Fun British murder mystery. The second book with Mr. Jasperson and Ms. Lane in which they find themselves searching for the murderer of a man who dropped dead on their doorstep. This involves them finding a house full of women who could be witches, a cunning man, and a scholar of witchcraft. When a baby goes missing, the stakes get even higher.

When I started this book I was not aware it was the second in a series, but that is not a problem at all. I assume reading the first will give more details about the characters and their relationship, but I was fine reading the book as if it was a stand alone. The story opens with a stranger coming to the residence of Mr. Jesperson and Ms. Lane. Upon arriving and minimal conversation, the stranger accuses Ms. Lane of being a witch and appears to die of fright. While called a natural death by the coroner, Mr. Jesperson and Ms. Lane feel this is not the case. They seek out the brother of the deceased, Mr. Manning, and are hired to learn the truth about his brother's death. The story takes place in Victorian times in the areas of London and Norfolk. While the characters are cast as the supernatural Holmes and Watson, and there are supernatural aspects, however, they are minimal. I enjoyed the relationship between Jesperson and Lane and I especially liked the spunk in Ms. Lane. She is not going to let the way people believe a single 30ish Victorian lady should act, get in the way of her friendship and partnership with Jesperson. I am giving this book a 3.5 star and rounding up to 4.

This is the second novel in the Jesperson and Lane series and despite the subject area it is a gentle detective romp set at the end of the 19th Century. Similar to the first it verges into mildly “unusual” material as the book goes on. Not a bad series to read, but for me quite unexciting however saying that I do think it has promise.
I will make an effort to read the next in the series.

Fans of historical fiction/urban fantasy, rejoice - Jesperson and Lane are on the case. In this second outing of the private detectives, they find themselves outside London in the quiet of the countryside. Having seen a man die on their front steps, the detectives have gone to look into his last days and try to find out what could have caused his demise. Was it heart failure as the police surgeon ruled, an overdose, or perhaps witchcraft? They must speak with the local vicar and his family, the three sisters residing at Wayside Cross, Felix Ott and his followers in the School of British Wisdom, and various servants and local residents.

The characters of Jesperson and Lane are entertaining and remind me of those in the Jackaby novels. There is the slightly eccentric Jasper Jesperson, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of many subjects including poisons and occult practices. And Miss Lane with her background in the world of psychics and her logical good sense. Together they can look into mysterious deaths in London and around Wayside Cross, research the local shrieking pits, hunt for an abducted baby, and look for clues about the actions of the deceased and those closest to him.

I like the way Jesperson sees Lane as a partner, and not an assistant or underling. He realizes that she has her own strengths and abilities and has no qualms about letting her pursue leads on her own. At the same time, they are both aware of society's views on unmarried men and women working together and make sure to keep the gossips from having any ammunition. Both of them seem much more open-minded than most of the people they encounter.

Anyone who enjoys mystery, and perhaps some magic, mixed in with historical fiction will probably have a grand time with the Jesperson & Lane series.

This sequel gets a 3.5.
Lisa Tuttle created a great team of detectives in Miss Lane and Mr. Jeperson. The two detectives work on unusual cases unafraid to see supernatural causes to crimes. In the second book of their adventures, the two leave London for the country after a man dies in their houses after screaming of witches. On a literal witch hunt, the two investigate a school of "old wisdom" and it's founder and a local healer who both become suspects. But the man's death is not the only strange occurrence linked with the town and the pair must get to the bottom of several strange encounters.
Little time is actually spent on any paranormal activity. While witches, spells and healing are mentioned, there isn't much pay out until the end. Nor does Tuttle continue to explore what power Mr. Jeperson might have.
But I do enjoy that so much time was taken on Miss Lane making a new friend and forming a new relationship though I doubt that Miss Lane's new friend will come up much in the future.
A decent follow up to The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief, The Witch Wayside Cross continues the adventures of Jeprson and Lane but fails to live up to the debut novel.

I received an advanced copy of The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross is the second in the series, following The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief. It’s very difficult to pass up reading books with titles like those! As an added bonus, the cover is absolutely beautiful (what can I say, I’m a sucker for blue and green toned covers). While it is not the first book in the series, the Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross can be read as a standalone book, if you so desire. If you’re looking for a female Sherlock Holmes or a mystery with a fantasy twist, then this is the book for you.

As mentioned above, the main perspective is a woman, and her name is Miss Lane. Her investigation partner is Mr. Jesperson (trust me – the controversy of having an unmarried man and woman working together during that time period is in fact covered). Together they’re trying to unravel the mystery that was dropped at their feet – quite literally in this case.
Following a rather sudden death at their doorstep, Miss Lane and Mr. Jesperson find themselves whisked off to Norfolk, where another death and a kidnapping fully entrench them in the problems at hand.
The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross is a Victorian suspense with a Sherlock feel added to the mix. As with Sherlock, one investigator is by far the leading one, while the other tends to more serenely follow along and appreciate the other’s observations.
At first I assumed that Mr. Jesperson was going to be modeled after Holmes – but I’m less convinced of that now. While they certainly share the same interest, as well as both being very bright (I’d argue Holmes more so however), that’s about all they have in common. In truth I found Mr. Jesperson to be a bit of a flat character on the whole (perhaps it was just the Victorian politeness? But I don’t think so).
Miss Lane is supposedly Mr. Jesperson’s partner in the investigation business they run, but he certainly doesn’t treat her as such. He withholds information and opinions from her, but expects her to share any and all news she receives. I’ll confess that Miss Lane’s passive tone of voice was a bit irritating to me – but perhaps I’m being harsh. It does feel as though her main purpose in the novel was to tell us the story, rather than resolve the mystery herself.
On the whole I think the Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross had a lot of potential. The start to the novel was perfect – it immediately drew me in, the plot was interesting, as were some of the secondary characters. I think with some work I could really have grown to like Miss Lane, and perhaps even Mr. Jesperson. I’ll be curious to see what adventures they get mixed up in next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Hydra for a digital galley of this novel.

3.5 - 4 stars
As I was reading this book I kept wanting the paranormal aspect to show itself. I've read many a spooky historical mystery that had nothing to do with anything paranormal but which felt much more otherworldly than this book. Of course there was that odd situation with the maid who left her job so I suppose that could be considered strange. Hardly seems like enough to hang the paranormal notice board up for, though.

Okay, this is book two in the Jesperson & Lane series. I had not read the first book, you don't really need to. This one is well written from the standpoint of making me want to continue reading and the author definitely didn't style this after any cookie cutter template for a mystery story. The main characters are partners in a private detecting enterprise and are called Mr. Jasper Jesperson and Miss Lane. It took me absolutely forever to find out what Miss Lane's first name is so I will leave that little nugget for you to discover. Scandal on top of scandals, Miss Lane resides in the Jesperson home with mother and son. This is where the office of their firm is located. No conventional Miss is our Miss Lane since not only does she live in a home with a single man she's not related to, but she is also employed and... as a private detective which means she hears and sees all kinds of things no lady should ever be exposed to. Doesn't bother her one bit. A man dies in the front hallway of the Jesperson home and the police rule it a natural death. Well, that won't do, what will our team of detectives do for the next several hundred pages? So that death turns out not to be the first and certainly not the last - all from natural causes. I'm thinking something is going on here. Stir in some witches, some elves, some fairies, a canny man and folk who believe there is more than one religion you can believe in and there you have your paranormal aspect.

I already have the first book in this series on my e-reader so I will certainly read that one some day soon. I will just know not to expect any goosebumps to be traveling up and down my spine as I'm reading it.

Another great read from Lisa Tuttle. I am really enjoying this series. This was an entertaining and well-written read, though I enjoyed book 1 much more. Book 2 split up the protagonists for a good portion of the book, so I missed their banter/interaction. The dialogue among characters was interesting, the characters colorful, and the plot was twisty, with some predictable elements and some unpredictable ones as well. (I may have uttered "I knew it!" or "Twist!" a few times out loud while I was reading)

I thought Miss Lane played a smaller and less interesting role in this book. She does do her own research independent of her partner, Mr. Jesperson, but it seemed that he was always the one holding all the cards in the end, and generally did not share any information with her. I know I would have been very annoyed had he been my partner and withheld so much information from me.
If he is Holmes and she is Watson, I guess this would make sense, but in book 1, Miss Lane seemed a much more equal partner (not just a chronicler of Mr. Jesperson's mental gymnastics). Also, I found it odd that there was zero reference to what Miss Lane had learned about herself and her "ability" at the end of book 1. I thought perhaps there might be some mention of it - how could there not be any curiosity about it? - but there wasn't. I also thought the book ended much too abruptly. The second the murderer was named and the crime solved, the book ended. There was no wrap-up of personal matters, closing comments from the protagonists, or ramp-up of the next mystery. I felt like I'd had a long, delicious dinner, then abruptly got booted out of the restaurant with no dessert or time to savor the lovely meal I had just consumed. I would have loved even a couple pages to wind down.

