspense; the romance is a secondary plotline and is lightly woven throughout the story.

One of the great things about this series is that, even ten books in, the mystery elements remain fresh, interesting, and unique. This time, we are diving a bit into the paranormal world. The one victim in this book appears to have had his blood drained by a vampire. The victim’s body was found in a dark and spooky graveyard, and one witness thought he saw a witch present. I liked the paranormal vibes this book was giving off. It was interesting getting to explore the folklore around these legends. The vampire element also added some fun, playful banter between Veronica and Stoker, because Veronica enjoyed winding Stoker up about the possibility that a vampire may actually exist. The mystery element is well thought out, twisty, and exciting. The climax at the end has a couple of unexpected twists and was delightfully fast-paced.

Even though this is the tenth book in the series, you can read it as a standalone. The author does a fabulous job bringing readers up to speed on the character’s backstory. Veronica, Stoker, and all the secondary characters remain wonderful, and every time I read one of the books in this series, it feels like I am hanging out with friends. I love how characters from past books keep appearing. We also get to meet some new secondary characters that I hope we get to spend more time with, especially Julia March and her husband, Nicholas Brishane, who should have their own series.  

A Ghastly Catastrophe is another fun murder mystery by the talented Deanna Raybourn. 

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.