This one has a very lovely blend of historical scandals.
The title is everything, with all the mysteries and non stop action.
Also i will be reading on as the end cliffhanger was amazing, that i really enjoy these books and author.
steady pace with a great climax.

Garden of Sins tells the story of Sarah who tries to find the killer of a woman on a train. This is the sixth installment to the Victorian mystery series. I have to say that this was a compelling installment to a fascinating series! I’m the mystery itself was very engaging. I like how Sarah’s past is the focus to this story! Therefore, I recommend this fans of Karen Odden, Tessa Arlen, and Deanna Raybourne!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all opinions are my own. Garden of Sins is the 6th title to feature Sarah Bain Barrett and her "found" family set during the Victorian era. Although the main mystery is a stand-alone, there are numerous references/allusions to events from the first book that aren't fully explained as well as the finish to the mystery involving the murder of Ellen Casey. The main mystery features the death of a woman who was strangled right before a terrible railway accident that Sarah and her husband are involved in. The pair quickly finds themselves immersed in trying to figure out who the woman was and why she was murdered. Their investigation takes them to Cremorne Gardens, a former pleasure garden that has recently re-opened under the management of former circus folks including a dwarf, an acrobat, and a giant known as Hercules. Throw in a connection to the royal family, and the stakes have never been higher for Sarah and her family. Can they solve the mystery in time or will this be the end of them?

Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought the mystery was well done. I really appreciated how the long running mystery around Ellen Casey's murder was wrapped up - I definitely didn't see the ending coming. On the character development front, I'm hopeful that the mistrust between Sarah and Barrett is finally resolved and that we'll get to see more of the old Hugh in future titles. I'm looking forward to see what adventures Sarah and the gang get up to in the next book in the series.

London, November 1890. Crime scene photographer Sarah Bain Barrett faces a perfect storm of events. She and her husband Detective Sergeant Barrett are riding on a train that crashes. While rescuing other passengers, they find a woman who's been strangled to death. Their search for her identity and her killer lead them to Cremorne Gardens, a seedy riverside pleasure park that's a combination carnival, theater, freak show, and museum of oddities. It's among the most challenging cases that Sarah, Barrett, and her friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly have ever undertaken. The suspects include a dwarf, a female acrobat, and a member of the Royal Family. Due to the royal connection, the police commissioner declares the case top-secret. Sarah and company must investigate on the quiet, keeping the suspects, the press, and the public in the dark. That's easier said than done. The investigation is complicated by the injury Hugh sustained during their last case, Mick's romance with a woman who has psychic powers, and Barrett's old flame.

This series continues to be interesting. I've enjoyed the setting, atmosphere and the underlying story arc. The mysteries are interesting, and this one set on the train was one of the better ones so far. I would definitely recommend this to folks that are interested in historical mysteries.

This is the first book by this author. I have read a lot of Victorian mysteries and this one just did not grab me. I found the characters too modern and the story slow. Sadly I did not finish it as I have too many other books to read and not enough time to read something that just didn’t work for me. I received as an ARC and freely give my review.

Esse livro me lembrou de Jack Estripador Rastros de Sangue, e apesar de a Sarah ser muito parecida com a Audrey ela deixa a desejar um pouco na sagacidade.

Logo no começo do livro a Sarah e seu Marido sofrem um acidente de trem, e enquanto ajudam alguns passageiros a saírem do vagão acabam encontrando uma mulher morta.

Nesse meio tempo o Pai da Sarah vai enfrentar um julgamento por homicídio, dpode acabar sendo enforcado.

Sarah precisa provar a inocência do seu Pai, e ajudar o seu marido na investigação do assassinato só trem !!

O livro vai alternar entre as dias investigações e acaba deixando a história bem dinâmica, mas o culpado pelo crime do trem é bem óbvio e a descoberta não foi nada surpreendente, mas os métodos utilizados são sim muito bons !

Agora chocante foi a revelação do culpado pela morte da Ellen, a mulher que o Pai da Sarah está sendo acusado de matar, gente eu não tava esperando por essa revelação não, e confesso que foi bom demais !!

An atmospheric multi-layered historical mystery that was very enjoyable. Although the sixth instalment in series this newest release can be read as a standalone. as i haven't read any of the books and didn't find this a problem

Fans of Laurie King will be thrilled with this Victorian era mystery.

