What Danger Does Grace Get Into in Venice?

"The Juliet Code" is the 3rd 📕 in Pepper Basham's Historic, Action/Adventure, Romantic Suspence, "Freddie & Grace Mystery" Series. To fully understand Frederick, Grace, & other characters, you really need to Read the Series in Chronological Order.

This Engrossing Story has: danger, hidden identities, murder, mysteries, boats, paintings, an island, & a Honeymoon in it. I appreciated that there is no cursing, or explicit sexual scenes in this Wonderful Novel.

I ❤️d the 📕. That's why I Highly Recommend This Pepper Basham Story & Series! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The third installment in the Grace and Frederick mystery series, and I loved it! It works great as a standalone but if you want how Grace and Frederick got to this point you should read the others. In this story, Grace and Frederick are helping Jack figure out who is taking the Juliet paintings and what exactly The Juliet Code is and where it leads to. This story has danger lurking around every corner, including murder. I really enjoyed the mystery in this story, and Grace is charming as usual. I liked the little bit of romance involved as well. Great Christian content. Mentions Philippians 4:8. Overall, a great mystery and story! I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley . All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

THE JULIET CODE is a Christian historical that is one part sweet romance and one part cozy mystery. The plot brings vast amounts of banter mixed, at the beginning, with an almost nonchalant try at solving a mystery that quickly turns serious as the danger intensifies. Set in historical Italy lends a very picturesque story. An entertaining read for Christian romance fans!

This book is by far my favorite of the series. For me, it was entertaining between the banter, innuendo, escapades, sleuthing references, and mounting danger as these characters try to solve the mystery and escape with their lives. The romance is very strong in this series, and holds the same in this third book. It did make me laugh several times even though it is fairly over the top. Of course there is quite a bit of fanciful ridiculousness from Grace who is so excited to do any investigating and is thrilled by reading mysteries and then acting them out in real life. Frederick finds that he too can get caught up in the thrill against his better judgment. Together they counter each other between Grace's fancifulness and Frederick's seriousness. I liked that Frederick's military training, among other skills he's picked up, come out more in this book and he begins to realize that he can teach Grace a few things, which endears him even more to her. They don't escape each dangerous escapade unscathed, however. Grace faces some reoccurring nightmares from the previous book as well as danger in this one. I thought this interchange between the two of them was rather sweet:

"It just feels rather cowardly to wake up in tears over a nightmare. And I do so want to be brave." She searched his serene eyes. . . . "Being afraid doesn't mean you're not brave, darling. . . It's what you do when you are afraid that proves your bravery. And you usually choose brave things to do."

There is also a strong religious element woven throughout this book. I felt it was handled well and didn't come across as pushy. The actual mystery I found to be intriguing. I figured things out quickly but there were still enough twists and turns in how everything was resolved that it kept me engaged. Plus it's an overall fun, lighthearted story.

I also had a few complaints. The romance is very strong. Too much for my tastes. The religious aspect is also very strong. I think I would have been okay with both of those being so prevalent except that there were almost entire and multiple chapters taken with both. This made the story stretch, almost feeling like it stalled in several places. After this happened a handful of times, it made me feel disinterested and wanting to skim to finish the story. I know other readers may not have the same issues. Just something to note if those aspects aren't a good fit for you.

In the end, was it what I wished for? An overall entertaining read with moments of lighthearted friendship and romance mixed with mystery and danger. Recommended to fans of Christian cozy mystery who also enjoy sweet historical romance with the emphasis on the romance and religion.

Content: Innuendo and slightly suggestive closed-door scenes between a married couple. Some violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Cue Happy Squeal! When I saw that the story of Freddie and Grace would continue with another novel, I was absolutely ecstatic. These are the happily ever-after romances you dream of—especially for lovers of classic romances like Anne and Gilbert. If Pepper Basham continues these mysteries, I will be a faithful reader of every single story. Grace is funny and relatable and... squirrel... yes, she gets sidetracked easily, but it's all part of her amazing charm. And the way Freddie takes care of her and loves her in all her quirkiness will make the heart swoon. This is the perfect detective duo, and I hope they will go on many more adventures together.

One of my favorite elements is the fact that these romance mysteries follow Grace and Freddie AFTER they're married. So, while they contain more references (in chaste thought) to marital intimacies, it goes to show that romance is as much a part of marriage after the wedding as before—make that even more so. It shows single women that romance continues after the vows are said.

