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Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries #3
A Fatal Waltz
At her friend Ivy's behest, Emily reluctantly agrees to attend a party at the sprawling English country estate of Lord Fortescue, a man she finds as odious as he is powerful. But if Emily is expecting Lord Fortescue to be the greatest of her problems, she is wrong. Her host has also invited Kristiana von Lange, an Austrian countess who was once linked romantically with Emily's fiancé, the debonair Colin Hargreaves. What Emily believes will be a tedious evening turns deadly when Fortescue is found murdered, and his protégé, Robert Brandon—Ivy's husband—is arrested for the crime.
Determined to right this terrible wrong and clear Robert's name, Emily begins to dig for answers, a quest that will lead her from London's glittering ballrooms to Vienna's sordid backstreets. Not until she engages a notorious anarchist in a game of wits does the shocking truth begin to emerge: the price of exonerating Robert can be paid only by placing Colin in deadly peril. To save her fiancé, Emily must do the unthinkable: bargain with her nemesis, the Countess von Lange.
10 pages, Audiobook
First published May 20, 2008
About the author
Tasha Alexander
29 books2,468 followersThe daughter of two philosophy professors, I grew up surrounded by books. I was convinced from an early age that I was born in the wrong century and spent much of my childhood under the dining room table pretending it was a covered wagon. Even there, I was never without a book in hand and loved reading and history more than anything. I studied English Literature and Medieval History at the University of Notre Dame. Writing is a natural offshoot of reading, and my first novel, And Only to Deceive, was published in 2005. I'm the author of the long-running Lady Emily Series as well as the novel Elizabeth: The Golden Age. One of the best parts of being an author is seeing your books translated, and I'm currently in love with the Japanese editions of the Emily books.
I played nomad for a long time, living in Indiana, Amsterdam, London, Wyoming, Vermont, Connecticut, and Tennessee before settling down. My husband, the brilliant British novelist Andrew Grant (I may be biased but that doesn't mean I'm wrong) and I live in southeastern Wyoming. I still don't have a covered wagon, but a log house goes a long way toward fulfilling my pioneer fantasies. Andrew makes sure I get my English characters right, and I make sure his American ones sound American.
I played nomad for a long time, living in Indiana, Amsterdam, London, Wyoming, Vermont, Connecticut, and Tennessee before settling down. My husband, the brilliant British novelist Andrew Grant (I may be biased but that doesn't mean I'm wrong) and I live in southeastern Wyoming. I still don't have a covered wagon, but a log house goes a long way toward fulfilling my pioneer fantasies. Andrew makes sure I get my English characters right, and I make sure his American ones sound American.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 733 reviews
March 2, 2011
I'm not really sure what to think of this book. It is never good as a reader when an author decides to make the hero appear to be something of a cad(to use a Victorian term) and then doesn't bother to explain how he isn't, leaving the reader to think that smart and loving Emily isn't as smart as we've been led to believe. Emily doesn't believe in anyone blindly, at one time thinking her own late husband was capable of a life of crime. But she doesn't question Colin when her own eyes and ears have proof that he's been up to..... well, something he shouldn't and this is NEVER explained. I can't believe Emily would choose to marry a man that has possibly betrayed her trust so blatantly. This seemed both very out of character and, frankly, stupid.
It seems that Colin and his ex-lover(or possibly current lover) were the talk of Vienna, simply everyone knew their story. And yet, we're never given the whole story. Why bother to mention that it's so well known if we're never to know it? This seems like careless writing to me and not what I've come to expect in this series.
Emily didn't immediately decide to marry Colin. In fact it took her many months to make that decision, being happily content as a widow, not needing a man to take care of her and unsure of whether she wants to give up the freedom she has in that position. So why then would she toss all of that aside? I don't get it. Not to mention that Emily enjoys solving mysteries, but this one she doesn't even give a thought to? She doesn't attempt to learn all about Colin's past with his ex, or even his present relationship with his ex. She seems very reluctant to even consider the question. So since we've been given her opinions regarding marriage, why then would she be in such a hurry to marry Colin when it appears that his loyalty to her hasn't been what it ought to be? Balderdash I say!
Emily forgiving and forgetting without a single conversation regarding Colin's behavior just felt odd. Colin had made a point of telling Emily that when they were married his fidelity would make her the envy of London, maybe he should have added Vienna to that statement. But I'd think Emily might have some doubts about a man who doesn't seem to be loyal to her even before they marry. Badly done.
Otherwise, the book is okay. The mystery kind of meanders as Emily investigates the murder of a political leader who had lots of enemies and few friends that would have trusted him with their backs turned.
If you like the series, you'll want to read this installment.
It seems that Colin and his ex-lover(or possibly current lover) were the talk of Vienna, simply everyone knew their story. And yet, we're never given the whole story. Why bother to mention that it's so well known if we're never to know it? This seems like careless writing to me and not what I've come to expect in this series.
Emily didn't immediately decide to marry Colin. In fact it took her many months to make that decision, being happily content as a widow, not needing a man to take care of her and unsure of whether she wants to give up the freedom she has in that position. So why then would she toss all of that aside? I don't get it. Not to mention that Emily enjoys solving mysteries, but this one she doesn't even give a thought to? She doesn't attempt to learn all about Colin's past with his ex, or even his present relationship with his ex. She seems very reluctant to even consider the question. So since we've been given her opinions regarding marriage, why then would she be in such a hurry to marry Colin when it appears that his loyalty to her hasn't been what it ought to be? Balderdash I say!
Emily forgiving and forgetting without a single conversation regarding Colin's behavior just felt odd. Colin had made a point of telling Emily that when they were married his fidelity would make her the envy of London, maybe he should have added Vienna to that statement. But I'd think Emily might have some doubts about a man who doesn't seem to be loyal to her even before they marry. Badly done.
Otherwise, the book is okay. The mystery kind of meanders as Emily investigates the murder of a political leader who had lots of enemies and few friends that would have trusted him with their backs turned.
If you like the series, you'll want to read this installment.
January 26, 2016
Where I got the book: well, it’s like this. I went to one of Tasha Alexander’s author events because I was ready to buy this third book in the Lady Emily series, and our lovely indie bookstore, which stocked the event, didn’t have any copies (some difficulty with obtaining them—I hate to tell you, indie guys, but Amazon has it). Anyhow I bought the fourth novel because I’m super-nice, and went to get Tasha (whom I know to the extent of having had a chat or two with her and her husband at literary thingies, but we’re not besties or anything) to get it signed. I told her I was disappointed not to get the third novel, so she sent me one of her own copies. Nice of her!
