Haunting Violet

Harvey, A. (2011). Haunting Violet. New York: Walker.
Privy to the inner workings of faked seances and scams designed to bilk wealthy men and women of their fortunes, Violet Willoughby doesn't have much faith in ghosts or those who speak from the hereafter. Ever since she was nine, her mother has insisted that Violet participate in what she calls "the family business." Now at sixteen, she's seen more than her fair share of parlors, trickery, and melodrama. She's grown tired of aiding her manipulative mother and taking advantage of the grief of others, but she sees no way out of her plight. She is also convinced that there are no ghosts and her mother's performances as a medium are designed to swindle the grieving and the gullible. Things change unexpectedly when a ghost contacts Violet while she and her mother visit a country estate to hold a seance. The ghost is persistent, and no matter what Violet does, she refuses to leave her alone until the mystery of her death has been solved. Set in the Victorian England of the 1870s, this thriller will surely have readers guessing and guessing again about the murderer's identity and purpose. The author does a good job in providing details about the class divisions that existed at the time as well as the limited career options available to single females such as Violet and her mother. She also sprinkles in romance as well as Violet is predictably attracted to the one male whose attention won't benefit her financially while pondering the financial benefits of settling for one whose financial future is secure. If the motivations for all the characters aren't as clear as could be expected, the book still provides a delightful romp through ghost-filled ballrooms, flower-filled country estates, and ancestral cemeteries.

Note: Check out the wonderful cover for this book's UK publication.

Favorite Lines:
"The flame was small and feeble but infinitely better than no light at all. And in the little house of death, no one would see it burning" (p. 238).