Friday, March 25, 2016

A Promising Beginning


BRIGHTON BELLE (Mirabelle Bevan #1)
Sara Sheridan
Kensington Books
March 29, 2016




Brighton Belle is a promising beginning in a new series by Sara Sheridan set in the seaside resort of Brighton in 1951. Mirabelle Bevan had a very exciting War working in British Intelligence. Even though she was not a field agent, Mirabelle picked up a lot of investigative knowledge. She also fell in love with her boss, Jack. After the war, she moves to Jack's hometown of Brighton and dreams of future domestic bliss. When Jack dies of a heart attack she is set adrift and grieving intensely for both Jack and her dreams. Mirabelle is financially secure but takes a job at a debt collection agency. Her boss, Big Ben McGuigan, does all the actual collections and Mirabelle takes care of the office work. One day, however, Big Ben claims illness and goes home: something he has never done before. Big Ben goes missing and Mirabelle is thrown into an investigation of both his disappearance and the death of an immigrant mother, supposedly in childbirth. Along the way, she picks up a sidekick, Vesta, another office worker in her building. 

I admit that I don't know much about Britain in the 1950's other than it was dreary. Austerity and rationing made life difficult, along with dealing with social upheaval and the emotional fallout of war. There were a lot of very bad people still around, mostly trying to escape the consequences of their wartime actions. Mirabelle and Vesta run up against a number of these criminals. I can't speak to the accuracy of historical detail in Brighton Belle, but one thing does come across loud and clear. Racial prejudice and a dismissal of women, in general, were rampant in Britain at the time. Another character, Inspector MacGregor of the Brighton Police, exemplifies the dismissal of Mirabelle's abilities. MacGregor is just about the most annoying misogynist I have run across lately (at least in fiction) but he seems to be a character we will meet again.

Brighton Belle was a fast, entertaining read and I liked Mirabelle and Vesta enough to follow their further adventures. I would like a little more historical detail and fewer fortuitous escapes from tight spots by the ladies, both of whom seem incapable of looking before they leap. 

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley.com for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

RATING- 3 Stars




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