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katreader's review against another edition
5.0
A GOLDEN CAGE by Shelley Freydont
The Second Newport Gilded Age Mystery
Deanna Randolph is enjoying her new found freedom spending the summer with Gran Gwen far from her stifling mother. Much to Gwen's delight and Joe's consternation Deanna has joined a bicycle club and is consorting with theatre folk. Amabelle Deeks, a chorus girl who has run away from her upperclass background, literally, turns up at Bonheur apparently seeking refuge. When morning comes a young actor is found murdered in the conservatory and Amabelle is gone. Did Amabelle kill him or is she another victim? With the help of her maid, Elspeth, Deanna sets out to find Amabelle and discover just who killed the actor!
Freydont once again transports us to Newport's Gilded Age when the class system was just starting to get muddled and women were seeking and starting to achieve more rights and privileges. In addition to bicycles, we get a closer look at the theatre of the time. It was a place where a woman had the opportunity to earn as much money as a man; however, it was a career still looked upon as immoral. We learn more about Deanna and watch her grow in this second installment of the series. Deanna wants to be an independent woman in an age when such independence was generally frowned upon. Her clever mind and the support of like minded older women encourage her to be more than society wants her to be, and make her a much more interesting character. Freydont has a gift of creating characters that leap off the page and inhabit a world described with such detail that I feel myself a part of that age.
In A GOLDEN CAGE Freydont takes an intelligent look at societal issues combining it with well developed, complex characters to form a well crafted mystery that encourages readers to think, learn, and become a part of that historical age. I highly recommend this smartly written mystery filled with historical accuracy which includes an intriguing touch of romance.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
The Second Newport Gilded Age Mystery
Deanna Randolph is enjoying her new found freedom spending the summer with Gran Gwen far from her stifling mother. Much to Gwen's delight and Joe's consternation Deanna has joined a bicycle club and is consorting with theatre folk. Amabelle Deeks, a chorus girl who has run away from her upperclass background, literally, turns up at Bonheur apparently seeking refuge. When morning comes a young actor is found murdered in the conservatory and Amabelle is gone. Did Amabelle kill him or is she another victim? With the help of her maid, Elspeth, Deanna sets out to find Amabelle and discover just who killed the actor!
Freydont once again transports us to Newport's Gilded Age when the class system was just starting to get muddled and women were seeking and starting to achieve more rights and privileges. In addition to bicycles, we get a closer look at the theatre of the time. It was a place where a woman had the opportunity to earn as much money as a man; however, it was a career still looked upon as immoral. We learn more about Deanna and watch her grow in this second installment of the series. Deanna wants to be an independent woman in an age when such independence was generally frowned upon. Her clever mind and the support of like minded older women encourage her to be more than society wants her to be, and make her a much more interesting character. Freydont has a gift of creating characters that leap off the page and inhabit a world described with such detail that I feel myself a part of that age.
In A GOLDEN CAGE Freydont takes an intelligent look at societal issues combining it with well developed, complex characters to form a well crafted mystery that encourages readers to think, learn, and become a part of that historical age. I highly recommend this smartly written mystery filled with historical accuracy which includes an intriguing touch of romance.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
britks's review against another edition
4.0
Deanna is a wonderful sleuth! I love these books and find Deanna to be a heroine worth reading about. She is a society girl but startles the line of a fallen woman. Her beau, Joe, is in love with her but cannot admit it to himself because she is afraid of returning to the life he left behind. Deanna feels like she needs to be the proper woman but can't help but have an interest/talent to solving murders. Joe and Deanna would be perfect together, so I am excited to see how the story unfolds.
princessleia4life's review against another edition
1.0
I did not like this mystery. It started off good and I liked the main character but then as the mystery progressed we had barely any clues to the mystery but just had more characters. It was like hitting a wall until the last few pages where they drop the reveal.
quietjenn's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this historical mystery. The setting is terrific and expertly evoked and the characters pretty solid across the board. The mystery was decent enough - I figured some stuff out, but not everything. I'm definitely going to hunt down the first one in the series!
krisrid's review against another edition
2.0
Well, I finished book 2 in this series, but I won't be continuing with it. This just isn't my cup of tea.
I like the Gilded Age period as a setting, but the main character Deanna is just to naive and clueless to be believable as someone capable of the kind of running around and investigating that she does, even with her maid Elspeth to help her.
I also, unfortunately, just couldn't connect to Deanna or really like her. She means well but she's just so innocent about everything that she makes me roll my eyes.
An okay series, well-written, but not something I am entertained enough to stick with.
I like the Gilded Age period as a setting, but the main character Deanna is just to naive and clueless to be believable as someone capable of the kind of running around and investigating that she does, even with her maid Elspeth to help her.
I also, unfortunately, just couldn't connect to Deanna or really like her. She means well but she's just so innocent about everything that she makes me roll my eyes.
An okay series, well-written, but not something I am entertained enough to stick with.
dollycas's review against another edition
5.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I want to escape right into that picture on the cover.
This second book in the series picks up almost where book one left off. Deanna’s mother and sister are still abroad and her father is busy working so Deanna continues her stay with the Ballards. She goes on calls with “Gran Gwen” and they attend a few parties, keeping her in the eye of eligible bachelors that she really has no interest in. She wants a career as a detective and not many suitors would be happy to have their wives chasing down criminals. They attend a birthday party at the Grantham Estate where Maude Grantham has brought in a entire theatre company to perform. It was quite a night, Deanne even meets one of the actresses, Amabelle Deeks. Deanna is surprised when Amabelle shows up at the Ballard’s door in the middle of the night scared about something and needing a place to stay. Even more surprising is finding a body the next morning in the conservatory. A young actor from the play. When Deanna goes to tell Amabelle she is nowhere to be found. Dee thinks her new friend my have something to do with the murder especially because she ran away. Quickly Deanna, her wonderful maid Elspeth, and Joe Ballard are trying to help their friend Will, a sergeant with the Newport Police solve the case. But just because they are “working with” Will doesn’t mean that aren’t going to do some investigating and get into some trouble on their own.
