Victorian England's favorite lady detective returns to investigate a confounding case of triple murders in The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders. Set in the colorful theater community of London's gritty West End in the mid-1800s, this entertaining mystery is the third in a series starring Laetitia Rodd, a widow with a famously dry wit, razor-sharp observations and a fondness for dead bodies. Narrated by Mrs. Rodd herself, the story is a tragedy in several acts, beginning with a long-ago murder and ending in a series of shocking twists that rattle the entire theater world.
The genteel Mrs. Rodd lives in quiet, cozy domesticity in London's Hampstead neighborhood. She takes on occasional investigative work to support herself, often at the behest of her brother, a famous barrister known for his dramatic court performances. Engaged to help a former actress, Sarah Transome, obtain a financial settlement from her estranged husband, Mrs. Rodd ventures across the city to meet her client. Before long, she is immersed in the complicated drama of the Transome family. When her client is implicated in a murder investigation, Mrs. Rodd teams up with her onetime nemesis, Scotland Yard's Inspector Blackbeard, to solve the crime.
Saunders (Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar; The Secrets of Wishtide) has crafted a devilishly complex plot swirling with "rampant flimflam" on the part of unreliable witnesses. The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden will delight established fans of Mrs. Rodd, while readers new to the series can enjoy this latest installment as a standalone novel. --Shahina Piyarali, reviewer