WOMS: An Impossible Imposter

I’ve had to tear myself away from reading The Kingdom of Copper to write this, but for Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell—it’s worth it.

The latest Veronica and Stoker adventure was full of reveals and twists. Meaning, I’m not going to be spoiler friendly this time around, so if you haven’t read An Impossible Imposter yet beware! Spoilers ahead!

Now I realise I haven’t shared any reviews of any installments from the Veronica Speedwell mystery series. I started it after I was well into my hiatus, so I’m going to briefly summarise my thoughts on the preceding six books before diving into book seven…somehow.

We begin when adult, but orphan, Veronica is burying her “aunt” and meets a mysterious stranger whose knowledge about her origins changes her future forever. To keep her safe, he brings her to the brutish Stoker, who she soon wins over with her guile. On the run from those who would seek to use her family history against her, or for their own purposes, they are thrown together in the throes of the chase, all the while being followed by a trail of dead bodies in their wake. Eventually, enough is enough, and Veronica must solve the mystery of their deaths all the while trying to evade those who seek to abduct her.

The first book ends with her alliance with Stoker, and the beginning of their employment as curators for an eccentric Earl’s multi-generational collection of various archaeological and zoological artefacts. The series continues as we follow Veronica on her adventures of discovering more about her parentage and subsequent ancestry, her new love for Stoker, and most of all herself.

In short, if you like plucky, feminist but feminine, Victorian-British heroines whose adventures are doused in a fresh interpretation of all the classic mystery tropes, richly seasoned with historical plausibility, sprinkled heavily with plenty of humour, and topped with one of the finest enemies to friends to lovers duos I’ve ever read—then hurry up and go grab Veronica’s first book A Curious Beginning. It’ll be sure to satisfy all your cravings and then some.

(For those of you who are already deeply devoted to Veronica and her lepidoptery, along with the occasional dead body she stumbles upon, then you know.)

In the latest installment, Veronica and Stoker are deep in their cataloguing when their ally—Sir Hugo Montgomerie, head of Special Branch—summons them to assist with identifying a person believed to be dead now returned from the grave, a person from Veronica’s past who threatens her equanimity. Tempted with the acquisition of a new, rare specimen should they aid him in sniffing out this impossible imposter, our pair head off to Dartmoor and the gloomy, murky moors of the southwest, but could this case prove to be our lover’s undoing when we learn the imposter’s true identity?

Why I loved this latest installment is because we finally saw our fierce heroine, Veronica herself, in probably her most vulnerable state.

Firstly—and major spoiler—the imposter is none other than her thought-to-be-dead former husband.

When I read that sentence, “Hello, wife,” I nearly threw my book across the room. (How dare you, Deanna!)

To contextualize, for those who have read the series, we know it has often been mentioned Veronica had two friends whom she lost to a volcanic eruption in Sumatra. Those two men are Jonathan Hathaway and Harry Spenlove. One of them was the son and heir to an estate in Dartmoor; the other a charming thief of more than young women’s hearts. Both these men, we come to learn, were affectionate for Veronica, but it was Harry who won her over, after much struggle, and wed her on their way to Sumatra. Unfortunately, both were thought to have been lost in the fateful eruption of Krakatoa, after which Veronica presumably believed herself to be a near-destitute widow.

Fast-forward six years, and the family of Jonathan Hathaway believe he has finally, at long last returned home, but from the grave. Sir Hugo—godfather of the younger Hathaway, Euphemia—implores Veronica to unmask this fake Jonathan, and when she does, finds her long-lost, dead husband, Harry.

Here’s why this twist, this reveal, is so devastating: Stoker.

Poor Stoker—who was traumatized and left for dead by his no good first wife, who has given Veronica his heart—has asked Veronica about the idea of marriage, but she has always refused to surrender her independence and self-sovereignty. Now, of course, we know why, when we learn how much of a swindler Harry was, and how much he mistreated a younger Veronica’s trust. However, this still leaves us reeling, knowing that Veronica has in fact married before! She who has so steadfastly resisted the idea of domesticity and the institution which she firmly believes resigns women to a lesser version of themselves!

And what if Stoker were to find out?

It is this question which Veronica seeks to remedy for most of the book, this question which goes unanswered for so long, I honestly didn’t care what was going on about Harry and the Hathaways and Granna’s stupid jewels. Sure, the rest of the plot was diverting and clever and entertaining—I did like it—but WHAT ABOUT STOKER?

Annoyingly, which I did think was rather clever of Deanna, I must admit, is how absent Stoker is to the plot. Veronica is practically left on her own through most of the sleuthing, of which there is very little, and she succumbs to her introspection, leaving us pleading with her to hurry and find a way to tell Stoker the truth about everything, and equally as frustrated as she is when anything and everything seem to keep her from doing so.

When that moment finally comes, Stoker’s reaction is less than anti-climatic, which left me wondering if I missed something. Though I appreciated his understanding, his patience with Veronica, and his honestly with himself, like Veronica, I assumed he would rage at her for lying to him all these years. Things seem to remain as they were between them; that is, until Veronica tries to embrace Stoker again.

I will say it again—how DARE YOU, Deanna, make me feel like my heart was rendered in two!

Stoker, being the chivalrous man he is, denies Veronica the same intimacies which they previously shared, for now that they know her husband is still living, he can no longer embrace nor kiss a married woman.

My heart shattered, especially when Veronica learns how her marriage was as much a sham as all of Harry’s other escapades, and then rushes to share the news with Stoker, only to find a note stating he’s gone to assess a collection of wolves—on the Continent! And without saying goodbye!

Now before you think me angry with the author, Deanna, and while yes, this may be true to a tiny degree, she played her cards well in this installment. I actually marvel and respect how she turned the tables on our lovers, especially when after the last book I wondered where she could possibly take them next?

Unfortunately, it seems like Bavaria via Italy in book eight before they’re reunited.

Of course, I’m not giving away the entire plot of book seven. If you want to know what happens, if Granna ever found her stolen jewels, you’ll need to read An Impossible Imposter for yourself.

I can’t wait for book eight because I just need to know that Stoker and Veronica will be together again, but equally I hope this isn’t the end of our adventures with them. With only a confirmed eighth book, I wonder how many more we will get to share?

Until then, Excelsior!

What about you? Have you read any of Veronica and Stoker’s mysteries? Which one is your favourite? What do you think will happen to our lovers in book eight? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more, and Goodreads to know what I might be reading next!