Plot that carefully incorporates many genuine historical personages and events, crystal palace, steam powered airship, Jack the Ripper, Thackeray. Unfortunately, at least for me, it didn’t work. Felt forced. May be too big a Charlotte fan to accept her as a fictional character in someone else’s world ( )

Entertaining read, but I definitely needed to suspend disbelief...It was usually easier if I just ignored/forgot that the main character was Charlotte Bronte. (On the other hand, I enjoyed experiencing interactions between her and Wm Thackeray and George Smith, and also imagining how her character--and/or that of Jane Eyre--would react in various situations.) Interesting to get a glimpse of the international relations/espionage of the mid-1850s and the potential of biological warfare.

Following the notable debut of The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Brontë, beloved author Laura Joh Rowland offers her legions of fans the next installment in the Charlotte Brontë mystery series... with more to come. On her last escapade, Charlotte unintentionally witnessed a murder and found herself embroiled in a dangerous chain of events. Now, Charlotte returns in a stunning sequel that takes the reader into the most sinister institution in London: Bedlam.

With the death of her siblings and far from home, Charlotte has few people to trust. Struggling with romantic entanglements and her stressful rise to prominence on the literary scene, she is more alone than ever. On a visit to London, Charlotte goes on a tour of London's most famous hospital for the mad, Bedlam. She is sure she recognizes a struggling Mr. Slade, her long-missing ex-lover, strapped to one of the stretchers. Charlotte starts digging, and soon finds herself trying to reveal a secret that high-powered men would (and do) kill to protect. It is up to Charlotte to find the truth and expose a plot of global proportion. But what if the conspirators get to her first? ( )

Hoping to provide inspiration, fellow author William Thackeray makes arrangements for Charlotte to tour Bedlam, asylum for the insane. While there she spies a man who bares a remarkable resemblance to the secret agent she gave her heart to years ago, Mr. John Slade. However, this man professes not to know her. But our Charlotte is tenacious and she won't give up on her heart's desire so easily.
I loved Charlotte's and John's first adventure and I wanted so badly for this tale to eclipse the first. I fell asleep on it a few times. I considered abandoning it. There was a certain plot point in here that should have thrilled me but it didn't. Where did the magic go? Perhaps I've read too much of Charlotte in the past two months. ( )