Title:  Haunting Violet
Author: Alyxandra Harvey [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery
Publisher: Walker & Company
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Source: Provided by publisher
Parental Advisory: alcohol, drugs, criminal activity, murder, suicide
Teachable Moments: determination, legality, class structure, victorian history

“My breath was loud and raspy in my ears.  The beads stayed suspended around me, glittering in the light of the oil lamps.  I wasn’t suffering from some kind of influenza; I was going mad.”

Summary (from the publisher):
Violet Willoughby doesn’t believe in ghosts.  But they believe in her.  After spending years participating in her mother’s elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural.  Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability.  She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother’s scheming through an advantageous marriage, violet must keep her ability secret.  The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she’s known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love  He understand the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together.  Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

Opinion:
Haunting Violet is one part creepy ghost story one part historical romance.  Filled with the propriety and structure Victorian times dictate the story follows Violet as she navigates the consequences of the life her con-artist mother leads. Oh, and she totally sees ghosts.  Well, in this case one ghost in particular.  She feels the presence of one young lady and she even experiences some of the circumstances that surrounded the girl’s death.  The irony in all of this is that Violet is actually a powerful seer where her mother is pretending to be such.

There’s also a bit of a love story to it all.  Violet is not alone in helping her mother perpetrate her paranormal ruses there is also a young street boy they picked up along their way.  Colin is immediately folded into their schemes and becomes an integral part in making everything work.  More than that he becomes a most important part of Violet’s life.  Despite being disguised as a more brotherly figure and, at times, a servant, Colin quickly becomes Violet’s confidant and protector.  The create a tight bond of shared experience and desperation to be free of the tiresome lifestyle her mother has forced them to lead.

Enter a mystery.  Upon arriving at the country estate of on of their wealthy marks, Violet immediately begins seeing a young girl who perished under bizarre circumstances.  There is money, lovers (of the intended for marriage and secret kind), and a fair share of evil floating around the scenario.  Naturally Violet, because she can see the ghost of the young dead girl, is the one to investigate it all.  She, Colin and a host of other estate dwellers enter into a race against time to determine what has really happened.

The glory of Haunting Violet is it’s strong writing and historical perspective.  Harvey’s attention to detail isn’t just focused on showing the reader the Victorian era but also in providing the emotion.  Violet is not only bound by the physical constraints of her surroundings but also the emotional.  The requirements of class, etiquette and gender are a strong influence on both the plot and the characters. Harvey does well to create a dynamic character in Violet as she strives to remain true to herself (ie: keeping her true nature hidden while still embracing it) and and maintaining a level of social grace.

Violet was the most intriguing character of the story.  She had a quiet strength and was not short on determination.  She knew her place in the world but still struggled against it hoping to make her life better.  She seized opportunity but also didn’t reach further than her station allowed.  I found her to be well crafted and enjoyable to follow as a lead character.  Having said that I found the remaining characters to be a bit ordinary.  The mother was the typical manipulator, there were a series of evil foes, and the variety of wealthy country inhabitants were also pretty common.  As a main love interest Colin did absolutely nothing for me in the charisma department.  I wasn’t quite sure why Violet admired him so.  it seemed like their love was built on circumstance more than anything else.  So the romance definitely fell flat and short for me.

The overall plot was interesting and I liked the ghost story focus as compared to a different kind of paranormal paranormal trigger.  The mystery was fast paced but didn’t lack in the predictability department.  I knew who the both the good guy and bad guy were going to be about halfway through.  I do feel, however, Haunting Violet is a fun way for readers to experience a period in history that they may not yet be familiar with.  The twists and turns of the plot allow for that experience in an entertaining and enjoyable way.