Sarah Barrett is a feminist sleuth, photogher and new wife. Intelligent, not always likeable, stubborn and volital- Sarah follows her intuition and the clues to the bitter end.

This book is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone book.

Garden of Sins – book #6 in Victorian Mysteries series by Laura Joh Rowland is out on 11th January 2022. It is available through major bookstores and booksellers and is published by Crooked Lane Books.

I was able to read and review this book as part of my committment with Netgalley. I am grateful for this opportunity.

As you might remember, I mentioned Garden of Sins in my New Year post as the series centered on my favourite book character. Sarah Bain found her place on my booklist and in my heart from the very first meeting/reading. I enjoyed being on the journey with her and a very colourful bunch of her friends (who became closer than family) and her friend/fiance/husband Detective Sergeant Barrett.

Garden of Sins is deserving continuation of Sarah Bain adventures. This book uncovers and discovers a lot of truths that were left as cliffhangers in the previous installments. Readers get a deeper insight into Sarah’s background and family. We get to see a very passionate and impulsive side of crime scene photographer and her husband. We even get to take sides between husband and wife…

A subway train accident, a murdered women in the ruined carriage, missing American heiress, theatre of freaks and secret nighttime shows are just the props for what Sarah has to endure. Her father’s guild or innocence, bastard of police chief who is constantly on Sarah’s tail, Sarah’s relationship with her father and sister, her doubts about her husband’s fidelity… can drive anyone crazy.

Dark, gloomy, dusty and smokey novel full of interesting multi-layered characters. A level of suspense that keeps twisting and rolling and keeps you hooked till the end. And no, there are no sunny, rainbow happy ends. There are plenty of resolutions though. So you won’t be disappointed. Not a bit.

I enjoyed this 6th book in the series. I highly recommend reading them in order. However, I like all of the main characters (Sarah, Barrett, Hugh, & Mick). I was glad when Barrett finally realized what Jane was. The mystery kept me guessing and I hope someday Reid gets his just desserts.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The title says it all!

So much of peoples’ lives are laid bare, secrets revealed and foul behavior exposed in this sixth title in Rowland’s Victorian Mystery series.
Oh My! What a cliffhanger! Talk about bringing me to my knees! Now if you’ve been following Sarah Bain and Thomas Barrett this episode literally implodes with action, angst, torment and dead bodies.
I scarcely have time to take a breath between page turns.
Sarah Bain—determined, outrageous;Thomas Barrett her detective sergeant husband, a man of integrity; her friends and chosen family/house mates—former street urchin Mick O’Reilly, Lord Hugh Stanton and his valet Fitzmorris. Their inclusion in Sarah’s life are spelt out in previous books.
Sarah is a crime investigator for the Daily World newspaper, a private detective, and a talented photographer.
The huge issue in her life is her father, accused of rape, and on the run for the past years. In her efforts to prove her father innocent Sarah’s followed a trail of breadcrumbs and come in contact with unexpected people, including a half sister, Sally, she never knew she had.
I’v followed her path over five novels. Things are coming to a head. I must admit I really disliked Sarah when I first met her but I’ve come to appreciate her as I’ve seen her strengths and weaknesses. In this section of her life, her story is totally absorbing, even as I cringe at some of the happenings.
The investigation of a death on a train leads to Cremorne Gardens and a rather bizarre case.
Gripping!

A Crooked Lane Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Garden Of Sins is the sixth book in the A Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland.

The story begins with Sarah and her husband, Thomas, riding on the underground on their way to the first day of her father’s trial for murdering a young girl. Suddenly their carriage and others derail, crashing into one another. They are not injured and proceed to enter cars to aid the wounded. They come to a dead woman but quickly learn that she has been strangled.
They assume the victim is American as she had the new Kodak camera, which has not arrived in England yet. They will soon learn that she was a Pinkerton agent and was tailing a wealthy American heiress. When Sarah gets the film from the camera developed, she and Barrett are shocked to see that one of the pictures is of His Highness Prince Edward, and the pictures had been taken at Cremorne Gardens. Cremorne Gardens had once been a lovely destination but has turned into a rather seedy area, and now any type of entertainment, legal or not, can be found. Once Commissioner Bradford of Scotland Yard sees the picture of Prince Eddy, he puts Barrett and Sarah on an undercover assignment ordering them not to share any information with anyone until they can get Prince Edward cleared of any wrongdoing, if possible. Sarah and Barrett will head to Cremorne Gardens to learn its connection with the Pinkerton agent and the Prince. They find that the Gardens is being run by a dwarf, who considers himself an actor, a former trapeze artist, and a tattooed Hercules-type man.
As if this isn’t enough for Sarah, she comes home one day to find Barrett in a compromising position with his ex-girlfriend, who has been trying to break up their marriage.

