The Firebird's Feather

October 20, 2014
Like Downton Abbey, this fun, well-crafted standalone by British author Eccles (A Dangerous Deceit) sets a wealthy family in a world of social change. In the summer of 1911, London faces a new monarch, suffrage demonstrations, and violent political activism. Eighteen-year-old Kitty Challoner is preparing for her introduction to London society when her Russian-born mother, Lydia, is fatally shot while horseback riding in Hyde Park. As Kitty grieves, she discovers that her father’s gun is missing, a precious icon has vanished, and a sketch of a wolf has mysteriously appeared in the lacquer box, decorated with a firebird, which her mother cherished. Lydia’s conflicts with suffragette leaders, close relationship with a handsome younger man, and possible support for London’s anarchist underground give the police ample leads. As Lydia’s hidden life is revealed, Kitty comes of age in a sobering but satisfying fashion. Well-drawn characters, inventive plotting, and a touch of romance distinguish this lively historical.

October 28, 2013
This stately standalone from Eccles (After Clare) hinges on a long-buried secret from the Second Boer War. In rural 1927 Worcestershire, that conflict is nearly forgotten, although it’s recalled in the late Osbert Rees-Talbot’s unfinished memoirs. His grown daughter, Margaret, though stricken by the loss of her father, is planning her wedding to the Rev. Symon Scroope, who grew up on the nearby estate of Maxstead Court. The discovery of an unidentified man’s body in the snow on Maxstead land results in the brief, unwanted attention of the police. The subsequent death of factory owner Arthur Anton, who was Rees-Talbot’s batman during the Boer War, in the nearby village of Folbury brings Det. Insp. Herbert Reardon to town. The thoughtful, scarred Reardon eventually arrives at some answers, but flaccid characters and a slow-moving plot diminish the impact of these revelations.

November 1, 2014
London, 1911. King George V is about to be crowned, and women are demanding the vote. But none of this really touches the wealthy Challoner family, especially 18-year-old Kitty, who is about to be introduced to London society. Then comes the horrifying news that Kitty's beloved mother, Lydia, has been shot while horseback riding in Hyde Park. Everyone loved Lydia, so was her death just a tragic accident? Or is there something more sinister going on? The police struggle to come up with leads, but they focus on the fact that Lydia's father was Russian, suggesting a possible link to London's many Russian dissidents. Once the shock begins to recede, Kitty determines that she will find out what caused her mother's death. With the help of Marcus Villiers, the young man who was with Lydia when she died, Kitty soon begins to unravel dark secrets from her mother's past. Solid writing, an engaging heroine, authentic period ambience, and some unexpected twists make this an entertaining and satisfying read for all historical-mystery buffs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)