I’ve launched a new weekly featured concentration of book reviews on Jorie Loves A Story which celebrates my love and passion for the historical past! For those of whom are regular readers and visitors to my blog, you’ll denote a dedicated passion for reading Historical Fiction (and all the lovely segues of thematic therein) – I am a time traveller of the historical past every chance I get to disappear into a new era and/or century of exploration. There isn’t a time period I haven’t enjoyed ruminating over since [2013] and there are a heap of lovely timescapes I’ve yet to encounter.
This feature was inspired by the stories I’ve read, the stories I’ve yet to experience and the beauty of feeling interconnected to History through the representation of the past through the narratives being writ by today’s Historical Fiction authors. It is to those authors I owe a debt of gratitude for enlightening my bookish mind and my readerly heart with realistic characters, illuminating portals of living history and a purposeful intent on giving each of us a strong representation of ‘life’ which should never become dismissed, forgotten or erased.
I am began this feature with the sequel to a beloved historical novel I first read in [2013] – it was one of the first ARCs I received and it was the first year I was a book blogger though it was through a connection outside my life as a blogger. I celebrated K.B. Laugheed’s literature to kick-off this feature and hopefully will inspire my followers to take this new weekly journey with me into the stories which are beckoning to read their narrative depths and find the words in which to express the thoughts I experienced as I read.
Acquired Book By:
I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! HFVBTs is one of the very first touring companies I started working with as a 1st Year Book Blogger – uniting my love and passion with Historical Fiction and the lovely sub-genres inside which I love devouring.
It has been a wicked fantastical journey into the heart of the historic past, wherein I’ve been blessed truly by discovering new timescapes, new living realities of the persons who once lived (ie. Biographical Historical Fiction) inasmuch as itched my healthy appetite for Cosy Historical Mysteries! If there is a #HistRom out there it is generally a beloved favourite and I love soaking into a wicked wonderful work of Historical Fiction where you feel the beauty of the historic world, the depth of the characters and the joyfulness in which the historical novelists brought everything to light in such a lovingly diverse palette of portraiture of the eras we become time travellers through their stories.
I received a complimentary of “No Stone Unturned” direct from the author Pam Lecky, exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
A conversation with Pam Lecky : Part One :
Victorian Cosy Mysteries are a lively mix of eclectic serial explorations of the era – how did you take us into the heart of Lucy Lawrence and make her stand out from the crowd? What were some of your favourite attributes of her character and personality?
Lecky responds: Firstly, thanks so much for hosting me today, Jorie, and asking such insightful questions.
From the outset of the story, it was important that the reader felt sympathy for Lucy and what made her tick. It was vital, therefore, to give a little bit of background to her situation: a troubled marriage, unexplained miscarriages and being ostracised by her neighbours because of her elopement. This all helped to build the picture of a woman ripe for change (and adventure!). For Lucy to stand out, I told the entire story through her eyes and as a woman of her time, not our modern idea of a heroine. She admits to being poorly educated (the heir was her parents’ focus) but she is of high intellect and yearns to learn about the world around her. As a youngster she was a bit of a rebel (hence the elopement) and that spirit was never entirely quenched when she married. But convention ruled, and Lucy played the part of the typical Victorian wife. It is only when her husband’s sudden death releases her that Lucy realises how much she sacrificed upon her marriage.
What I admire most in Lucy is her resilience and the fact she is a dare-devil at heart. She takes on situations I would have run away from! I guess I can live through her to some extent. Lucy’s ability to remain positive and to even see the humour in her circumstances when her world is falling apart, is probably what makes her so attractive to Phineas Stone, the male protagonist, and my readers.
If you had to select a quirk of a minor character, which one would you pick and why?
Lecky responds: One of the most interesting characters for me to write was Sibylla, Lucy’s sister-in-law. She is a terrible snob and resents Lucy coming back into the family like a prodigal daughter. Sibylla has a chip on her shoulder because she is the daughter of an industrialist and she has married well above her class. She brings with her a moralizing nature which is entirely hypocritical (she has an affair only a few years into her marriage!) The dialogue between her and Lucy and the rest of the family was a joy to write.
Do you remember the first time you read a Historical Mystery (it can be Victorian or another era) and how it made you feel to be immersed into that setting and timescape? What inspired you to develop your own Historical Mysteries and what did you hope to bring with you as you wrote them based on those initial early wanderings?
