Annotation: Mystery Genre

Title: A Curious Beginning

Author: Deanna Raybourn

Genre: Mystery 

Number of Pages: 337

Geographical Setting: England

Time Period: Victorian, 1887

Series: Veronica Speedwell (Book One)

Plot Summary:
Orphaned as an infant, Veronica Speedwell loses her last tie to England when Aunt Nell dies. Her passion for lepidoptery has taken her around the world and led to other discoveries. "It was not until my first butterflying expedition at the age of eighteen - a month-long sojourn in Switzerland - that I discovered men could be just as appealing as moths" (Raybourn 9). Now truly alone, the pragmatic and confidently unconventional Veronica packs her butterfly net and small travel bag for an expedition to the tropics. Her plans are waylaid when she is abducted from her village cottage. A mysterious German baron suddenly materializes to save her, then insists that she is in mortal danger and must come away with him. He assures her that he knew her mother and that he will share more details when they reach London. Curious more than convinced, and happy not to have to pay her way to London, Veronica accepts. She soon finds herself deposited with the baron's friend, Stoker, a disheveled, rude, but oddly appealing naturalist with secrets of his own. When the baron is killed before he can tell Veronica the long-hidden truth about her past, Veronica and Stoker find themselves on the run from authorities and persistent villains. The two must unravel the tangle of clues if they are to outwit the killer and uncover the secrets that threaten their lives.

Subject Headings: Orphans, Women Sleuths, 19th century England

Characteristics of the Mystery/Amateur Detective Genre
(Saricks 198, 214)

Story Line: Veronica and Stoker are brought together in order to solve the baron's murder and its connection to Veronica's past.

Characterization: The story focuses on Veronica, the first person narrator/protagonist, but Stoker is also a prominent and complex figure integral to the plot.

Frame/Setting: The story takes place in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Vivid descriptions of taxidermy and  natural history collections create an unusual but compelling context for the mystery.

Tone/Mood: The protagonist's playful, often mischievous, behavior contributes a lighter tone to occasionally gritty situations.

Style/Language: Veronica narrates the story. Her observations are insightful and and evocative. Scientific terminology related to the natural history profession is used throughout and serves to inform and to engage readers. The verbal sparring and expressive language keep the plot moving and make the characters appealing and relatable. In one instance, Stoker is wearing a suit as it is being altered. The many pins in the jacket are poking him, and he is complaining about the pain."Help me out of this coat," he ordered. "I feel as if I were in the grip of a lethargic anaconda" (Raybourn 106).

Pacing: The dialogue between Veronica and Stoker maintains the quick pace when the action slows. Suspense about Veronica and Stoker's relationship builds with the suspense surrounding the crime.


3 terms that best describe this book: 

Engrossing, entertaining, informative.

Read Alikes 

(Source: NoveList, https://www.carmel.lib.in.us/)


Kasasian, M. R. C. (2015). The Mangle Street murders. New York, NY: Pegasus.
Reason: While Curious Beginning takes place largely among Victorian London's upper classes and Mangle Street Murders explores its dark alleys, both novels feature young, intelligent women teamed with disagreeable male detectives on murder investigations. Witty dialogue drives these complex, immersive plots. -- Jen Baker


Alexander, T. (2009). And only to deceive. New York, NY: Harper Collins.
Reason: These books are Suspenseful and Richly detailed, and they share: the genre "historical mysteries"; and the subjects "independence in women" and "young women."


Thomas, S. (2016). A study in scarlet women. London, UK: Berkley.
Reason: These authors' works are Suspenseful and Richly detailed, and they share: the genres "historical romances" and "historical mysteries"; and the subject "men/women relations."

                                                                                                                                                                                    

Notes

Raybourn, D. (2015). A curious beginning: A Veronica Speedwell mystery. New York, NY: New American Library.

Saricks, J. G. (2009). The readers’ advisory guide to genre fiction. Chicago: ALA.