Sleuthing Society is Scandalously Good

A Study in Scandal by Robyn DeHart is the Ladies’ Amateur Sleuth Society’s first book. I didn’t read them in order, obviously. But it turns out it’s not necessary to do so! They are really enjoyable without depending too much on the storylines introduced in this first book for the sequels to make sense. So I was pleasantly surprised.

I have come to recognize that I love stories about spinsters. I think the idea is that a woman considered “on the shelf” can still find love. And usually it’s better because at that point, they have stopped catering to the demands of society, and have begun to pursue or develop their own personal interests and character. So, this series focuses on ladies of just that ilk.

On the shelf, and over the hill, Lady Amelia is the daughter of a rather eccentric archaeologist and historian. She is also the founder of the LASS (Ladies Amateur Sleuth Society)–which I just now noticed has a rather appropriate–if tongue-in-cheek– acronym! Oh, I love the hidden wit of it all! It is only fitting, then, that she also be a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes.

Her hero in this case, Inspector Colin Brindley, is almost like the living version of the literary character. I did note that this male lead is not the typical male lead; most romances make the man a philanderer/rake/rogue who changes his womanizing ways upon meeting the love of his life. But in this story, Colin is rather chaste and doesn’t indulge his sexual urges. It was actually refreshing–and did add to the tension between Colin and Amelia. How delicious that he has to fight his strong attraction to Amelia!

I guess for the first book of the sleuth series, the mystery in the plot at times seemed rather contrived, but I was pleasantly distracted with all the hot scenes with Colin and Amelia, though at one point I was convinced that Amelia’s father had stolen the artifact himself in an effort to get her a male suitor. But that was not it at all.  I guess I was just frustrated that it was taking them so long to break the case! But patience has never been my virtue after all…