When a hysterical man tumbles through the door of Jasper Jessperson’s home, pointing a finger at Miss Lane and proclaiming, “witch,” it would have been fuel enough to set them to investigate. However, after discovering the identity of the fallen man as Charles Manning and locating the brother of the poor man, they are hired to find out who, in fact, poisoned him. Was it really a witch or just the normal darkness that often surfaces when men come to face over a woman?

Tuttle’s Jessperson and Lane series is rather unique as she enjoys putting a paranormal or fantasy touch into her stories. Though the hook here is witchcraft it is not what you would expect and she weaves in the natural practices of the wiccan within the plot. The real surprise comes at the end and leaves you with a wistful wondering of folklore and fairytales of old. At the heart of this sophomore offering is a good, old-fashioned mystery. Many of the characters are dark and brooding. Just what you would expect in a good Victorian mystery. Tuttle’s descriptions of landscape and surroundings will have you curling up with a warm wrap and a hot cup of tea. The following ISBN reference is for the ebook. It seems they will not be offering it in print. I hope I’m wrong about this as I feel it would find a bigger audience in print.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for approving the Advanced Reader’s Copy for my honest review.

A very good and entertaining read! I highly recommend this book!

I found while the description of this book to be very interesting, i found the book itself boring and difficult to get through. Sadly this book was not my cup of tea and did not enjoy reading it.

A Victorian Historical Mystery! Jesperson and Ms. Lane have just solved their first case as investigators and the second case literally falls in their doorway!

Off to find the truth about their mysterious visitor, they find themselves embroiled in not just one death but two. It seems another man has also died mysteriously and they set out to see if the two are connected.

This second book in the series had a little bit of everything. History, Religions, Superstitions, Fairies and Witches!

I quite enjoyed this second book as well as the first and hope the duo continues!

Ms. Tuttle has written many books and short stories within the fantasy field. Her first novel, Windhaven, was written in collaboration with George R.R. Martin.

Netgalley/Hydra/Random House   Release November 28, 2017

3.5 stars. I have to honestly say I am not sure what I feel, in its entirety. The book started of very curious but I had a hard time with the chemistry and personality of the main characters. I an not sure if it would have made more sense if I was to read the other book in the series first to get a better understanding of Jesperson and Lane. The writing in this book and the mystery in this book was a fun read and a surprise though. Thank you NetGalley and Lisa Tuttle for allowing me to read this ARC and give a honest review.

When I downloaded the book I didn't realise that it was the 2nd in a series but I don't really think you need to read the first to follow the plot.
I enjoyed reading the book although it took me slightly longer than usual as I found my attention wandering at times. I will go back and read the first as it was well written and historically accurate. A strong 3 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy in return for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book.
On one side it is historically accurate, well written and the plot is interesting and full of twists and red herrings to keep entertained. On the other side the two main characters seems a bit flat, sometimes out of context.
I will surely read the next novels in this series

I have mixed feelings about the latest book by award-winning author Lisa Tuttle; The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross. Since it is the second book in the Jesperson and Lane series, following The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief, I understandably had a little trouble getting into the book. This lack of access was compounded by the fact that as the reader, I was immediately thrown into the action. I found it difficult to determine what I didn’t know, but would eventually discover as the mystery unfolded, and what I what I didn’t know because I hadn’t read the first book. This can be a problem when entering any series midway, but I had more trouble during the first and second chapters of this novel than I have had with other series.

Once I got past the first couple of chapters, I felt that the story moved along at a good clip, the mystery was distinctive and not easy to solve, and the secondary characters were well developed and interesting.
Character definition lead to the second problem I had with the novel, though. I felt like I knew the background characters much better than the primary characters, and the things I knew about the lead characters didn’t ring true. Jesperson, the lead male character, should have had no particular problems working with a woman, since his partner Lane is female. Yet he seemed to hold information back, even purposely keeping her in the dark, which at times hindered their murder investigation. Similarly, why would Lane, a woman who supposedly want to make her own way in the world, put up with Jesperson’s behavior?

