Download The Hummingbird Dagger eBook Cindy Anstey
Download As PDF : The Hummingbird Dagger eBook Cindy Anstey
From the author of Suitors and Sabotage comes a suspenseful and enthralling new Regency novel, perfect for readers who like their Jane Austen classics with a side of mystery and murder.
1833. A near-fatal carriage accident has deposited an unconscious young woman on the doorstep of Hardwick Manor and into the care of young Lord James Ellerby. But when she finally awakens, it is with no memory of who she is or where she came from.
Beth, as she calls herself, has no identity; the only clue to her circumstances is a recurring nightmare of a hummingbird, blood dripping from its steel beak.
With the help of James and his sister, Caroline, Beth tries to solve the mystery of her own identity and the appalling events that brought her to their door. But nothing could prepare her for the escalating dangers that threaten her and the Ellerby clan. From the hazardous cliffs of Dorset to the hostile streets of London, Beth will fight to reclaim her past, hunted by a secretive foe with murderous intentions.
Fans of Cindy Anstey's previous novels won't want to miss The Hummingbird Dagger, a dark and twisty new offering that blends romance, danger and mystery.
Praise for The Hummingbird Dagger
"A blend of Jane Austen, Jack the Ripper, and your favorite cozy mystery. ... The romance was lovely, sweet and a perfect subplot to the darker tones of murder, mystery and mayhem." —Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight
"Quite fun. ... There is a softness when it comes to Cindy Antsey’s historical novels ... it calms me somewhat while still letting me enjoy the twists and turns." —Whatever You Can Still Betray
Download The Hummingbird Dagger eBook Cindy Anstey
"I've only read one other book by this author, but enjoyed it, so had an idea what to expect with this one. This was very much like the other in the time period and types of character interaction. The mystery and suspense hold you all the way through. While it was kind of slow for me, and it wasn't a quick and easy read, the need to know exactly what had happened to put Beth in the position she was in kept me going to the end. I had my guesses, but even those weren't quite on spot, and I do like when an author is able to hold off the final details until the actual reveal in the story so that you don't guess it all up front."
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The Hummingbird Dagger eBook Cindy Anstey Reviews :
The Hummingbird Dagger eBook Cindy Anstey Reviews
- A young woman is injured in a carriage accident and has amnesia. She’s taken in by Lord James Ellerby and his sister Caroline. At first, they think she’s a servant, but they realize that she’s educated. Who is she really? And why was she covered with cuts and bruises?
What I loved â¤ï¸ðŸ–¤â¤ï¸
1. The plot moves very quickly, starting with the carriage crash. The mystery unfurls piece by piece with several red herrings and false identities.
2. Beth (the name the young woman chooses) has terrible nightmares of blood and a hummingbird dagger. Her nightmares occur throughout the book and they continue to give clues about who she is and what happened to her.
3. Lord James Ellerby is a smart and sensitive hero who will make you swoon.
4. Both Caroline and Beth are brave in dangerous situations and never act like damsels in distress. I love strong female characters.
5. The side characters are well-rounded and interesting. Particularly, young Walter Ellerby and his friend Henry. Their sleuthing antics are a hoot!
6. The romance is gentle and sweet, but oh, so satisfying.
An intricately crafted mystery with just the right amount of romance, a must read! - Like the characters a lot, especially James and “Beth,†but the author lost me when James places the girls into the hands of a known privateer despite his knowledge of the situation. Too silly. All ends well, however.
