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Published Jul 2016
368 pages
Genre: Mysteries
Publication Information
The New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey mysteries returns once more to Victorian England and introduces intrepid adventuress Veronica Speedwell....
London, 1887. After burying her spinster aunt, orphaned Veronica Speedwell is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as with fending off admirers, Veronica intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.
But fate has other plans when Veronica thwarts her own attempted abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron, who offers her sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker, a reclusive and bad-tempered natural historian. But before the baron can reveal what he knows of the plot against her, he is found murdered—leaving Veronica and Stoker on the run from an elusive assailant as wary partners in search of the villainous truth.
"Wickedly clever and devilishly amusing…Veronica Speedwell is a joy—unflappable, unrepentant, and thoroughly delightful." - Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Maggie Hope series
"The eccentricities of Victorian England receive a rousing look in the highly entertaining A Curious Beginning…Energetic storytelling." - South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"Creating strong character pairings, placing the action in unexpectedly unusual but actual historical settings, and folding it all into a clever mystery are hallmarks of this author's magical, signature style…This new series starts off with a bang." - Library Journal (starred review)
"I love this book! Brings us the powerful Veronica Speedwell, who triumphs over adversity and danger with wit, charm, and uncanny determination. A real find."—Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Virgin River series
Praise for the series in general
"A ruthlessly intelligent heroine." - NPR
"I love this series! Veronica Speedwell is utterly unique." - Amanda Quick, New York Timesbestselling author of The Other Lady Vanishes
"Veronica Speedwell is sure to join the greats of mystery fiction." - Alan Bradley, New York Times bestselling author of the Flavia de Luce series
"A treat. One of the few writers who can make history feel immediate and exciting without losing a grasp of the period." - Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Royal Spyness series
"A fine combination of detective story and character study…sure to interest mystery lovers and Anglophiles alike." - The Historical Novels Review
"A smart, plucky, way-ahead-of-her time heroine." - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Veronica Speedwell might just be one of the most endearing heroines in mysteries, period….She's smart, dashing, and entirely capable….Her sense of humor and chemistry with Stoker, her counterpart, just make this series even better." - Bustle
This information about A Curious Beginning was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: © Holly Virginia Photography
Deanna Raybourn is a 6th-generation Texan. She graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Raybourn is the New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar Award–nominated Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, as well as the Lady Julia Grey series and several stand-alone works.
Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of one, Raybourn makes her home in Virginia.
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