I’m reading through this series quite slowly (obviously, because it’s now on its ninth book) but would probably go faster if I didn’t have reading commitments up the wazoo and a bookcase of unread books that stare at me reproachfully (which is why I moved them downstairs), not to mention the seemingly infinite list of unread books on my Kindle. Historical mysteries are my relaxation reading—I like ‘em fluffy and girly as long as they’re well written, and Alexander has a nice light hand with dialogue and description, occasionally straying a little closer to contemporary speech than I’d like but never making me cross by committing the word-sins some similar writers go in for.
I enjoyed this book more than the last one—I like Lady Emily best of all in London among the nobs and snobs of her social circle, but Vienna was a good second best and we got Gustav Klimt and the Austrian Empress thrown in, along with some local color in cafés and Old Vienna. What I relished about this book was the fact that the path to true love—as I hoped—isn’t smooth. An old flame of Emily’s fiancé Colin turns up, and Emily is both worried that the embers might still be glowing and that she can’t possibly match up to the glamorous, sophisticated Countess.
Add to that the fact that Emily’s mother is delaying the marriage by insisting on making it a royal occasion, and there are a sufficient number of spanners being thrown into the romantic works. The murder mystery was nicely put together, but it was the romance arc I enjoyed most.
This was an easy, fun read with glimpses of deeper stuff underneath the fluff. Emily comes with a fair amount of emotional baggage (her mother, her first marriage) and Colin is a Man of Mystery who promises to have way more in his background than Emily yet knows, so I’m looking forward to the next one.
I’m reading through this series quite slowly (obviously, because it’s now on its ninth book) but would probably go faster if I didn’t have reading commitments up the wazoo and a bookcase of unread books that stare at me reproachfully (which is why I moved them downstairs), not to mention the seemingly infinite list of unread books on my Kindle. Historical mysteries are my relaxation reading—I like ‘em fluffy and girly as long as they’re well written, and Alexander has a nice light hand with dialogue and description, occasionally straying a little closer to contemporary speech than I’d like but never making me cross by committing the word-sins some similar writers go in for.
I enjoyed this book more than the last one—I like Lady Emily best of all in London among the nobs and snobs of her social circle, but Vienna was a good second best and we got Gustav Klimt and the Austrian Empress thrown in, along with some local color in cafés and Old Vienna. What I relished about this book was the fact that the path to true love—as I hoped—isn’t smooth. An old flame of Emily’s fiancé Colin turns up, and Emily is both worried that the embers might still be glowing and that she can’t possibly match up to the glamorous, sophisticated Countess.
Add to that the fact that Emily’s mother is delaying the marriage by insisting on making it a royal occasion, and there are a sufficient number of spanners being thrown into the romantic works. The murder mystery was nicely put together, but it was the romance arc I enjoyed most.
This was an easy, fun read with glimpses of deeper stuff underneath the fluff. Emily comes with a fair amount of emotional baggage (her mother, her first marriage) and Colin is a Man of Mystery who promises to have way more in his background than Emily yet knows, so I’m looking forward to the next one.
August 9, 2018
Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves are attending a party together, now that they are affianced. And of course, since this is an historical mystery series, there is a murder. It reminds me of Agatha Christie in that way—wherever Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot happen to go, there will be a murder. Christie tended to set her mysteries in a small town, to ensure that everyone knew one another. In this series, Alexander had chosen a certain stratum of society, who all socialize with and gossip about one another.
It seems that this series will also be a bit like Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence series too. This couple will team up to solve murders and diplomatic incidents together, like Tommy & Tuppence and their espionage endeavours. I have no idea whether Tasha Alexander set out to model her characters after the Christie spy duo, but I will soon have the chance to hear her talk about her writing experience—the conference that I’ve been waiting all summer for starts tomorrow!
This is an engaging series and I will look for an excuse to read the next book as soon as I can.
It seems that this series will also be a bit like Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence series too. This couple will team up to solve murders and diplomatic incidents together, like Tommy & Tuppence and their espionage endeavours. I have no idea whether Tasha Alexander set out to model her characters after the Christie spy duo, but I will soon have the chance to hear her talk about her writing experience—the conference that I’ve been waiting all summer for starts tomorrow!
This is an engaging series and I will look for an excuse to read the next book as soon as I can.
October 7, 2023
4.5 stars rounded to 5
Another great mystery in this lovely Victorian setting series !
A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander starts a little slow but after two chapters it will involve you completely.
Indeed after the characters introduction and the arrival in Vienna, the glittering capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it gets straight to the heart of the intrigue.
I found myself totally immersed in the the nineteenth century's Vienna, thanks to the amazing descriptions of places, fabulous buildings, joyful and at the same time problematic events of that era.
This book made me want to listen to the Strauss waltz, making research on the web about period pictures and lithographs and to read even more about the different historical facts about Vienna happened at that time .
_____ THE PLOT _____ This is the 3rd installment in the series "Lady Emily Mysteries" , but well readable as a standalone.
This time Emily reluctantly agrees to attend a party at the sprawling English country estate of Lord Fortescue, a man she finds as odious as he is powerful.
In an already unbearable context, Emily finds among the guests Kristiana von Lange, an Austrian countess who was once linked romantically with Emily's fiancé, the debonair Colin Hargreaves.
What Emily believes will be an awful evening turns worse when Fortescue is found murdered and Robert Brandon, the husband of Emily's best friend Ivy, is arrested for the crime.
Determined to right this terrible wrong and clear Robert's name, Emily begins to dig for answers, a quest that will lead her from London's glittering ballrooms to the salons of the court of Vienna and also to the capital's sordid backstreets. Not until she engages a notorious anarchist in a game of wits does the shocking truth begin to emerge.
____ INTRICATE MYSTERY WELL DESIGNAD BY THE AUTHOR ____
This was an easy, fun read with glimpses of deeper stuff below the surface.
The mystery is compelling as it is not a simple murder but as often happens in this series, politics and espionage are expertly mixed with events that touch Emily's personal life and affections.
In my opinion, this is also the charm of the detective stories in this series: while we are entertained by the mystery, the author manages to introduce in a captivating way historical and political facts that actually happened and which entice us to find out even more.
Following the investigations, it comes naturally to me to formulate my suppositions, but I can never guess the killer's motivations and therefore the killer himself until the very end.
So if you are a puzzle lover you will find your entertainment here.
___ A LITTLE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE ___ There is nothing better than an ex-love to make things more complicated even in the most beautiful and supportive relationship.
As a woman, while reading I couldn't help but detest Countess Von Lange, who like all ex-great loves, tortured Emily by reminding her how much power she had over Colin's emotional side and threatening her every time to take her beloved back.
I felt close to Emily and I was jealous with her, I suffered with her and I felt a great satisfaction when... oops, no... you have to read the book!
