I love historical fiction/mysteries, though lately I find myself reading about certain periods time and again. This would be the Victorian era and the war years (both WWI and WWII). I've been reading a lot of books about or set in Victorian times particularly (hence my post on books set in other periods), and recently picked up Caro Peacock's A Foreign Affair in anticipation of the release of her new book. This was an enjoyable read, not too taxing (it's actually been the perfect book to read while riding the bike at the gym), yet just suspenseful enough to keep me turning the pages.
You know, I really don't know a lot about the queen that gave this period her name (peripheral sorts of things only--more about the social aspects of the era rather than the monarch herself). I should probably spend a little more time with my nose in history books instead of only novels, but it's amazing the facts you can glean from fiction. They may not always be entirely accurate, but surely there's some nugget of truth about them, and then it's only a step away to good nonfiction to fill in the rest.
A Foreign Affair opens in 1837 when young Victoria is about to ascend the throne after the death of King William. This is the last thing on the mind of eighteen-year-old Liberty Lane, however. Tucked away in the country with her aunt, bored and looking forward to the return of her father, she decides to take matters in her own hands and go off to meet him instead. All the way to Dover. Liberty is an independent, intelligent young woman ahead of her times. When she discovers her father died in a duel, she crosses the channel to Calais to find out what really happened, as her peaceful father scorned duels and would never have taken part in one.
It's hard for Liberty to know who she can trust. She doesn't understand exactly what happened or why, but she does know the explanation of death by duel is only a cover up for something more sinister. The man or men who murdered her father are about, and nearly succeed in grabbing Liberty as well. Back in England she eventually decides to trust a man her father knew, and he convinces her to spy on an aristocratic family who may be tangled up in treason. With few options and only a desire to discover her father's murderer she takes up a position of governess at Mandeville Hall. Perhaps Victoria's ascendancy is not as assured as everyone thinks, and whatever her father knew about a plot to topple her throne cost him his life.
Liberty Lane is a smart heroine, courageous and full of moxie. And yes, I admit, she's probably far more modern than Victorian. If a story is captivating enough, and the hero or heroine likeable, I'm usually willing to give an author wiggle room when it comes to details. If you're a purist when it comes to your historical fiction, however, you might want to keep this in mind. For me this was a pleasant way to wile away a few hours on the bike and I look forward to more of Liberty's adventures.