Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
Format: Bargain Price
Label: William Morrow
Manufacturer: William Morrow
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 320
Printing Date: April 01, 2007
Publishing house: William Morrow
Release Date: April 10, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 19612
Studio: William Morrow
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Product Description:
London's social season is in full swing, and Victorian aristocracy is atwitter over a certain gentleman who claims to be the direct descendant of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Adding to their fascination with all things French, an audacious cat burglar is systematically stealing valuable items that once belonged to the ill–fated queen.
But things take a dark turn. The owner of one of the pilfered treasures is found murdered after the theft is reported in the newspapers, and the mysterious thief develops a twisted obsession with Lady Emily Ashton. It takes all of Lady Emily's wit and perseverance to unmask her stalker and ferret out the murderer, while faced with a brewing scandal that threatens both her reputation and her romance with the dashing Colin Hargreaves.
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Rated by buyers 
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This is a delightful Victorian amateur sleuth tale with a nice touch of romance adding depth to the blend. Emily is a delightful eccentric, but it is Berry who steals the show with his mysterious airs that will keep the audience wondering if he is a con artist, a thief, or the real thing.
Rated by buyers -
As with her opening line: "There are several things one can depend upon during the London Season..." Tasha Alexander sets the stage for a sumptuous and scintillating soiree through not just the evening but also many tantalizing days as she sets the stage for a murder mystery set in the background of the Victorian aristocracy. Lady Emily Ashton speaks her mind and longs for the freedom to express herself and her interests without regard for the sentiments of society but instead must acquiesce in small part and control her natural nature to investigate intrigues. How she bows subtly for the Queen but with a smile on her lips makes for just one mischievous and memorable moment in this well written extravaganza of humour and intrigue combining scheming parents and loyal friends. Beautiful descriptions abound as well as clever twists and turns to the mystery of the heir to the French crown and as an added bonus there's a clever love story for the heroine combined in the plot.
Rated by buyers 
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Lady Ashton, Emily, decided to be more selfish on the amount of invitations she would be accepting during the "London Season", once her decision made to come out of mourning over her late husband Philip, the Viscount Ashton. Being a wealthy widow, in the late Victorian London, gave her the luxury of freedom and the time to explore her interest in antiquities and the language of Greek. What she didn't expect is when she declined many of these invitations; not wanting to go from one party to the next, people misconstrued her reasoning by believing she would only attend the more exclusive ones therefore, the amount of invitations continued to increase.
One of the parties that she did accept an invitation to was from the home of Lady Elinor Routledge, a long time friend of her mother's. Accepting this garden party invitation was merely a way for her to see Lady Routledge's beautiful roses and to view upon a young man, Charles Berry. The party was as majestic as she thought it would be with the colorful beds of flowers, the young ladies in their gorgeous gowns and an orchestra's whisper in the background. However, Charles Berry manners were anything but proper and drank far more than he should.
Charles Berry, claiming to be a descendant of Louis XVI and of Marie-Antoinette, sets his sights high on Emily who would rather have no part of him. But when a prominent member of Society turns up poisoned, Emily will do what she needs to do to find the truth even if it means getting closer to this man; putting herself in potential danger.
If you love books based on historical mysteries, you will not be disappointed with "A Poisoned Season". Tasha Alexander is thorough in her research of this period bringing to you realism of the characters, scenes and settings. I understand that this is the second book in a series so I'll be checking out the very first book as soon as I can.
Rated by buyers -
This book was an Amazon recommendation, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed A Poisoned Season, I found the characters engaging, and the plot plausible. I found Ms. Alexander's attention to detail and rich descriptions of the social attitudes, dress, and environments extremely delightful to read. I have since read her very first book, and found it every bit as enjoyable. I look forward to more adventures in sleuthing with Emily and Colin!
Rated by buyers -
Tasha Alexander's series is quite simply charming. Historical mysteries can easily become too precious. Mystery series run the risk of becoming too much about the recurring characters, not enough about the mystery. Alexander avoids both traps. The characters are well-drawn, the mystery is enjoyably twisty, and the period details accurate without feeling overdone. Heroine Emily Ashton struggles with the limitations of being a woman in Victorian England but she feels like a woman of her times, not a 21st Century woman stuck in a Victorian novel. Her romance with Colin Hargreaves hints all the right notes - they are clearly equals and see each other as such. The resolution of the mystery, always the test for me, was enough of surprise without coming out of left field.
Some readers may note similarities to Deanna Raybourn's Silent series. It's undeniable that they share a young widowed noblewoman and a handsome suitor/detective. Having only read one of each series,I like both but Alexander shows a smoother hand at plot and characterization. The comparison may not fair, though, as I read the very first in the Silent series and the second in Alexander's.
This is a fun, diverting read. If you enjoy the Silent series or the Jane Austen series, for example, or just a good mystery you'll find much to enjoy here too.
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