This is the second book in the Lady Julia Grey series. Lady Julia Grey has been in Italy for several months, recovering from the events that occurred in the first book. When her father summons Julia and her brother's home for Christmas, they return to the family estate; a former monastery for monks. Am0ng the invited house guests is Nicolas Brisbane, the private investigator who helped Julia with the inquiry following her husband's death and with whom Julia has fallen in love. To her surprise Brisbane is accompanied by his fiancée, the lovely Charlotte King. When over the course of a few days a curate is found murdered in the sanctuary, Julia's cousin Lucy is the main suspect and some very valuable pears belonging to Julia disappear, Brisbane and Julia decide to resume their investigative partnership to solve the mystery and robbery. Once again Raybourn delivers a thoroughly delightful story with Brisbane and Julia thrown together once more and a houseful of eccentric characters to sort through on the way to solving the cleverly plotted mystery. A totally enjoyable romantic suspense book set in Victorian times, I am looking forward to book three.

Silent in the Sanctuary, the second book in Deanna Raybourn's Victorian mystery series, built on the strengths of its predecessor. Raybourn created a vivid, intricate plot populated with well-rounded, believable characters. She allowed her readers to peek at the darkness festering beneath the veneer of Victorian propriety and allowed her appealing heroine, Lady Julia Grey, to develop fully as a headstrong, independent woman.

Raybourn once again managed a complicated plot with nary a misstep, drawing me completely into the story and into the larger tale of Julia becoming her own woman, beholden to no one and demanding Brisbane treat her as an equal. I also enjoyed the opportunity to get to know better some of the members of Julia's large, unconventional family.

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The series gets better with each book - although I would have liked to see more of the hero, Nicholas.

from my review @ http://babblingbookreviews.com

Julia and her brothers Lysander and Eglamour - Plum - are summoned home from Italy by their father, the Earl March. They arrive in time to spend Christmas at Bellmont Abbey, the family seat. However, before the festivities can begin, there is a murder. As with the previous volume, the book introduces other members of the eccentric March family, this time on home turf. And course Nicholas Brisbane is back, and he is engaged to be married.

Julia quickly realizes that Brisbane and her father are up to something. What, she doesn't know. But before she can learn anything, a guest is murdered - supposedly by one of the March cousins - and the earl informs Brisbane that Julia will assist in the investigation. Though the March family is used to being the subject of gossip and scandal, the earl wants the matter wrapped up - while they are snowed in - as quickly and as discretely as possible. Brisbane isn't happy with these arrangements, but he can't contradict a nobleman in his own home.

I don't want to give anything away, so I won't elaborate on the plot. Julia does learn something of Brisbane's past, however. I wish there had been more interaction between them. It seemed as if Brisbane was barely in the book. As for the March family, I really enjoy meeting them and hearing about their eccentricities. Above all, they are a very close and loving family.

I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to Silent on the Moor, due out in March 2009.

Favorite Quote:
Now I was more certain than ever of my decision. I could never love a man who did not love Jane Austen.
- Julia's thoughts

I really want to live in the March house. First, it sounds fantastic…but then there are secret passages and all kinds of exciting things! So minus the no heating issue, I want to live there.

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