The Red Monarch is the third book in this delightful series featuring the sisters Brontë: Emily, Anne and Charlotte. In this fourth book their brother Branwell plays more of a role than he did in the first books.
Well now, only recently I visited the Fries Museum who currently have an exhibition with a great number of portraits on loan from the London Portrait Gallery. There they were, the famous sisters, painted by their brother Branwell in 1864. I would love to copy the picture here but I don't know how. I'm sure you can find it ;-).

At the start of this story, the sisters are at home, writing and working as always, when they receive a message from Lydia Robinson, who eloped with her boyfriend Harry and is now married and pregnant and living under horrible circumstances. Harry began working for a criminal which led to more criminals which again led to heavier crimes. Apparently Harry now has stolen a jewel and the sisters need to help Lydia to find this jewel before Harry will be killed by someone called The Noose. All very frightening, and above that the sisters have to travel to London to ‘detect’ the solution to this big problem.
The book is filled with descriptions of the late 19th century London, a place where three young ladies from York are absolutely not wanted or needed – or so some unsavoury types try to tell them. And not only tell, the sisters have to literally fight for the freedom of Harry, Lydia and themselves. There is a lot going on in this story and I liked this book just a little more than the first two. There were some interesting characters and we get more insight in the different characters of the sisters. After all, they are three very different personalities. It was not very hard to guess what Harry was supposed to have stolen, and this added an interesting idea to the plot.

Thanks to Hodder&Stoughton and Netgalley for this review copy.

Loved this, the 3rd adventure of the Brontë sisters detective work, great as a standalone but if you read this you'll probably want to read the others.

This time the sisters are called to help a friend in London with their Sober Brother who is heart broken after the elder Mrs Robinson rejection but it's her Daughter Lydia who has eloped with an actor Harry she met in Scarborough that needs their help. Lydia and Harry have moved to Londons Drury Lane and the theatre his Dad owned. But things have gone a bit 🍐 pear-shaped. Theatre land is not a safe place specially for 3 Ladies even with their brother and a pistol. They make some friends ruffle feathers and find their way but this is the toughest test they have faced and danger lurks at almost every corner.

I love the settings and era it allows for some great characters and situations to test your steel as well as our intrepid hero's. Kit and Louise are but 2 of them plus there is the horrid elder Rowley and a couple of literary guest appearances you will not want to miss. But these are not the villans they are fitting for the times horrendous vile characters.

I really enjoyed this adventure of the Brontë Sisters it had a good mixture of fun and edge of your seat moments ready for the next one now.

This book had such an interesting and exciting premise for me and it really delivered, I loved it. It was gripping and clever with beautiful writing and compelling characters. I loved it

The Red Monarch by Bella Ellis
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publish Date: 4 November 2021

Star Rating: 3.5/5

I love this time of year because like clockwork a new Bella Ellis novel comes out! From the first book, I have been a devoted follower of this Bronte series. I love the cover artwork, the story, how the Brontes are brought to life, and the dark undertones that weaves through the pages. The latest installment is ‘The Red Monarch’. The siblings must rush to London to save the daughter's Husband of none other than Mrs. Robinson, the same Mrs. Robinson who has crushed our poor Branwell’s heart into the dirt. During this adventure, we meet questionable characters, explore London and the theatre.

Like always Ellis has done an amazing job and I’m glad I have read it. Unfortunately, the first and second books remain my favorites out of the series. This one just didn’t capture me the same. I don’t mind the Brontes visiting London but they belong at home on the moors and have a whole book venturing in London was too much. The other books contained beautiful comparisons that led to inspiring their writing but I didn’t feel the magic of this in this book. I am looking forward to the next installment in the series hopeful of returning to the moors.

I may not have loved this book as much as the others but I’m loyal and must insist that you read this book and especially the first two. If you have already I highly recommend reading them again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Bella Ellis, you've done it again! What a brilliant novel.

I've loved each book in the series so far and wondered if anything would be lost, setting this far away from Haworth in London. My fears weren't justified. The city is the perfect place for three fearless sisters and their brother to do some more detecting.

As a previous Bronte scholar, I admire how the author knows her stuff. Links to the novels and the authors' characters are expertly melded into the plot. It's always clear how passionate Bella Ellis is about the Bronte sisters and their beloved home.

Victorian London is depicted faithfully as a place of the rich and those in poverty. The issues of how the poor are abused is hard reading but necessary, particularly for the sisters seeking justice.

I enjoyed the plot and how it fits with the biography mainly of Anne, along with hints of how Emily has to embrace a part of herself she thought she could suppress.

