Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden: Book Review

Under a Veiled Moon

BY Karen Odden

Rating: 4.5/5 
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: ‎Crooked Lane Books
Pub Date: October 11, 2022
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and AustenProse for my Advanced Copy on the blog tour. All thoughts are of my own.

CW: Murder Off Page

Under a Veiled Moon Synopsis

In the tradition of C. S. Harris and Anne Perry, a fatal disaster on the Thames and
a roiling political conflict set the stage for Karen Odden’s second Inspector
Corravan historical mystery.

September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat the Princess Alice makes her daily
trip up the Thames, she collides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier.
The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600 passengers into the river; only 130
survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and early clues point to
sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to
restoring Irish Home Rule.

For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish
Doyle family, the case presents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to
prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice
disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.
Corrovan’s dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined
James McCabe’s Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal
with McCabe to get Colin out of harm’s way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears
longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help.

As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into
terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his
friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his
faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

Under a Veiled Moon Review

Chaos reading continues for me! Did I read the first book in this series? Nope. Did I enjoy this one and was not confused? YES! I consider that a big win and props to Odden for writing a series that connects but also allows for readers to be chaos readers.

This book contained so many amazing elements. The way that historical elements were interwoven into the tensions of the time, the emotional turmoil of Corrovan, and the mystery! Wow. I was enthralled the entire time.

Anytime that a novel decides to bring up pieces of history that are often overlooked (speaking entirely on an American in her late 20s POV right now!!!), I find myself incredibly happy. Odden did that with the tensions of the Irish and British in the late 1800s. The tensions and complex story brought these to the forefront and really propelled the story along. Not that it needed much additional help because it was a murder mystery.

I loved Corrovan as a character. He tried so hard to do the right thing, but Odden made him human. All of the pieces of his family and his sense of direction made this book just a top tier read.

I don’t want to go spilling too much, besides if you like mystery and/or historical fiction READ THIS! I will definitely be going back to read the first in this series and try to be a rational human. But chaos reading is available here and you don’t feel like you’ve missed much with all of the mentions of the past and subtle “hole” filling.

Super impressed with Odden’s writing as this was my first of hers and for sure will not be my last!

Under a Veiled Moon ADVANCE PRAISE

“[An] exceptional sequel . . . Fans of Lyndsay Faye’s Gods of Gotham trilogy will be enthralled.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Victorian skulduggery with a heaping side of Irish troubles.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Charismatic police superintendent Michael Corravan is back in a gripping sequel about the mysterious sinking of the Princess Alice. Odden deftly weaves together English and Irish history, along with her detective’s own story, in a way that will keep readers flipping pages long into the night.” —Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of Mother Daughter Traitor Spy and the Maggie Hope series.

AUTHOR BIO

Karen Odden earned her Ph.D. in English from New York University and subsequently
taught literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has contributed essays
to numerous books and journals, written introductions for Victorian novels in the Barnes
& Noble classics series and edited for the journal Victorian Literature and
Culture (Cambridge UP). Her previous novels, also set in 1870s London, have won
awards for historical fiction and mystery. A member of Mystery Writers of America and

Sisters in Crime and the recipient of a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts,
Karen lives in Arizona with her family and her rescue beagle Rosy.