Grace and Freddie are back, and we accompany them on their honeymoon trip. I enjoyed the way Freddie’s eyes are opened to just what sort of an adventurous life he’s signed up for in marrying Grace. The mystery in this third book was just okay, so I wasn’t as engaged as I wanted to be. I also felt the author overused the cutesy banter between Grace and Freddie about upcoming intimacy. I get it—they’re on their honeymoon, they’re obviously attracted to one another, but the repetition of these moments just became eye-rolling distractions from the flow of the plot.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I found myself captivated and entranced by this story from page one. It’s so exciting to see the main characters from the previous books caught up in another mystery. This story brought out such a fun personality in Fredrick and endeared him to me even more. I found my heart racing often as this is an action-packed story that kept me white-knuckling the book until the very end. I loved that the mystery took place in Venice, it made the art work with all its secret codes so real. You will be whisked off to the art museums and among the world of art only to end up in an Italian Villa with secret rooms and danger. Pepper Basham is an author you won't forget, she weaves a powerful tale that keeps you hanging on to every word. I don't want to miss a single book!
Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Another reviewer described Pepper Basham’s novels as “fiction with a purpose”. I couldn’t agree more and truthfully wish I had coined that phrase myself. If the author ever needed a short but sweet description of her work, that would be an excellent one.

But I digress. As seems to be the case with most fans of Basham’s works, other readers cannot get enough of the Freddie and Grace tales. The eternally optimistic Grace seems to be always ready for an adventure and outwardly appears to be fearless. Her adoring but more restrained husband worries about her but always has her back even when they find themselves in one dangerous situation after another.

In The Juliet Code, the newlyweds finally make it to romantic Venice for their delayed honeymoon only to find their detective friend Jack is also there. He convinces the pair to join him on a job for a rich client who owns a private island nearby. They agree and that is when they soon learn that nothing and no one is what they seem. As can be expected, mysterious paintings that may lead to buried treasure, murder, mystery, and mayhem enter the scene and Freddie and Grace are once again right in the center of the action.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Juliet Code and all its interesting characters. It was fun to encounter Detective Jack again and I would love to see him find his own true love in a future book. Do yourself a favor and pick up copies of all three Freddie and Grace novels. I suspect you will be delighted with them.

"I've secured a meeting ..., so we can view all the photos of the paintings. We need an idea of what they look like, so we will have a better idea of what we're searching for. And if someone is stealing them to puzzle out whatever code there is to the treasure, perhaps we can locate the thieves by locating the treasure."

Freddie and Grace were supposed to be having a calm and relaxing honeymoon. After all, Cairo was not what they expected. Venice should involve strolling and peaceful boat rides. But as always when Grace is involved, life is not quite that simple.

Suddenly they find themselves wrapped up in a mystery involving a series of paintings featuring Shakespeare's "Juliet." Figuring what is really happening is also challenging considering the players that are involved. Will they be able to help solve the mystery and get back to vacationing.

The Freddie and Grace mysteries are a fun blend of adventure, intrigue and romance in a historical setting. I highly suggest reading "The Mistletoe Countess" and "The Cairo Curse" to fully appreciate this third book. While one could follow along with the plot, truly appreciating the characters happens with a bit of background.

Lord and Lady Astley (Freddie and Grace) are an affectionate couple. While nothing is detailed or inappropriate, certain married behaviors are implied. Marriage is celebrated in this title. I think it adds to the charm. In my opinion, teens and up would be fine with this title.

There are definitely unpredictable parts and predicaments. The suspense level is moderate and details are few. But be aware that some characters do not make it out of the book alive. I did not figure out all of the details. There are plenty of surprises.

I did read a copy of this book through NetGalley. I requested to read it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Surely God knew exactly what He’d been doing when He bound Frederick to this darling woman in marriage, didn’t He? Was it some sort of cosmic trust exercise?”

Frederick Percy, Lord Astley, is slowly coming to the conclusion that his life as a newly married earl will involve much more adventure and sleuthing than he would have chosen. Lady Astley, Grace, is delighted to have their honeymoon turn into one murderous adventure after another, finding great exhilaration and satisfaction in the happenings.

Pepper Basham brings back one of my favorite fictional detective couples from the Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse. It’s best to read the series in sequence to get the most enjoyment from this seemingly mismatched couple. Britain Freddy, hurt and lonely from his childhood, is the antithesis of American Grace, who is bookish, yet social, and impulsive. When the couple teams up with their detective friend Jack to find the missing Juliet paintings, confusion, and delusion, and danger abound.

