Deanna Raybourn's latest installment in the Veronica Speedwell series, "Grave Robbery," is a masterful blend of romance, mystery, and adventure that captivates from start to finish. As the ninth entry in the series, it's a testament to Raybourn's skill as an author that she continues to keep readers engaged and eager for more.

One of the most satisfying aspects of "Grave Robbery" is the evolution of Veronica and Stoker's relationship. Throughout the series, their dynamic has been a central focus, and in this latest installment, Raybourn expertly navigates the complexities of their romance. Readers who may have been dissatisfied with Veronica's character in previous books will find her growth and development in "Grave Robbery" particularly rewarding. The depth of emotion and connection between Veronica and Stoker is palpable, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the already compelling mystery.

Speaking of mystery, Raybourn delivers once again with a plot that is as intricate as it is captivating. Set against the backdrop of Victorian England, "Grave Robbery" takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. From clandestine meetings to heart-pounding chases through the cobblestone streets of London, the story never loses its momentum, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

What sets "Grave Robbery" apart from other entries in the series is its ability to inject new life into familiar characters and settings. Raybourn's attention to detail and rich historical backdrop immerse readers in Veronica and Stoker's world, while still leaving room for exploration and discovery. Whether it's uncovering long-buried secrets or delving into the darker side of Victorian society, "Grave Robbery" is a testament to Raybourn's skill at crafting compelling narratives that keep readers coming back for more.

In conclusion, "Grave Robbery" is a triumph of storytelling that will delight fans of the Veronica Speedwell series and newcomers alike. With its winning combination of romance, mystery, and adventure, Deanna Raybourn's ninth installment is a testament to her talent as an author and a reminder of why this series continues to captivate readers after all these years

Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn..
Deanna Raybourn writes an exciting mystery.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of A Grave Robbery.

I normally love the adventures of Veronica and Stoker but this book was a total snooze fest. I don’t understand how a series full of misadventures and fun could lead to a book that was just . . . uneventful and boring.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

What a fun cozy mystery this was! I caught myself smiling multiple times at the jabs Speedwell and Stoker took at each other in jest. They’re like lovers who playfully berate each other and I thought it was hilarious. They also made such a great team I think and I enjoyed both their personalities. I did feel for Veronica Speedwell as it was hard to be taken seriously as a woman back then (I mean even now too), so Stoker had to front a lot of it even though she was kind of the brains of the whole operation. Also the mystery itself! A body buried inside of a wax figure. Horrifying. But what a mystery it was, and I had fun uncovering other little mysteries along the way! It also made the title kind of punny.

This one was #9 in the series though you definitely do not have to read all the prior ones to enjoy this one. Think of it like those TV shows that have a “monster of the week” formula. Where you can read them out of order and still be relatively okay, but know that there is someone of a connecting plot underlying it all.


Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the copy!

Another fantastic entry in the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries. Stoker and Veronica are always highly amusing and this story had mystery, intrigue, and moved along very quickly.

The Veronica Speedwell series continues to be one of my favorites. In A Grave Robbery, Veronica and Stoker come into possession of an "anatomical Venus", a wax figure of a young woman. Upon examination, they discover that it is actually the corpse of a young woman, embalmed in such a way as to give the appearance of the Venus. Of course they must investigate. I love how the characters continue to progress and grow through this series and the reappearance of several characters from previous novels adds to the delight. I hope this series keeps going- it never fails to keep me entertained!

This was an enjoyable read. It felt a fair bit more low stakes than previous instalments in the series, but it was still entertaining.

The plot/mystery for this one was an incredibly clever idea. One of the most memorable ways to hide a dead body that I’ve ever read.

I am starting to feel like the series might be starting to wind down. I’m sure going to miss these characters when we eventually reach the inevitable end.

