Series Spotlight: Veronica Speedwell Mysteries

(Some honorable mentions are the Below Stairs Mystery series by Jennifer Ashley, the Spencer & Reid Mysteries by Cara Devlin, the Variety Palace Mysteries by Bridget Walsh and the Lady Darby Mystery series by Anna Lee Huber.)

There are currently ten books in the series, with the most recent one having been released this past March. But let’s start at the beginning. The series kicks off with A Curious Beginning set in London, 1887. In it, we are introduced to our heroine, Veronica Speedwell. She is a natural scientist – a lepidopterist, someone who studies butterflies. Her spinster aunt has just passed away, and Veronica no longer has any ties keeping her in the English countryside. She is ready to set out on some great adventure, traveling the world and doing research. Her plan is derailed, however, when she is almost abducted by a mysterious assailant and saved in the nick of time by an even more mysterious German baron. He brings her to London, and puts her in the company of a rugged former sailor/ship’s surgeon/taxidermist: Stoker. When the German baron winds up dead, Veronica and Stoker set out to investigate his murder.

The best thing about this series, the best thing, is Veronica. She is an intelligent, passionate, feisty, headstrong woman who is way ahead of her time. The books are her diaries, where she documents all her adventures for posterity. She has a biting sense of humor, she’s unflinchingly honest with herself and others, and great at figuring things out. That makes her a very compelling narrator, and reading these books is just so much fun. Veronica is definitely not perfect, and she does make mistakes and digs in her heels sometimes, but that just makes her all the more human.

While the mysteries in some books are a bit more engrossing than others (even though there are some overlapping storylines, each book is a self-contained mystery to be solved), the relationship between Veronica and Stoker is what brings it all together. Even when their investigation is in a lull, Veronica and Stoker will keep you entertained. Their banter is excellent, and over the course of the series they become closer and closer. The (very) slow-burn relationship had me giddy, and it’s in part because Stoker is such a steady presence. Veronica is independent and odd and can be snappy, and Stoker is her greatest supporter. He can also be difficult and taciturn and obstinate, but he never seeks to make Veronica into something she’s not. Their mutual love for science is what brings them together, and they find in each other like-minded, passionate people. During their adventures, Veronica and Stoker meet lots of interesting people, and they create their own family of friends. There are lots of lovely recurring characters throughout the books and each new installment adds to those relationships.

I would suggest spacing out the books in this series, so you can truly savor the slow-burn relationship between Veronica and Stoker. Each book contains a little recap of all the necessary people and plot points you need, so your memory is refreshed every time. That also means that reading all ten books in one go can become a bit repetitive, especially since Veronica can be pompous at times and you start to recognize a certain formula in the mysteries. That’s not to say that the series becomes boring, however. There is a foundation of solid writing, witty and sharp dialogue, social commentary and most were 5-star reads for me!