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Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite
Kerry Blaisdell’s A Lamentation of Swans: Wicked Portland #1 is a terrifying and suspenseful murder mystery. The story is set in turn-of-the-20th-century Portland, Oregon. The story was inspired by real historical figures, like the American Lola Greene Baldwin (1860 – 1957), who was one of the first policewomen in the US. There are also fictional characters in the story, and historical figures are used fictitiously. The mysterious, brutal murders of young women have the town’s women on edge. Solace Grey and her husband Allen are new to Portland, having previously lived in California. Lucky Jacobs is a young man working for the local lumber company. He falls in love with Solace right from their first meeting. Suspense and tension fill the pages as Lucky is determined to find the killer before another young woman is murdered.
I was hooked right from the start by the remarkable characters, immersive and evocative details of Portland, and tangled subplots of mysterious murders, a possible serial killer, and, in sharp contrast, an unspoken romance. The story gained great depth, making the principal characters of Lucky Jacobs and Solace Grey strong and vivid, as both struggle to keep their attraction toward each other hidden. I liked Lucky’s sharp mind, his keen observations, and his intuitive insight into human nature. I liked Solace’s character for her love and compassion for her ill husband, Allen, burying her growing attraction toward Lucky. I liked the incredible suspense created by the well-crafted thoughts and emotions woven into dangerous and terrifying moments. Portland and the dangers faced, particularly by young single women, sprang vividly to life through key secondary characters, particularly Lola Baldwin, the determined and fearless social reformer. I enjoyed the way the author develops the working relationship between Lucky and Lola. I enjoyed Kerry Blaisdell’s A Lamentation of Swans very much. Very highly recommended to readers of early 20th-century historical fiction, murder mysteries, and women’s empowerment.
