Another fantastic installment in this series. I really struggle with books that have one character hiding something significant from the other, so I spent about 20% of this book supremely uncomfortable. Thankfully, it becomes clear to the reader, if not Veronica, that the secret is not a secret at all, and that space is being created for her to reveal it all.

This series is incredibly self-aware of its place and time, which I really appreciate. Still, there are times where I'd like to see it go just a little bit further from awareness to action, specifically the sarcophagus that Veronica and Stoker have. But overall, I think this series is so emblematic of the good work that historical fiction can do to right the narrative about "the old days" and who had power then.

At this point, there's basically one thing that could get me to stop reading this series, and I think this book makes it clear that that's not in the author's plan. I'm on the edge of my seat for the next!

This is a fantastic series with plenty of interesting mysteries and historical intrigue. This mystery was a bit more personal and I enjoyed the interplay of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of An Impossible Imposter.

Excelsior! Veronica and Stoker are back for another adventure. Sort of. Look, I love these two and this series but the first half of this book moved super slow and lacked the usual excitement. While visiting a dreadfully, boring family amongst the moors (I thought we were going to get a bit of a gothic theme for a bit, alas, we did not) we learn Veronica has a long hidden secret, which leads to SO MUCH repetitive inner dialogue. It's only once they head back to London that we get the usual mayhem and some excitement (finally!)

I know many readers will bemoan the ending, but I'm eagerly looking forward to what that means for the next book! Can we please get a storyline that doesn't include a kidnapping and/or Stoker being beaten to a pulp?

This book includes an end-of-chapter cliffhanger that made me gasp out loud. No joke. It was surprising and out of left field, but still perfectly fits the characters I’ve come to love over the past 7 books. It’s so rare to find that sort of freshness in an eighth book in a series, so THANK YOU Deanna Raybourn. It’s impossible to discuss this book without giving away too much. I will say that it parallels A Dangerous Collaboration, where Veronica was questioning whether a relationship with Stoker was worth losing his friendship, but this time she’s realizing just how much his love means to her. My first Best-of-2022 Contender!

This series is just plain fun and the latest entry holds up the standard. Scientist and independent woman Veronica Speedwell and her piratically handsome lover Stoker get asked to do a favor for one of their government contacts. He wants them to check on his goddaughter. The re-appearance of a supposedly dead peer has thrown the goddaughter's family into disarray. Since Veronica knew him, she is presumed to be able to confirm the identification. To sweeten the deal, Stoker is promised a rare natural artifact that he is itching to possess.

But naturally, there are secrets upon secrets. Veronica recognizes him all right, but he is not who he claims to be. And she has an intimate and secret connection to him.

There is never any doubt that Veronica and Stoker will prevail, but the twists and turns of the plot plus always a few unexpected surprises make their escapades truly enjoyable. Not to mention the banter and emotional appeal of their highly unusual relationship. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Veronica Speedwell series is one of my absolute favorites in the historical mystery genre. I look forward to visiting with Veronica and Stoker every year and can’t wait to see what adventures they are getting up to. I also love checking in to see how their relationship is progressing. Let’s just say it’s one of my comfort series that I’ve settled into and I enjoy being along for the ride. I didn’t really think this series could surprise me with any big reveals, but wow was I wrong.

The first few books focused on Veronica’s backstory and her relationship with her father’s side of the family. She obviously keeps it a secret, but there are a few people who do know. Stoker being the one that she trusts the most. She’s had quite an adventurous life, traveling around the world and engaging in love affairs when it suited her, but she remains independent and chooses to stay with Stoker because they are like-minded, and understand each other on a fundamental level. Then readers met Stoker’s family, learned more about his past, and even met his ex-wife. You could say that these two have been through some stuff.

This time when Sir Hugo Montgomerie summons them for a chat, it’s of a more personal nature. He asks the two of them to travel to Dartmoor and check in on his goddaughter’s family. It seems the long-lost, presumed dead heir has returned and Sir Hugo wants Veronica to check in and make sure he isn’t an imposter. Veronica once knew Jonathan Hathaway and was with him shortly before he died in the eruption of Krakatoa. She is apprehensive for some reason, but ultimately agrees and she and Stoker head out right away.

It’s not until about 30% in that the exact nature of the relationship between this mysterious man and Veronica is revealed. And my head exploded.

I won’t go too deeply into plot specifics, but I was shocked. And then worried about what this would mean for the relationship between my beloveds. How would Stoker react? Veronica only makes it worse by keeping this secret for practically the entire book until she finally admits to it in a moment of extreme danger. I had some anxiety y’all. But I will say that while the ending left me with quite a few questions, I was satisfied and am absolutely rabid to get my hands on the next book in the series.