It's time for another adventure with Veronica and Stoker. They start out with a tamarin monkey (which is quickly pawned off on Lord Rosemorran's youngest daughter) and end up with a Beauty. Supposedly an anatomical model that doctors could use to study the human body since dissection during this time period was so reviled. However, this beauty was obviously a young woman who was once a living person, not a wax work. But who could have done something so heinous?
The trail leads them to a pair of twins whose scientific inquiries were supported by the second son of a lord. A fire supposedly killed the male twin and his laboratory but did he really die?
Stoker and Veronica pick up some new friends in this book including Plutree, a mortician who has an overbearing mother and is interested in profiling. The other is Spyridon, a man who Stoker knew in Greece but who traveled back to England with Lady Wellie who seems to be getting more frail.

Four stars
This book comes out March 12, 2024
Follows A Sinister Revenge
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Such a good installment in this series!! Veronica and Stoker are back in all their loving bickering glory. The mystery in this one is super creepy and so good. JJ and Mornaday are back too. The whole thing is great!

I discovered author Deanna Raybourn many years ago. I love all her books. She has written some wonderful historical mystery series that I will forever cherish, this series being at the top of that list. Veronica is such a wonderful character and I have loved watching her and Stoker grow together as a couple and in their friendship throughout the course of the series.

Naturally this was on the TOP of my TBR list for this year. There have been times though where I have felt like maybe this series could have wrapped up but it is hard to say good bye to characters that you have become attached to. I do think that once a series goes past about 5-6 books it gets to be a little much—not always but occasionally. I definitely felt that way when I read book 8 in this series. But I love the characters so much that I felt compelled to come back to this series for another installment.

If you are finding this series for the first time with this book, I HIGHLY suggest going back to read the books from beginning to end as this book especially would be a challenge to jump into as there are other threads from previous books in this one. I am excited that this isn’t the last book in the series yet, I think there is still more to be had in the narratives—-plus I love this series and even if I feel like it could wrap up, that doesn’t mean I want it to!

Summary

Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why?

Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain—a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors? (summary from Goodreads)

Review

I really liked how this one started off with a bang as it were. This book didn’t do a lot of entry build up and reminder about where we are in the series. There was SOME but the author is clearly assuming that readers at this point are familiar with the characters and backstory so the focus then becomes BOOM the mystery right out of the gate and I really liked that about this book. I also loved how this one was a little more morbid than in previous books. It wasn’t overly morbid but there was definitely a darker tone in this book and I really thought it made things more interesting for example, I liked the wax figure exhibit as a catalyst to the murder. It gave this kind of darker tone with the discovery of the body.

The atmosphere in this book and series as a whole is always top shelf. I love the moody gaslight, it really sets the tone for the murder mystery. I only wish I had been reading this one on a cold foggy night instead of in the spring but overall I felt transported and immersed in the story and the setting. Along with the setting, I enjoy the prose. While not for everyone, I feel like the thickness of the prose works for this time period and the nature of the characters. Both of them are clearly a little ‘over the top’ in their own charming ways, and I think that the thick prose adds to that sense of ‘extra-ness’ that one comes to expect from these lovely characters!

Personally I liked this book more than I liked previous books in the series. I feel like the first five were AMAZING then thing started to wan a little bit for me but with this book things started picking up again. Plus the murder mystery was fantastic and I loved discovering the who and why of this one! I thought the story flowed well and of course I love the characters, but I also loved that there were some call backs to previous books and story threads that I had forgotten about until rediscovering them here. I really love how the author is drawing everything together and I am excited to see where this series goes from here!

Book Info and Rating

Format 326 pages, Hardcover

Published March 12, 2024 by Berkley

ISBN 9780593545959 (ISBN10: 0593545958)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: historical fiction, mystery, cozy mystery

The next installment in the Veronica Speedwell series, centered around the mystery of a dead woman encased in wax. Veronica and Stoker make for an endearing couple and the science and history of the time are well done. Overall, a great addition to the series and fans of the series will enjoy it.

Thank you so much to Berkley, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book! All thought and opinions are still my own.

This series is an all-time favorite and I never want it to end. I've fallen so in love with Stoker and Veronica and this book just cemented that further.

Like with every Veronica Speedwell book, this can definitely be read as a standalone. While you miss some history of the MCs relationship, the mystery elements stand completely on their own, and any relevant points from past mysteries are explained/wrapped up at the beginning of each book.

And this was such a fun mystery! Like with any mystery, I've preferred some more than others throughout this series. And this one was definitely a favorite. I love how this series explores the many facets of women (and honestly anyone "othered"), during a time when people were expecting to fit into neat little boxes.

Despite loving all of that, my favorite aspect of this book was the character development. Or more precisely, getting to see how much these 2 characters have grown since book. Veronica is still feisty and hard headed, but learning her limitations. Stoker is learning how to protect without holding Veronica back. They're both learning to accept help and that other people may have useful skills after all. And their romance ... be still my beating heart.

There were so many passages that left me absolutely swooning. These two love each other so fiercely and I adore them.

I really hope we continue to get more and more Veronica Speedwell books. Because I would read this series forever.

Veronica and Stoker have a macabre mystery to solve when Lord Rosemorran brings home what is supposed to be a wax figure of a woman under glass and they discover this is no wax figure. It’s a real-life dead woman!

A Grave Robbery, despite its morbid mystery, was a delight! Clever and so funny! I’m so happy that Veronica and Stoker have finally settled into their romance and the conflict doesn’t come their relationship. I loved how they worked together, united against any problems they faced. It was fun to have J.J. and Mornaday working with them, as well. Their contributions were valuable and the interactions fun!

The small tamarin monkey, who adored Stoker was endlessly entertaining! I love all the animals they’ve added to their family!

It was a danger-filled, thrilling conclusion! The series is best read from the beginning.

I cannot get enough of Veronica, Stoker, Mornaday and JJ. The plot and character development in this book were excellent. The characters have been developed naturally throughout the series, but are in no way predictable. The plot was interesting and, as always, propulsive. I couldn't wait to read it, and I have a serious book hangover now!

Another show stopper from Raybourn! Over the course of this series I have fallen in love with V and Stoker, as well as JJ, Mornaday, and Lady Wellie. I loved that JJ and Mornaday took a more active role in the mystery this time. Raybourn has captured a balance of humor, heart, and mystery perfectly. After the tumultuous relationship of Stoker and Veronica in the last two books, I was glad to see them once again reluctantly homogenous. As always, I am anxious for the next adventure. Delightful, splendid, stupendous! Excelsior!

Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

Each book in this series is a new mystery to solve. While they can all certainly be read as standalones, I do think reading from the beginning is such a pleasure as you really get to see the progression is and well worth it.

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn is a good fit for readers who enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of romance and feminism.

A great addition to the series is this 9th book. A historical mystery is just the perfect comfort read and this really checked all the boxes. I love this one.
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I Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

wow. this book was so amazing!! i can't believe netgalley let me read this early .thank you so much! it was amazing and wonderful and fun and the characters were just so so so great!!!

I enjoy this series but for me this book was a struggle. The first half unfolded at a glacial pace, leaving me moving back and forth between the written version and the audiobook. Desperate to rekindle my interest, I even cranked up the audiobook speed to 1.5x. But it wasn’t until the halfway mark that the narrative finally captured me.

Where the story truly shines is in its humor and banter. As the plot thickens, Veronica and Stoker—our dynamic duo—take center stage. Their chemistry, lukewarm in the first half of the book, now erupts into a delightful dance of wit and revelations. The number of characters initially exhausted me, but then came the twist—a surprise that blindsided me. There’s nothing quite like that “I didn’t see that coming” moment to refresh a reader.

Veronica and Stoker, in their own ways, peel back layers. Their relationship evolves, each revelation a stepping stone toward deeper understanding. It’s an ideal progression, one that keeps readers invested.

For those just embarking on the Speedwell journey: Start from the beginning. Deanna Raybourn weaves Veronica’s and Stoker’s backstories, but the original accounts hold treasures that can’t be fully conveyed in subsequent books.