Dark Road to Darjeeling (Lady Julia Grey Series #4)

Love this series!!!!

The fourth book in the Lady Julia Grey series did not disappoint!! Lady Julia is an intelligent and sassy heroine. I adore her and her sexy husband Brisbane. I could not predict any of the plot twists. I can't wait for book 5!!! The characters have stayed true since book 1.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Rich Historical Romance and Mystery

When I picked up Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn, not only had I not read the previous three books in the Lady Julia Grey series but I had not read anything by Deanna Raybourn. I found this book a pleasant and engrossing read.

It did start a bit slow for me, which I accounted to acquainting myself with characters that had been delighting other readers through three earlier adventures. Once I felt settled with the characters I was quickly drawn in to the vibrant and rich tale of the Himalayas.

Ms. Raybourn creates an intriguing mix of romance, historical fiction, travel and mystery in Dark Road to Darjeeling. The characters are rich, with the lush scenery deserving of its own place in the cast. I was thoroughly enchanted with the opulent imagery that came alive on the pages. I could quite easily see The Peacocks in my mind (the tea plantation as well as the colorful birds) and smell the Darjeeling tea as well as the colorful flora mentioned throughout.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of the story was Lady Julia, a strong, obstinate and determined female, who was most certainly not a woman of her times. I loved the fact that while Julia was willful and strong natured she wasn't careless or stupid. You won't find her putting herself in a ridiculous position simply to move the plot forward. I found her a very realistic heroine, most particularly based on her relationships with her siblings (complete with some heckling) and her husband (frought with frustrations, worries and flat out annoyance at times). She loves her family but her relationships aren't perfect by any means.

The mystery was appealing, leaving me fairly well in the dark until all was revealed. All pieces of the puzzle fit together very nicely, leaving me to find the "big reveal" gratifying and very content with the resolution. At no point in the book did I feel shortchanged or confused by storyline, or did I feel the persons were acting out of character.

I would not hesitate to recomment Dark Road to Darjeeling to bibliophiles who are passionate about romance, history and foreign lands. I plan on reading Ms. Raybourn's earlier books in the series, and look forward to future efforts by her.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Tea, Skullduggery and the Raj

Source: Net Galley

One thing must be said about large families: they don't let you get bored. Lady Julia and her favorite husband, enquiry agent Nicholas Brisbane, were closing in on eight months of honeymoon when her siblings Portia and Plum cornered them in Shepheard's Hotel in old Cairo.

Portia's former lover Jane unexpectedly found herself widowed on the brink of becoming a mother. The disposition of her late husband's estate (a tea plantation outside of Darjeeling, India) depends on the gender of Jane's unborn child, and based on hints in Jane's letters, Portia suspects Jane's husband was murdered. Jane or, worse yet, her child could be next. Portia convinces Lady Julia and her somewhat reluctant husband to accompany her and Plum (Portia's chaperone-the Lady Julia Grey mysteries revel in their late 19th century setting, after all) to the estate.

The trip is arduous, complicated by family peccadilloes and newlywed strife. The marriage of two personalities as decisive as Nicholas and Lady Julia is guaranteed to be volatile, which is exactly how Ms. Raybourn's fans want it. Romantic mystery series don't survive on their sleuth's deductive prowess. They thrive on tension and conflict, ideally sizzling between the principals at all times in all places-the more exotic the better.

And what could be more exotic than the zenith of the British Raj? There is a full measure of deceit, skullduggery and death awaiting our intrepid aristocrats at the tea plantation known as The Peacocks. But that's only part of the novel's allure. Like Elizabeth Peters' classic Amelia Peabody mysteries, Ms. Rayburn's lush prose invites readers to become tourists of the mind, exploring some of the most evocative locales in history through the fictional experiences of her likeable, passionate and privileged protagonists. The fact that those experiences resonate in the reality beyond the covers of Ms. Peters' and Ms. Raybourn's books is a credit to their skill and in no way diminishes their value as entertainment and escape.

Although the fourth in the series, DARK ROAD TO DARJEELING works well as a standalone mystery. In fact, the relatively small number of family members in the cast may make it easier for new readers than earlier volumes in the Lady Julia Grey series. Ms. Raybourn's sly, sexy wit shimmers through the pages, and the story is punctuated with the historical equivalent of Easter eggs. Chances are you won't catch all of them. I know I didn't. Fortunately, they're too subtle to qualify as in-jokes, and missing them in no way detracts from the reading experience. But the pop of recognition when you catch one makes it doubly gratifying, like Ms. Raybourn's tip of the hat to one of the most famous rooms in America. I've always loved that room, and I can't think of a better setting for characters I adore.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly recommended

Read the first book and was enthralled, so I bought each one as soon as I finished the last. This one was interesting and tied up some loose ends, didn't really see why Jane had to die, but thats the authors peragative. Loved book #5

Make to e to enjoy this one...

