Silent In the Sanctuary - Deanna Raybourn

Author: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: MIRA
Website:  http://www.deannaraybourn.com

Deanna Raybourn suffers from no sophomore slump with her second Lady Julia Grey novel, Silent in the Sanctuary. This thoroughly engrossing, humorous sequel ranks even higher in my view than its predecessor, Silent in the Grave (which I absolutely loved!). Lady Julia’s second foray into the world of detection and mystery is just as un-put-downable as the first, and I was compelled to carry it with me everywhere until I finished it. This time, Raybourn gives readers a stronger, more self-assured Lady Julia, though she’s still learning to balance between societal expectations and her own new appreciation of independence, and an even more compelling, wonderfully and frustrating enigmatic Brisbane. When the two are reunited even more sparks fly, and you could cut the romantic tension with a knife, it’s that palpable. But of course nothing is going to come easy for two individuals whose strong wills and temperaments constantly put them at odds with convention and each other.

Following her brush with death in Grave, Lady Julia went to Italy to recover her health, and though she’s reluctant to admit it to herself, to forget inquiry agent Nicholas Brisbane. Though the connection between them is undeniable, when six months pass with nary a word she resolves to move on. When she and two of her brothers are recalled to the family estate for Christmas, she’s shocked and somewhat peeved to discover that Nicholas is in residence as well – with a completely unsuitable fiancée. However, her annoyance is pre-empted by the brutal murder of one of the houseguests, and her father charges her and Brisbane to work together to discover the culprit and minimize the scandal’s impact on the eccentric March family. Isolated by a snowstorm in the historic Abbey/family home, the pool of suspects is limited, casting a pall of suspicion over family, friends, and acquaintances alike. The truth must out before the snow melts, allowing a murderer to go free – or they may strike again.

One of this book’s greatest strengths is that Raybourn allows readers to spend more time with Julia’s delightfully eccentric family. They’re funny, sarcastic, irreverent, and fiercely loyal to each other, even the more questionable of their relations (like Aunt Dorcas, the ancient kleptomaniac). Sanctuary is rife with intrigue, misunderstandings, and hidden secrets. The storyline is multi-layered and fascinating, with enough twists and turns and red herrings to give a person whiplash. The fact that the family home was once an ancient Abbey adds to the atmosphere of the story – it’s as though anything is possible in a location where the very stones seem imbued with history and drama. At the center of it all lies Brisbane and Julia’s maddening relationship. Their relationship is like the ebb and flow of an intricate dance – just when events throw them together, something tears them apart. Raybourn excels at developing the romantic tension in this installment. Lady Julia’s world is one I love getting lost in – completely and utterly absorbing, and loads of fun to boot, Raybourn’s storytelling always leaves me wanting more.

Purchase Silent In The Sanctuary (Lady Julia Grey).

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