Staircase Wit: A Dangerous Duet (Book Review)

Title: A Dangerous Duet
Author: Karen Odden
Publication: William Morrow, trade paperback, November 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Nell Hallam lives in 19th century Victorian London with her brother Matthew, a young Scotland Yard detective. A gifted pianist, she wants to study at the Royal Academy, and to earn the tuition she has taken a position at the Octavian music hall, disguised as a man. Two men guess her secret: Jack, the taciturn son of the owner, and Stephen, a well born musician down on his luck. However, when the crime ring Matthew is investigating intersects with Nell’s theater world, she is plunged into danger and must make life-changing choices.

Audience: Readers who enjoy quality historical fiction with some romance and suspense; authors such as Tracy Grant, Kate Ross, Diana Norman (all of whom I admire greatly)

My Impressions: What a delightful story! I don’t know how I missed this author’s debut, A Lady in the Smoke, but A Dangerous Duet is exactly the sort of book I like: well written and well researched historical fiction set in England, varied characters. an engaging heroine (you know how much I like orphans) who is poor but honest, ambitious, and loyal to her brother and friends. For an attractive young woman to operate in disguise as a man requires suspension of disbelief but, as I always say, a talented storyteller can either charm or distract you from thinking skeptical and disruptive thoughts. This is an enthusiastic recommendation, and I look forward to more from Karen Odden.

Purchase Links: Barnes & Noble * IndieBound * Amazon * HarperCollins

Off the Blog: It’s Harvard-Yale weekend and the 50th anniversary of the famous 29-29 tie! I ran into several members of the ’68 team at a book signing tonight and look forward to several fun days. Beat Yale!

Source: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and TLC Book Tours for review purposes. You can visit other stops on the tour and read the reviews by clicking below: