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Book Review of The Victorian Album

The Victorian Album
WhidbeyIslander avatar reviewed on + 688 more book reviews


The Plot:

Londoners Lorna Teasdale and her niece are forced to find new housing and come across a conveniently located private home owned by a mother and daughter. Moving in, the new tenants spend lots of time and money making their new flat livable, and find that their landlords are not the easiest people to deal with. Lorna is between work and finds snooping in the attic a way to pass the time. While doing so she comes across an old photograph album, and some letters, and spends her idle moments trying to piece together what might have happened in the house many years before.

My Review: this is a well-written, easy-to-read book, but was not satisfying. I found Lorna and her niece a bit exasperating. They go to extraordinary lengths to please the woman downstairs, more than the inconvenience of moving again would seem to warrant.

The mystery itself is okay, but nothing earth-shattering. And the possession angle is un-convincing. On top of that Berckman should be ashamed of herself for fostering and furthering the stereotype of the limp-wristed fashion designer. She borders on homophobia more than once in her writings.