Eden, “The Gentleman and the Thief” (Reviewed by Heather Harris Bergevin)

The Gentleman and the Thief (Proper Romance Victorian): Sarah M. Eden:  9781629727905: Amazon.com: Books

Review

Title: The Gentleman and the Thief
Author: Sarah M. Eden
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Genre: Proper Romance
Year Published: 2020
Number of Pages: 368
Binding: Cloth
ISBN: 978-1629727905
Price: 15.99

Reviewed by Heather Harris Bergevin for the Association of Mormon Letters

When I received The Gentleman and the Thief, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve read a ridiculous amount of mysteries and a good deal of romances (not all of them benign) and most have overlap in genres, whether they are mysterious romances or romantic mysteries. But the genre of “safe” romance, i.e., PG-rated, was a novel concept for me. I wasn’t sure if it would work, at least not for adult readers. To my delight, it was a familiar concept, and the only thing missing from this romance is, predictably, the sex scenes…which aren’t missed, at all. Benign enough to hand over to any young reader who might not be ready for Agatha Christie, this series of books is intriguing, while being also “gentle” enough for the most sensitive reader.

The Gentleman and the Thief is the second book in Sarah Eden’s Dread Penny Society series. In this series, the romance and mystery are balanced equally. I personally prefer the mystery, which increases and sets up another book in the series. The characters are inviting: a group of late Victorian writers who have formed a writer’s club, they share pieces of their writing in the book itself as you go along. From a personal standpoint, I would have loved a little more intrigue with the writer’s club. There seemed to be places where it would be simple to emphasize that you don’t know whose writing is whose, instead of saying outright. I like a little added sneakiness, however, and this forthrightness might be a bonus to many readers. Being a continuation of the last book, readers who have read that one will be familiar with the ongoing stories contained within. The pieces of writing themselves initially seemed to be interconnected in some way with the greater story, but I realized by the end, with my brain attempting to make connections, that this was my “mystery reader” mind working on interconnectedness. Again, that’s not a bad thing! I have read far, far too many mysteries in my lifetime, and love solving a problem…and somehow created one where there was none, expecting it to be there. My assumption is, not having read the first book in the series, that this grouping of vignettes within the greater story-line are continued as sequential Victorian writing was published, and that the stories can be continued in future books in the series…perhaps bringing the interconnectedness I was craving, and also sneaking in a few clues along the way.

The story-line of The Gentleman and the Thief is fairly straightforward, with a young woman, Ana Newport, having been shunned from society, finding a way to begin to resolve her trauma by reclaiming bits of her past, while a writer and member of a mysterious club, Hollis Darby, uses vigilante skills to infiltrate and figure out problems in the community…including that of a young thief. How those story-lines intersect is important, so I’m not going to give it away. There is good playing with characterizations and expectations for gender roles in society, as well as resolution of trauma and how difficult that would have been under a strict Victorian protocol. Intelligent readers will notice the interweaving of the Victorian class system issues, as well as gender role subversion, both of which complications continue today. I was pleased with the book’s resolution and found myself looking forward to reading another in the series, which is, of course, exactly what every author wants from a reader.

While The Gentleman and the Thief stands alone, it is part of an ongoing series with the same gorgeous cover art (swoon! The lettering and cover design are perfection and reason to go look at this series. I would have grabbed this one from the cover alone). The characters seem static initially but eventually form into flawed but clever individuals who have desires and fears which are relatable and add to the realism of the story. At no time was I surprised by something jarringly anachronistic or out of place specific to Victorian society, except those things in character traits that were specifically intended to be surprising and enjoyable, which they were. The fantasy aspect of being immersed in Victoriana is not broken, and the research is well done. The characters from the first book in the series work with those in this book, as well, so if you enjoyed The Lady and the Highwayman, and wanted more of Elizabeth Black, she features in, even if she is not the protagonist of, this book.

This book is an enjoyable read! I’m probably going to pass it onward to my teenaged niece, who enjoys both romances and mysteries, but is also particularly careful about her media. If you are a reader who wants a gritty, bloody mystery, a meticulously detailed and obsessively sneaky murder, or a bodice ripper, this is not your author. If you are, however, a reader who wants to avoid grit and gore, or who has young readers who like to share stories with you, this is a fun romp. While not for adrenaline junkies, Eden’s book series can be a great introduction to Victoriana and can be enjoyed either alone or in the context of the series. You won’t be lost or confused if you begin here, but it might make you want to pick up the first book- always the sign of a fun series.