I really like the characters and their development. We see Gran Gwen and Laurette are more liberal thinkers like Deanna while the Granthams are more conservative. All our very opinionated. Dee was growing more comfortable and trying things like riding a bicycle and joining a bicycle club. Her mother would definitely not approve. She is a strong willed young woman. A subplot dealt with her feelings for Joe and his feelings for her. They do make a good team but can they ever be more than friends. There are also several interesting characters connected to Amabelle and they play.
The story takes come great twists as our protagonist hones in on the guilty party. Secrets come to light and the reveal is filled with action.
Shelley Freydont’s descriptive way of writing brings all the characters to life right along with the “cottages” of Newport and the Fifth Ward. As a reader I felt like I traveling right along with Deanna as she followed all the clues and all the place she would sneak into to get the answers. It was really thrilling and fun.
An excellent addition to this series!
I want to escape right into that picture on the cover.
This second book in the series picks up almost where book one left off. Deanna’s mother and sister are still abroad and her father is busy working so Deanna continues her stay with the Ballards. She goes on calls with “Gran Gwen” and they attend a few parties, keeping her in the eye of eligible bachelors that she really has no interest in. She wants a career as a detective and not many suitors would be happy to have their wives chasing down criminals. They attend a birthday party at the Grantham Estate where Maude Grantham has brought in a entire theatre company to perform. It was quite a night, Deanne even meets one of the actresses, Amabelle Deeks. Deanna is surprised when Amabelle shows up at the Ballard’s door in the middle of the night scared about something and needing a place to stay. Even more surprising is finding a body the next morning in the conservatory. A young actor from the play. When Deanna goes to tell Amabelle she is nowhere to be found. Dee thinks her new friend my have something to do with the murder especially because she ran away. Quickly Deanna, her wonderful maid Elspeth, and Joe Ballard are trying to help their friend Will, a sergeant with the Newport Police solve the case. But just because they are “working with” Will doesn’t mean that aren’t going to do some investigating and get into some trouble on their own.
I really like the characters and their development. We see Gran Gwen and Laurette are more liberal thinkers like Deanna while the Granthams are more conservative. All our very opinionated. Dee was growing more comfortable and trying things like riding a bicycle and joining a bicycle club. Her mother would definitely not approve. She is a strong willed young woman. A subplot dealt with her feelings for Joe and his feelings for her. They do make a good team but can they ever be more than friends. There are also several interesting characters connected to Amabelle and they play.
The story takes come great twists as our protagonist hones in on the guilty party. Secrets come to light and the reveal is filled with action.
Shelley Freydont’s descriptive way of writing brings all the characters to life right along with the “cottages” of Newport and the Fifth Ward. As a reader I felt like I traveling right along with Deanna as she followed all the clues and all the place she would sneak into to get the answers. It was really thrilling and fun.
An excellent addition to this series!
saturday's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I really enjoy this series.
Deanna reminds me of a heroine out of Heyer and I do so love reading about her coming out season in Newport. I like her interactions with Elspeth, Gran Gwen, Joe, Will, Laurette, and Lionel. Her uncertainty about her future and finding her passions is something I certainly empathize with. How she is beginning to come into her own and recognizing all that she still has to learn.
Yet again, the plot was by no means bad, but, for me, it was a vehicle that allows us to get to know the characters better. I could read a story about shopping for hats and I'd be perfectly content.
I loved the addition of Laurette and Lionel, Joe's parents. Laurette's fierce attitude and getting involved with important causes during that time. Lionel's love of her and his worrying about her safety. It is so important to have a couple that married for love instead of a business proposal in Deanna's life.
I will say, I truly loved the endit was a bit Darcy-esque. Haha! , and I can't wait to read more of this series. I'm sad the next book doesn't come out tomorrow.
Deanna reminds me of a heroine out of Heyer and I do so love reading about her coming out season in Newport. I like her interactions with Elspeth, Gran Gwen, Joe, Will, Laurette, and Lionel. Her uncertainty about her future and finding her passions is something I certainly empathize with. How she is beginning to come into her own and recognizing all that she still has to learn.
Yet again, the plot was by no means bad, but, for me, it was a vehicle that allows us to get to know the characters better. I could read a story about shopping for hats and I'd be perfectly content.
I loved the addition of Laurette and Lionel, Joe's parents. Laurette's fierce attitude and getting involved with important causes during that time. Lionel's love of her and his worrying about her safety. It is so important to have a couple that married for love instead of a business proposal in Deanna's life.
I will say, I truly loved the end
calipanda's review
4.0
Another romp through Gilded Age Newport, this time with a theater troupe visiting that ends with murder and a disappearance. I enjoyed this second installment more than the first, and was able to narrow down the main suspects pretty quickly. I am rather impressed at Freydont's willingness to have Deanna explore some of the more scandalous and seedy realities of life in the Gilded Age, acknowledging the fight for contraception, which is still a controversial topic, as well as discussing Oscar Wilde's imprisonment for gross indecency, as well as writing some gay and bisexual characters. The book ended with a question I would love to hear Deanna's response to, and I look forward to more.
julieputty's review
3.0
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first in the series, though I'm not sure if it was the book or my mood.