2008: #3 – Lord John and the Private Matter (Diana Gabaldon)

21502421 Book #3 was Lord John and the Private Matter, the first book in a Lord John trilogy by Diana Gabaldon.  The back of the book reads:

Adored bestselling author Diana Gabaldon brings us the first book in a new trilogy featuring many of the characters from her wildly popular Outlander series.

In her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels, Diana Gabaldon introduced millions of readers to a dazzling world of history and adventure—a world of vibrant settings and utterly unforgettable characters. Now one of these characters, Major Lord John Grey, opens the door to his own part of this world—eighteenth-century London, a seething anthill of nobility and rabble peopled by soldiers and spies, whores and dukes. Great Britain is battling France for supremacy on three continents—and life is good for a soldier.

The year is 1757. On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London’s Beefsteak Club, his mind in turmoil. A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty’s Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. But his efforts to avoid a scandal that might destroy his family are interrupted by something still more urgent: the Crown appoints him to investigate the brutal murder of a comrade in arms, who may have been a traitor.

Obliged to pursue two inquiries at once, Major Grey finds himself ensnared in a web of treachery and betrayal that touches every stratum of English society—and threatens all he holds dear. From the bawdy houses of London’s night-world to the stately drawing rooms of the nobility, and from the blood of a murdered corpse to the thundering seas ruled by the majestic fleet of the East India Company, Lord John pursues the elusive trails of a vanishing footman and a woman in green velvet, who may hold the key to everything—or nothing.

The early days of the Seven Years War come brilliantly to life in this historical mystery by an author whose unique and compelling storytelling has engrossed millions of readers worldwide.

This book had a much more casual tone than the Outlander novels, but I found it pretty enjoyable. Lord John is a novice "investigator" at best, but his fumbling (such as finding himself accidentally sailing off to India) mostly serves to endear him further to the reader. However, if you have a problem Lord John’s sexual orientation, this book is not for you.

Page count: 320 | Approximate word count: 100,594

2007 – No Second Chance (Harlan Coben)
2006 – Lost Innocents (Patricia MacDonald)
2005 – 3rd Degree (James Patterson)

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