Skein of Words

 The Sisterhood - Tasha Alexander The Sisterhood by Tasha Alexander was a solid addition to the Lady Emily series. I really enjoyed the dual timeline story of Lady Emily and Colin investigating the death of a debutante and the story of Vatta, a fictional depiction of the daughter of Boudica in ancient Britannia. For some reason, I have hit upon a few books that include Boudica's daughters (all of which I enjoyed). It added depth and a fresh historical layer to the Lady Emily mysteries. When Lady Emily and Colin are asked to investigate the poisoning death of a debutante, things initially seem connected to the theft of a tiara. However, the investigation quickly becomes more complex. Emily is drawn into the workings of a mysterious all-female group with roots that appear to stretch back to the time of Boudica. Through the ancient Britannia dual timeline, the story explores Vatta's struggle to carry on her mother’s legacy and protect sacred knowledge in the aftermath of the Roman...

Overall, I enjoyed the second book in this series. This time Ruby discovers the mail courier dead in the washroom but there is something not quite right about this being an accidental overdose. The highlight is still Ruby and Cordelia’s relationship. Their whole living/ghost dynamic is quirky and entertaining, and their interactions add a lot of humor to the story. The dual POV works well and keeps things feeling fresh.  I also thought the addition of Cordelia's ghost 'friend' was helpful in keeping the action balanced on both sides. The mystery itself kept me interested, and I liked that the solution wasn’t super obvious. That said, the pacing felt a little uneven—parts of the investigation dragged, while the ending wrapped up pretty quickly. Overall,  a light read with a fun premise and solid mystery and I will watch out for the next in the series.  (3.5-4 stars) Thanks to Netgalley,  the author and publisher for the e-Arc for review.