The mystery ends up being more involved and complex than I thought it would be at first. Of course, there is danger, and Veronica and Stoker fighting for their lives, that much is a given, but the way the plot unfolded and ultimately resolved surprised and pleased me. This book ended on a bang, and I enjoyed it very much.

An Impossible Imposter is another great installment in the Veronica Speedwell series. I’m still in love with this couple and can’t wait for their next adventure.

This conversation between them during a moment of peril is just one of the reasons I love them so. I just had to share.

“Well, here we are again,” I said calmly. “This is usually the point at which you become hysterical.”

Stoker stared at me. “I have never become hysterical. I have, upon every occasion, reacted with perfect candor and appropriateness to the situation at hand.”

“You shout a great deal,” I reminded him.

“Because I am usually in pain,” he retorted. “I have been chained, stabbed, shot beaten, nearly drowned, and subjected to every possible insult regarding my upbringing, breeding, conduct, appearance, and intelligence. I think that is quite enough to send any man into a froth of emotion.”

“See, you admit. You are prey to your emotions. And you, a man of science,” I added, tutting audibly.

Veronica and Stoker are returning from Alpenwald with a thoroughly... distinctive... cheese and also a small child. The latter is Lady Cordelia's son though, because she is unmarried, she is pretending to have adopted the child. They are barely home when they are visited by Sir Hugo Montgomerie who has a personal request. This case also hits close to home for Veronica and causes her some pause.

It seems Sir Hugo has a goddaughter, Euphemia Hathaway. Euphemia is above reproach (according to Sir Hugo) but it seems that her family is in an uproar because her long-lost brother Jonathon, heir to the family mansion, has returned. At least, a man claiming to be Jonathon has returned. But there are no family members who knew the man more recently still alive. In fact, one of the last people to see him was Veronica herself.
So the two travel to the Hathaway estate and Veronica is shocked that she recognizes the man who appears. Of course, being Stoker and Veronica, there are layers upon layers and we learn more about Veronica's past than we knew before.
I don't really recommend this book to people who are new to the series but regular Raybourn readers will be delighted. We don't see as much growth from Stoker but there is a new mystery, a new Big Bad, mentions of science and history that are woven seamlessly into the story, and everything readers adore.

Four stars
This book comes out February 15th, 2022
Follows An Unexpected Peril
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A new installment in the deliciously smart Veronica Speedwell series is always cause for delight, and book #7 is no exception.

Veronica and Stoker are a well-established couple at this point, but they’ve lost none of their spark or chemistry. Their passion continues to simmer, and they’re fulfilled by their work together on the natural history collection of Lord Rosemorran. But when Sir Hugo Montgomerie of Scotland Yard asks a favor, he’s awfully hard to ignore, and their peaceful moments are interrupted by a call to adventure.

Our fearless duo sets off to the Hathaway estate to discover whether the long-presumed dead eldest son has miraculously returned — which would have enormous ramifications for his surviving siblings, especially the brother who has legally inherited in his stead.

Veronica and Stoker discover a situation much more complicated than expected, further muddled by Veronica’s own distant past which included an acquaintance with the missing Hathaway son. While uncovering the truth, Veronica and Stoker once again end up in mortal peril, fighting for their lives, solving multiple mysteries, and using their wits to find solutions.

It’s all very charming, and the adventure itself is fun even while taking a while to build up stakes. Once our favorite couple are themselves in danger, of course it all escalates and becomes much more dramatic — but even then, the banter and sexy glances and innuendo continue.

I had a few qualms about a certain plot complication which the romantic in me found upsetting, but never fear, it’s more or less resolved by book’s end. The mystery is tied up nicely, although Veronica and Stoker are left in a status that’s less settled than in previous books… so can I have #8 now please???? (Sadly, no — I expect it’ll be another year’s wait for the next one).

As in all the books in this series, the humor is silly and fun, and Veronica is a treat — a fierce, intelligent woman of science who’s not afraid to follow her own path, including becoming romantically and physically involved with a man who’s very much her partner and equal.

And really, when else would we get to read a book that includes such delightful words and phrases as “fritillary”, “amatory arts”, “passamenterie”, “osculatory”, and “inanition”? Not to mention a quick little aside in which a character educates us on the origins of the bandanna?