Grace and Frederick communicate in sparkling repartée. Their conversation sizzles while remaining a clean read. As they learn more about each other, they learn how they complement each other and encourage each other to grow in their faith. Frederick encourages Grace with her fears, “And when you feel your courage is small, He is quite capable to lend you some of His.” Grace’s impetuosity will either cause Frederick to become overprotective of her, or learn to trust God.

I recommend this novel for those who appreciate historical romance, mystery , and humor intertwined with faith.

I received a copy of the book through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“I know we haven’t the power to change the world, but we can start in our little corner where God places us. To help right wrongs. Bring about justice and mercy. Sprinkle joy where it’s needed.”

“It was quite delightful to think of herself as a character in God’s book instead of just a wandering character without an author or book at all. In fact, if He wrote her days and she was trying to love Him and others well, then she had all the reason in the world to live bravely, didn’t she?”

“God is the great wrong breaker…

This mystery read offers a fun romp in a former time as we follow newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley (a Brit and an American) through their sleuthing adventures as they attempt to help solve art thefts in Europe while on their lengthy honeymoon. I enjoyed their banter and their endearing relationship and all the twists that make it hard to figure out who is behind it all. The author captures the feel of the time and the style of this genre quite well. The characters come across as real and alive and are fun to watch. The suspense adds to the drama along with the danger that lurks around them. You don’t have to have read the other books in this Freddie and Grace Mysteries series before getting absorbed in this intriguing tale. If you like old-fashioned mysteries, grab this series and get ready for a wild ride. I don’t think you will be disappointed. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

The Freddie and Grace Mysteries continue
I LOVE THIS COUPLE!
How could someone not love this dynamic and adorable couple that Pepper Basham has crafted? They are the polar opposites of each other and work together so well. I first fell in love with them in The Mistletoe Countess as poor Fredrick Percy, Lord Astley, found himself thinking he would marry one sister and ends up with another. The sister, Grace, is curious and full of adventure. A stark contrast to His serious, put-together demeanor.
Marrriage, and a hair-raising adventure bringing both of them to the edge of life in The Cairo Curse, has stopped Grace, now Lady Astley, from being just as inquisitive as before. I love her mind and her bravery to face whatever is causing trouble for others. And Freddie is always by her side, following her lead, mostly to keep her safe, but also because he is completely and unashamedly in love with his wife.
In The Juliet Code, readers will see more of those tender moments as well as another adventure. It isn’t the honeymoon Freddie longed for, but Grace’s need for a good mystery to solve and the fact that she turns to mush when Freddie talks “sleuth”, has him putting his reservations aside. Let’s hope that the hunt for some missing paintings doesn’t finish what their time in Cairo started.
You will be doing yourself a big favor by adding The Juliet Code and the other stories to your collection. Pepper Basham does a beautiful job bringing romance to any situation, even the mystery of missing paintings.

Pepper Basham is back with the 3rd book in the Freddie and Grace mystery series. The Juliet Code is probably my favorite one yet. Freddie and Grace are on their delayed honeymoon in Italy. However, we are taken on another adventure when they find out that their friend Detective Jack Miracle is investigating art heists.

The art heists have been of "Juliet Paintings". They seem to be linked to clues that could lead to a hidden treasure (this reminds me of National Treasure.) The Juliet paintings are based off Romeo and Juliet. However, whoever owns these paintings end up with a unfortunate ending. I loved the twists and turns that this story took me on.

In true Pepper fashion, we have fun sarcastic characters. We have a story that will draw you in within the first pages. The characters are well written. The storyline is intriguing and I love this series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

I loved this story! This was a book that was hard to put down. I love Freddie and Grace and the scrapes they get into. I loved the mystery in this book. I also loved seeing Freddie grow from the previous books as he learned to trust his lovely wife into God’s hands. I loved seeing Grace and Freddie’s relationship grow in this story. I loved seeing them be supportive of each other’s dreams. I hope there will be more Freddie and Grace mysteries.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Another fantastic story by Pepper Basham! (You might want to start with The Mistletoe Countess)! Hang on for the twists and turns of this adventure! Definitely worth the read!