______ THE CHARM OF THE HISTORICAL PART ____ In this book Sissi's lovers will be delighted by the appearance on the scene of the famous historical character, represented at a moment in life when beauty had already faded, partly due to time, partly due to personal pains, but her elegance and charm were always present.
Another historical figure present in the book is the famous Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, whose painting "The Kiss" is known throughout the world, even to those who know nothing about painting.
As it is written at the back of the book, in the author's notes, Vienna at that time was a city ahead of its time, a sophisticated place, the scene of great cultural, political and intellectual ferment. The city of Strauss' waltzes, with its austere and glittering beauty, was an obligatory stop on the Grand Tour, the journey that most of the young European aristocrats made.
At those times the ballrooms held up to two thousand people, who drank almond milk, lemonade and hundreds of bottles of champagne.
The Ringstrasse, with its dreamlike atmosphere, enchanted all who traveled it.
However, in all this splendor and innovation (like the facade of the Court Theater illuminated by four thousand electric lights), Vienna, like any great capital, also had a dark side:
_ anti-Semitism and poverty were rampant and the suicide rate was the highest in the entire continent. and often, in the morning, the city's many night owls started the day with the impressive account of yet another suicide.
In that wonderfully complicated city, Lady Emily for the first time in her life, has the opportunity to meet and make friends with people who do not belong to her social class and are not members of her servants.
In Victorian era rich people and aristocrats lived in their own gilded world and did not see the poverty and disease of the lower classes with their own eyes, they only knew those terrible living conditions of the poorer only through reading.
When Emily arrives in this beautiful snow-covered city, she can't help but fall in love with its beauties: the Ringstrasse, the balls, the museums, the opera, the cafés... However, facing the difficulties of some people who lived in extremely disadvantaged conditions, she cannot remain insensitive and begins to develop a social conscienceand this is another theme that I really liked, i.e. opening our eyes to realities different from ours (also valid for today's society).
Another great mystery in this lovely Victorian setting series !
A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander starts a little slow but after two chapters it will involve you completely.
Indeed after the characters introduction and the arrival in Vienna, the glittering capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it gets straight to the heart of the intrigue.
I found myself totally immersed in the the nineteenth century's Vienna, thanks to the amazing descriptions of places, fabulous buildings, joyful and at the same time problematic events of that era.
This book made me want to listen to the Strauss waltz, making research on the web about period pictures and lithographs and to read even more about the different historical facts about Vienna happened at that time .
_____ THE PLOT _____ This is the 3rd installment in the series "Lady Emily Mysteries" , but well readable as a standalone.
This time Emily reluctantly agrees to attend a party at the sprawling English country estate of Lord Fortescue, a man she finds as odious as he is powerful.
In an already unbearable context, Emily finds among the guests Kristiana von Lange, an Austrian countess who was once linked romantically with Emily's fiancé, the debonair Colin Hargreaves.
What Emily believes will be an awful evening turns worse when Fortescue is found murdered and Robert Brandon, the husband of Emily's best friend Ivy, is arrested for the crime.
Determined to right this terrible wrong and clear Robert's name, Emily begins to dig for answers, a quest that will lead her from London's glittering ballrooms to the salons of the court of Vienna and also to the capital's sordid backstreets. Not until she engages a notorious anarchist in a game of wits does the shocking truth begin to emerge.
____ INTRICATE MYSTERY WELL DESIGNAD BY THE AUTHOR ____
This was an easy, fun read with glimpses of deeper stuff below the surface.
The mystery is compelling as it is not a simple murder but as often happens in this series, politics and espionage are expertly mixed with events that touch Emily's personal life and affections.
In my opinion, this is also the charm of the detective stories in this series: while we are entertained by the mystery, the author manages to introduce in a captivating way historical and political facts that actually happened and which entice us to find out even more.
Following the investigations, it comes naturally to me to formulate my suppositions, but I can never guess the killer's motivations and therefore the killer himself until the very end.
So if you are a puzzle lover you will find your entertainment here.
___ A LITTLE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE ___ There is nothing better than an ex-love to make things more complicated even in the most beautiful and supportive relationship.
As a woman, while reading I couldn't help but detest Countess Von Lange, who like all ex-great loves, tortured Emily by reminding her how much power she had over Colin's emotional side and threatening her every time to take her beloved back.
I felt close to Emily and I was jealous with her, I suffered with her and I felt a great satisfaction when... oops, no... you have to read the book!
______ THE CHARM OF THE HISTORICAL PART ____ In this book Sissi's lovers will be delighted by the appearance on the scene of the famous historical character, represented at a moment in life when beauty had already faded, partly due to time, partly due to personal pains, but her elegance and charm were always present.
Another historical figure present in the book is the famous Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, whose painting "The Kiss" is known throughout the world, even to those who know nothing about painting.
As it is written at the back of the book, in the author's notes, Vienna at that time was a city ahead of its time, a sophisticated place, the scene of great cultural, political and intellectual ferment. The city of Strauss' waltzes, with its austere and glittering beauty, was an obligatory stop on the Grand Tour, the journey that most of the young European aristocrats made.
At those times the ballrooms held up to two thousand people, who drank almond milk, lemonade and hundreds of bottles of champagne.
The Ringstrasse, with its dreamlike atmosphere, enchanted all who traveled it.
However, in all this splendor and innovation (like the facade of the Court Theater illuminated by four thousand electric lights), Vienna, like any great capital, also had a dark side:
_ anti-Semitism and poverty were rampant and the suicide rate was the highest in the entire continent. and often, in the morning, the city's many night owls started the day with the impressive account of yet another suicide.
In that wonderfully complicated city, Lady Emily for the first time in her life, has the opportunity to meet and make friends with people who do not belong to her social class and are not members of her servants.
In Victorian era rich people and aristocrats lived in their own gilded world and did not see the poverty and disease of the lower classes with their own eyes, they only knew those terrible living conditions of the poorer only through reading.
When Emily arrives in this beautiful snow-covered city, she can't help but fall in love with its beauties: the Ringstrasse, the balls, the museums, the opera, the cafés... However, facing the difficulties of some people who lived in extremely disadvantaged conditions, she cannot remain insensitive and begins to develop a social conscienceand this is another theme that I really liked, i.e. opening our eyes to realities different from ours (also valid for today's society).
February 20, 2019
I enjoyed it, but this is the juncture when we part each other. I have a feeling this is just going to be much of the same for the rest of the series and the to and fro in this one (like the other two) have the potential to really wind me up. So I quit on a relative high. Enjoyed it but now I am done.
June 22, 2008
I got this from the library and read it in a couple of days, it was a good, quick read.