An Impossible Impostor is just a super fun adventure. Each book in the series goes by too quickly, and I always tell myself to slow down and savor them… but I never do. An Impossible Impostor could potentially work as a stand-alone mystery. The key players and background are explained well enough to be able to follow along. But, I don’t really recommend this approach — you’d be missing out on all the delicious history of Veronica and Stoker’s relationship, as well as their individual backstories, and truly, those are too good to miss!

If you want to get to know Veronica Speedwell, I’d say start with book #1, A Curious Beginning. I’m pretty sure you’ll be hooked! And isn’t it nice to know that there are already another six books to enjoy after that one?

This series has become one of my favorites. Check it out!

I have loved every installment on Miss Veronica Speedwell, and An Impossible Impostor continued the fabulous course of Miss Speedwell's adventures. I love the way Deanna Raybourne writes this series. I feel that she loves Speedwell and Stoker as much as I do. It really comes across in their dynamic. The wit never disappoints. Can't wait for the next one!

We are back with another Veronica Speedwell mystery with An Impossible Impostor by Deanna Raybourn. In the installment we learn a bit about Veronica and her days before Stoker. Entertaining, suspenseful and filled with characters you’ll come to love.

I absolutely love time spent with Veronica and Stoker and was delighted to begin their next adventure. The two have no sooner arrived home when Sir Hugo Montgomerie, head of Special Branch, asks them for a personal favor. It seems he is worried about his goddaughter, Euphemia Hathaway. Her eldest brother, Jonathan, heir to Hathaway Hall, who was believed dead, has returned after eleven years. Stoker isn’t pleased until he learns about their unique collections.

A trip to the moors soon leads to trouble and secrets, as Veronica recognizes the man claiming to be Jonathan. The tale that unfolded had everything from intriguing characters to thieves. It was a clever mystery, and I loved how Veronica pieced things together. Of course, Stoker is rather clever himself. I did not like that these two keep secrets from each other and my stomach knotted, waiting for confessions to be made.

I adored learning about Veronica’s past and her travels collecting butterflies. We learned of friendships, mistakes and of lessons well learned. Before all is said and done, they will find themselves in trouble more than once. The story was well paced and kept me throughly entertained.

The relationship between Veronica and Stoker is complex and delightful. From their back-and-forth banter to their deep understanding of each other. I simply adore them, individually, as a couple and as a crime solving team.

While each book contains a mystery/case, I recommend reading the series in the order of its release. The character development, relationships and secrets are best revealed in order.

The Impossible Imposter, 7th in the Veronica Speedwell series, has all the suspense of the earlier titles with a bit more depth to Veronica and Stoker’s relationship. As always, Raybourn’s sense of adventure is just as well-developed as her plot and characters. Can’t wait to see what next for the series.

I will admit I would read absolutely anything about Veronica and Stoker and love it, but I especially love when they are in dangerous situations and talk about their feelings for one another. This story was a bit unlike the others, where it seems like a straight forward mystery to solve and yet is is so much more. There are shocking revelations and a look into Veronica's past (yay) and it took so many twists and turns to become something much more. I love how Veronica and Stoker are so often on the same page that they can communicate with half sentences and looks. They trust each other whole heartedly, but I wish they would learn to trust themselves a little more. Veronica Speedwell is smart, witty, frank, but also knows when to pull her punches to gain information. She is my favorite sleuth and I love learning more about Lepidopterology from her. That cliff hanger had me raging, but also so very excited to follow along on the next adventure!

An Impossible Imposter is book 7 in the Veronica Speedwell series. I think the books can be read without reading the others in the series but there is some backstory and history of the characters that would be found in them.

This series is a MUST-READ series for me. Deanna Raybourn is an author that does not just write a story, she takes her reader on an adventure. She takes them to a time and place that is real but in an earlier era. The characters that she writes about are real and interesting. Every time I pick up a book I know that I will find a book that I cannot put down.

In An Impossible Imposter we learn more about Veronica’s past. I have always been intrigued on what has happen in Veronica’s past to make her the woman she is today, and this book gives me another glimpse at her life. I loved seeing her come face to face with her past and how she was going to continue her life after.

As always, the relationship between Stoker and Veronica was entertaining and realistic. Their respect and love for each other is without doubt but their relationship is not easy. It has never been easy, and I doubt it ever will. That would make Stoker and Veronica boring. And boring is one word that should never be used to describe these two.

I recommend reading this entire series.

An Impossible Impostor is the seventh book in the Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn. A historical romance full of mystery and suspense. The Veronica Speedwell series keeps getting better and better. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, and there was plenty of action and excitement to keep things interesting. I look forward to reading more in the Veronica Speedwell series.