This series has been a top favorite from the first book. The return to Frederick and Grace was a wonderful trip to Venice. Pepper Basham paints a marvelous picture with the rich details painted around the characters. I saw the Grand Canal and the richly coloured buildings. The characters continued to build their trust and love in and with each other. Grace is one of my favorite female characters. I love her original and quirky way of looking at the world and how God has placed her where He needs her to be. I find myself looking for the same reactions in my own life. All the characters leap off the pages and come to stunning life like a movie in the reader's mind. Humor, determination, and shared love of adventure join Freddie and Grace tighter with each new location through this series. It is so much fun to follow a married couple learning how to work together. And how they bring out strengths in each other that were not as easy to see apart. With a mystery to solve added into the fun, this story was over far too quickly. I would love to join them on many future adventures! The honesty and openness Grace faces her limitations with is truly inspiring. Pepper Basham is definitely in a league of her own with this series. I am so excited to see where this author heads next. I will most assuredly be following close behind to join in the new adventure! received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Juliet Code
by Pepper Basham
Pub Date 01 Dec 2023
Barbour Publishing,Barbour Fiction
Christian| Historical Fiction| Romance

Netgalley and Barbour Publishing have given me a copy of The Juliet Code to review:


This book really impressed me! There's something for everyone in this historical novel, from romance to suspense.


Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley arrive at their honeymoon destination only to discover a new mystery!
 
Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and see Venice. A friend of theirs, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists at the house of eccentric millionaire Laraby Covington.


During their time in Venice, Frederick and Grace come to know about boat races, mysterious houses, and parties for the rich and the unusual. A secret code is rumored to hold a code to an underground vault of similar treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries, the Juliet paintings (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare's tragic heroine).


Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery, and Detective Jack disappears. Can they work together to find the thieves and Jack before it's too late?

I give The Juliet Code five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

The Juliet Code is a wonderful third book in a fun mystery series with plenty of suspense and romance thrown in as well! I have had the pleasure of reading all three books in the series now. And I can truthfully say you have to read these in order. If you don’t, you’ll be sorry! No, but really. You’ll miss out on a lot of stuff. Like how Freddie and Grace came to know each other and all the fun involved in that!

In this book, Freddie and Grace are finally at their honeymoon destination. But again mystery seems to always know where they are at. And boy is this a fun one!

The mystery in this series focuses on a series of Romeo and Juliet paintings. These paintings seem to have bad luck associated with them as everyone who has ever owned one has died. But now the current owner of several would like to locate the rest. He’s an eccentric billionaire. But he was once also a circus performer and never quite got being the star out of his system.

You’ll love this fast-paced mystery as you read through to see who might be involved and what they’re actually involved in. Who could be the person behind the murders? And who truly is after all of the paintings? And possibly a treasure as well!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

First read by this author. 3rd in the series, Frederick and Grace, are a newlywed unlicensed detective team. It might be best to start at the beginning. I struggled a bit with the language in this time period. I wouldn’t say it was “regency or Victorian” but kinda old fashioned to match the setting. It sped up and by the end I didn’t want to go to bed. I would certainly recommend this cute, clean look into the past with this loving, newlywed couple. I’m going backwards to find the first 2 now.
This was an ARC from NetGalley, in no way did this affect my review. I try to review all that I read on Goodreads immediately. If I am reading an ARC then I follow with the other review sites. Quite an enjoyable journey.

This book was such good medicine to the soul. Normally I would have read it in a day and a half. But because of life circumstances being really messy, It took me almost a month, reading one chapter a day, most days.

It was a bright spot in each day, as Grace is so entertaining, and her simple, logical faith is very encouraging and inspiring.

The Juliet Code continues the series so very well, with a new setting, new characters and mystery, but the same humor and innocence, faith and curiosity. It was fun to explore a bit of Italy with Grace as tour guide.

Grace’s determination to solve mysteries, not just to solve them, but because she genuinely cares about the hurting people they affect, and the fact that she’s so logical, to the point of disregarding proper sensibilities expected of the wife of an earl, is wonderful.

Freddie is no longer as resistant to the fact that Grace’s curiosity and unusual upbringing put her in unexpected situations pretty regularly. And is even starting to want to join her.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Celebrate Lit, and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

We are dashed off to Italy to join Frederick and Grace on a long overdue honeymoon. Right away things start to go awry. Grace’s purse is stolen, her husband chases after the thief and a strange man has taken over her gondola. This sets the stage for laughs, mystery and an adventure our couple will never forget.

How did they find themselves part of an investigation that involves missing Juliet paintings? There are a few other characters in the book which become endearing to me and I really wanted to know more about them. The author does a great job of having readers try to figure out who is behind everything while keeping watchful eyes on our main couple. I liked how they still found time to have fun while going along with their detective friend to help solve the case. The theme of trusting God was well defined and brought the story a lesson on fear and letting go and allowing God to be in control.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.