Description: Jessie Archer is a member of the Athena Protocol, an elite organization of female spies who enact vigilante justice around the world. Athena operatives are never supposed to shoot to kill—so when Jessie can’t stop herself from pulling the trigger, she gets kicked out of the organization, right before a huge mission to take down a human trafficker in Belgrade. Jessie needs to right her wrong and prove herself, so she starts her own investigation into the trafficking. But going rogue means she has no one to watch her back as she delves into the horrors she uncovers. Meanwhile, her former teammates have been ordered to bring her down. Jessie must face danger from all sides if she’s to complete her mission—and survive. Review: I have always been frustrated with the James Bond and Mission Impossible movie franchises especially with their reductive treatment of women who are either the femme fatale caricuture or an "agent" who is suppose to be capable an...
Review: I have been meaning to read Deanna Raybourn's historical mystery series for quite some time. After reading trusted reviewer's great reviews of her Veronica Speedwell series, I thought I would try it. A Curious Beginning did not disappoint and it seems to be a great Victorian mystery series. Determined to live an independent life, Veronica Speedwell is anything but a proper Victorian lady. Veronica is an incredibly witty, snarky, scientist who is happily to turn her back on "civil" society in order to pursue her own desires. So when her home is attacked during her aunt's funeral, a rollicking adventure ensues. After rescuing Veronica from her attacker, Baron von Stauffenbach whisks her to London, depositing her in the care of the enigmatic Mr. Stoker, a brooding, surly hero with a mysterious past who also loves natural history. Before the Baron can return to tell Veronica what he knows of her mother, he's found dead, and the police like Stoker for a suspect. Stoker and Veronica partner up to find the real culprit and they ping-pong throughout London and its outskirts as they dodge villains with murky motives and hulking henchmen. Soon, they realize that Stauffer's death may be connected to the mystery of Veronica's birth parents.
I enjoyed reading A Curious Beginning. I liked that the mystery is shrouded in Veronica's origins. When the mystery seem to stall, I didn't feel bored as I loved getting to know Veronica and trying to figure out Stoker. Their banter made me laugh out loud several times and it was absolute pleasure to read. Not mention that their sexual tension crackled on the page. It did not take me long to ship these two characters together. The author does a good job in resolving the overall mystery, but there are still things that we don't know about in particular about Stoker's past, I can't wait to learn more about. I look forward seeing what other situations Veronica and Stoker find themselves into in the upcoming books in this series.
Rating: 4 stars
Words of Caution: There is some strong language, sexual references and innuendos in the book. Recommended to older teens and adults who enjoy historical mysteries.
If you like this book try: A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell #2), Lady Grey series by Deanna Raybourn, Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander
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