REVIEW: A Perilous Undertaking: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn

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My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆

The second book in the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries is just as much a tour de force as the first. Veronica and Stoker are set upon yet another adventure, attempting to clear a man of murder, someone close to the royal family. Veronica is determined to step up to the challenge and prove herself, Stoker faithfully by her side. But will their meddling put them on the wrong side of the law, or piss off someone else who's trying to cover something up?

I've been really enjoying Veronica's tales. As a lepidopterist (butterfly collector), and of late, amateur detective in Victorian England, Veronica has a lot of spunk, particularly for a woman of her time. She's unconventional, witty, and fearless, a perfect counterpart to Stoker—taxidermist by trade, black sheep of his family, and adventurer in his own right. The two are the perfect alchemy, even if they don't know it yet. Sure, they're best buds, but the sexual tension between them has become quite palatable and though I'm not much of a romanticist, I'm hoping they'll just get it on soon! ;)

I love how the author has been slowly peeling back the layers of our two main characters rather than fully reveal them in the first book. In this second book, we learn even more about Veronica and Stoker, particularly Stoker and his background with his family. Coming to know them in this way is akin to getting to know a friend, a bit at a time, and I'd definitely love to have either or both of these two as friends. They just seem so fun!

I'll definitely be on the lookout for future books in this series as they're published.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.