Deanna Raybourn's "The Dead Travel Fast": A Thrilling Mystery Novel

Gabrielleeeeee: Spoilers ahead!

I've always been a huge fan of gothic romances and, even though the main love interest is usually stereotypically dark, handsome, mysterious, and a little obsessive about the heroine, I still can't get enough of them. This is a very well written gothic novel and I found myself very engrossed in it. The main character is likeable, the count is likeable, flawed as well, but it's definitely a romance you root for. There are little plot twists which were a nice surprise, and the way it is written just feels true to the genre. My only issue was with the last 20% or so of the book. The entire time the main character is adamant that she doesn't care for the domestic life and is not interested in being 'a brood mare' (her words), yet the last paragraph of the novel describes her in a domestic state of bliss where she's rocking her baby. Very disappointing to read, as someone who doesn't want children, it seems very prevalent that even if a heroine expresses no interest in these sorts of things, the author still finds a way to shoehorn it in in the end (giving credence to the notion that all women must change their mind about having children) Mostly, the ending just...

United States on Oct 21, 2020

Monica: Good page turner, interesting characters and descriptive passages

Canada on Dec 02, 2015

Malia Bi: Having read the authors other books this was disappointing to say the least. Premise was good but over the top and contradictory. Like one of my sisters unrealistic zippy mills and boon novels. Yawn.

United Kingdom on Feb 04, 2011

Isabelle Klein: Nachdem ich ein Fan von historischen Romanen bin und Raybourns Julia Grey Serie durchaus mag, hab ich mich auch an diesen standalone Roman gewagt ...
Der Klappentext hörte sich interessant an und das Setting, sowie dessen Beschreibung überzeugte mich auch: ein altes Schloss in den Karpathen- eine interessante männlich Hauptfigur, wenn man auf den geheimnisvoll-dunklen und getriebenen Typ Mann steht ;)...
Das wars denn aber auch schon: die Protagonisten bleibt merkwürdig amorph und unnahbar, zu distanziert- zwischen den beiden entwickelt sich nicht wirklich ein herzliches Verhältnis und das sollte bei einem historischen Romantikthriller nun doch der Fall sein ... Irgendwann gegen Ende- so nach 2 Dritteln, begann ich mich zu langweiligen und legte es dann zwecks anderweitiger Neuerwerbungen (denn der SUB/RUB ist groß;)) zur Seite, nachdem mich der Schreibstil und die Geschichte immer mehr an Victoria Holt erinnerte (ja es ist peinlich, dass zuzugeben aber mit 17 hab ich damals alle gelesen und fand sie toll ...); aber nun gut inzwischen sind meine Ansprüche an ein Buch gestiegen ...

Ergo:
Handlungaufbau, Charakterte, Spannungsverlauf/vorhersehbarkeit:...

Germany on Jun 19, 2010

C. L. Brown: Edinburgh, 1858- Theodora Lestrange finds out after her grandfather passes away that her inheritance is meager due to his debts. Theodora's sister and her husband try to convince Theodora to come live with them , but she declines as they have five children to raise and cannot really afford another person living with them. Theodora is determined to make her own way in the world as a writer. When a letter arrives from Theodora's friend Cosmina inviting her to come to Rumania , Theodora gladly accepts the invitation . Her publisher and beau , Charles Beecroft is less than happy to hear that Theodora is going to Rumania as he had hoped that she would accept his marriage proposal. He is glad to hear, however; that she is starting a new novel and it will be complete by the time she leaves Rumania.

Theodora arrives at a crumbling but majestic castle high up in the Carpathian Mountains. She is transfixed by the beauty of the surrounding area and intrigued with the legends of vampires and werewolves . The inhabitants of the castle are certainly a peculiar lot. Theodora's friend Cosmina, although welcoming is frightened by something at the castle but will not reveal her fears....

United States on May 14, 2010

Molly: Theodora Lestrange is living with her sister and brother-in-law in Scotland unsure of what is next in her life. She is trying to make a living as a writer, not easy in Victorian times. Her sister wants her to find someone to marry and her publisher has proposed marriage to her. But while Theodora is fond of him, she wants true love. So when a former school friend, Cosmina invites her to stay with her for several months in a castle in Transylvania, Theodora jumps at the chance. She thinks the atmosphere will be perfect for the novel she wants to write. She is immediately attracted to the strange Count Andrei Dragulescu, Cosmina's cousin. But Theodora finds that the stories Cosmina used to tell her in school are not just considered folklore by the townspeople and that they believe in werewolves and vampires. After a maid in the castle is found dead with fang marks in her neck, Theodora is unsure what to believe.

my review: I enjoyed the author's Lady Julia series and was unsure what to expect of this novel. But I really liked the Gothic atmosphere and the creepy characters. Theodora is young but knows what she wants. I liked her a lot. I also thought Andrei sounded sexy even...

United States on Mar 21, 2010

Erinome: 1858: Theodora Lestrange sollte mit ihren 23 Jahren eigentlich schon längst verheiratet sein, ihr leicht exzentrischer Großvater hat ihr jedoch große Freiheiten gelassen. Theodora träumt davon, eine bekannte Schriftstellerin zu werden. Eine Familie würde da eher schlecht in ihre Pläne passen und sie hat auch schon einen Heiratsantrag ausgeschlagen. Nach dem Tod ihres Großvaters stellt sich die Frage, was sie mit sich anfangen soll. Da trifft unerwartet ein Brief ihrer ehemaligen Schulfreundin Cosmina ein, die Theodora zu sich einlädt. Cosmina lebt in einem abgelegenen Schloss in den Karpaten und steht kurz vor ihrer Hochzeit. Die abenteuerlustige Theodora ziert sich nicht lange. Einerseits freut sie sich darauf, ihre Freundin wieder zu sehen, andererseits erhofft sie sich, dass sie in Transsylvanien eine Inspiration für ihren neuen Roman findet.
In Transsylvanien angekommen, präsentiert sich Theodora ein erstaunliches Bild. Cosmina scheint seltsam angespannt und nervös, ihre Tante, die Gräfin, kränkelt, ihre Pflegerin hegt eine unerklärliche Abneigung gegen Theodora, der deutsche Verwalter des Schlosses ist von einer Aura unerklärlicher Traurigkeit umgeben und...

Germany on Mar 07, 2010