ARC Review: “A Dangerous Duet” by Karen Odden

“A Dangerous Duet” by Karen Odden

Publishing Date: November 6,2018

Genre: Mystery, Historical, Fiction

Page Length: 416 pages (paperback review copy)

Synopsis:

Nineteen-year-old Nell Hallam lives in a modest corner of Mayfair with her brother Matthew, an inspector at Scotland Yard. An exceptionally talented pianist, she aspires to attend the Royal Academy; but with tuition beyond their means, Nell sets out to earn the money herself—by playing piano in a popular Soho music hall. And the fact that she will have to disguise herself as a man and slip out at night to do it doesn’t deter her.

Spending evenings at the Octavian is like entering an alternate world, one of lively energy, fascinating performers, raucous patrons—and dark secrets. And when Nell stumbles upon the operations of an infamous crime ring working in the shadows of the music hall, she is drawn into a conspiracy that stretches the length of London. To further complicate matters, she has begun to fall for the hall owner’s charismatic son, Jack, who has secrets of his own.

The more Nell becomes a part of the Octavian’s world, the more she risks the relationships with the people she loves. And when another performer is left for dead in an alley as a warning, she realizes her future could be in jeopardy in more ways than one.

Review:

Historical fiction continues to be one of my favorite genres and I knew from the first glance at the cover/synopsis of A Dangerous Duet that I wanted to read this book! The story follows Nell, who is a talented pianist with big dreams. She saves up money for a music academy by playing the piano at a music hall called the Octavian while disguising herself as a guy. Nell becomes intertwined in a mess of secrets and dark dealings after saving her friend from attack in a dark alley. Can she continue to play at the Octavian as a larger conspiracy becomes unraveled?

Just from the ominous cover alone, the story quickly dives into a plot full of mystery. I was entertained by the heightened suspense aspect as I tried to solve the pieces of the puzzle along with Nell and her brother Matt, a policeman at the Scotland Yard. Odden’s writing is very descriptive and immersive. The text launches the reader into that time period; the various societal rules, Victorian dress, disapproval of mixing of social classes, mental health treatments at that time, and sexism which Nell constantly deals with during the entire plot. I could picture the scenery described in the novel, especially the Octavian with ornate designs, but disrepair.

Nell is a headstrong character, she is caring and very confident about what she wants in life. She wants a life different from what’s promised for her and wishes to play music freely. Viewing the story through her eyes was an interesting reading experience and I felt like I could read the emotions/feelings of the people surrounding her. Adding to the entertainment factor was the fact that you didn’t really know who to trust. One moment you thought you could trust a character, and then the next chapter they ended up being villains. The story becomes even more intense as members of the crime ring are revealed one by one.

This book was so enthralling that I feel like it would be great as PBS mini-series TV adaptation or even a TV movie. The detailed writing tied into the visualization. If you like a good historical fiction set in Victorian London, give this a read!

*Trigger Warning: Violence

Final Verdict: