Praise for The Silk Train Murder
With unlikely partners, a young crook and the emancipated daughter of a strict Victorian father, Granville unveils the seedy side of 1899 Vancouver, its burlesque halls, brothels, opium dens and gambling houses.
The dialogue and pacing are brisk with historical facts skilfully employed. The Silk Train Murder has the ingredients for a rich series. The setting holds secrets galore and Rowse's debut encourages one to want more of these secrets told. History and mystery make for a satisfying conspiracy.
Don Graves, Hamilton Spectator
"Rowse, who lives in Vancouver, plans this as the start of a series, and it looks good... This book is a lot of fun, and Rowse is a writer to watch."
Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail
"There is no greater joy in a reviewer’s life than to discover a new author...
The Silk Train Murder would not work so well if not for the presence of Emily Turner, a believable young character chafing against the rules and mores of late-Victorian society and her train-owning father, craving intellectual stimulation, and willing to break with tradition if it will save the lives of those she cares about most. The chemistry between Turner and Grenville is potent and charming, focused more on investigation than romance, but with enough hints of a lasting partnership for future installments. It’s just another of the many unexpected pleasures that make Rowse one of Canada’s newest mystery writers to watch."
Sarah Weinman, Quill & Quire (starred review)
Editor's Choice Recommended read in: The Vancouver Sun, The Vancouver Province, The National Post, The Victoria Times-Colonist
"Talk about a big, bubbling stewpot of a book! . . . Rowse, a first-time novelist, has delivered a wild ride through a colorful, relatively unknown period in North American history, and she's populated it with a host of unforgettable characters. Her protagonist, the Honorable Granville, makes an appealing leading man, and his lady love, the liberated Emily Turner, provides the perfect romantic coda to this rip-roaring adventure."
Betty Webb, Mystery Scene Review
"This is an impressive debut with lots of colorful historical detail and a budding romance between Granville and Turner. Fans of Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher series will find in Turner another rambunctious heroine far ahead of her straitlaced times."
Barbara Bibel, Booklist (starred review)
"Sharon Rowse strikes gold with a cavalcade of colorful characters. Climb aboard. The Silk Train Murder will take you on quite a ride!"
Chris Grabenstein, Anthony award-winning author of "Tilt A Whirl"
"... a solid series start that might appeal to patrons who enjoy historicals and mysteries set in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and western Canada."
Library Journal
"...a well-researched and lively story."
Adam Moog, The Seattle Times
