Review: Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander

Book Info:

Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (September 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780312383701

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery

Source: For Review from LibraryThing

Rating:3/5

Looking forward to the joys of connubial bliss, newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves set out toward Turkey for an exotic honeymoon. But on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered -- strangled in the courtyard of the Sultan’s lavish Topkapi Palace. Sir Richard St. Clare, an Englishman who works at the embassy in Constantinople, is present and recognizes the girl as his own daughter who was kidnapped twenty years earlier.

Tears of Pearl is the fourth book in the Lady Emily series. Usually I don't start series in the middle, but this one came for review from LT, and while it looked interesting I didn't feel compelled to read all the books. Tears of Pearl is a historical mystery with a cozy feel. I prefer my mysteries a little more hard core, so I'm glad I didn't start the series at the beginning.

Lady Emily is an amateur sleuth. She is independent and determined, but beyond that, I can't actually say much about her. Maybe if I'd read the series from the beginning I'd know more about her, but even starting the series in the middle I still expect to know a little more about the main character once I've finished a book.

The biggest failing for me in the this book though was that it didn't have the feeling I was looking for. When I read historical fiction I want to be transported to a time and place that I cannot visit, and I never got that feeling with Tears of Pearl. There wasn't anything specific that made this book feel modern, but I had to keep reminding myself that it was set in the 1800's. Maybe it was the fact that the women in the harem were so outspoken that threw off the feeling of the book.

I think this series might be a little better suited to readers who enjoy cozies and historical fiction. It was a decent book, but this is one series I won't be continuing with. 3 stars

2010 Historical Fiction Challenge

I have a lot of Historical Fiction on my shelves, and while I love the genre it seems to get constantly put aside. Hopefully this challenge, hosted by Royal Reviews, will help with that. The challenge guidelines are listed at Royal Reviews and I am signing up at the Addicted level which is reading 12 HF books.

I am also participating in a HF Challenge at Paperback Swap and will use the categories of that challenge to pick my 12 HF books.

R U Kidding Me? (historical fantasy or alternate history) -

Where Dat At (north of the equator) -
Pagan Past (before the Common Era) -
Whodunit (historical mystery) - Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander (review)
Birthday Book (published during the year of your birth) -
Habla Espanol? (takes place in Mexico or South America) -
Roots (country of your ancestors) -
Read a Winner (from ALA’s annual Reading List) -

15 Minutes of Fame (biographical novel) -
Continuing Saga (second or any subsequent book in a series) -
Bonus - Color Me (color in the title or in the author’s name) - The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
Alternate Category (your choice) -