Lecky responds: Growing up I read a lot of historical fiction and classics but the majority of them would have been romances. Victorian writers such as Elizabeth Gaskell and Wilkie Collins wrote such wonderful characters in settings I found fascinating. Then I discovered the wonderful Georgette Heyer who is probably the biggest influence on my writing style. She was a master of character and setting creation; and all done with a sprinkling of subtle humour. But what Ms Heyer achieved isn’t easy at all. On the one hand, you need to explore practically everything in your era from idioms used, to mourning protocols. Then you must try to get the balance right between creating authentic settings, characters and believable plots, while not boring your reader with the minutiae. It can be challenging but I love delving into the past to build my worlds.
Added to all of this I had fallen in love with historical dramas on tv at a young age. I loved everything about them – the characters, the architecture and the way people behaved. But my imagination was really set on fire when I started to read crime. The first mysteries/crime novels I fell in love with would have been Dorothy L Sayer’s Lord Peter Wimsey series and PD James. What wonderfully twisty minds those ladies had! My debut novel, The Bowes Inheritance, was romantic suspense and I enjoyed writing it, but I wanted to write something a little darker this time.
So, with my love of the late Victorian era and wanting to explore writing more complex plots (I’m not a great fan of pure romance – I like a little more bite to stories with several threads running through them), it was inevitable I would end up writing historical mystery/crime. I deliberately set out to write a series, as the idea of developing the characters over time really appealed to me. It’s a wonderful opportunity to take my readers on a journey through the Victorian world. The second book is set in Egypt and I intend to visit Italy, Scotland and perhaps India, in other books in the series.
Cat and mouse stories are amongst my favourites – the timing of them is a bit on the trickier side as you have to have a thread of believability that the ‘cat’ and the ‘mouse’ are equal opponents. How did you temper the chase and yet still give the illusion of suspense between the characters?
Lecky responds: You are right! It is incredibly tricky to achieve. I used two devices in No Stone Unturned. Firstly, by writing it entirely from Lucy’s point of view, I was able to build up her anxiety and fear as the layers of the mystery began to unfold. To have used several points of view might have diluted that. Secondly, I deliberately told the reader very little about the antagonist, Marsh – he features so little he is almost a cameo. This, I felt, gave him a more menacing aspect.
What is the hardest part of developing a mystery? Is it the pacing, the sequencing of the revelations or bridging us (the reader) through this world where you know the outcome but you don’t want us (as readers) to ‘catch on’ too quickly and spoil the final reveal?
Lecky responds: It’s probably the latter. There is no final reveal as such in this story, more a continuous unravelling of several mysteries. I like to keep my readers guessing but not to torment them! I want people to engage in the process – the story arc – to become immersed in the protagonists’ lives and to root for them. If a reader is just waiting and trying to anticipate a big twist at the end, I think they miss some of the finer detail. This is what suited this story best; however, in the sequel, Footprints in the Sand, there is a twist at the end, but again, there are smaller revelations along the way.
AFTER YOU ENJOY READING MY RUMINATIONS ON BEHALF OF “NO STONE UNTURNED” – YOU’LL HAPPILY FIND THE CONCLUSION OF OUR CONVERSATION! BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR FAVOURITE CUPPA ON HAND TO ENJOY THE REST OF THIS POST!
No Stone Unturned
Subtitle: The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries, Book One
by Pam Lecky
Source: Author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
A suspicious death, stolen gems, and an unclaimed reward: who will be the victor in a deadly game of cat and mouse?
London October 1886: Trapped in a troubled marriage, Lucy Lawrence is ripe for an adventure. But when she meets the enigmatic Phineas Stone, over the body of her husband in the mortuary, her world begins to fall apart.
When her late husband’s secrets spill from the grave, and her life is threatened by the leader of London’s most notorious gang, Lucy must find the strength to rise to the challenge. But who can she trust and how is she to stay out of the murderous clutches of London’s most dangerous criminal?
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 978-1074280741
Published by Self Published
on 29th June, 2019
Format: POD | Print On Demand Paperback
Pages: 330
This is a Self-Published novel
Converse via: #HistoricalFiction, #HistFic or #HistNov
as well as #Victorian #CosyMystery and #HFVBTBlogTours
Available Formats: Trade paperback and Ebook
a bit of a note:
I love making return visitations to the Victorian era; specifically if those routes of interest take me through the portal of alighting me in Britain; where in earnest effort, I attempt to spend most of my travelling hours! The Cosy Historical Mysteries are a sub-niche of Historical Fiction I personally find wicked addicted to be reading – this particular vein of interest is also attached to my fondness for amateur sleuths and in particular, women who find themselves in a position to sleuth after a bit of a life shift.
Taking for instance, my admiration for the #LadyDarby series (see my archives of reviews) inasmuch as my journey into the Lady Emily series (prior to being a book blogger). I would also equate the Mary Russell series into this sub-niche as well, even if perchance Mary had the chance to marry and to sleuth with her spouse who just happened to be renown figure in her era. Due to these readings (and many more outside of them) I was quite tickled with joy finding the Lucky Lawrence Mysteries as I wanted to get to know her better just by what I had read in anticipation of having her novel arrive by post!
It is also a good reminder that of the series I truly love reading, I need to be better at gathering the next books and installments in order to discontinue my odd habit of reading them with a heap of distance between the last and the current releases! Whilst I should also note – as I read No Stone Unturned I found the playlist for “Lava Lamp” on Spotify to be the best one to give me a soundscape which didn’t detract but rather helped anchour me into Lucy’s adventure! Music is a huge part of my life and I love finding the tone and selections which elevate my reading hours.
my review of no stone unturned:
Lucy captures your attention because she’s not about to apologise for the choice she made to wed the man she felt was her perfect match; they were in love, the rest of the world could take a hike! She made certain choices which would take her ‘out’ of local society and would endeavour to test her will to live within the confines of those choices lateron. As you first peer into her life, you see how confined loneliness is not a healthy arrangement; for her station and the location of her home it was quite easy to understand how without those signature connections in the neighbourhood and within society at large, life would soon become a stagnant routine.
Until the day came along where the ordinary was no longer a boring tirade of predictable hours – Lecky used a seemingly benign visit of a constable as the catalyst to take Lucy outside of her comfort zone and into a realisation about her husband she wasn’t yet prepared to accept. The scenes at the mortuary were well executed as it gave you the gravity of the situation through Lucy’s eyes and her perception of what was truly happening vs what she had been told. This is where her path first crossed with Mr Stone – an agent of insurance whose own personality was less than striking as his features. With his gruff and purpose-driven speech to enquire after Charlie (Lucy’s husband) rubbed Lucy the wrong way as it was his demeanor which could be overhauled if only to include a decorum of politeness for the circumstances they each found themselves.
The first person I felt was the most uncomfortable person to meet was actually Lucy’s brother Richard! He has such an obtuse personality and given the little bit of insight she shared with us about how her family viewed her choice in spouse, I can’t say I was overly surprised to find him difficult to meet. He just felt he was in the right, she was technically viewed to be in the wrong and still, given the change of circumstances she suffered through recently he is attempting to be the hero of a brother to give her an option of rising out of it all. I think he had misplaced sympathy and a misguided sense of his brotherly duties; as it is one thing to offer support but its another to make giving that kind of support the chance to reprimand your sister during a time of transitional grief!
Sibylla was the second person of whom I felt would give Lucy grey hairs over having to suffer in such close quarters – she was your typical sister-in-law who didn’t appreciate the black sheep of the family returning into the good graces they felt should stay removed. Her declarations of discontempt for Lucy was appalling on one hand but so very typical on the other, it was hard to hold back the laughter! She came across as such a spoilt brat to be honest – a woman who expected to be waited on, adored and given full control over all decisions pertaining to her home. Except of course when her husband overrules her and makes her reconsider her place in the marriage as Sibylla will only test those waters only so far!
Lecky slowly draws you back to the beginning of the story once Lucy is settled at her family’s estate; it was there were you start to see how much of a rake and rogue her husband Charlie truly had been! I had tucked a bit of that information under my cap initially – the bit where Lucy was very insistent to mention her life was in danger? I knew it wasn’t the proper time to gain more knowledge of what she had meant then but Lecky surely gave me a fitting reason why Lucy wished to flee! Goodness. It was almost too much to take in for a woman so newly widowed!
The best bits of course are when Lucy is in full realisation of what it means to ‘return home’ and tuck tail back into her family. They are just as you would expect to find them but Lecky gives humour in those details especially in the fiery exchanges where the barbs fly and the subtle notes of disagreement can be noted. Lucy holds her own well but why should she have to always be on the defensive is unsettling because you would hope these people would realise that it is their own behaviour which played a hand in how everything started to dissolve in their relationships?
