Cozy Mystery? Victorian Era? A kind, thoughtful and generous protagonist? Great! The September Society is a great lazy Sunday read to stave off the Sunday scaries.
Reading The September Society was a much better experience for me than listening to the first book. Charles comes across as serious without being stodgy. I read his character as curious, intense, and sweet. The dialogue moved smoother and sounded less stilted.
Book Information
Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group
Imprint: Minotaur Books
First Published: Aug 5, 2008
Format: ebook
Source: Library
Genre: Mystery
Series: Charles Lenox Mysteries #2
Charles has a good community around him to assist in his investigations, and he looks for the best in people. His relationships are complicated, and the supporting characters are more than just two-dimensional props. Lady Jane is a favourite, and despite not getting much time on the page, she occupies a good deal of Charles’ thoughts. McConnell is an excellent foil to the bright and “undamaged” Charles. Lord John was also introduced in The September Society, and it seems like a promising partnership. The relationships between Charles and the supporting cast are a good portion of what’s keeping me interested in the next book.
The mystery was full of slow reveals, and the breadcrumbs were great. I didn’t connect any dots before Charles did, but I enjoyed being surprised along with him. It’s a sad story, and I found myself upset on behalf of the victim’s family.
Overall, reading with my eyes enhanced the cozy vibes and removed all issues caused by the audio narration. It was good narration but the wrong tone for this story. I’ll be continuing with this series to see how things work out for Charles. I hope Lady Jane plays a more significant part in the next book!
Characters
Charles Lenox – main protagonist in his mid-30’s. Second son of an aristocratic family, having a profession as a detective is frowned upon. His aristoractic connections are very useful for his investigations.
Thomas McConnell – retired doctor who married well, but whose marriage is troubled. Assists Charles with the new-fangled forensic aspects of investigations
Lady Jane Grey – childhood friend of Charles. Good sounding board and social connection, generally not actively involved in investigations
Lord John Dallington – introduced in this book as a young man who likes to party and avoid the responsibilities of his social class. His parents despair he’ll ever shape up. Shown to have a keen investigative sense.