I enjoyed the first two books in this series - even if Lady Emily is far too modern for a Victorian lady, she's a lot of fun. I couldn't help feeling in this installment, however, that I almost wished Emily would fall for her lifelong friend Jeremy, I'm getting a little tired of her and Colin making eyes at each other and teasing each other with their overwhelming passion - get on with it, already! Stop angsting over the dangers of her crime-solving and his career as a diplomat/spy (we learn in this book that he's apparently not just a diplomat, but a Victorian James Bond, and one with quite a past, too).
The action begins to drag in the middle, as Emily rushes around Vienna trying to clear her friend's husband of murder charges, but it gets rather muddled between her investigation and Colin's spying activities. Also, it taxes even the limits of my imagination as Emily follows and interrogates supposedly committed anarchists and assassins about whether they were plotting against the murder victim - as if they wouldn't have simply killed her rather than tolerating her questions! Instead one of them tells her how charming, beautiful and amusing she is, and another just keeps stalking her and leaving bullets around as "warnings" - alright, already, you could've killed her 10x over!
Anyway, I couldn't help hoping in future the action would include more of the wonderful repeating characters of Margaret, Jeremy, Davis the butler, and Emily's implacable mother, the scariest society matron since Mrs. Astor ruled New York! (I'm sure she'd be appalled at the comparison . . .) But if you enjoy a Worth-gown-wearing, port-drinking, Victorian heroine who also happens to be a scholar of Greek art and history, give Lady Emily a whirl, you won't be disappointed!
I enjoyed the first two books in this series - even if Lady Emily is far too modern for a Victorian lady, she's a lot of fun. I couldn't help feeling in this installment, however, that I almost wished Emily would fall for her lifelong friend Jeremy, I'm getting a little tired of her and Colin making eyes at each other and teasing each other with their overwhelming passion - get on with it, already! Stop angsting over the dangers of her crime-solving and his career as a diplomat/spy (we learn in this book that he's apparently not just a diplomat, but a Victorian James Bond, and one with quite a past, too).
The action begins to drag in the middle, as Emily rushes around Vienna trying to clear her friend's husband of murder charges, but it gets rather muddled between her investigation and Colin's spying activities. Also, it taxes even the limits of my imagination as Emily follows and interrogates supposedly committed anarchists and assassins about whether they were plotting against the murder victim - as if they wouldn't have simply killed her rather than tolerating her questions! Instead one of them tells her how charming, beautiful and amusing she is, and another just keeps stalking her and leaving bullets around as "warnings" - alright, already, you could've killed her 10x over!
Anyway, I couldn't help hoping in future the action would include more of the wonderful repeating characters of Margaret, Jeremy, Davis the butler, and Emily's implacable mother, the scariest society matron since Mrs. Astor ruled New York! (I'm sure she'd be appalled at the comparison . . .) But if you enjoy a Worth-gown-wearing, port-drinking, Victorian heroine who also happens to be a scholar of Greek art and history, give Lady Emily a whirl, you won't be disappointed!
February 6, 2017
I enjoy Lady Emily's stories, and A Fatal Waltz didn't disappoint. I might enjoy better to read about how Lady Ashton deals with her aristocratic London or Paris, but I liked experiencing with her Vienna of the time. The plot has plenty of mystery, disappointments, and surprises. Colin is as always an excellent pair to Lady Emily. If she is a woman ahead of her time, he is not only supportive of her independence and investigative endeavors, but his missions are as fulfilling to him. 3-stars and recommended for lovers of mystery and historical fiction.
April 28, 2019
RATING: 4 STARS
In the third novel we travel to Vienna where Emily is looking for evidence to clear Robert (her bff Ivy's hubby) of his mentor's murder and finds herself in the middle of danger as per usual. Who can she trust? She also encounters Kristiana who is a former lover of Colin's and a fellow spy. Will Colin still want to marry her after being reunited with the very lovely Kristiana?
In the third novel we travel to Vienna where Emily is looking for evidence to clear Robert (her bff Ivy's hubby) of his mentor's murder and finds herself in the middle of danger as per usual. Who can she trust? She also encounters Kristiana who is a former lover of Colin's and a fellow spy. Will Colin still want to marry her after being reunited with the very lovely Kristiana?
October 1, 2021
I really did not care about the murder and I often forgot the names of the people involved. Some of this was confusing but by the end, I think I got the main murder storyline done. I wasn't that impressed. But that okay, I wasn't reading this for the investigation. I love these characters and the places that they are going.
July 11, 2008
I went to college with the author, so I am somewhat biased in her favor, but this is an excellent historical romance with plenty of suspense elements. This time around, Emily must clear the husband of one of her dearest friends of a classic English country house murder, and the investigation sends her to the anarchist underground of late 19th-century Vienna.. and a delicate battle of wills with the former lover of her fiance...
April 16, 2023
Mystery isn’t my number one genre so I’m primarily reading these for the romance element…which had a few issues in this book. Still, it was a fast read and I have every intention of continuing the series.
August 18, 2008
Lady Emily Ashton and her fiance the dashing Colin Hargreaves are invited to a shooting party at the home of a very influential member of the government, Lord Fortescue.
Lord Fortescue has taken a strong dislike to Lady Emily and makes it clear that he plans to sabotage any plans she has of actually getting Hargreaves to the altar. To that end, he has also invited the alluring Countess Von Lange. Emily learns to her chagrin that the lovely Countess is an old love of Colin's who shares his talent at intrigue and spying. The countess herself falls right within Fortescue's plan to try and sabotage Emily and Colin.
However, the party takes a fatal turn when Fortescue is shot dead and Emily's friend Robert Brandon is arrested for the murder. In the aftermath, things do not look good for Brandon as all the evidence (circumstantial though it is) point to his guilt. Brandon, knowing that Emily has a knack at detection, implores her to help prove his innocence. He is convinced that the truth lies in Vienna.
So Emily with her friend Jeremy, The Duke of Bainbridge, and Cecile Du Lac departs to Vienna. While there Emily plunges into Vienna society both high and low. She meets Gustav Klimt and Empress Elisabeth. She also frequents coffee houses and has dangerous encounters with anarchists and assassins. In the course she manages to uncover a series of facts and motivations that lead to the real killer.
I was so stoked when I noticed that this was out, but as I was reading it, it simply couldn't keep my attention. I wasn't totally thrilled with this one.
One the good side, Tasha Alexander creates a great atmosphere both in Victorian England and in Vienna. Set while the Mayerling incident is still fresh in people's minds, Alexander makes great use of that historical scandal.
Also, Emily and Colin are a great couple. Alexander does a great job of conveying carnal longing in a very genteel manner. Very in keeping with her time, place and her characters.