Of all the ways in which to be betrayed, I felt Lecky gave a rather original segue into how Lucy would turn her back on her family after their subterfuge on her behalf! Everything was fine and dandy round Christmas – wells, as best as it could be imagined given how they weren’t completely enthralled to have her back but felt it was more obligating duty than any kind of show for compassionate kindness! No, it was what happened thereafter which gives you pause for the kind of family she has and the reasons why she would best to stay clear of them! What I hadn’t sorted out throughout this ordeal is how Stone would re-enter into her life as he seemed locked into a sequence of events that were not yet known to us as readers. He had his own duties and his own investigation though what it pertained too and why it involved Charlie was a bit befuddling until of course, his return came at just the moment Lucy needed a white knight!
OOh! How the tides do change when it isn’t the daughter in need of assistance but the mother! Whilst Lucy and Stone were developing into quite the sleuthing team, it was what was happening outside the fray of the investigation that tipped my eye the most! I had wondered what the fallout might be for the treatment of Lucy by her brother Richard and his wife but also, if there were to be any consequences of the break in trust between Lucy and her mother. It was a fitting moment of course, finding her mother turnt up on her doorstep and with an emotional announcement following close behind her as she re-entered Lucy’s life. The irony of course, is that what happened to Lucy can be easily shrugged off but what happened to her mother must be taken quite seriously! Laughs. The interplay between Mum and daughter were well suited to a fractured relationship and the earnest hopes both parties would have towards reconciliation even if that path isn’t readily seen.
The plot involving the theft and the transference of stolen items was a clever one – especially as I hadn’t sought out to connect the dots, as I love a good mystery to watch untangle. It is part of the joy for me, not to always tip my hat towards the conclusions but rather, watch as they gain momentum and unfold in their own sense of time. In this particular caper, Mary is an unsung heroine as she’s the kind of maid you would hope would rise through any unforeseen adversity and stay by the side of her employer. At least, if they were on good terms with one another as Mary and Lucy were as it gives a close insight into both women. They truly cared after each other but more to the point, Mary enjoyed being helpful to Lucy as the job she had as her maid gave her a measure of self-worth she didn’t want to see forsaken.
I loved the doors Lecky opened between Mr Stone and Lucy inasmuch as how she carved out this lovely little niche for them to investigate future crimes together. Lucy is a winsome character who becomes her own hero due to both circumstances and finding her truer strength lies in the courage to do something when life turns sour. She has a mind for sleuthing but moreso, she is able to endure events and situations others might not be able to entertain themselves. That says quite a bit about Lucy and I look forward to seeing where her next adventure takes us all!
Content Note:
Not quite a fly in the ointment observation but rather just one of a difference of opinion; when it came to the scene wherein an animal was discovered dead, I’d much have preferred the absence of its condition being described with what was ‘on it’. It was enough to say someone had killed the animal as a method of malice towards Lucy but being an animal lover I am more sensitive to these kinds of scenes than all others and being a cat lover who is as connected to her cats as the next person, I think less descriptions in that scene would have been better for me. It wasn’t overly gruesome it just painted a picture I’d rather not have seen.
on the cosy historical mystery writing styling of pam lecky:
What enabled me to settle into the story as it was first being revealled is how Lecky approached crafting her Cosy Historical Mystery. She first tucks you inside her vision of the era, outfitting the everyday world of Lucy with both staff and worrisome concerns you’d expect from the 19th Century whilst not letting go of the fact for all the goodness in the opening scenes there is also a shadow of doubt, suspicion and unknowns floating just outside of purview. It was here where you saw past what we were seeing directly through Lucy, to the wider world outside her sanctuary of solitude wherein we suspect Charlie was not quite the gentleman he wished his wife to have known.
This is definitely an interesting social commentary novel as Lecky has included all the lovely drama bits that you are hoping might be inclusive of a Victorian novel especially one that involves both the upstairs and downstairs staff and/or residents. You have brewing tensions between the two classes but you also have this divide between Lucy, her family and society itself. Lucy like most of us is a round peg trying to fit into a square and its just not going to happen because she thinks outside the confines of her station. She has an independent mind and she owns to her own convictions such as Lecky has developed her to be presented to us. It gives you a new reason to love the Victorian era but also a cautionary one as it is a firm reminder of how different the lives of women were back then vs today. There were social conventions that are still observable today (in some regards) but overall, women have won certain freedoms that I knew Lucy would have embraced given how well Lecky aimed at trying to give us a firm advantage as to understanding why Lucy had to sort out her life with the constrictions she had.