Sarah has Mick, the street urchin, and she has provided a home for, and possibly Hugh. Hugh has been extremely despondent lately as he is having difficulty recovering from a gunshot wound received in an earlier case.

Once again, the author has provided readers with an exciting and historically accurate story set during the Victorian era. This book moved at a good pace and was hard to put down. The book is well-written and plotted, and enough red herrings that kept me guessing until the end of the book as to who the murderer was. The book has a great cast of well-developed, believable, and exciting characters.

I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

One of my favorite genres of mysteries - Victorian London/England is at the top of the list. As for authors, well Laura Joh Rowlands is one of the very best. Her writing style flows well and her historical detail rings true. Add a very well developed puzzle to unravel and a great cast of recurring characters and I'm a happy reader. While I may read more cozies than any other style of mystery, I do venture out into the gritty and dark ones. I'm also very picky when I do decide to read one. There are very few authors who meet my standards.
This series shows both the best and the worse of Victorian London. As a news photographer, Sarah has seen lots of the ugly and heartbreaking side of London. Along with her new husband Det. Sgt. Thomas Barrett, she solves murders with a former street urchin, Mick O'Reilly and Lord Hugh Staunton. Each of them carries a heavy burden. Together they work as a team, always looking out for each other. In this, the 6th of the series, there is lots going on, so many threads to follow. Sarah is dealing with her father being on trial for a murder he supposedly committed 20 years ago. While on the way to see him in prison the day before his trial is due to start, she and Thomas are on a train that derails and presents them with a strangled female passenger. From there things become very complicated but it's worth the effort to follow the threads. Their encounter with the Cremorne Gardens was very interesting - the Victorians did like their Palaces of Pleasure. I won't give any more details for fear of spoilers. If you are new to the series, it will work as a stand alone. If you have read all or most of the previous titles, this will keep you engaged well past your bedtime as you revisit old literary friends.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

To start with, let me say that Laura Joh Rowland is simply an excellent writer. Whether in her previous series set in Japan, or in this one set in late Victorian England, the reader is assured of a steady hand at the helm, and well-written prose. I have read most of the Japanese ones and all six of the Victorian ones, and I have no complaints.

I don't like spoilers, so I am not going to give any. I will say that this book is full of twists and turns and that certain elements of the plot from previous books reach a peak in this one. While not absolutely necessary, I think it would help to read the last one (Portrait of Peril) before reading this one.

"Garden of Sins" is not a light nor a light-hearted book. It is, however, a tour-de-force and well worth your time. .

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Garden of Sins A Victorian Mystery Book No. 6 by Laura Joh Rowland from Net Galley & Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

... a captivating read, I still enjoyed the twists and turns which this series is well known for...

I have been a fan of Laura Joh Rowland’s Victorian Mystery series since reviewing the first entry, and I have been fortunate enough to read and review all the books in this series. Although I found this book very entertaining, I did not enjoy it quite as much as the previous books in this series, although each are fast paced, this almost seemed to have too much going on.  

The story opens with newlyweds Crime Scene Photographer, Sarah Bain and her new husband Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett traveling by train through London when the train suddenly derails. Being true to their natures Sarah and Thomas begin searching the wreckage for other survivors stumbling across the body of a woman who perished in the crash, upon closer inspection they realize that the woman was had been strangled. They immediately begin to investigate the case and when it leads them to a member of the Royal Family, Scotland Yard recruits them for a top-secret mission to uncover the truth while preserving the reputation of the monarchy. During the investigation they learn the victim was a Pinkerton detective who had traveled to England in search of a missing American heiress. Clues lead them to Cremorne Gardens, a combination of part freak show, part circus and part theatre which hides murderous secrets.  

Grittier than her previous books in the series Garden of Sins, I feel, the author overwhelms with too many incidents occurring. In addition to the investigation Sarah faces, an incident with Thomas and his ex-fiancé which places a heavy strain on their marriage, she is trying to uncover the truth and save her father who is on trial for the murder of a young woman twenty years prior, Hugh is despondent and malingering after the events from Portrait of Peril, and nasty Inspector Reid is out for vengeance doing everything he can to get Sarah to share what she knows about Jack the Ripper. Although it was not my favourite in the series it was still a captivating read, I still enjoyed the twists and turns which this series is well known for. The book is an entertaining fun read I would highly recommend. It would work as a stand-alone, however I really recommend reading the books in order.