So while the romance element, the atmosphere and the characters made for good reading, the mystery element was a curious let down. The actual investigation into the murder was incredibly anemic. It felt like Emily simply took in the sights of Vienna and met with people who simply told her things. There was no real deduction involved.
so I can't say I was as delighted with this one as I was with the other two of the series. I still thin Tasha Alexander is a fine writer and still look forward to the next in the series.
Lord Fortescue has taken a strong dislike to Lady Emily and makes it clear that he plans to sabotage any plans she has of actually getting Hargreaves to the altar. To that end, he has also invited the alluring Countess Von Lange. Emily learns to her chagrin that the lovely Countess is an old love of Colin's who shares his talent at intrigue and spying. The countess herself falls right within Fortescue's plan to try and sabotage Emily and Colin.
However, the party takes a fatal turn when Fortescue is shot dead and Emily's friend Robert Brandon is arrested for the murder. In the aftermath, things do not look good for Brandon as all the evidence (circumstantial though it is) point to his guilt. Brandon, knowing that Emily has a knack at detection, implores her to help prove his innocence. He is convinced that the truth lies in Vienna.
So Emily with her friend Jeremy, The Duke of Bainbridge, and Cecile Du Lac departs to Vienna. While there Emily plunges into Vienna society both high and low. She meets Gustav Klimt and Empress Elisabeth. She also frequents coffee houses and has dangerous encounters with anarchists and assassins. In the course she manages to uncover a series of facts and motivations that lead to the real killer.
I was so stoked when I noticed that this was out, but as I was reading it, it simply couldn't keep my attention. I wasn't totally thrilled with this one.
One the good side, Tasha Alexander creates a great atmosphere both in Victorian England and in Vienna. Set while the Mayerling incident is still fresh in people's minds, Alexander makes great use of that historical scandal.
Also, Emily and Colin are a great couple. Alexander does a great job of conveying carnal longing in a very genteel manner. Very in keeping with her time, place and her characters.
So while the romance element, the atmosphere and the characters made for good reading, the mystery element was a curious let down. The actual investigation into the murder was incredibly anemic. It felt like Emily simply took in the sights of Vienna and met with people who simply told her things. There was no real deduction involved.
so I can't say I was as delighted with this one as I was with the other two of the series. I still thin Tasha Alexander is a fine writer and still look forward to the next in the series.
November 13, 2011
I loved this book! I know I've liked all the books in this series, but this one garned my particular adoration for what Tasha Alexander did with it. Throughout this book I was in absolute agony. You have met Lady Emily and her love, now fiance, Colin. In the first book you found out about Emily's husband and her past with him. Now you find out about Colin's past in the form of one Countess Katarina von Lange. The reason this book was so agonizing was because throughout the book you watch Emily try so hard to be exceptionally clever, and sneaky and consistently fail. Plus you also feel the agony of seeing Colin's past crop up at the most inconvenient moments, and while, like Emily you don't doubt Colin's fidelity, you also see the attractions and better-suitedness of the Countess. The countess has been working with Colin for years and Emily is just learning everything that Colin's job entails. Emily is clumsy and inept in her attempts at intrigue. However, it is this ineptness and clumsiness that made this book for amazing to me. I have read many book where the heroine fails in some way, no character can be with out flaws, but I have rarely ever read a book where the heroine is allowed to fail so spectacularly and is made to seem, on some level so inadequate. This is, in my opinion, a good thing because I think the propensity is to put one's characters in the best light possible, revealing failings, but never really allowing the characters to fall too far. In this you still see the fierce determination and bull-headedness that seems to define Emily and you can see how it will enable her to learn whatever she puts her mind to, but you also see her completely helpless, very afraid, and totally unable to control what's going on around her. She plays a game she's still learning the rules to, which makes her a victim at times of those who have been playing the game longer. So over all I was extremely satisfied with this book. Although I was in agony throughout the entire book, I loved it and again admired Tasha Alexander's style. I am very excited about reading the next one in this series.
June 23, 2008
I had been eagerly awaiting the publication of this book. I read both of Alexander's previous novels and enjoyed them very much, especially A Poisoned Season.
This is the third murder mystery solved by Lady Ashton. She is the a young widow engaged to her dead husband's best friend. Her finance, Colin Hargreaves works for the government and appreciates Emily's bright and inquisitive mind. Emily is at a party at Lord Fortescue's estate when the nasty old politician is murdered and her best friend Ivy's husband Robert Brandon is arrested for the crime. Colin is sent on urgent national business and now it's up to Emily to solve the crime and free her dear friend's husband.
Unfortunately I was very disappointed by A Fatal Waltz. I thought this novel was seriously lacking character development. It felt like this was the last chapter of another book rather than a solid work of fiction that would stand on it's own. I thought the mystery was lacking, it seemed almost silly to me. The relationship between Emily and Colin seemed flat and lacked realism. I thought some of the placement of things was a bit odd; a letter from Margaret place right in the middle of the unfolding of a murder. And the whole idea that Emily would just call upon the hated evil anarchist in Vienna was just not that believable to me. The thread of unrequited love seemed a bit silly to me as well. Oh the poor soul is devastated and then healed with little transition from one to the other.
This novel is not of the same quality as A Poisoned Season and I was rather disappointed. I will likely read the next adventure of Lady Ashton but I won't be chomping at the bit to buy it the moment it's published, I'll borrow it from the library and hope it's better than this installment.
This is the third murder mystery solved by Lady Ashton. She is the a young widow engaged to her dead husband's best friend. Her finance, Colin Hargreaves works for the government and appreciates Emily's bright and inquisitive mind. Emily is at a party at Lord Fortescue's estate when the nasty old politician is murdered and her best friend Ivy's husband Robert Brandon is arrested for the crime. Colin is sent on urgent national business and now it's up to Emily to solve the crime and free her dear friend's husband.
Unfortunately I was very disappointed by A Fatal Waltz. I thought this novel was seriously lacking character development. It felt like this was the last chapter of another book rather than a solid work of fiction that would stand on it's own. I thought the mystery was lacking, it seemed almost silly to me. The relationship between Emily and Colin seemed flat and lacked realism. I thought some of the placement of things was a bit odd; a letter from Margaret place right in the middle of the unfolding of a murder. And the whole idea that Emily would just call upon the hated evil anarchist in Vienna was just not that believable to me. The thread of unrequited love seemed a bit silly to me as well. Oh the poor soul is devastated and then healed with little transition from one to the other.
This novel is not of the same quality as A Poisoned Season and I was rather disappointed. I will likely read the next adventure of Lady Ashton but I won't be chomping at the bit to buy it the moment it's published, I'll borrow it from the library and hope it's better than this installment.
July 2, 2008
A FATAL WALTZ (Hist Mys/Amateur Sleuth-Emily, Lady Aston-England/Austria-Victorian) – G+
Alexander, Tasha – 3rd in series
William Morrow, 2008, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780061174223
First Sentence: I had not noticed it when she first arrived: the way she leaned too far towards him as he kissed her hand, the hint of surprised recognition in his eyes.
What begins as a tedious weekend in the country, for Emily, Lady Aston and her fiancé Colin Hargreaves, changes dramatically. The politically powerful Lord Fortescue is murdered and the husband of Emily’s friend, Ivy, is accused of his murder. It is going to depend upon Emily, and a trip to Vienna, to set matters right.
I enjoy this series, but this wasn’t my favorite book of it. My feelings toward it are a series of contrasts. The characters are wonderful, if you’ve read the previous two books, but lacked character development, if you’ve not. I love Emily and Colin. I was disappointed there the delightful supporting characters from the previous books didn’t have a bigger role.
The inclusion of history and historical figures adds verisimilitude. It is always fascinating reading about the social mores of that time and the descriptions are wonderfully done.
I think the biggest problem I had is the same I have with modern amateur sleuths; they just don’t seem plausible to me in some of the things they get away with doing, although Ms. Alexander tries hard to make it work. The first book of this series, “And Only to Deceive,” was so well done, I wonder whether this entry suffers a bit by comparison. Even so, I shall continue with the series.
Alexander, Tasha – 3rd in series
William Morrow, 2008, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780061174223
First Sentence: I had not noticed it when she first arrived: the way she leaned too far towards him as he kissed her hand, the hint of surprised recognition in his eyes.
What begins as a tedious weekend in the country, for Emily, Lady Aston and her fiancé Colin Hargreaves, changes dramatically. The politically powerful Lord Fortescue is murdered and the husband of Emily’s friend, Ivy, is accused of his murder. It is going to depend upon Emily, and a trip to Vienna, to set matters right.
I enjoy this series, but this wasn’t my favorite book of it. My feelings toward it are a series of contrasts. The characters are wonderful, if you’ve read the previous two books, but lacked character development, if you’ve not. I love Emily and Colin. I was disappointed there the delightful supporting characters from the previous books didn’t have a bigger role.
The inclusion of history and historical figures adds verisimilitude. It is always fascinating reading about the social mores of that time and the descriptions are wonderfully done.
I think the biggest problem I had is the same I have with modern amateur sleuths; they just don’t seem plausible to me in some of the things they get away with doing, although Ms. Alexander tries hard to make it work. The first book of this series, “And Only to Deceive,” was so well done, I wonder whether this entry suffers a bit by comparison. Even so, I shall continue with the series.
May 8, 2018
4.5 stars This espionage-tinged installment in the Lady Emily mysteries really kept my interest. I liked the mystery, set against a background of intrigue in Vienna. However, I especially appreciated Emily in this book. In this novel, she really started to stand out for me as a real character. When the series opens, she is a young, fairly naive widow. Throughout the course of this book, she doesn't suddenly become a smart, radical crusader, but we definitely see her learning more about the world and starting to develop more nuanced thinking in response. I'm enjoying the development of her relationship as well, and the testing it undergoes in this book made me appreciate the main couple even more, even if Colin did sometimes seem a tad dense this go-round.
July 14, 2015
Okay, so I was entertained, but the murder mystery was convoluted and unrealistic, and I felt frustrated by some things that were left unexplained. The gun, the duel, the raid, the anarchists, none of it really came together in a way that made sense. Also, I'm annoyed with the romantic mystery surrounding Kristiana and Colin's relationship. Shouldn't Lady Ashton, our amateur sleuth, want to ferret out the truth? She didn't, so we didn't. I hope we get more details in future books.
November 5, 2019
A fun romp through Vienna. The love story is far more engaging than the mystery.
February 28, 2019
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I listened to this audiobook through Hoopla via my local public library. The narrator was Nic Frances which is different from the first two books in the installment. I have rated the books in this series based solely on the author's writing since including the narrator's presentation would have brought it down in determining my rating.
As a wealthy widow, Lady Emily literally became most grateful for the freedom and independence she was afforded as a widow that she could never have experienced as a married woman. She uses her resources and freedom to begin a socially unorthodox pursuit of her interest in the field of academia, studying ancient Greek art and literature.
"What Emily believes will be a tedious evening turns deadly when Fortescue is found murdered, and his protégé, Robert Brandon—Ivy's husband—is arrested for the crime.
Lady Emily is in for an adventure unlike her previous two, trying to prove her best friend's husband's innocence in a murder. She travels to another country for clues and faces fears and doubts from the green eyes of jealousy in regard to her fiancee's former mistress. This little Lady is maturing before our very eyes and seems overly anxious to marry again. k This story entertains with interesting plotlines.
Many books are so compelling, engrossing the reader's full attention, and you hope they will never end. However, this book does not qualify for that type of experience. The content in this installment was less intensely related to the unknown, as had been in the first with all the artwork and such. The content and execution were tedious and tended to exhaust me as I pushed myself to reach the conclusion. The storyline is still interesting, but not overly captivating. It is difficult to acclimate to different voices for the same people that you have come to identify previously. So, the final straw that broke the camel's back is the changing of the narrator for each installment. This one point is definitely a HUGE disappointment.
I have decided that even though I liked this series, even if I didn't love it, I just can't listen to any more audiobooks in regard to this series. Maybe, in the future, I will attempt to read the books on my own. But for now, I am off to discovery another series that will be able to take me on a literary adventure, hopefully stirring a blissful state of happiness in my soul, that this mismatch of narrators was unable to ignite.
December 15, 2020
This book is just flying by. We jump from scene to scene with no prelude and all the problems of the last two are in full force. Why does everyone in Emilys life need to repeat how smart and beautiful she is? I mean, really, does show not tell mean anything to this author? It is annoying to have her Mary Sueing about all the time. And the way she 'investigates' seems to be to magically meet people who can help her. If Emily wants to be Colins equal, then she should start by treating him as one and not hiding things from him. And if she wants a different type of marriage, then she should ask her fiancé the questions she has and not just sit there and brood about them. It was very frustrating and the readers dont even get the relief at the end of answers!
So, Emily is boring, Colin is holding back, Jeremy is charming and the best character (truly he is too funny for Emily) and the mystery really takes a back seat in this one.
Also, how can Emily be considered an 'expert' in Greek when she has been studying it for a year? And she can walk through a house and find all the things worth being in a museum how, exactly? She has no training!
Being good at everything and charming everyone all the time does not an interesting character make. Her 'bad' traits are being, what, adventurous? She does seem to go off (after repeated death threats) by herself all the time, despite saying she wont. I just don't know about this series.
So, Emily is boring, Colin is holding back, Jeremy is charming and the best character (truly he is too funny for Emily) and the mystery really takes a back seat in this one.
