by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

I’m always on the lookout for historical mystery series, especially set in the Victorian era, so I was delighted when I got my hands on Safe in Death by S.K. Rizzolo, book one in her “Esther Hardy Victorian Mystery” series. Despite an incredibly busy week, I tore through this suspenseful, page turning read set in 1861 Victorian London.

Esther Hardy is a smart, single woman, not interested in marrying just for society’s sake. She longs to use her mind and craves adventure. And adventure is just what she gets when a gravely injured woman Esther barely knows shows up on the family’s doorstep one evening. Esther’s father is a surgeon and this woman had been his patient, but before Esther’s father can return home, the woman dies in Esther’s arms.

Later, Esther learns that this woman was actually Muriel Dane, a woman suspected of killing her aristocratic lover and long thought dead. Esther is determined to uncover the truth, and in turn, finds her calling as a detective.

What an outstanding plot with wonderfully rich historical details. The mystery is layered and fast paced. There are twists and turns throughout that kept me turning the pages. I encourage readers to not skip the author’s historical note at the end of the book – it was fascinating and added another layer to my reading.

The characters are well developed, and I immediately liked independent, intelligent and brave Esther. She is just the kind of sleuth I love to root for, especially living in a time in history when many women were meant to be seen and not heard.

I especially love the supportive relationship between Esther and her family – that felt unique in stories set in this time period, and it was most welcome. There’s also a little love interest for Esther that I’m curious to hopefully read more about.

The writing and included details are vivid, bringing to life all aspects of Victorian London. Esther certainly travels all over, and I was thankful to be reading about these places and not actually there myself!

Fans of Deanna Rayburns Veronica Speedwell mysteries and Sherry Thomas’s Lady Sherlock should enjoy this first entry in a new series.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of Safe in Death, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “safe” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 1, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.