Book Review: City of Scoundrels by Victoria Thompson (Counterfeit Lady #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun trip back in time

Cons: None worth dwelling on

The Bottom Line:

Cheated war widow

Starts latest historic con

Travel back in time

Saving a War Widow from Scoundrels

We are only three books into Victoria Thompson’s Counterfeit Lady series, and I’ve already come to look forward to these trips back in time.  They are something a bit different for my reading diet.  Yes, they are still cozy, but they are capers featuring some conmen and a reformed conwoman who wind up using their skills to help those in need.  City of Scoundrels is plenty of fun, but tackles some serious topics along the way.

It’s the fall of 1918, and World War I is showing no signs of coming to an end.  That is upsetting Elizabeth Miles since her fiance, Gideon Bates, has been drafted due to the increased age of the draft.  Before he ships out, Gideon is focusing his efforts at his law firm at drafting wills for soldiers.  Most of these wills are simple since the soldiers don’t have much.  One of the exceptions is Tom Preston, part owner of Preston Shoes, which has made a fortune providing shoes to the soldiers.  Tom wants a new will leaving his share of the family business to his new wife and their unborn child – a wife the rest of his family knows nothing about.

Tom hasn’t been gone long before the unthinkable happens, and word comes back that he has died.  Then his new will goes missing and Tom’s family doesn’t want to acknowledge his widow at all.  Elizabeth is quick to jump in, getting her family, all conmen, to come up with a scheme to get this war widow the money she should have inherited.  But what complications might there be along the way?

Yes, there are complications.  Lots of complications.  The book could have gotten to them a bit sooner, but that’s a minor complaint since I was enjoying the trip back in time from the first page.  Once we get into the con and the complications, this book really picks up and I had a hard time putting it down.  I was satisfied with how things turned out, and I will leave my discussion of the plot there so I don’t spoil anything for you.

This book puts us in the middle of history.  No, we don’t leave the greater New York area, but the impact of the war and other events of the era really hit home for the characters and, as a result, us.  I loved this aspect of the book.  It does make the ending a bit elongated, but it works and I couldn’t put the book down until I reached the very last page.  It helps that the book pulled me so into the past I felt I was part of the action.

It also helps that the characters are so real.  Elizabeth, Gideon, and the rest leap off the page and pull us right into the story.  A few of the series regulars didn’t get quite as much page time as they have in previous books, but all of our favorites are there, and the new characters are just as strong.

If you aren’t taking these trips back in time, you need to do so today.  I’m not trying to con you, these books really are that good.  Only a scoundrel wouldn’t love City of Scoundrels.

Enjoy more trips back in time with the rest of the Counterfeit Lady novels.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner Thursday, November 14th, so please leave your comment before midnight Pacific Time on 11/14.  You will have until midnight on 11/19 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 11/20.