Also, how can Emily be considered an 'expert' in Greek when she has been studying it for a year? And she can walk through a house and find all the things worth being in a museum how, exactly? She has no training!
Being good at everything and charming everyone all the time does not an interesting character make. Her 'bad' traits are being, what, adventurous? She does seem to go off (after repeated death threats) by herself all the time, despite saying she wont. I just don't know about this series.
June 9, 2008
This is the third book in the series about Lady Emily Ashton, and while I have thoroughly enjoyed each one, I believe that this one is my favorite so far. I have enjoyed watching Emily's character grow and mature in each book. This time, she sets out to prove the innocence of Robert Brandon, her friend Ivy's husband, after he has been arrested for murder. The novel moves at a fast pace, and many of Emily's friends from the previous books appear as new ones are also introduced. At the end of the previous book, Lady Emily became engaged to Colin Hargreaves, and he plays a major role in this story as he did in the others. This time, Lady Emily experiences a few qualms over a past romantic relationship of Colin's. Political intrigues put Colin's life in danger, and Emily does her best to ensure his safety. Colin is as wonderful in this book as he was in the other two. I find him to be an unusually delightful hero. He is so supportive of Emily and willing to let her test her abilities and intelligence. I eagerly await the next book in the series.
June 27, 2012
This is the 3rd book in the Lady Emily series. Lady Emily Ashton is a Victorian era widow, who is studying the Greek classics. She's engaged to Colin Hargreaves who seems to be a Queens' 007. On this outing, the couple is invited to the country house of Lord Fortescue, one of the leading politicians. Unfortunately, Lord Fortescue ends up dead and the primary suspect is the husband of one of Lady Emily's closest friends.
While I appreciate the historical detail and the Jane Austen-like social commentary about Victorian society, by book three certain aspects are wearing thin. I did not enjoy this book as much as the previous works because it is becoming formulaic. Even though I would love to met Colin Hargreaves, I am getting tired of a "longing embraces" that seem to be a cornerstone of victorian society. Alexander almost seems too consistent in keeping mostly the same cast of characters. That being said, the books in this series always seem to start slow, but I fly through the last half of the book.
While I appreciate the historical detail and the Jane Austen-like social commentary about Victorian society, by book three certain aspects are wearing thin. I did not enjoy this book as much as the previous works because it is becoming formulaic. Even though I would love to met Colin Hargreaves, I am getting tired of a "longing embraces" that seem to be a cornerstone of victorian society. Alexander almost seems too consistent in keeping mostly the same cast of characters. That being said, the books in this series always seem to start slow, but I fly through the last half of the book.
January 13, 2020
DNF. I read this series years ago pre- GRs and loved it. However, since I’ve completely forgotten what happened and many new ones have been added to the series, I thought I would refresh my memory of the ones I’ve already read with the audio version. I enjoyed listening to the audio of book one, ( my library does not have book 2) ALAS someone changed the narrator of the audiobook in this book (3) and it’s very difficult to listen too. Impossible for me. So I will not be renewing it. I may continue on with series but the plots are not as good as I thought they were so long ago either. Maybe the newer more recent ones will be better...
January 9, 2008
Another ARC, to be published June 2008. This is the first book I've read by Tasha Alexander, although it is the third book in this particular series featuring Lady Emily Ashton. Previous books are And Only to Deceive and A Poisoned Season. This is a quick paced and fun historical mystery, set in Victorian England. A Fatal Waltz travels to Vienna, which the author depicts with wonderfully evocative writing. I'll recommend this series to fans of Elizabeth Peters, Victoria Thompson, Kate Ross, and Anne Perry.
February 27, 2023
I think I need to go through this book a second time. I listened to the audio book, and there were so many details that I found myself getting confused. Maybe if I go through it again, my rating will improve.
January 16, 2016
2013 - A very tangled plot, finding out who killed Lord Fortescue, but kept me wanting to read just another chapter.
January 13, 2015
I loved the intrigue when it didn't include Colin and Katiana. I just couldn't reconcile Colin, Katiana and Emily's relationships - even at the end I felt betrayed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2014
Reading the first Lady Emily book I of course adored the characters but it wasn't just that. I was also amazed by the attention to detail about life in the Victorian times and the amount of research that has clearly gone into it.
Which makes it even more disappointing that the author didn't bother with some bits. Definitely not with the random German bits. Dear authors, repeat after me: Google Translate is not a good source for foreign languages you have no clue about. Either try and find somebody who speaks the language or just leave it. Because in 9/10 cases you can just get away with 'said X in foreign language. That was also true for this book (and the 10th case was Wiener Zeitung which can be easily looked up...and therefore was also only misspelled once in the book). All the other cases could just as easily have been expressed in English so there was no need to bring tears to the eyes of the German-speaking readers with Handküss, Känstlerkolonie, Kaffee mehr weiß and - my favourite - schokolade mit gepeitschter creme.
Sadly the lack of research didn't stop there. Anybody who spends more than 5 minutes researching Empress Elisabeth of Austria will be able to tell you that a) her nickname was spelled Sisi not Sissi and b) she disliked that name a lot and so it's unlikely that an old friend (as Cecile is in the books) would use it.
Now that we're over the nitpicking: I also didn't like the plot. Though to be fair that was mainly a matter of taste. I prefer my crime-protagonists to solve simple murders and not get involved in major conspiracies where the safety of the World (or at least the British Empire) is at stake. Unfortunately this was one of those. And as my least favourite premisse wasn't enough one of my least favourite tropes was also attached to it: the superhuman opponent. Because the bad guy in this book is exactly that. He knows everything and manages to break into Emily's room repeatedly even though she keeps improving her security. He seems to be capable of teleportation because I can't see how else he keeps getting in.
And because that wasn't enough there also is the most annoying Colin/Emily-jealousy storyline that could have been easily avoided if people just talked to each other.
Still all of this, (the conspiracy as well as Emily's and other people's relationship-troubles) still is most conveniently solved in the last 10 pages or so which makes it look like the author ran out of pages but had too much plotlines that needed a resolution.
I will still read the next book in the series because overall I'd say the book is more average than bad but hits a lot of my pet-peeves and I'm still fond of the characters. (Also I have the omnibus-edition with the first four books) but I'll take a break from Lady Emily for a while to forget how much she annoyed me.
Which makes it even more disappointing that the author didn't bother with some bits. Definitely not with the random German bits. Dear authors, repeat after me: Google Translate is not a good source for foreign languages you have no clue about. Either try and find somebody who speaks the language or just leave it. Because in 9/10 cases you can just get away with 'said X in foreign language. That was also true for this book (and the 10th case was Wiener Zeitung which can be easily looked up...and therefore was also only misspelled once in the book). All the other cases could just as easily have been expressed in English so there was no need to bring tears to the eyes of the German-speaking readers with Handküss, Känstlerkolonie, Kaffee mehr weiß and - my favourite - schokolade mit gepeitschter creme.
