In this second of the series (I have not read the first) it's now Toronto 1912 and Herringford and Watts have been hired by a Mountie, Benfield Citrone, to find his friend and cousin Jonathan Arnasson who he suspects of being an anarchist. So we have The Morality Squad, being fired from your job for getting married, corruption, assassination attempts, as the detectives and their friends go on their adventure from Toronto to Chicago.
An interesting and enjoyable read with characters I suspect will grow on me as I read more of the series.
A NetGalley Book ( )

An anarchist movement and deadly explosions have put 1912 Toronto on edge. While lady detective duo Herringford and Watts get involved in the chaos, they also find themselves juggling matters of the heart concerning the men in their lives. Then, the trail of bombings leads the detectives to Chicago—where they learn of an assassination plot against former president Theodore Roosevelt in A Lesson in Love and Murder, a novel by author Rachel McMillan.

I’ll admit that even though I really like the characters in this series, they tried me at a number of turns in this book. The idea of a detective wishing for a new murder to solve because she needs money doesn’t sit right with me. (What if the next person killed is someone you love, ma’am? Will your electric bill seem so important then?) Nevertheless, as calamity unfolds in the story, there is a definite thread addressing the value of human life.

Now, I’m also not a fan of a woman getting violent with a man she’s fond of when she likely wouldn’t be okay with him doing the same. And there does seem to be a running theme in this series where the men are rather backward or timid about romantically pursuing the women they want. I didn’t laugh as much during the story as I thought I would, and I found two of the crucial action scenes to be somewhat less than believable.

Still, all my nit-picking aside, I truly loved this novel. It hit me with poignancy and depth where I wasn’t expecting it. The complexity of human relationships. The tension between loving one’s city and being compelled to fight against its corrupt systems. Who’d have thought a Herringford and Watts mystery would make my eyes watery, more than once?

On to the next book in the series... ( )

Title: A Lesson in Love & Murder (Herringford & Watts Mysteries #2)
Author: Rachel McMillan
Pages: 217
Year: 2016
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
My rating is 5 stars.
Merinda Herringford and Jemima DeLuca, formerly Jemima Watts, are hired by a Royal Mountie, Benny, to find his cousin. The said cousin is suspected of bombing some trolley cars in a couple of cities during rallies of people trying to gain support for equality among social classes, genders, etc. Merinda and Jem soon don their disguises as men to seek clues. They also face more danger to their lives in this case than in any other. Jasper Forth is once again at their sides, but finds himself in competition with the Royal Mountie for Merinda’s attention. Jasper has been waiting patiently for Merinda to use that deductive reasoning she extols and see how much he cares for her. Merinda has never allowed herself to feel much emotion, has never intended to get married and can’t understand why she becomes so flummoxed when Benny is around.
Ray DeLuca is facing his own problems. His wife continues to show her independence and put herself in danger. His sister calls from Chicago in need again. Her husband has continued to drink and gamble away any money they have, leaving them broke and starving. Ray rushes off to Chicago, leaving Jem only a brief note. While there, he makes a discovery that could link the crimes of Toronto to a nefarious plot in Chicago. He knows he has got a gem of a story, but there is great danger too. Can Merinda and Jem find Benny’s cousin before more innocent people are killed?
Oh, how I enjoyed this book! I read book one when it was released and found it pretty good, but I wasn’t too sure about the character of Merinda Herringford and wasn’t sure if I would read another book in the series. I had the opportunity to read this second book in the series and am so thankful I did. Merinda’s character was much more developed in this novel and I came to understand her better. She is constantly searching for something. Jem knows that only God will be the answer to her search, but Merinda at this point has no interest in God. The relationship between Jem and Ray faces some struggles, which I thought realistic. I hope to see further mention of faith in future stories and can’t wait to see what mystery and adventure these two, independent, Toronto gals are embroiled in next! ( )