Overall, the books was okay
Two out of five stars.

The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross
Publisher: Hydra (November 28, 2017)
Publication Date: November 28, 2017
Sold by: Random House LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01N43CEFZ

I received a complimentary copy a courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley.

4 stars

Mr. Jasper Jesperson and Miss Lane are stunned when responding to the door at 2 a.m. a man enters and drops dead at the foot of the stairs after pointing at Miss Lane and crying out, “Witch!” The dead man’s name is Charles Manning.

They go to the home that Charles previously shared with his brother Alexander. There they learn that Charles came under the spell of a man named Felix Ott who ran the School of British Wisdom. Ott has some oddball ideas about philosophy and the occult. Alexander hires them to look into his brother’s death and his beliefs.

Jesperson and Lane travel to Aylmerton and Cromer in Norfolk where the infamous School is located. On their journey, they speak to a cart driver who tells them of the “shrieking pits,” supposedly the old huts of long ago inhabitants. The legends about them go back generations.

At the vicarage, the Reverend Dr. Ringer tells them that Charles did stay at the rectory and also tells them that there have been three unexplained deaths in the parish. For such a small village, this news seems incredible. Reverend Ringer is very much against the superstitious beliefs of Charles.

Miss Lane goes to a house near the vicarage to visit the Bulstrode sisters, one of whom is purported to be courting Charles and another who is supposed to be a witch. She wishes to inform them of the death and learn whatever more she can about Charles and his life. She is surprised to learn that they already know about Charles’ death.

They investigate the mysterious death of another of Mr. Ott’s associates. As they go about the investigations, Miss Lane has the uneasy feeling that she is being watched, and strange occurrences take place. Then the housemaid Maria’s baby daughter goes missing the suspense and tension in the novel increases. Mr. Jesperson and Miss Lane desperately look for the baby and seek clues as to its whereabouts. Maria goes missing herself.

Ms. Tuttle craftily sneaks in some truths about society and their attitudes. The negative Victorian attitudes toward women and the relationships assumed between women and men. Women are fragile and whose sensibilities must be protected from the harsher realities of the real world. Women need not be taken seriously, or even listened to when they speak. The household staff is treated as though they weren’t there at all except to wait on “their betters.”

This novel is very well written and plotted. The suspense started out immediately and continued, although somewhat languidly, throughout the book. This is my first Lisa Tuttle book, but I’ll most definitely look into her other books on Amazon. I truly enjoyed reading the book and look forward to reading more.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Hydra/Hydra for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book to read and enjoy.

The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross is the second in the Jesperson & Lane series. The first in the series (The Curious Case of the Somnambulist & the Psychic Thief reviewed here) had a great set-up, and I remember being pleased and expectant as I read the first few pages, but ended up being terribly disappointed. "Maybe," I thought, "the next one will be better. The author will have a sense of direction and the characters will emerge as more than pawns."

Alas, not so. Once again, an interesting beginning full of all kinds of possibilities and intriguing characters. Once again, a failure to take advantage of what worked and instead taking a ridiculous direction that seemed almost a spur-of-the-moment inclusion.

Jesperson (who has a positive nimbus of red hair--?) is controlling, holding back information and failing to keep Lane fully apprised of his theories or knowledge. In spite of Lane being named as a partner in this psychic detective agency, the truth is that her purpose is largely to give a first person account of the cases they encounter. Rather than a partner as indicated on the calling card--Lane is a sort of attendant, in spite of her role while staying at Wayside Cross.

The best characters in the book, the ones with such potential, are the three sisters at Wayside Cross, but rather than take advantage of all of interesting possibilities the sisters presented, by the end of the book, the sisters have been reduced to a pedestrian role.

P.S. It seems that the reviews on Goodreads are quite positive. Well, we all have different opinions about the books we read.

Read in August; blog review scheduled for Nov. 4.

NetGalley/Random House

Mystery/Supernatural. Nov. 28, 2017.

This was a fun read! I will definitely be going back and looking for book one in this series. I found the ending slightly confusing but overall it was a solid story and I flew through the pages.

I love this series. Historically accurate, strong female.protagonist, platonic male and female.working relationship and a mystery that's actually a mystery. I love how this story weaves in the mystical so that it seems normal, not fantastic. This is more of a literary, historical mystery than a cozy, but fans of either genre will be satisfied.