A Lesson in Love & Murder by Rachel McMillan

Title: A Lesson in Love & Murder
Series: Herringford & Watts Mysteries
Author: Rachel McMillan
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Published Date: September 1st 2016
Genre: Mystery, Christian Fiction
Page Count:224
Format: Paperback   

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Goodreads Summary: 
From political danger to personal drama, life is about to get explosive...

The legacy of literary icon Sherlock Holmes is alive and well in 1912 Canada, where best friends Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts continue to develop their skills as consulting detectives.

The city of Toronto has been thrown into upheaval by the arrival of radical anarchist Emma Goldman. Amid this political chaos, Benny Citrone of the Royal North-West Mounted Police arrives at Merinda and Jem's flat, requesting assistance in locating his runaway cousin—a man with a deadly talent.

While Merinda eagerly accepts the case, she finds herself constantly butting heads—and hearts—with Benny. Meanwhile, Jem has her hands full with a husband who is determined to keep her out of harm's way.

As Merinda and Jem close in on the danger they've tracked from Toronto to Chicago, they uncover a sinister plot to assassinate presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt. Will they be able to save the day and resolve the troubles threatening their future happiness before it's too late?

Independence, love, and lives are at stake in A Lesson in Love and Murder, the gripping second installment of the Herringford and Watts Mysteries series. 

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 My Review:

I originally got this as an e-arc from netgalley and the publisher. I ended up reading a finished copy from the library.

"Sometimes in the city, you can find what the solitude of the wilderness can never give you a sense of constant companionship. You're connected to everyone around you and you're never really lonely."

In the first book Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder we see Merinda and Jem start up their detective business and start to make names for themselves with the police and the rest of the City as well.

This one starts a few weeks after the last one ended with Jem and Ray married and have started a life together. Recently they've had some financial struggles, plus Ray is worried about his sister and nephew, and finally a surprise that has both of them slightly on edge and unsure what to do next.

"We have something better. Fairy tales just end. The excitement of turning a page and not knowing what happens? That ends. You never get to see the ever-after. Don't you see, that's what we're in right now! The after. It's a beginning and constant adventure."

Jem and Merinda are still solving crimes, but no big cases have come up for them that is until a Mountie shows up needing help finding a family member who may be the cause of some recent explosions that have been happening. Not only does this involve them into some dangerous situations we also have Jasper and Ray who are trying to keep them safe and away from what is happening, all while also helping them solve the mystery (this sounds impossible, but it works somehow).
We also have a new character Benny who is the Mountie that needs their help, but he also just might make someone show a little bit of human emotion for a change. (Oh Merinda who well you had us all fooled, turns out you might not be as much like Sherlock as you originally thought. )

"What bothers me most is that you won't tell me about it. That you won't say it out loud. Just tell me. Let's stay up half the night giggling over his smile or his broad shoulders. Or are you too logical for romance? For love? You think there's some sort of virtue in keeping a brick wall around your softer emotions. Well, you have them! Even as we keep playing detective and tripping into soultions, you have the same capacity to love and have your heart broken as any other woman. Why can't you just let yourself grab at some happiness?"

Not only does this one take place in Canada we also get to see Chicago in the earlier 1900's and what was happening in both countries wasn't that different for the most part when it came to how immigrants and women were treated.

Overall I really loved this second book in this trilogy and I can't wait to read the final one even if it does make me sad to know that there won't be more (besides the novels which I know I'm just going to end up buying).


Side note I really like how each chapter starts out with some about being a detective or a proper lady.

The Bachelor Girl's Guide To Murder by Rachel McMillian

Title: Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder
Series: Herringford & Watts Mysteries #1
Author: Rachel McMillan
Publisher: Harvest House
Published Date: March 1st 2016
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian
Page Count:222
Format: Paperback   

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Goodreads Summary: 
In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city's underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto's premier consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever--if they can stay alive long enough to do so. 

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 My Review:

I originally got this as an e-arc from netgalley and the publisher. I ended up reading a finished copy from the library.

"She no longer cared about propriety. She no longer cared to be one of those girls who married at a proper age, who had their lives figured out, who wouldn't be caught dead in trousers."

Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts balance each other out pretty well, and I can see the resemblance between Sherlock and Watson with them. But that doesn't take anything away from the story. In fact, besides Merinda being reckless most of the time when it comes to social things and dragging Jem along for the ride at the beginning, they completely stand on their own. At times I did notice myself Imagining this happening the Murdoch Mysteries world but I think that has more to do with it being in Canada and me not really knowing much about it, especially in the early 1900's.

"Since she wasn't going to be one of those girls, she could do exactly what she wanted. She could love whomever she wanted-- even if he refused to love her in return! As for her parents expectations and every young lady's etiquette guide, why expectations be hanged."

Jem having been disowned by her parents for not having settled down with a respectable young man is now working a job while following Merinda around trying to solve mysteries. Merinda is the instigator for most things at first it appears, and while she does seem to be the mastermind, she is also the one that has the funding for them to be able to live in such a nice place.

Then we also have the two men characters who encourage Jem and Merinda in their crime solving. First, we have Jasper a detective in the police force that helps them get access to certain things (plus he has a crush on Merinda that is almost painful to imagine after awhile).
Then we have Ray DeLuca a report for a small newspaper who encourages the crime solving due and even ends up helping them out along the way. Plus the advice he gives Jem when she is dating someone who is not good for her at all was perfect. I mean can we please have more men like these two in books? Kind, respectful of the ladies wishes, and encouraging or discouraging when it was needed.

"I don't care if you send him choclates laced with arsnic, so long as you keep him out of his office long enough for me to get what I need."

Let's get back to Jem and Merinda now. Jem being the more sensible one and also the one that was trained growing up to deal with social situations is also the one that has to go out and find out information and then report back to Merinda. While Merinda is at home trying to piece together all of the information that Jem finds along with what she assumes is happening. I also just want to give it up for Merinda convincing Jem to break the Morality Laws as much as possible, because while dangerous, really needed to happen! Plus women in pants, solving crimes in the 1900's is really something I want to read more of!! Or just women solving crimes in historical fiction in general and actually being successful in it.

"I don't belong with anyone, do I? A girl in trousers who follows Merinda Herringford around the city. But I need to be in your life.. I know that you'll need to chase your stories. That you don't want to be cooped up. Maybe I won't ever be the first thing in your life, but..."

P.S. Why can't romance be like this in every book? It happened naturally and never became the main focus of the book. Plus the characters stuck to who they originally were instead of changing suddenly which I've noticed happens quite a bit in Christian fiction.