by Juliana Gray
Berkley Publishing Group
The second book in a series, A Strange Scottish Shore takes the reader in a new direction -- different, but very enjoyable.
What's different about this book
The first book in Gray's Emmeline Truelove series, titled A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, was a pleasant and entertaining read that posited the threads of events crossing across time: a murder suspense tale involving, at one point, a Greek god transported to the future, as well as other not-quite explained phenomena let the reader know "something is up." A great read.
This second book, however, takes the original premise and builds a completely new world in an unexpected direction that nonetheless builds on the clues recognizable from the first book. If they hadn't quite caught on in the first book, readers should be aware that time travel is a huge part of the story of Emmeline.
The new direction of A Strange Scottish Shore gives us more of what we want: more of the heroine Emmeline (or just Truelove as she is called) and the male figures with whom she works and adventures. A strong, satisfying romance develops in this second book.
I was particularly impressed with Gray's mastery of a cliff-hanger ending sentence. One sentence. And the reader immediately remembers the threads skillfully planted earlier in the book that makes for a subtle but thrilling pause ... until the third book! Aargh.
What I'll do now that I've read it
This second book will cause librarians (and readers) to go back and consider the first title for purchase, if they haven't already done so. Book one was very good. Book two compels the addition to the library collection of the full series. (The novella prequel may still have been the best of all so far.)
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