Whispers in the Reading Room

Happy Veteran's Day!  A day to honor those men and women who have served in the armed forces. Veteran's Day was created in 1921 and was originally called Armistice Day.  It was changed by President Eisenhower in 1954 to Veteran's Day to honor those who have served and died in all wars.  Do you know a veteran?  If so, make sure to do something special for them today.

Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray is the third book in The Chicago World's Fair Mystery series (though the fair is over in this book).  I have read all the books in the series, and this one was my favorite (probably because I could relate to the main character).  It is 1894 in Chicago and Lydia Bancroft is a librarian in a small lending library.  Lydia loves books and enjoys her job.  Sebastian Marks has been coming into the library for quite a while, but he never has checked out a book.  He spends the afternoons reading in the reading room. 

Sebastian Marks runs the Silver Grotto in Camp Creek Alley section of Chicago (a bad section of town).  Sebastian dresses like a gentleman (and acts like a gentleman), but he is not.  He has educated himself through books.  Sebastian does not feel that he is good enough for a lady like Lydia Bancroft (and Lydia, not knowing that he owns a club, believes she is not good enough for Sebastian).  One day Sebastian runs into Lydia and her fiancé, Jason Avondale (a gentleman who is a real bottom feeder) at the hotel where he lives.  They are having afternoon tea as their first outing as an engaged couple (and without a chaperone).  Jason hurts Lydia (grabs her wrist and twists it) and Sebastian intervenes.  It is the beginning of their friendship.  Could it lead to more?  One night Lydia insists on visiting the Silver Grotto (not a good idea).  Jason Avondale is killed and left in front of the club.  Lydia and Sebastian are suspects in the crime.  Who really killed Jason?

I found Whispers in the Reading Room to be more of a romance book than a mystery.  The mystery was child’s play to solve (very, very easy which was so disappointing).  We have the typical back and forth romance.  I found the lesser characters to be more interesting.  I liked Bridget O’Connell (Sebastian’s personal maid) and Vincent Hunt (manager of Silver Grotto and Sebastian’s personal assistant) to be very compelling characters.  Whispers in the Reading Room is supposed to be a Christian book but you would not know it.  There is only one very short discussion on religion in the whole book (and it is between Vincent and Bridget).  I found Lydia to be a contradiction.  In some ways she is a typical bookworm (loves to read, nose always in a book, and very little real life experience).  But then Lydia wants to experience life (understandable).  When she gets an opportunity, she promptly falls asleep with a book!  That makes no sense (especially in a club).  This novel felt like it was not edited (needed more work to polish it).   I give Whispers in the Reading Room 3 out of 5 stars.

The first two books in The Chicago World's Fair Mystery series are Secrets of Sloane House and Deception on Sable Hill.  I received a complimentary copy of Whispers in the Reading Room from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am currently reading Crowned and Moldering by Kate Carlisle (almost done and I just love it).  I am off to take my mother to a doctor's appointment.  I hope everyone has a nice afternoon.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader