Under a Veiled Moon: An Inspector Corravan Mystery by Karen Odden

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

In the tradition of C. S. Harris and Anne Perry, a fatal disaster on the Thames and a roiling political conflict set the stage for Karen Odden’s second Inspector Corravan historical mystery.

September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat the Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, she collides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600 passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and early clues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring Irish Home Rule. 
 
For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the case presents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.

Corrovan’s dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe’s Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm’s way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help.
 
As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.

my thoughts:

What a thrilling and exciting story! I just LOVED the second book in Karen Odden's popular series, An Inspector Corravan Mystery, titled Under a Veiled Moon. Talk about historical fiction at its very best! Chock full of history, mystery, and the Victorian era, this book is a must-read for fans of Odden and anyone interested in historical crime mysteries. 

Set in 1878, this story delves into the political conflict between Ireland and England via a maritime disaster that sets everything into motion. In September, the Princess Alice collides with the Bywell Castle on the River Thames. There are 600 passengers and they all wind up in the water.  Only 130 people survive the boat crash. It is a horrific accident. And, early on in the investigation all signs point to the Irish Republican Brotherhood as being the responsible party for the collision. Say what? Yep, the IRB may be guilty and it's up to Inspector Corravan to find out the truth. Born in Ireland and adopted by and Irish family, the Doyle's, his loyalty is questioned by both his colleagues and his friends. Convinced that only the truth will prove his loyalty to justice, Corravan sets out to find out what truly happened to the Princess Alice. Unfortunately, the case turns out to be more difficult than he bargained for when his brother gets involved and violence threatens to erupt on the streets of London. Luckily, Corravan has Mr. Stiles and Belinda Gale on his side, which means, he may just get to the ugly truth. The only thing is, will he like what he finds out? Yikes! 

Odden has written a terrific story that will hook you right from the start. Her writing is top notch and engrossing - you won't be able to put this book down for anything. And the characters are unforgettable - you will fall in deep with them and look forward to reading about their next adventure. Under a Veiled Moon is an excellent read that you won't want to miss out on - make sure to get your hands on a copy ASAP! 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!