Earlier in the week I shared my review of Road to the Breaking by Chris Bennett. I love historical fiction--and, after reading the first book in this series, I was more than ready for the second novel!   Today, I have my review of Enigma to share!  Check out my thoughts, learn about author Chris Bennett and the series--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

​​About the Book

“How can I call myself a man of good conscience, when I myself am no better than a slaver?”

It’s summer 1860, and former army Captain Nathan Chambers has returned home to Virginia to claim his inheritance: a large plantation with more than one hundred slaves.  Nathan wants no part of slavery and intends to sell the farm and all its slaves.  But even as he arrives home, enduring fearful and downcast stares from despondent black faces, he knows what he must do … and the price he must pay for doing it.    

As Nathan works to carry out his ambitious plans, he is troubled by rumors of succession and war, even as a villainous neighbor plots a violent end to their decades-long family feud.

And then Evelyn arrives … strikingly beautiful, spirited, and intriguing, she is the daughter of an old family friend.  But the more Nathan is drawn in by her charms, the harder she pushes him away … 

The Road to the Breaking Series is an epic tale of a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of a deadly precipice: the American Civil War.  In Book 2 of the series, Nathan Chambers has returned from the violent army life out West, only to face a heart wrenching Enigma at home.

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My Review

Enigma continues an incredible series for history lovers.  The author's research and background shine in this novel as he creates such a flawless journey back in time for readers. Even more so than the first book, this novel and its characters felt so real that it was difficult to see the story as anything less than a memoir or biographical novel. Readers will find new characters to further the story--and characters from the first book that grow stronger and even more entwined in advancing the plot. The darkness of slavery combines with the characters' moral soul searching and self-discovery to offer readers quite an adventure in another place and time.

Readers should plan to read the series. You could probably read Enigma without reading the first book--but, you would miss so much value that went into the character and setting development in book one. The first book set the stage for the series--and this one takes the characters further along a path. Like the first book, loose ends remain at the end, so you should plan to continue with the next book in the series.

Would I recommend Enigma by Chris Bennett? If you enjoy realistic, historical fiction--I would certainly recommend reading this series. I think the series will flow best if you read the novels in order as a series. I was definitely invested in the characters and the stories--and enjoyed both of the books. As with the first novel, there wasn't a lot of resolution to this novel--and, unfortunately, I don't have the 3rd book on hand to continue for the weekend! I definitely recommend the novels that I have read so far--but, I would probably suggest getting the complete series as I expect there will be loose ends remaining in each novel until the final chapter of the last book!

Enjoy Book 1 in The Road to the Breaking series:

Book Title:  Road to the Breaking
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) , 345 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher:  CPB Publishing, LLC
Release date:   January 2021
Content Rating:  PG-13. Cursing, violence and war scenes, etc. 

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​Nothing survived “The Breaking” unchanged; lives and fortunes, love and hate, freedom and slavery …

It’s early 1860, and war hero Captain Nathaniel Chambers, commander U.S. Army Fort Davis in the west Texas wilderness, has received shocking news – his father is dead.  He must return home to Virginia and claim his inheritance before a maniacal neighbor can murder his widowed mother and seize the family plantation.

But he’s torn by a terrible dilemma – to stay in the army and turn his back on his fortune, his mother and his beloved childhood home, or become the thing he despises; a slave master!  Is there no other choice? 

An epic journey across a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of an unimaginable disaster; the American Civil War.  Nathan Chambers has left the violent army life behind in Texas, never imaging he’s on the very Road to The Breaking.

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I love mysteries! Finding a mystery series that I enjoy is always a joy. A while ago, I had the opportunity to read and review A Child Lost by Michelle Cox.  This week, I had the opportunity to review an earlier novel from the series:  A Veil Removed.  This time, rather than reading, I have listened to an audiobook.  What did I think of A Veil Removed?  Read my thoughts, learn about the book and the series--and the author and narrator--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

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Book Title: A Veil Removed (The Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series) by Michelle Cox
Narrated by: Jayne A Entwistle
Length: 15 hrs and 11 mins
Category:  AdultFiction (18+)
Genre:  Historical Mystery
Publisher: Michelle Cox
Audiobook Release date: April, 2020
Content Rating: R: Books 1-2 do not have any sex scenes, though there is sexual reference, Books 3-5 do have explicit sex scenes (tasteful). There is periodic swearing and violence, but not a lot. There are some dark themes (though not graphic examples) of suicide, prostitution, mob involvement, rape, drinking, homosexuality.

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About the Book

Murder is never far from this sexy couple . . . even during the holidays! Their honeymoon abruptly ended by the untimely death of Alcott Howard, Clive and Henrietta return to Highbury, where Clive discovers all is not as it should be. Increasingly convinced that his father’s death was not an accident, Clive launches his own investigation, despite his mother’s belief that he has become “mentally disturbed” with grief. Henrietta eventually joins forces with Clive on their first real case, which becomes darker―and deadlier―than they imagined as they get closer to the truth behind Alcott’s troubled affairs. Meanwhile, Henrietta’s sister, Elsie, begins, at Henrietta’s orchestration, to take classes at a women’s college―an attempt to evade her troubles and prevent any further romantic temptations. When she meets a bookish German custodian at the school, however, he challenges her to think for herself . . . even as she discovers some shocking secrets about his past life.

 

My Review

 

A Veil Removed is well written and well narrated.  I am not always a fan of audiobooks as I prefer to assign character voices from my own perspectives and experiences. Since I had met the series characters in another book--I had my own ideas about them and their expected roles. I found the narration was in perfect keeping with the author's setting and character development--and the novel kept its historical placement and strengths. 

A Veil Removed is stand-alone--but readers should read from the beginning.

 I have read the last two books of this series--out of order and, even in reverse order from each other. I found that the author did more by way of "catching readers up" on past events in her later book than she did in this one.   The author launches characters into this novel without much introduction or explanation. It took a bit of time for the storylines to connect and the character relationships to sink in! I would definitely read this series as a series. It will make the characters and their motivations much more relevant and realistic to the story.  

Would I recommend A Veil Removed by Michelle Cox?

 I enjoy historical fiction and mysteries in almost any time and place--but I find that this author can take readers back in time while making the characters and their interactions realistic and relevant to modern readers. The novel moved a little slowly at first--and it took some time for me to fall into the narrated story--but, once I did, the author's story and character development created another excellent mystery and human drama. I do need to backtrack and read these books in order--and I hope that there are more in the future continuing from the ones I have read/listened to already! I would definitely recommend to historical mystery fans--and audiobook lovers. 

 
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About the Series

 Series Title: Henrietta and Inspector Howard by Michelle Cox
Category: AdultFiction (18+)
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: Michelle Cox
Release dates: November 2017; April 2017; April 2018; April 2019; April 2020
Content Rating: R: Books 1-2 do not have any sex scenes, though there is sexual reference, Books 3-5 do have explicit sex scenes (tasteful). There is periodic swearing and violence, but not a lot. 

There are some dark themes (though not graphic examples) of suicide, prostitution, mob involvement, rape, drinking, homosexuality.

Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar on Chicago’s northwest side. It’s 1935, but things still aren’t looking up since the big crash and her father’s subsequent suicide, leaving Henrietta to care for her antagonistic mother and younger siblings. Henrietta is eventually persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall—and just when she’s beginning to enjoy herself, the floor matron turns up dead. When aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene, Henrietta agrees to go undercover for him—and is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld. 

Meanwhile, she’s still busy playing mother hen to her younger siblings, as well as to pesky neighborhood boy Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, determined to keep Henrietta safe—even from the Inspector, if need be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

This third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series provides a delightful romp through the English countryside and back. Anxious to be married, Henrietta and Clive push forward with their wedding plans despite their family differences, made worse now by Oldrich Exley’s attempts to control the Von Harmons. When the long-awaited wedding day arrives, there is more unfolding than just Clive and Henrietta’s vows of love. Stanley and Elsie’s relationship is sorely tested by the presence of the dashing Lieutenant Harrison Barnes-Smith and by Henrietta’s friend Rose―a situation that grows increasingly dark and confused as time goes on. As Clive and Henrietta begin their honeymoon at Castle Linley, the Howards’ ancestral estate in England, they encounter a whole new host of characters, including the eccentric Lord and Lady Linley and Clive’s mysterious cousin, Wallace. When a man is murdered in the village on the night of a house party at the Castle, Wallace comes under suspicion―and Clive and Henrietta are reluctantly drawn into the case, despite Clive’s anxiety at involving his new bride and Henrietta’s distracting news from home. Delicately attempting to work together for the first time, Clive and Henrietta set out to prove Wallace’s innocence, uncovering as they do so some rather shocking truths that will shake the Linley name and estate forever.

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