Well written, with emotional pitfalls and growth for the characters, set in a setting given almost poetic life by the author.

Another book in a fun series

I would probably give this 5 stars if I were just grading on the enjoyment factor, but I guess other things matter in a book, so I'm giving it 4.
I love this series and have read all five. It is really too bad that writers cannot write as fast as we readers can read!
Julia and Brisbane are married now and off to India. The usual good characters, fun interaction between the spouses and unfortunately in this book, one very sad occurance.
But all in all a great addtion to a great series.

The Fourth in this series is great, highly recommend it!

I love Lady Julia, one of my favorite characters. Of course, Colin is the ideal husband, even for today's standards! Deanna Raybourn writes very well and keeps you interested through this whole series. Love the mystery as it unveils through out the story. I wanted her to be careful because deep down, I knew what was going to happen to her! Very exciting and the end deduction was a surprise to me. I thought it was someone else the whole time!

Highly Recommended

I love the Lady Julia series. I can't wait to see what Lady Julia gets involved with next!

Thank you Deanna, you did it again....

I love traveling with intelligent and pertinent Lady Julia and mysterious, sexy Nicholas Brisbane, as they slueth their way across Victorian England and the surrounding Continent. In this the fourth book of the series, we find newly married Julia and Brisbane, along with a relunctant Plum, unwillingly involved in mystery and murder in India, at the 'gentle' persuasion of Julia's unconventional sister Portia. Once again, we meet many colorful and intriging people, as well as some old friends, that take us deep into the rural mountains of India and bring us to an unexpected ending, and once again, when the book is finished, you will still want more. If this is the first book of Deanna Raybourn's you've considered, don't hesitate, but also buy the first three books of the series because you will want to read them all and get to know the story of inquisitive Lady Julia and the brilliant Brisbane from the beginning, with Silent in the Grave. A great series that always leaves you wanting more.

highly recommended

I found this book by accident, fowever once i started reading i could not put it donw.

more than expected

it was a fascinating book to read, and will be time and time again. i recommend this book if you enjoy romance mixed with some mystery. definitely a page turner that will keep you at night trying to figure out the plot until the very end.

Bridget's Review

This romantic tale should not be missed! Lady Julia is a stunning character who doesn't disappoint. The story line is entertaining from beginning to end. Five stars!

INTERESTING HISTORICAL MYSTERY!

DARK ROAD TO DARJEELING by Deanna Raybourn is a historical mystery set in 1889 Himalayas and India. It is well written with depth and details. It is the fifth in The Lady Julia Grey Mystery series but can be read as a stand alone. It has suspense, mystery, intrigue, fast paced, twists,turns, family, secrets, betrayal, wit, humor and family secrets will come to light. While on their honeymoon in the Himalayas, Julia and her new husband, detective Brisbane, of eight months are suprised by two of Julia's siblings, Portia and Plum.Portia believes her former lover/best friend, Jane, is in trouble. Jane married a man named Freddie, who has been killed. Jane is also prengant by this man,lives with his family in the mountains of India where there is a question to who will be the heir.If a son is born, him or if a girl, Freddie's nephrew. The three siblings head to India to investigate Jane's husband's death and possible murder. What they encounter is mistrust, secrets, mayham, betrayal and finally the truth of more than one secrets, including Jane's husband, Brisbain's father. This is a great whounit that will keep you on the edge of your seat and entertained from beginning to end.This book was received from Net Galley and details can be found at Mira and My Book Addiction and More.

a superb entry in what is a strong series

In 1889, Lady Julia Grey and her second husband detective Nicholas Brisbane enjoy a honeymoon in the Himalayas; not a surprising locale for this pair who met when her first spouse was twitching in his final death dance a few years ago (see Silent in the Grave). While high in the mountains, the happy couple is stunned by family visitors; Julia's brother Plum and her sister Portia arrive with shocking news.

Portia's former lover Jane Cavendish insists her husband Freddie was murdered in India. Brisbane couldn't care less that Freddie's dead as he wants time alone with his wife. However, the three siblings agree to investigate the homicide to the sleuth's disappointment. However, he hesitantly agrees to assist his wife and in-laws, but insists they owe him big time. As the inquiry continues into boiling colonial India, they find a horde of potential killers with strong motives, but not one iota of evidence pointing specifically at any of them.

The fourth Lady Julia Grey historical mystery (see Silent in the Sanctuary and Silent on the Moor) is a superb entry in what is a strong series. Shifting continents, but still influenced by the Victorian presence in Asia, as "the sun never sets on the English Empire", Dark Road to Darjeeling is a great whodunit it that showcases the talent of Deanna Raybourn to mix humor with tension in a descriptive late nineteenth century exotic locale. Fans will want to read this terrific whodunit as the Lady Julia Grey saga continues its super storytelling.

Harriet Klausner

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