A conversation with Pam Lecky : Part Two :
Did you plan out how many installments would become the Lucy Lawrence Mysteries or are you waiting to see how readers react before discussing further stories within the canon? I was curious how many you might have projected to write and how many mysteries we might expect to find of Lucy.
Lecky responds: It was my intention from the beginning to write a series (a minimum of 3) and the first sequel will be published later this year. I have ideas for at least two more adventures for Lucy but I am working on an entirely new project for my agent, too.
What do you think motivates Lucy the most and why do you think she makes a credible heroine?
Lecky responds: Initially, fear for her life makes her determined to solve the mysteries her husband has left behind. But as the story progresses, it is her intellectual curiosity that spurs Lucy on. There is a pivotal point in the story when Lucy realises she must shape her own destiny and she takes up the mantle with gusto. By making Lucy a widow, it gave me greater freedom in how she acts. A single Victorian lady could not have achieved what Lucy does. She acts within the constraints of Victorian era mores and expectations. I like to think Lucy is a woman of her time.
As reading and writing is a method of time travel – outside what you pursue as a novelist – where and when do you love to travel ‘through time’ when it comes round for a pleasure read outside of work?
Lecky responds: I read mostly historical fiction and tend to avoid my own era (with a few favourite exceptions) as I don’t want to be inadvertently influenced.
By getting to know the amazing writing community across the world since first being published, I have had the pleasure of finding some great books in other eras – such as Roman Empire and Tudor. I will admit, however, that my go-to comfort reads are always Ms Heyer and her Regency world!
What is your favourite way to write down the bones of a story? By typewriter, paper and pen, computer or digital recorder? Or any other method available? Why do you think creatively this process works best for you?
Lecky responds: I use the computer to write as handwriting is just too slow for me. I have used computers all my working life, and my typing speed is over a 100 words/minute. This works well for me as I can let the ideas flow quickly and it is much easier to edit afterwards.
When you’re not researching and writing your stories what uplifts your spirit the most?
Lecky responds: All my life I have been a great lover of music – it has gotten me through some hard times, and I listen to it whenever I can to relax. Indeed, I use it if I have writer’s block. When I’m relaxed, the ideas seem to flow much better.
I’m a trained horticulturist and spend as much free time as I can in my garden. I find it a great way to unwind, particularly when I have to spend so much time at the computer either writing or promoting. During the summer months, I organise garden visits around Ireland for some of my friends from horticultural college.
Thanks again for hosting me.
Thank you for answering my questions
and for giving me such a wonderful conversation!
We share quite a heap in common which I noticed is partially why I had such a delight of joy reading “No Stone Unturned”. We appreciate the same things when it comes to Cosy Historical Mysteries and although, our route into Historical Mysteries and/or other suspense-filled stories differs from one another, the essence of what appeals to us remains. I truly loved getting a chance to talk to you about our mutual love of the genre & of anchouring this convo to my review! Many happy regards are sent to you & I look forward to the sequel!
This blog tour is courtesy of:
Follow the Virtual Road Map
as you visit others participating:
As this particular one has a bookaway along the route:
Reading this story contributed to a few of my 2019 reading challenges:
{SOURCES: Book cover for “No Stone Unturned”, book synopsis, author biography, author photograph of Pam Lecky, the tour host badge and HFVBTs badge were all provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and used with permission. Post dividers badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. 2019 New Release Challenge badge provided by unconventionalbookworms.com and is used with permission. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #HistoricalMondays banner, 2019 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge banner and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2019.
I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life
#HistoricalMondays via #JLASblog#JorieReads a new *Cosy!* #HistoricalMystery "No Stone Unturned" finding @pamlecky's style of Victorian #19thC a brill entry into this lovely new sleuth centric series!
+ an author interview!
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— Jorie, the Joyful Tweeter ?? (@joriestory) August 12, 2019
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
You are truly a wonder, Jorie! Thank you for this great review & interview! We appreciate your support more than we can say!
Amy
HF Virtual Book Tours
Hallo, Hallo Ms Bruno,
This was one of those blog tours which happily took me unawares for how much I would enjoy writing about the story and what I found inside the plot! I also played round with the layout for the double-showcase and liked how it turnt out spilt between the review and the interview itself. I appreciate the blog tours I can host with you, for the stories you are introducing me to explore and the authors of whom are becoming my favourite reads. Thanks for continuing to celebrate the historic past and inspire us all as you do. I love supporting you and your efforts to promote Historical Fiction!!