Raised by a country doctor, Alexandra Gladstone thought she couldn't be shocked-until she saw the dead body of a respected admiral dressed in women's undergarments. Even more shocking, though, is the... This description may be from another edition of this product.
An Improper Death is the best book in the Dr. Alexandra Gladstone series. It is handled in a manner different from most mysteries set in historical times in that it assumes that the reader is already familiar with the time and place. As a result, there is none of the historical lecturing that one encounters in other series, such as for instance Steven Saylor's Roman series. As with the other Gladstone mysteries, An Improper Death is written in a fun, cutesy style that makes for excellent escape reading. Best of all, the mystery is one that is difficult for the reader to figure out until all is revealed at the very end.
An Intelligent and Intertaining Read
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
AN IMPROPER DEATH is even better than the first book in the Dr. Alexandra Gladstone series. The opening line has to be one of the best I've ever read, and it launches the reader into an intelligent, thought provoking story that reveals as much about how men view women and women view themselves as it does about the mystery and the killer. At the same time, the author's flair for wry humor keeps the story from being overly serious. Then there's the surprise ending that's like the icing on the cake. I love the way the author has slowly revealed the personalities of the series characters in the course of these first two books, especially Nancy (my favorite) and Constable Snow. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
Intriguing Characters
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
I found AN IMPROPER DEATH to be even more well written and more intriguing than the first book in the series. The characters are especially intriguing and three-dimensional. The enigmatic Constable Snow is becoming my favorite.I particularly enjoyed the development of Jane, the admiral's wife, in this story. Details regarding the legal rights (or lack of) for married women in Victorian England were particularly interesting, and the writer used the details to weave a story I couldn't put down.
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