- Okay. I'll be honest, I was incredibly torn about writing this review. I don't really want to focus on negative books, and honestly, if this book hadn't been an ARC, I probably wouldn't have finished it. So I am going to get all my negativity out first, then talk about some of the things I liked.Â
I think my enjoyment of the book truly suffered because of the format of the ebook. There are so many leaps around from character to character, time changes (it'll be night and immediately breakfast?) that made the writing seem incredibly choppy and confusing, especially as the person the book follows shifts. That being said, I did pull out a hardback copy at B&N on Monday (even though this book was released on Tuesday?) and took a look - there are markings in between to show the break in shifts. I am incredibly glad I figured this out before the climax of the book, as it is incredibly difficult to read in the ebook ARC I have. None of that is the author's fault, but it does make me wonder if it can be seen as good writing if I have to reread several passages to get the time/character/whatever shift.Â
My second issue with the book came from the characters. None of them are interesting to me. We are told that there is a romantic relationship between James and "Beth," but it felt incredibly forced. In fact, I think the romances that aren't confirmed - does Walter also have a crush on Beth? Is there something going on between Caroline and Brant? were more fascinating to me as we aren't specifically told anything, but rather are left to wonder. Another instance is when a character, a maid, dies early on in the first half of the book. The death shakes up Beth, but honestly - if she didn't have the same name as a Downton Abbey character I love, I don't know if I would have remembered her. There is no build up of their relationship to warrant the sadness we are supposed to feel. No, overall the only character I had any interest in was Walter, and even that was fleeting at best (he is brutally underutilized and under developed, which is saying a LOT considering his role in the book.)Â
I don't read a ton of historical fiction, and I do expect inaccuracies. However, this book took me out of the time period too much. The book takes place in 1833, which is just outside the Regency era but not quite in the Victorian era. And yet at one point, the physician uses a word from the late 1800s?
Miss Caroline or Lord Ellerby certainly would. There would be a brouhaha - a loud...terrible brouhaha.Â
And men and women just wonder in and out of each other's bedrooms or just hang out without a chaperone? It's too much for me.Â
The first night, her screams brought Lord Ellerby bursting through the door [of her bedroom]. He glanced around the room as if he expected monsters to be hiding in the shadows.Â
He literally went into her bedroom. At one point Walter is just chilling in her bedroom "keeping her company" while she stays in the servant's quarters - so not while she's in a sitting room. She's in bed. This...would cause scandal. Which sometimes they seem to care about? At the most random times?
The mystery is decent, and would have been a pleasant read had the characters had more shape or details. There are some moments I do thoroughly enjoy -- a man comes claiming Beth is his sister and won't take no for an answer, for example. But the action scenes are short and over burden with conversation and TALKING about what happened. I did figure out most of it fairly early on, but that is common for me. I can see how readers will enjoy the climax of the story, and I did tear up a few times towards the end.Â
Final MomentsÂ
If I am being honest, I was blinded by my love of this cover. It is gorgeous, and for some reason spoke to me of a woman who ...would fight Jack the Ripper. It wasn't the book I ended up reading, and part of that is very much my fault.Â
If you like your mystery books light on action but heavy on conversation, give it a try! Maybe a bigger fan of Regency era historical fiction books will enjoy this, and maybe I am being a bit too persnickety with my feelings. If you've read the book, I would love your thoughts! - Whenever I hear an announcement for a new Cindy Anstey book, I get excited. She usually has the perfect blend of mystery, intrigue, and YA regency romance. Unfortunately, The Hummingbird Dagger missed the mark for me.
Plot-wise, this book was kind of all over the place. The first half seemed to drag on, alternating between Beth being in danger and the characters trying to conduct a surreptitious search to figure out her identity. Overall, it felt repetitive. The ending was my favorite part, everything came together nicely and the action flowed smoothly. But it all happened rather quickly. I would have preferred the reveals to have been spread out a bit more to increase the tension in the rest of the book.
I also found it hard to connect with the characters. I liked Beth, Caroline, and James but never really felt like I knew them. They just didn’t jump off the page like Anstey’s characters usually do. Plus the dialogue wasn’t quite as witty or funny.
I think The Hummingbird Dagger had an intriguing premise but ultimately didn’t quite live up to it. I’m definitely still going to pick up Anstey’s books in the future though!
*Disclaimer I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. - I've only read one other book by this author, but enjoyed it, so had an idea what to expect with this one. This was very much like the other in the time period and types of character interaction. The mystery and suspense hold you all the way through. While it was kind of slow for me, and it wasn't a quick and easy read, the need to know exactly what had happened to put Beth in the position she was in kept me going to the end. I had my guesses, but even those weren't quite on spot, and I do like when an author is able to hold off the final details until the actual reveal in the story so that you don't guess it all up front.
