The Innocents is the second of the Variety Palace Mysteries, a sequel to The Tumbling Girl. Minnie Ward is still holding the theater company together, particularly since Tansie, the owner/manager, is still reeling from the events in the first book. The budding romance between Minnie and Albert, the private detective, has been shelved by Minnie who doesn’t have the time and who thinks Albert deserves a better partner in his life. She has also sworn off detecting after everything that happened.

But mysteries abound and they have not sworn off Minnie. Minnie and Albert are commissioned to investigate the death of a judge that had been ruled accidental. His widow is certain it must be murder. That investigation leads to uncovering other mysterious deaths and a possible serial killer.

In addition, one of the Variety Palace players’ brother is missing and Minnie asks Albert to investigate. Tansie’s monkey is kidnapped and an impossible ransom demanded. And if that were not enough, Minnie is being menaced to force her to visit the guilty party from the first book.



For me, The Innocents was a more enjoyable mystery than the first book. Some of that is simply that it is far less gruesome. Though the tragedy recounted in the prologue is horrific, the deaths in this book have an internal logic that is not about inflicting pain in pursuit of pleasure. In a way, this murderer is more Hamlet, killing “more in sorrow than in anger.”

There is a bit of deux ex machina in addressing the extortionate demands of The Tumbling Girl‘s villain, but that is fine with me. The threads from the first book remain hanging and that surprised me. I had expected the immediate sequel to snip them off, but I would be happy if the Hairpin Killer is never heard from again.

The mystery is complex and fair. There is more than one mystery and the book does have a sort of frenetic pace and affect, but I imagine Minnie’s life is frenetic what with writing scripts for the theater, managing the theater, and solving crime. She’s a strong, independent woman just seven years after the Married Woman’s Property Act. If Bridget Walsh wrote this book before 1870, the copyright and all the proceedings would belong to her husband. So a book set in that era, with not one, but several strong and independent women working and supporting themselves in occupations beyond the governess or sex worker stereotypical choices of employment is exciting.

I d The Innocents a lot. It can be read out without reading the first book, but doesn’t irk readers of the first with presenting too much backstory. The plot moves quickly and there is more showing than telling. The characters are complex, even the villain. Well, at least one of the villains. It’s a surprise and a treat when a sequel is better than the first book in a mystery series. Now, I am expecting great things from her third book.

The Innocents will be released on March 26th (4/11 in UK.) I received an ARC from the publisher.
Bridget Walsh author site plus a gorgeous garden.
My review of The Tumbling Girl

https://tonstantweader.wordpre... Bryony133 1 follower

I have completed this series so far (I really hope there is going to be more - I need to know about Minnie and Albert)

This is about a duo who in the first book are shoved together to solve a series of murders going on, which includes Minnie's friend. There are so many interwoven story lines going on, characters who all have secrets, and action that makes you want to keep turning the page. Considering there are so many characters and different elements to follow, not once was I lost on who was connected to who and what was going on.

The second book is a new set of murders, but we have the same two detectives and their relationship to each other develops more and moves along making it feel it's the same world. I love the juxtaposition of the two characters, one from a wealthy family and the other just trying to survive from a young age by herself, they have different styles that compliment each other as well as making them butt heads. But each has their own merits to the investigation that helps solve it. The world building was really well written and just enough to let the reader know about their world, without it interfering or taking away from the plot. William BentrimAuthor 63 books69

The Innocents by Bridget Walsh
This is the second in the Variety Palace Mystery series that I’ve read. Minnie and Albert, a mismatched detective team, find themselves facing multiple homicides. All the homicides seem to relate to either a Ponzi scheme or a dreadful theatrical tragedy.
Walsh does a good job setting the late 1890s scene in London. The aromas of the time jump off the page resulting in a twitching nose and a squeamish reaction to many of the settings.
The impact of privilege regarding justice seems unchanged over the ensuing years with the obvious comparison to today’s country club prisons.
The interaction of Minnie and Albert once again is the sub-plot. In the foreground, are a series of seemingly unrelated homicides and dog-fighting villains.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

Dan Bassett392 78

The Variety Palace Music Hall is in trouble yet again, due to no small part to a gruesome spate of murders that unfolded within its nefarious location a few months previously, both drawing those who are far too curious closer, and getting gossip mongers working overtime as to where might the next body be discovered?
Between her many responsibilities such as writing, managing the music hall, hopelessly trying to forever balance the books and constantly trying to dissuade her boss from installing a water tank in the building which she knows will lead to more money woes, Minnie Ward has her hands full and she honestly cannot keep juggling everything for much longer. Her complicated relationship with detective Albert Easterbrook doesn’t even bear thinking about. So why can she not keep him off of her mind for more than five minutes?
When fresh bodies start to pile up and the unmistakable hint of death and decay start to make their presence known again, Minnie and Albert are thrown together when it becomes apparent that neither can crack this new case without the others help and even more strangely, the crimes all seem to link back to a tragedy that took place fourteen years ago which left 183 children dead and families without justice.
And given such an incident touched so many lives, it seems everyone is a suspect….
Will Minnie and Albert be able to solve this case before time runs out, or will they be left with more than just blood on their hands?
Following on from The Tumbling Girl, The innocents is witty, captivating, charming, and oh so binge-worthy! Annarella12.9k 142

The first mystery in this series was intriguing and kept hooked and guessing. The theatre world is well described and mysterious. There's plenty of secrets, some romances and more murders.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read the next novel soon
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mineedelweiss historical-mystery Christina Frøkjær194 6

A string of murders has torn through London, again throwing together the now notorious Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook. The crimes all seem to link back to a tragedy fourteen years ago that left 183 children dead. But given that the incident touched many people’s lives, everyone is a suspect.
Walsh is surely a writer to keep an eye on. She's witty, knowing, and can write an exciting story with characters to root for.

I enjoyed reading this story and hope there will be many more installments in this series. arc ebook Donna1,537

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