The course of true love never did run smooth
That has certainly been true for Veronica Speedwell and her fellow sleuth and partner Stoker, who finally admitted their feelings for one another at the end of their fifth adventure. So I wasn’t really surprised when a ghost from Veronica’s past turns up, still very much alive, to complicate things once again.

Veronica and Stoker are asked to confirm the identity of a man who appeared at Hathaway House beaten and bloody, unable to remember where he has been or even who he is. Old Lady Hathaway believes him to be her grandson, the eldest son (and heir), Jonathan; the rest of the household is less sure. But Jonathan Hathaway was believed to have died in the explosion of Krakatoa—the same cataclysmic event from which Veronica barely escaped alive. Veronica had been acquainted with Jonathan before the volcano’s eruption, and Sir Hugo Montgomerie, head of Scotland Yard, hopes she can resolve the question of the man’s identity.

But it appears that more is going on at Hathaway House than just the ambiguous return of a long-lost son. Picturesquely situated on Dartmoor, the house is the throes of renovation by the younger son, Charles, and his wife Mary. Meanwhile, Charles’s sister Effie longs to study astronomy, an interest callously ignored by the unimaginative Charles and actively opposed by the conventional and unsympathetic Mary. Strange lights have been seen on the moor, and the family remain at odds over the continued presence of “Jonathan” in their midst. When a priceless Indian diamond is stolen and “Jonathan” disappears, Stoker and Veronica return to London, only find themselves entangled in a situation more complicated and dangerous than either of them had imagined.

Veronica Speedwell is one of my favorite historical mystery heroines. Intelligent, witty, practical, ruthless when necessary but with a soft heart underneath, she is fiercely independent and deliberately, even defiantly, unconventional. She’s not without faults, including a quick temper and a tendency to hold a grudge, but she’s also loyal and protective, particularly when it comes to Stoker. Veronica and Stoker have much in common in terms of their personalities, but Stoker’s temper runs deeper and smolders longer, and while both carry wounds from past experiences, he may be the more deeply wounded of the two. Watching their relationship unfold, and seeing them bring out the best (and occasionally the worst) in each other, has been half the fun of these books. The other half is, of course, the adventures themselves, which always hold my attention and keep me guessing.

I thoroughly enjoyed An Impossible Imposter. The mysteries of Jonathan’s identity and the theft of the diamond are intertwined in unexpected ways, there are several really interesting characters, and there are a number of surprises before everything is resolved. But what really made it compelling for me were the strains the case places on Veronica and Stoker’s relationship, and the ways in which their feelings for and commitment to one another were evident despite (and because of) those strains. Adventure, mystery, danger, and a still-evolving relationship—I can’t wait to read the next installment!

Set in London, 1880, Veronica Speedwell and her lover, Stoker, are sent on a mission to ascertain whether or not the heir to Hathaway Hall has returned at long last after having been believed killed in the eruption of Krakatoa. What the pair discover, however, is more than bargained for as Veronica comes face to face with a man from her past. Meanwhile, a priceless jewel goes missing and they have an investigation to conduct.

I really enjoy this historical mystery series. The time period provides so much interesting detail and I always like the way the author describes everything from fashion to food. The relationship between Veronica and Stoker has come a long way from the beginning of this series, and I am glad they are romantically involved (finally) and am satisfied with their current domestic bliss -- not that it stops them from their adventures. I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. If you do decide to read this, do start with the first in the series.

This was fantastic! I am a huge fan of this series and have been from the start. I look forward to each installment in this series and had pretty high expectations for this book. I was not disappointed. I have loved watching the characters and their relationships grow and change over the course of the series. I was entertained by this story from the very first page and was hooked until the very end.

Just when I thought that this series could no longer surprise me….BAM! These books just keep getting better and better. Veronica and Stoker are great together and I love seeing them work to solve a case. This case was particularly interesting because it is connected to Veronica’s past. One of Veronica’s old friends is seemingly back from the dead and she is asked to check it out to see if his claim is legitimate. Plus Stoker has the opportunity to get his hands on a specimen that he is very eager to have.

The mystery kept me guessing until the end and there was plenty of action and excitement to keep things interesting. Some of the characters introduced in this installment were wonderful while others left me shaking my head. There were fewer scenes focused on Veronica and Stoker’s relationship and I have to admit that I missed those swoon-worthy moments I have come to expect. There were some developments that left me completely shocked and I do wonder where the series will go from here.

I would recommend this series to others. This is the seventh book in the Veronica Speedwell series and I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible. I found this book to be a solid page-turner and I am very eager to see what happens next to this wonderful cast of characters.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley.

In Deanna Raybourn's "An Impossible Impostor," the inimitable Veronica Speedwell and Revelstoke Templeton-Vane (Stoker for short) embark on another suspenseful adventure. It is 1889, and Veronica and Stoker, who work for the fabulously wealthy Earl of Rosemorran, are busy cataloging and restoring a vast collection of artifacts that the earl plans to display in a museum "designed to educate and entertain the masses." Veronica's specialty is lepidoptery, the study of butterflies, and Stoker is a taxidermist, but they are also knowledgeable about other aspects of natural history and science. When Sir Hugo Montgomorie, the head of Scotland Yard's Special Branch, asks to meet with Veronica and Stoker, he prevails upon them to grant him a personal favor.

Sir Hugo asks Stoker and Veronica to visit Hathaway Hall in Devonshire, where Montogmerie's goddaughter, Euphemia (Effie), lives with her brother, Charles, her pompous and self-important sister-in-law, Mary, and her widowed grandmother, Lady Ada Hathaway. Effie's older brother, Jonathan, presumably died while traveling abroad, but his body was never recovered. Now, a man has shown up professing to be Jonathan Hathaway. Sir Hugo wants Stoker and Veronica to determine whether this individual is a fraud or the real Jonathan who has somehow returned from the dead.

This is the seventh Speedwell/Stoker mystery and, happily, it retains the wit, sass, and sarcasm of its predecessors. There continues to be delightful chemistry between Stoker and Veronica, who are personal and professional partners. "An Impossible Impostor" is a lighthearted, fast-paced, and literate work of historical fiction. Raybourn's characters are all well-drawn, the dialogue sparkles, and her plot is complex and diverting. In addition, the author touches on such issues as the rights of women; the evils of colonialism; and the consequences of hiding vital information about the past from those we love. "An Impossible Impostor" concludes with an exciting and provocative finale that will gratify and amuse fans of this enjoyable series.

Once again Deanna Raybourn knocks it out of the park with the newest installment in the Veronica Speedwell mysteries. This book put me through the emotional rollercoaster to end all rollercoasters. I was laughing, swooning, holding my breath, and screaming by the end of it. I felt that as a whole it was very well paced, which is what I have come to expect from this series.

We see a new side of Veronica that I don’t think we’ve gotten up to this point. To that note, we also get a much needed look into her past, which is something that I have been dying for more of, and let me tell you it is a shocker. Did I find her behavior to be frustrating at times? Yes. Could I understand on some level the way she was behaving the way she did? Also yes.

Stoker remains to be the only man that deserves rights, and he is once again responsible for dropping some of the GREATEST and most SWOON-WORTHY lines of this whole dang series. He is also one of the most reasonable and understanding love interests that I have ever come across, but I won’t say more because ~spoilers~.

Veronica and Stoker’s relationship still holds me by the throat after all this time, and seeing the way their relationship has evolved to the point of them dropping endearments like it's the most natural thing in the world and of her inner dialogue being so open with how much she loves him makes me die every time. No I’m not exaggerating. This book does throw a couple roadblocks at their relationship, but being the fact that they are legitimately soulmates I know that their relationship will bounce back stronger than ever, and I cannot wait to see it.

As always there are some new characters, some that I hate, some that I love, and some that I hate and love at the same time. One character in particular, even though there were times that I legitimately could not stand him, was responsible for some of the funniest moments throughout the whole book. The mystery in this novel unravels in a very natural way, and as with every mystery there are some twists that I predicted and plenty that I did not.

This book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger that left me screaming and throwing my kindle across the room in the middle of the night, and also dying for book eight, but that being said I know everything will work out (but can I have book eight now so I can get everything resolved please??).

PUB DAY REVIEW:
AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR
by Deanna Raybourn

Book #7 in the adventurous tales of Veronica Speedwell and her lover, Stoker, is my most favorite yet.

I adore this spirited series set in Victorian London, with the dynamic duo who together have solved many a mystery. Here, they're called to investigate a man once thought killed in the eruption of Krakatoa. Is he really a lost heir or a conniving impostor?

Raybourn's wit is at full force here, with her beloved characters more fully fleshed than ever. We learn more of Veronica's history, in a story that entrances from the get-go. Highly recommended for Speedwell fans and lovers of rollicking histfic gems.

Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

#AnImpossibleImpostor #NetGalley