Singapore Sapphire

June 15, 2019
When young British widow Harriet Gordon arrives in Singapore in 1910, she's hoping for a respite from her tumultuous and tragic past. But as she will find in this impressive, intelligent debut, her new life will pull her into mystery and murder. Harriet lost her husband and young son to typhus in India, where her husband served as a doctor. Returning to London, she became a passionate supporter of the suffragette movement, even getting arrested and being force-fed in prison. Desperate for a fresh start, she's joined her brother, the Rev. Julian Edwards, in Singapore, where he is the head of a British boys' school. She is also a typist for hire to earn extra money, and when she finds one of her clients and his servant brutally murdered, she has no idea of the evil and widespread criminal network she has stumbled upon. Admiring her astute observational skills and calm demeanor, the enigmatic, British-born Inspector Robert Curran (rumor has it he actually lives with a native woman) asks for her help. The author skillfully and seamlessly weaves actual people and events of the time with rich, multidimensional fictional characters. Stuart paints a vivid picture of Singapore, from its cultural clashes to its steamy climate. Especially impressive is Stuart's ability to keep the plot moving and the characters believable without overdoing it or relying on clichés. By the end of this sharp, satisfying novel, you'll be anxious to find out what happens in the next adventure.

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 2, 2019
In 1910, Harriet Gordon, the heroine of Stuart’s underwhelming debut and series launch, comes to the British colony of Singapore after suffering severe emotional and physical traumas: the death of her husband, and being force-fed in prison after her arrest at a London suffragette rally. Gordon, who works as an unpaid assistant at a Singapore boys’ school, tries to earn some income as a typist. One day, when she attempts to retrieve her typewriter from the home of a client, Sir Oswald Newbold, she finds him dead with a dagger sticking out of his neck. Later, Hans Visscher, a hotel clerk who was at the Newbold house the night before her grim discovery, tells her that he warned Sir Oswald about something and that he’s now at risk from a group he identifies as the VOC. The initials match those used for the defunct Dutch East India Company. Inevitably, Gordon takes an active role in helping the hunky lead policeman on the case and puts herself in danger. A pat ending doesn’t help. Hopefully, the sequel will contain deeper characterizations and a less formulaic plot. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary.

July 1, 2019
Harriet Gordon has lost her husband and child to typhus and her reputation to a jail stint for roughness at a suffragette rally. Moving to Singapore to work for her school-principal brother seems like both her only option and a chance to recover, but it proves far from restorative when she finds a local dignitary murdered. Also living in relative seclusion, thanks to accusations of having gone native, is local police Inspector Robert Curran, who finds Harriet a more helpful witness?and, eventually, partner in the investigation?than the recalcitrant expats he's used to; the two endure danger related to Singapore's situation as both a colony to be plundered and a target of corrupt tradesmen. Debut author Stuart brings both early-twentieth-century Singapore and her characters vividly to life in this first in the Harriet Gordon series. While an ending chase scene is overly lengthy, readers will enjoy this visit to a setting that is not much explored in mysteries; they will also eagerly await more adventures with Harriet. Hand this one to fans of Sujata Massey.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

Starred review from June 15, 2019
When young British widow Harriet Gordon arrives in Singapore in 1910, she's hoping for a respite from her tumultuous and tragic past. But as she will find in this impressive, intelligent debut, her new life will pull her into mystery and murder. Harriet lost her husband and young son to typhus in India, where her husband served as a doctor. Returning to London, she became a passionate supporter of the suffragette movement, even getting arrested and being force-fed in prison. Desperate for a fresh start, she's joined her brother, the Rev. Julian Edwards, in Singapore, where he is the head of a British boys' school. She is also a typist for hire to earn extra money, and when she finds one of her clients and his servant brutally murdered, she has no idea of the evil and widespread criminal network she has stumbled upon. Admiring her astute observational skills and calm demeanor, the enigmatic, British-born Inspector Robert Curran (rumor has it he actually lives with a native woman) asks for her help. The author skillfully and seamlessly weaves actual people and events of the time with rich, multidimensional fictional characters. Stuart paints a vivid picture of Singapore, from its cultural clashes to its steamy climate. Especially impressive is Stuart's ability to keep the plot moving and the characters believable without overdoing it or relying on clich�s. By the end of this sharp, satisfying novel, you'll be anxious to find out what happens in the next adventure.

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.