Throughout Laura Joh Rowland’s Victorian Mystery Series, Sarah Bain has been searching for her father who left twenty years earlier after being accused of murder. After finally finding him he was arrested for the crime and is now standing trial. As a crime scene photographer, Sarah has involved herself in a number of investigations. Now she must finally discover what actually happened that led her father to flee before he is found guilty and sentenced to death. On her way to visit her father in Newgate Prison, she and her husband DS Barrett are passengers on a train that derails, injuring and killing a number of passengers. One passenger, however, died from strangulation. With no identification and only a new model of an American camera to help discover who she is, Sarah takes the camera hoping any undeveloped photos will give them a clue.

Katherine Oliver was a Pinkerton on the trail of a missing American heiress. Her photos point to Cremorne Gardens, a once popular destination that has fallen on hard times. New owners are trying to revitalize it with a theater, a museum of oddities and a carnival atmosphere. Katherine has photos of Flynn, a dwarf who acts in the theater and manages the park, Ursula, a former trapeze artist and his partner, and Hercules, a strongman and final partner. The final photo is one of His Highness Prince Edward. Once the photos reach the commissioner, Barrett and Sarah are put on a top secret assignment to find the killer and protect the Crown. Once again they are joined by Lord Hugh, who is still recuperating from their last investigation, and Mick O’Reilly, who infiltrates Cremorne Gardens with his girlfriend Anjali disguised as fortune tellers, placing them both in danger.

Sarah and Barrett are only recently married. His former girlfriend is determined to come between them, causing Sarah to have doubts. She is also under the strain of appearing in court and watching her father reviled by the prosecutor and his former neighbors. Despite the pressures, Sarah displays a determination that allows her to do what she must and she is surrounded by her adopted family who offer her the support that she needs. This mystery series has become one of my favorites. The lingering fear of Jack the Ripper, the fog that enshrouds London, the horse-drawn cabs and the position of women in society allow you to easily envision Victorian London and Rowland brings her characters to life for her readers. This is a series that is highly recommended for fans of historical mysteries. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for my review.

I always loved Laura Joh Rowland mysteries but this one wasn't one my favorite.
I felt like there was too much going on and it failed to keep my attention alive.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Will she let her past hurts and doubts take the best of her …

I came late in this series, having only read the previous book. So I got a crash course with the characters and their shared past history.
I hope one day to find time to read at least the first book with the ripper case as it often referred as kind of the glue linking them all.

I had thought the previous book was one hell of a downfall for the heroine when in fact it was only the premises of what awaited Sarah.
Caught between the hammer and the anvil, Sarah is rapidly loosing balance, torn between her doubts and her wish to believe her father’s innocent, which only reignites her own insecurities about men, so she unleashes her distrusts on her husband, as if in some way she was certain everything good was only temporary.
I was not found of this version of Sarah, jealous, ready to give up, mean. Yet her flaws were what made her even more human.
When someone is caught in a swirl of angers, even when he knows he should shut his mouth, he can not stop himself from hurling his pain with hurtful words. Trapped in a whirlwind of unreasonable thoughts which only add fuel to a fragile construction.

Still, this case is the one which frees Sarah from her past, leaving her ready to experience life from a different perspective. Her nemesis is still lurking in the shadow ready to hasten her fall, but her new family is once again how it should be, united, everyone has nursed or is nursing its wounds, and while they are all altered, they are also stronger.
5 stars for this dark tale with a hint of hope.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Crooked Lane Books, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Sarah and her husband Barrett, a DS at the Met, find a body when their train derails, sending them into the seedy underside of a London circus at Cremore Park. Fans of the series know that she's a photographer and that she also solves crimes with her pals Lord Hugh and Mick. And that her father has long been thought to be the killer of a young girl, a problem which comes to a head in this installment as his case heads to court. New readers (or those who, like me, have read only one of the preceding books), will be fine with this as a standalone as Rowland provides good backstory. This is a Victorian mystery complete with a fair number of tropes for novels set during the period and there might be one too many plot lines. That said, I enjoyed it for the characters and for the twists in the story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.