Spicy Novels. Oh My!

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I am super excited.

I have been reading history and biographies to develop my story about a Tulsa girl who, while visiting her petroleum engineer father in Aberdeen, slips through the mists of time back into 1867 Scotland and meets the queen, who just may be her grandmother, many greats back.

The history, mostly about Queen Victoria and her highland servant, John Brown, has been fascinating, but now it’s time for some fun: Some spicy Victorian fiction!

On GoodReads, I found a selection of popular Victorian fiction. I pinned them to a Pinterest board, because that seemed the easiest way to collect them for later reading.

I have also asked for recommendations from some of the Victorian and History writers’ FB boards I am a member of. And finally, I just did some Google searches. I bought one of those books on Kindle to start with and ordered used copies (from 1 cent to 2 dollars, I think, for a grand total of about $12.00), to be sent to my son at college in the U.S. so when I go to his graduation in May, I can bring them back with me. In the meantime, I’ll buy a few more of my selections on Kindle for Australian reading.

I am so excited to get reading, but I have a very good history book to finish first, “Empress Brown.” I had to have visitors from the U.S. bring that one over for me. It was only available used. And when it arrived here, I couldn't believe that it was from the Enid, Oklahoma library, not far from where my husband was born and raised

You know, so many of these books are only available used. And seeing how many are strengthens my resolve to self-publish. My books will only go out of print if Amazon explodes or I or my children decide they will go out of print. And I like knowing that.

So, I’ll list and review these books as I go.  This is going to be so much fun.

The book I ordered on Kindle today is The Unbelievers by Alastair Sim

I paid $7.99 for it, which I consider marginally high. It was published in September of 2010. One of the things that excites me about this book is that it is set in 1965, only two years before my book is set. 

Here’s the description:

"A brooding, Victorian murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands and featuring Inspector Allerdyce and Sergeant McGillivray

Scotland’s richest man has been shot dead and dumped down a well. Was the Duke of Dornoch murdered by one of the miners whose wages he cut because of “market forces”? Was he killed in return for his part in clearing the Highlands of their people? Did a discarded lover take their final revenge?

Inspector Allerdyce and Sergeant McGillivray VC must find out before the killer strikes again. But their search, from the material heights of Victorian society to its moral dregs, threatens to overturn everything Allerdyce believes and loves.

In the tradition of Charles Finch and The Somnambulist, Alastair Sim has crafted a memorable, atmospheric novel that covers new ground in the world of Victorian mysteries."

Here are a few tidbits of the reviews:

• Bringing the mean streets of Victorian Edinburgh to life….
• The author’s brilliant imagery makes the setting and atmosphere come alive, 
• The author does a great job of bringing to life the state of society, classes, medical knowledge, and family life for that era.
• In this superbly crafted mystery, Alastair Sim takes the reader from the grandeur of Dalcorn House to the depraved world of brothels, betting arenas where dogs kill rats, and gay bars such as the Sailor's Arms.