Delightfully British mystery! Mrs Laetitia Rodd, an Archdeacon´s widow, is solving crimes in the Victorian England with gusto and kindness.

Mrs Rodd is a very sensible heroine and I like her very much. Kind, bold and open-minded, yet very proper a lady, who is not shy to solve her poor financial situations by doing a little sleuthing for her lawyer brother. And a middle-aged, smart woman can solve a lot! Especially if one is written as a mixture of brother Cadfael (a true monk with rich knowledge and a kind understanding of the world), a solid Dickensian hero with the taste for hot meal and a curious Miss Marple of sorts. A delight.
So what has truly happened at the Wishtide? How wrong (and right) can a love get? How about the charming killers, sinful ladies with hearts of gold, illegitimate affairs and the less then pure parts of the London?

I plan to follow this series, as it truly is very charming. Like a fresh air, the British world (and underworld) is very realistic, yet historically believable. While I would like maybe a more levelled male characters (men in general are more weak than females in this novel - even a worst female (in the traditional and non-traditional meaning) has a heart of gold, while men can get very silly here), I very much appreciate the colourful settings and characters! There is much of the true Victorian drama, yet also much of the British soundness of mind, solidity and tea.

I also like that Mrs Rodd truly is a vicar´s widow because the novel is respectful to faith in the best of meanings. The acts of kindness can truly propel the greater good - thanks for reminding me!