Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Author: Deanna Raybourn
Title: Silent Night
Release: November 1, 2012
Series: Lady Julia mysteries #5.5
Reviewer: Noa
Source: Personal Library

Purchase:
‘Tis the season for an investigation! Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane return for a Christmas caper at Bellmont Abbey—.

After a year of marriage—and numerous adventures—Lady Julia and Brisbane hope for a quiet, intimate Christmas together—until they find themselves at her father’s ancestral estate, Bellmont Abbey, with her eccentric family and a menagerie of animals.

Nevertheless, Julia looks forward to a lively family gathering—but amongst the celebrations, a mystery stirs. There are missing jewels, new faces at the Abbey, and a prowling ghost that brings back unwelcome memories from a previous holiday—one that turned deadly. Is a new culprit recreating crimes of the past? And will Brisbane let Julia investigate—?

When Deanna Raybourn announced that Lady Julia and Brisbane would be taking a break – not from each other – god forbid, but from us, I was heartbroken. Then she announced she would be working on a new series and well, the heartbreak began to heal. Still, it was completely awesome of her to share a special Chanukah (ok, ok, Christmas) novella featuring the lovely Lady Julia and Brisbane.

Silent Night introduces us to what Christmas is like in the March family; when Julia and Nicholas are forced to give up their own Christmas plans (a trip to Italy) in order to join a March family christmas – with all the mayhem that suggests, they feel that at least they’ll be able to share some romantic quiet time together at Julia’s own country sanctuary. But when they arrive – accidents and tragedy abound. They are forced to stay with the family where they find the Earl of March is a deep gloom, the servants all sick and the whole place seriously lacking in Christmas cheer.

Then things begin disappearing and it seems like the ghost from stories past is back…

This short (always too short in Raybourn’s case) vignette is a wonderful treat for anyone who loves the Lady Julia mysteries. After two darker books in the series it was nice to catch up with Julia and Brisbane and see that they were doing ok – much more than ok. Now I can wait patiently (stop laughing!) for the next book in the series as well as for A Spear of Summer Grass.

Thank you Deanna Raybourn for my lovely Chanukah gift.

Noa first fell in love with books when she discovered 100 acre wood and its inhabitants. To this day, the last pages of “The House at Pooh Corner” make her cry. In a good way. From“Calvin and Hobbes” to “The Iliad and the Odyssey” and lets not forget “Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes”. Biographies, mysteries, history books and romances all have a place on her bookshelves. Who needs furniture? This 29 year old singleton’s dream is to invent the zero-calorie chocolate. But until that day arrives, she tries to create sweet confections with whatever chocolate she can find. An MA in conflict studies (need a mediator?) means Noa loves a good debate, especially when she wins. If she were in charge, books would be free for everyone.

Doll Noa

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