Dark Jenny by Alex Bledsoe – review

Publisher’s Description:

Wrongly accused of fatally poisoning a member of the queen’s personal guard, sword-for-hire and undercover investigator Eddie LaCrosse struggles to find the real killer in order to prevent his own execution, a case that exposes a sinister plot against the throne.

What I expected:  This was the third in the deliciously mixed-up Eddie LaCrosse mysteries.  I say they are delicious because I love love love the mix of noir detective and high fantasy.  Not only does it bypass so many tropes of the fantasy genre, but it also incorporates new ones from the noir detective genre.  And you would think that this is all done tongue-in-cheek when in fact these are fairly serious stories.  So, I expected good old Eddie to be nosing his way around another mystery, with a bit of detection, possibly some swordplay, and touches of magic here and there.

What I got:  I got a lot more than I expected.  This was a very complex mystery with lots of layers – including the “story within a story” method that not only keeps the internal narrative smooth but also is itself a reference to the central mystery, which was also a reference to the Arthurian legend; sounds twisty doesn’t it?  I think so far that this was my favorite of the three stories for many reasons.  There was all sorts of fun in this one, you guys!

What I enjoyed:  I loved that I kept locating little homages to the Sword in the Stone.  I loved that Eddie told the story from the “present” to a bunch of people hanging out in a bar to escape the bad weather.  I loved the confusing mystery that kept me thinking and suspecting and wondering.  I kept thinking, AHA!  I’ve got it!, and then having to hit myself in the forehead.  Duh!  That isn’t right!  So the mystery is involved enough to keep you guessing and of interest enough to keep you reading.  I was also highly amused by Eddie’s disguise in the court.  Just imagining a manly sword-wielder dressing up as a fop and tossing out bits of gossip to a tittering crowd of lords and ladies had me giggling.

What I did not enjoy:  The following is mildly spoilerish, so if you plan on reading the book you may want to consider not reading this paragraph.  I think my only quibble with this one would be the title.  Dark Jenny coupled with the cover image made me think of this evil sorceress who was going to ensnare poor Eddie.  SPOILER:  “Dark Jenny” was the exact opposite, and in fact I now denounce the title and cover as a red herring!  Yes, Mr. Bledsoe, you got me. END SPOILER

Cover Thoughts:  I love this cover. It is a well executed image of two of the principals.  Gorgeous scenery/costumes.  Excellent cover.  If I hadn’t already been reading this series, I would have been drawn to it by this cover.  This was a 300% improvement over the hideous cover of Sword Edged Blonde and the terribly dull cover of Burn Me Deadly.  And he’s good looking!  A little eye candy never hurt anyone!

Would I recommend this novel, and if so, to whom?  Noir fans looking for something a little different?  Mystery fans who might like some different scenery?  Anyone who has read the first two will most definitely like this.  Fans of Emily Gee’s The Laurentine Spy or Carol Berg’s Spirit Lens would probably also enjoy this.