Book Talk: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Want an “at a glance” look at what I thought? Check out my Review On A Post-It or my “Final Thought”

Jo is part of NYC’s high society in the 1890’s and knows she’ll soon be done with finishing school and married off — even though she aspires to follow in the footsteps of a trailblazing female reporter hero of hers. And then her dad dies — it’s ruled an accident while cleaning a gun but Jo knows her dad would never have had an accident like that. When she hears something that confirms her hunch, she sets off with the help of a reporter named Eddie to find out the truth of her father’s death and sets off on a twisty path that will forever change her world.

I was begging for a good historical mystery and this happened to be my book club pick for the month (my pick but I picked it months before I was like OMG I NEED ALL THE MYSTERIES) and well a good historical mystery is what I got for sure.

First of all, it’s set in New York City in the late 1800’s! I thoroughly enjoyed that and loved wandering around the city with Jo as she looked into her father’s death and the mysterious circumstances around it. While I was loving the NYC setting, it was also interesting to see what life was like in The Gilded Age!

I legit could not have been a woman in the upper class society like Jo was. I mean, maybe I could have if I was born then who knows, but experiencing all the restrictions on her and what a woman’s ~role~ was in life being in 2016? SCREAAAAAAAM. I loved watching Jo try to fight those things and rebel a bit — though at times I did question if someone in her position really would have done some of the things so easily after living the life she has. But overall I loved that feisty nature that Jo showed and her desire to question her life and what she wanted out of it. I really enjoyed how These Shallow Graves explored things like that as well as life in upper class vs lower classes. Donnelly really nails the setting and the time period in this one which is a MUST for a good historical mystery for me. I NEED to feel like I’m there.

I also have to say that the romance in this one that I really loved — two characters from different social classes? YEP gimme. It was just woven into the story pretty seamlessly and kept me yearning for it but glad both of their eyes were still mostly on the prize aka finding out what happened. I think it was just so perfectly done!! [spoiler]Though omg I wanted kissing at the ending scene!! But the ending was so perfect for the story![/spoiler]

The mystery itself was great and kept me on the edge of my seat. I randomly ended up reading it at the same time as my friend Carrie so we were messaging back and forth like madwomen because so much was happening. I totally guessed the ~who~ but it didn’t at all take away from the reveal or make me feel like it was predictable. There were still plenty of surprises revealed and it was no less shocking as I said when it was revealed. I was still all

Now for those who have read it….dudes we need to talk spoilers. [spoiler]I totally guessed it was her uncle from pretty early on just couldn’t figure out WHY so that was fun to put together those pieces. and then him taking her to the madhouse?? I felt sick. What shocked me was about the baby and the mother!!! DID NOT SEE THAT COMING AT ALL. I also really have to say that I love that the guy she was engaged to (I can’t remember his name) wasn’t written as a douche so that we’d clearly root against him. LIke he wasn’t THE EVIL FIANCE. He was still a good prospect. I loved that he helped her and I loved their last interaction![/spoiler]

so close to the loved it rating!

+ the mystery, could not put it down, characters, writing, setting
–  honestly nothing really it was just so enjoyable and immersing

Should you read it? OH YES. Even if you don’t do mysteries a ton, I thought it was a good one that immerses you with a great setting and complex characters to go along with the mystery.

Should you buy it or borrow it? The book itself is gorgeous & looks great on the shelf (esp when next to her other books I have) but I’m weird about mysteries that I rarely read them twice so I typically borrow them. If you don’t have that same quirk then I say it’s a buy!

mystery lovers, people who love really solid historical settings with their mysteries, people who are looking for a suspenseful book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, YA historical fiction fans

These Shallow Graves was exactly the historical mystery that I wanted deep in a “I WANT ALL THE MYSTERIES” mood. The setting was so detailed and impressive and Jo was a wonderful heroine who broke down doors and social constructs to find out what happened to her father. I loved how she grew throughout the story through everything she encountered. I could NOT put it down and the mystery had that perfect amount of suspense and surprises I love.

* Have you read this one? What did you think? Similar or different from me? I would LOVE to hear regardless!
*If you haven’t read it, does it feel like something you’d be into?
Any good historical mystery recs for me??