Sadly the lack of research didn't stop there. Anybody who spends more than 5 minutes researching Empress Elisabeth of Austria will be able to tell you that a) her nickname was spelled Sisi not Sissi and b) she disliked that name a lot and so it's unlikely that an old friend (as Cecile is in the books) would use it.
Now that we're over the nitpicking: I also didn't like the plot. Though to be fair that was mainly a matter of taste. I prefer my crime-protagonists to solve simple murders and not get involved in major conspiracies where the safety of the World (or at least the British Empire) is at stake. Unfortunately this was one of those. And as my least favourite premisse wasn't enough one of my least favourite tropes was also attached to it: the superhuman opponent. Because the bad guy in this book is exactly that. He knows everything and manages to break into Emily's room repeatedly even though she keeps improving her security. He seems to be capable of teleportation because I can't see how else he keeps getting in.
And because that wasn't enough there also is the most annoying Colin/Emily-jealousy storyline that could have been easily avoided if people just talked to each other.
Still all of this, (the conspiracy as well as Emily's and other people's relationship-troubles) still is most conveniently solved in the last 10 pages or so which makes it look like the author ran out of pages but had too much plotlines that needed a resolution.
I will still read the next book in the series because overall I'd say the book is more average than bad but hits a lot of my pet-peeves and I'm still fond of the characters. (Also I have the omnibus-edition with the first four books) but I'll take a break from Lady Emily for a while to forget how much she annoyed me.
July 13, 2020
Read this entire review here: BOOK REVIEW: A FATAL WALTZ – LOVE AND INTRIGUE IN VIENNA
Review by Catherine
Overall Rating = 4; Romance Rating = 5
What is striking about the third novel in Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series is the intimacy. Romance and mystery are deeply entwined in A Fatal Waltz. This time, the stakes are deeply personal for Emily. As a result, A Fatal Waltz is more character-driven than previous novels. First, there is a new sense of unease and doubt in Emily. Not in her skills as a sleuth, but in herself. After meeting the Countess von Lange, Emily finds herself in the strange position of feeling inadequate. Not only in thought but in action and appearance.
Emily is normally so supremely confident, never in obvious distress. Yet, in A Fatal Waltz, Emily suddenly finds herself floundering. This is not an emotion she enjoys. Adding to her unease is Lord Fortescue’s apparent pleasure in causing her discomfort. However, none of this detracts from the character we’ve grown to know and love over the last two novels. On the contrary, it adds an emotional layer that was previously missing. Emily is relatable without becoming a cliché.
It would have been so easy to use Emily’s doubts as a tool to drive Emily and Colin apart. However, the author doesn’t fall into the oft-seen trope of mistrust chipping away at a relationship. Instead, we see it become a tool of self-reflection for both characters. Colin isn’t as immune as he appears to be towards Tommy’s infatuation with Emily. He also begins to question the impact his career choice will have on Emily when she is his wife. Again, through Emily’s eyes, we see a new side to Colin. Learn his quirks and how they reflect his mood. Whether it’s avoiding her gaze, or pacing as he speaks, Emily knows the direction of his thoughts.
In the end, when Colin is at his lowest point, there is a distinct shift in his relationship with Emily. Together, they forge another link in their chain and it is by far the strongest. The plot of A Fatal Waltz does suffer somewhat with so much focus on the characters. Yet, Emily’s voice saves the story, continuously engaging readers. Despite her doubts, Emily continues her search for the truth and proves that there is strength in vulnerability.
Content Note: No profanity or explicit content.
Read this entire review and others (especially if you love old-fashioned chivalrous romance) at: THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW
Review by Catherine
Overall Rating = 4; Romance Rating = 5
What is striking about the third novel in Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series is the intimacy. Romance and mystery are deeply entwined in A Fatal Waltz. This time, the stakes are deeply personal for Emily. As a result, A Fatal Waltz is more character-driven than previous novels. First, there is a new sense of unease and doubt in Emily. Not in her skills as a sleuth, but in herself. After meeting the Countess von Lange, Emily finds herself in the strange position of feeling inadequate. Not only in thought but in action and appearance.
Emily is normally so supremely confident, never in obvious distress. Yet, in A Fatal Waltz, Emily suddenly finds herself floundering. This is not an emotion she enjoys. Adding to her unease is Lord Fortescue’s apparent pleasure in causing her discomfort. However, none of this detracts from the character we’ve grown to know and love over the last two novels. On the contrary, it adds an emotional layer that was previously missing. Emily is relatable without becoming a cliché.
It would have been so easy to use Emily’s doubts as a tool to drive Emily and Colin apart. However, the author doesn’t fall into the oft-seen trope of mistrust chipping away at a relationship. Instead, we see it become a tool of self-reflection for both characters. Colin isn’t as immune as he appears to be towards Tommy’s infatuation with Emily. He also begins to question the impact his career choice will have on Emily when she is his wife. Again, through Emily’s eyes, we see a new side to Colin. Learn his quirks and how they reflect his mood. Whether it’s avoiding her gaze, or pacing as he speaks, Emily knows the direction of his thoughts.
In the end, when Colin is at his lowest point, there is a distinct shift in his relationship with Emily. Together, they forge another link in their chain and it is by far the strongest. The plot of A Fatal Waltz does suffer somewhat with so much focus on the characters. Yet, Emily’s voice saves the story, continuously engaging readers. Despite her doubts, Emily continues her search for the truth and proves that there is strength in vulnerability.
Content Note: No profanity or explicit content.
Read this entire review and others (especially if you love old-fashioned chivalrous romance) at: THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW
May 24, 2022
This was one of the most supremely awful books I’ve ever read, that I managed to finish. I have to say that the first two books are not great, but they kept my attention and partially redeemed the main character at the end of the book, though she is still supremely stupid, naive and easily influenced by characters who are SO obviously bad guys. The plot is transparently being manipulated by the author. Obvious clues or discrepancies are ignored by the main character, rather than followed up on in the moment, only to have her realize later that they were “important!” Duh! But the narrator in this book was awful, with all the wrong intonations at all the wrong places. She made the main character sound like a Dudley do right “heroine.”
I just don’t have anything good to say about this book. I’ll try one more and then I may just have to give up, though I do love Victorian mysteries with female leads. Such a disappointment.
I just don’t have anything good to say about this book. I’ll try one more and then I may just have to give up, though I do love Victorian mysteries with female leads. Such a disappointment.
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