I have enjoyed Raybourn's Lady Julia nysteries, but this one, my 5th, may be my last. There is no flaw in the mystery; I did not figure it out until just before the protagonists. There is no flaw in the characterizations; the characters are exactly the same as they have been. Therein lies the problem. I am bored by Julia and Brisbane. Brisbane revealed a few secrets about himself in this installment, but all the development of these characters is superficial. Most interestingly this story dovetailed nicely with a non-fiction I am currently reading about the daughters of Queen Victoria. Her eldest daughter Victoria, married Fritz of Prussia. Prime Minister, or Chancellor at the time was Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck plays an ancillary role in this mystery. But I did not even learn much history in this hictorical fiction. I wish I could give this story high praise, as I liked the other novels, but it was boring.
