A Mortal Likeness is the second book in the Victorian Mystery series by Laura Joh Rowland. Our protagonist, Sarah Bain, is a photographer in Whitechapel, London. She is also a private detective. Along with her friend, Lord Hugh Staunton, a disgraced nobleman, she is hired by a jilted wife to find evidence of an affair.While tailing the wayward husband, Sarah and Hugh find themselves in the Crystal Palace. Seizing an opportunity to catch the man and his mistress in several incriminating moments, Sarah snaps several photos. However, the man realizes what they are about and chases them off. Later, when Sarah is developing the photos, she notices that there is more to the scene than she first thought.
The following day, Sarah and Hugh discover that at approximately the same time that they were at the Crystal Palace, there was a botched ransom exchange for a young child who has been missing for several weeks. They realize that there was a man in Sarah’s photograph that may be a potential witness. They contact Sir Gerald Mariner, the child’s father, who hires them to investigate the kidnapping and insists that they move into his home while conducting their investigation.
Once in Sir Gerald’s home, Sarah and Hugh realize that there is no shortage of suspects beginning with his own family – his trophy wife (the child’s mother), her sister, and his 2 adult children –as well as his secretary, his wife’s entourage and the servants. There is a lot of misdirection which has you questioning the innocence of everyone involved.
This is a fast-paced, interesting mystery that keeps the reader guessing.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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