A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

Veronica and Stoker very nearly declared themselves in the last book. But they were interrupted by Stoker's brother, Tiberius. After that, Veronica fled halfway around the world for six months, afraid of her feelings (whether or not she'll admit that to herself). She's barely back when Tiberius lures her to a remote island, to  a house party in a castle with promises of the larvae of a rare butterfly. Veronica knows he has ulterior motives but she's willing to do what it takes to get the butterfly. And maybe to tweak Stoker's nose a bit as she poses as Tiberius' fiancée. 

But it is even more mysterious than it first appears. Three years ago, a woman disappeared on her wedding day and the family has been in hiding ever since. This house party is their first toe into coming back into society. But a seance brings a ghost back to life and old secretes rise again.

The story was fine but the real draw for me was the growth for Veronica. A bit for Stoker as well but their story moved enough to be an enjoyable read.

Four stars

This book came out March 12, 2019

Follows A Treacherous Curse

Followed by A Murderous Relation

Opinions are my own

A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn

We finally get to meet the elusive Caroline, the woman who done Stoker wrong. And with his best friend. Whom she then married. Who is now missing. Who is accused of stealing a valuable diadem from an Egyptian dig site. And Stoker and Veronica have been asked to investigate. Of course, Veronica is ready to charge toward danger and drag Stoker behind with her.

A lovely addition to the series. We get a great peek into Stoker's past and a bit of an explanation as to how his character has been built.

Four stars

This book came out January 16, 2018

Follows A Perilous Undertaking

Followed by A Dangerous Collaboration

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn

When examining the effects of a lady mountaineer, recently deceased, Veronica is shocked to see that the rope holding the woman on her last climb looks to have been cut with a knife. The lady's death was not the accident everyone assumes. Veronica is anxious to investigate and gets her chance when the Princess Gisela of the Alpenwald disappears and, as an unexpected lookalike, Veronica is asked to step into her place. 

As usual, Raybourn has a lot going on in her book but she weaves it together seamlessly in a thoroughly enjoyable story. It did take me a little bit to get through the middle of the book but I enjoyed seeing the character growth in Veronica and Stoker. There was not much building about their relationship but I think there are some hints that there may be more in the next book.

Veronica Speedwell #6

Four stars

Follows A Murderous Relation

Followed by An Impossible Impostor
This book comes out March 2, 2021

ARC kindly provided by Berkley and Edelweiss Plus
Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby January 2024

A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn

It is a truth universally acknowledged that, if a series is set in the late 1880s, at some point, they will introduce Jack the Ripper as an element. Does it always work successfully? No. And with this book it was... okay. It set off the series of events that lead to Veronica and Stoker meeting the crown prince of England at a... rather scandalous house. Coming face-to-face with a part of her past is jarring to Veronica. But that's not the only part of her past she'll have to face and this one might just be the thing that finally kills her.
Still a good book in the series but didn't feel as if it read as fast as other books in the series. I still think regular readers will not be disappointed.

Veronica Speedwell #5

Three stars

This book came out March 10th, 2020

Follows A Dangerous Collaboration

Followed by An Unexpected Peril
ARC kindly provided by Berkley
Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby January 2024 (liked it better; three and a half stars)

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn

The first book in this series was fabulous. Ms. Raybourn's interview with the Smart Bitches was fantastic. And this book continues a streak.
Veronica Speedwell is back. And bored. She's very bored. Just spending her days training with Revelestoke "Stoker" Templeton-Vane is not how she wanted to be spending her life. But their friend Lord Rosemorran who was going to finance an expedition for all of them tripped over his pet tortoise (yes!) and broke his femur. So when Lord Rosemorran's sister asks Veronica if she wants to go to the Curiosity Club, Veronica doesn't hesitate. Curiosity is the theme of this book and mentioned quite often in conjunction with our heroine.
It's what springs to the fore when she realizes that she has actually been tricked into meeting with one of her aunts. One of her father's sisters. The father who has never been able to publicly acknowledge her. This aunt wants her to help clear up the name of Miles Ramsforth, a man who is about to hang for murdering his pregnant mistress.
The mystery is well developed, we get to learn a lot more about the characters of both Stoker and Veronica (what they have in common, a little bit more about Stoker's past with his soul-sucking wife), and we get to meet the shadowy figure behind Sir Hugo Montgomerie, the head of Special Branch, Scotland Yard.

Four stars
This book comes out January 10, 2017
Follows A Curious Beginning

Followed by A Treacherous Curse

Opinions are my own

Reread as an audiobook from Libby December 2023

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

As the title says, this is a very Curious Beginning to what seems to be a series that I'm going to enjoy. If you've read Raybourn's Lady Julia series, you will immediately recognize the style of writing.
The protagonist is Veronica Speedwell. The book opens at the funeral of the second of two women who raised her. Veronica is not very sad since this particular "aunt" was not the warm and fuzzy type. Though she tried valiantly to pass on some sort of message before she died. Too bad it didn't get delivered. Veronica arrives back at her house to find that it's been thoroughly searched. But for what reason? The women who took her in when she was a baby weren't rich. There's no secret treasure. And then there's the strange German man who whisks her away to London.
Now, at this point, a reader might wonder why Veronica, a woman, now alone in the world, allows herself to be taken away like that? Well, as a botanist, she's a world traveler who knows how to take care of herself and has weapons secreted on her body. And she's a pragmatist. It will cost less to go to London if this gentleman is paying for her. She then finds out that he knew her mother and knows more about Veronica's origins.
However, once they get to London, he drops her off with his friend, Stoker. At this point, I got worried because -- duh -- Bram Stoker. Are there vampires in this book? No (phew). Stoker is a scarred and tattooed man who is NOT happy to have Veronica in his space. And it gets even worse when the German man is murdered and the two have to go on the run...
I really, really liked that Veronica is not your normal heroine. And she's not the type of "modern thinker" that is dropped anachronistically into a story. Nope, in addition to being a pragmatic botanist, she's a follower of the free love movement. But she's got rules, she won't have sex with an Englishman and she won't do anything of "that sort" in England. So her growing attraction to Stoker (who has his own mysterious backstory) is becoming a problem.

Four Stars

This book came out September 1, 2015
Followed by A Perilous Undertaking

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread November 2023 as audiobook from Libby