Charlotte is the loyal and sensible older sister. As a fellow author-although not of Bronte fame, of course-I loved how Charlotte wrestled with a burgeoning career, fear of failure, while still daring to dream. It certainly resonated.

This book could be read as a stand-alone but you're missing out not reading the other fabulous books in the series.

It’s August 1852 in the streets of London. In the day the streets reek of poverty and the night something more sinister and eviller lurks. Lydia Robinson after eloping with Harry Roxby now lives penniless after Lydia being disinherited from her family. The life she hoped hasn’t materialised and she is now with child. Harry in his desperation has got involved with a criminal gang Led by Noose. One night the gang abducts Harry and gives Lydia an ultimation that she must find the jewel of her husband dies. But Lydia not knowing much of her husband activities calls for help in a form to a letter to Ann Bronte.
After receiving the letter Ann and the rest of her sisters and brother Branwell head off to London to aid Lydia of finding her husband Harry. But the experience of London is not what they envisaged. From the dirty streets reeked of poverty and the suffering or to the criminals and the evil lurking in every corner. The Bronte’s at first find it hard to blend it or trust until they meet allies that will help them on their quest.
Thank you, Hodder, and Stoughton, for an ARC. This another great edition to the series which is told in each sister’s point of view and their bravery and determination to find Harry. To also find out who The Red Monarch is and hold him accountable for his crimes. The author is a great storyteller. The story is atmospheric and has that gothic undertone of Victorian London and eclectic group of characters in it. I really enjoyed this mixture of story about the Bronte’s and detective element. This is also adhered to anyone who are fan of Victorian detective series. 5 stars from me.

Our fearless family head to London in this slice of life.
To save a friend.
London is dark and dirty and loud and full of colourful characters.
Whilst this book separates the siblings and gives their characters more of a chance to come through,I felt they didn't shine quite so much as they had in the previous two books.
For me ,they felt out of places in London,as seedy London was a bigger character than any of them.
Again some quite dark themes in this.
Overall its an enjoyable addition to the series,but I'm looking forward to being back on the moors with them again.

The detectorists are back!! In August 1852 Charlotte Bronte reflects on her sisters character and all the different aspects of her personality and how people in the future will never really know her. Perhaps this latest offering from Bella Ellis will allow us some glimpses of Emily as she is central to this latest case. The dramatic events all start with a terrifying awakening for pregnant Lydia Roxby (nee Robinson) with an attack on her and her husband Harry by a gang led by Noose, Lord of the Rookery of St Giles, London. Noose seizes Harry and gives Lydia a week to recover a jewel or he will kill Harry. Lydia writes a desperate plea for help to Ann Bronte. The three sisters, helped by Bramwell (maybe?!), travel as fast as the times allow to go to her aid.

‘There is so much wrong with this world’ and this is proven true in this the sisters most dangerous case. Beneath cloaks of respectability lurk demons, devils incarnate, if Noose is bad then the Red Monarch who rules much of London is far, far worse. Who is he? The desperate search to unmask him and rescue Harry is well and truly on with powerful and dangerous forces at play plunging the resourceful sisters into a treacherous, wicked and cruel world of so much pain, suffering, betrayal and unbearable sadness. The quest reveals the dark underbelly of London society and it’s a deeply disturbing tale. The writing is extremely descriptive, the colour, the gothic hints, the little dashes of humour all make the unfolding events come alive with all the dark corners of London revealed with its stinks, filth, noise, pace and unseen dangers lurking round many a corner. The Rookery of St Giles is a slum which sends a shiver down your spine with suitably accompanying low life characters, the heart breaking poverty and the harshly tentative hold on life. I love the theatre element in this novel which is central to the plot and adds a vivid dimension with its actors, the acts, the magnificent buildings with all their history and ghostly presences which keep you immersed . The plot is a fascinating one and takes many twists and turns until the Red Monarch is unmasked. Oh very clever, Ms Ellis, this so isn’t beyond the realms of possibility!! (Lips, sealed!) The ending is maybe a bit neat but it works and I enjoy how Emily is restored by the embrace of the winds of beloved Moors and her dog!

Overall, there is much to admire in this series as the talented author gives us her insights into these sisters who have enthralled us with their writing. We see their personalities, their kindness, bravery, determination, their understanding of each other and their close bond. The style of writing is very much in keeping with the century in which the stories are set. I enjoyed the previous two detectorist books but this one is my favourite so far. It has so much in it to entertain you from start to finish. Excellent cover art too.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.