From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell, #1)

Deanna Raybourn

Start date: October 12, 2017

Finish date: October 31, 2017

Discussion: Books of the Month

Why we're reading this: October 2017 Anything Goes Book of the Month
[close] October 2017 Anything Goes Book of the Month

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What Members Thought

Dec 24, 2018 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, read-in-2018, mystery-suspense-thriller, _own-home-library, rec-ig-blogs-friends-other

I really loved this one! Veronica Speedwell is a one of a kind character. Deanna Raybourn did an amazing job creating both a world and a group of characters that are truly outstanding! This is one that I suspect that I will be recommending over and over again. Solid mystery. Outstanding historical fiction. And the relationship between Mr. Stoker and Veronica is one of my favorites in all of literature! I highly recommend this one! You can't go wrong with this one! ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jun 20, 2022 Rachel N. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2022, historical-fiction, england, mystery, historical-mystery, romance, london, thriller

It's 1887 and Veronica Speedwell has just buried her aunt and she's preparing to set off on an expedition to catch butterflies. Her aunt's house is ransacked and Veronica is nearly kidnapped when a German baron shows up. The baron tells Veronica her life is in danger and whisks her off to London. There's she's left in the care of Stoker, a taxidermist and naturalist, while the baron gets permission to reveal to Veronica who her true parents are. When the baron is murdered Veronica and Stoker set ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 02, 2020 Heather rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: smart-heroine, 19th-century, mystery

Interestingly, this book seems to evoke love or hate from its readers. The reviews are all over the map. Happily, I'm in the love category. Veronica is a strong character and I can see why some folks don't like her and her pragmatic world of natural history. Set in the late 1880s, she is definitely another female variation on Sherlock Holmes. She is smart, vocal, opinionated, and completely self-possessed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first volume of her story.

And I think it's really funny t ...more

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May 17, 2020 Mandy Beyers rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, historical-fiction

4.5 stars - such an unexpected story! I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, but even more, I liked the way the two main characters related to each other throughout their adventure.

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