The Butterfly Conspiracy is a new Victorian detective series by mystery writer Vivian Conroy featuring amateur zoologist Merula Merriweather and the enigmatic Lord Raven Royston. I connected with Vivian Conroy on twitter during her regular #Histficchat hosted by @Vivwrites and was eager to find out more so, I was pleased to be sent a copy by Crooked Lane Books.
A COSY MYSTERY TO CUDDLE UP WITH
The publishers promise a cosy mystery and that is exactly what Vivian Conroy delivers. Her new Victorian mystery series features female zoologist Merula Merriweather and I know from tweets with the author that she has a passion for natural history.
Merula’s scientific exploits are a closely hidden secret. Her zoological discoveries are credited to her guardian, Uncle Rupert who has given her free rein to hatch exotic creatures in the conservatory of his London town house because the Royal Zoological Society would never accept a woman.
The story begins on the night they are presenting Attacus atlas to the society freshly hatched from its cocoon during a talk on a newly discovered tarantula as proof to the doubting stiff gentleman that an ugly caterpillar can indeed turn into a beautiful butterfly the size of a pair of hands. But when Merula’s butterfly lands on the arm of the guest of honour, the very wealthy Lady Sophia who promptly experiences breathing difficulties and dies, Uncle Rupert is arrested for the murder after recently publicly arguing with Lady Sophia over her controlling nephew’s relationship with his daughter Julia.
A New Detective Partnership
Merula finds an unlikely partner to prove her family’s complete innocence in Lord Raven Royston. A man who has unwisely invested in a failed steam-powered coach and a disastrous hair tonic, and yet he sees her for the brilliant young woman she is and doesn’t hesitate to get involved when Victorian society turns against her. Is it simply that Royston feels partly responsible for encouraging Merula to release the butterfly from its glass case or is he merely drawn to danger and mystery? With the police and far more dangerous people on their tail can Merriweather and Royston reveal the truth before more lives are lost and save her uncle from the gallows? Is there really a conspiracy against them?
I enjoyed the emerging partnership between Merriweather and Royston and as well as the mystery they’re investigating I’m looking forward to finding out more about their pasts. Merula has been the ward of her Uncle Rupert and Aunt Emma since she was a baby and Royston’s family have an abandoned country house where his mother’s met an untimely death. Their next adventure will be on Dartmoor, will there be hounds to be weary of I wonder?
The Butterfly Conspiracy is available in the UK in hardback, paperback and e-book. Vivian is lovely to connect with on twitter, do follow her.
Reviewed by Author Amy Beeson
More About The Author, Vivian Conroy
Having spent many afternoons as a teen on the Nile with Poirot or confronting sinister spinsters in sleepy English towns with Miss Marple, it was only natural Vivian Conroy would start writing mysteries of her own. Atmospheric descriptions, well developed characters and clever plotting made several of her cosy mysteries #1 Amazon US and Canada bestsellers in multiple categories. Besides writing, Vivian enjoys hiking, collecting stationery and trying new desserts, especially if chocolate is involved. This is her first Merriweather and Royston Mystery.