READING IDEAS FOR THE WEEK

The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders, £9.99, Bloomsbury.

From the bestselling author Kate Saunders comes the third book in the Laetitia Rodd mysteries. This cozy mystery is set in the world of Victorian theatre. It is 1853 and the last place private detective Laetitia Rodd wants to be is in the drama of the theatrical world.

However, she receives a request from a retired actor, whose days on the stage were ended by a theatre fire 10 years before. His friend, and the man he rescued from the fire, Thomas Transome, has decided to leave his wife, who now needs assistance in securing a worthy settlement.

When she hears the story of Mrs Transome, she cannot ignore a woman in need.

What Mrs Rodd believes to be a simple open and shut case soon spirals out of control when a body turns up in the burned down remains of the Transomes’ old theatre.

Detective Blackbeard is assigned to the case by the police, and the two must work together to find the culprit before another body turns up. They soon become wrapped up in endless family politics, rivalries set on stage, and betrayal.

At first, I was intrigued. It is rare to encounter a female detective in a story set during the Victorian period. However, I soon felt a bit let down by it. Maybe because Laetitia Rodd never clicked with me.

Despite this being author Saunders’ third book in the series, nothing sat as firm as it should for me. Even though I haven’t read the previous titles, as a standalone book, The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden did not offer enough character development or entertainment for me to fully engage with it.

Reading reactions from fans of Saunders’ work, many felt this book was not as strong as the others, which leads me to believe I would be better returning to her other work.

What made me keep with it was the side characters. The drama of the theatre never fails, even when the lead is acting alone. Like Mrs Rodd, I too rooted for Mrs Transome and wanted to see her through to the end. I also can never put down a mystery book.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a crime mystery with a different protagonist, and any fans of the theatre. Even Shakespeare’s head would be turned by the drama in the wings of this stage.