An Impossible Impostor
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- Create Date：2022-02-16 21:22:13
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Deanna Raybourn
- ISBN：B0951KW1VB
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Summary
While investigating a man claiming to be the long-lost heir to a noble family， Veronica Speedwell gets the surprise of her life in this new adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn。
London， 1889。 Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian beau Stoker are summoned by Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of Special Branch。 He has a personal request on behalf of his goddaughter， Euphemia Hathaway。 After years of traveling the world， her eldest brother， Jonathan， heir to Hathaway Hall， was believed to have been killed in the catastrophic eruption of Krakatoa a few years before。
But now a man matching Jonathan's description and carrying his possessions has arrived at Hathaway Hall with no memory of his identity or where he has been。 Could this man truly be Jonathan， back from the dead？ Or is he a devious impostor， determined to gain ownership over the family's most valuable possessions--a legendary parure of priceless Rajasthani jewels？ It's a delicate situation， and Veronica is Sir Hugo's only hope。
Veronica and Stoker agree to go to Hathaway Hall to covertly investigate the mysterious amnesiac。 Veronica is soon shocked to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past。 To help Sir Hugo discover the truth， she must open doors to her own history that she long believed to be shut for good。
London， 1889。 Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian beau Stoker are summoned by Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of Special Branch。 He has a personal request on behalf of his goddaughter， Euphemia Hathaway。 After years of traveling the world， her eldest brother， Jonathan， heir to Hathaway Hall， was believed to have been killed in the catastrophic eruption of Krakatoa a few years before。
But now a man matching Jonathan's description and carrying his possessions has arrived at Hathaway Hall with no memory of his identity or where he has been。 Could this man truly be Jonathan， back from the dead？ Or is he a devious impostor， determined to gain ownership over the family's most valuable possessions--a legendary parure of priceless Rajasthani jewels？ It's a delicate situation， and Veronica is Sir Hugo's only hope。
Veronica and Stoker agree to go to Hathaway Hall to covertly investigate the mysterious amnesiac。 Veronica is soon shocked to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past。 To help Sir Hugo discover the truth， she must open doors to her own history that she long believed to be shut for good。
Reviews
Lovely Loveday
，
An Impossible Impostor is the seventh book in the Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn。 A historical romance full of mystery and suspense。 The Veronica Speedwell series keeps getting better and better。 The mystery kept me guessing until the end， and there was plenty of action and excitement to keep things interesting。 I look forward to reading more in the Veronica Speedwell series。
Denise
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Set in London， 1880， Veronica Speedwell and her lover， Stoker， are sent on a mission to ascertain whether or not the heir to Hathaway Hall has returned at long last after having been believed killed in the eruption of Krakatoa。 What the pair discover， however， is more than bargained for as Veronica comes face to face with a man from her past。 Meanwhile， a priceless jewel goes missing and they have an investigation to conduct。 I really enjoy this historical mystery series。 The time period provide Set in London， 1880， Veronica Speedwell and her lover， Stoker， are sent on a mission to ascertain whether or not the heir to Hathaway Hall has returned at long last after having been believed killed in the eruption of Krakatoa。 What the pair discover， however， is more than bargained for as Veronica comes face to face with a man from her past。 Meanwhile， a priceless jewel goes missing and they have an investigation to conduct。 I really enjoy this historical mystery series。 The time period provides so much interesting detail and I always like the way the author describes everything from fashion to food。 The relationship between Veronica and Stoker has come a long way from the beginning of this series， and I am glad they are romantically involved （finally） and am satisfied with their current domestic bliss -- not that it stops them from their adventures。 I look forward to the next installment。Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this e-book ARC to read， review， and recommend。 If you do decide to read this， do start with the first in the series。 。。。more
Literary Redhead
，
PUB DAY REVIEW:AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTORby Deanna RaybournBook #7 in the adventurous tales of Veronica Speedwell and her lover， Stoker， is my most favorite yet。 I adore this spirited series set in Victorian London， with the dynamic duo who together have solved many a mystery。 Here， they're called to investigate a man once thought killed in the eruption of Krakatoa。 Is he really a lost heir or a conniving impostor？ Raybourn's wit is at full force here， with her beloved characters more fully fleshed PUB DAY REVIEW:AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTORby Deanna RaybournBook #7 in the adventurous tales of Veronica Speedwell and her lover， Stoker， is my most favorite yet。 I adore this spirited series set in Victorian London， with the dynamic duo who together have solved many a mystery。 Here， they're called to investigate a man once thought killed in the eruption of Krakatoa。 Is he really a lost heir or a conniving impostor？ Raybourn's wit is at full force here， with her beloved characters more fully fleshed than ever。 We learn more of Veronica's history， in a story that entrances from the get-go。 Highly recommended for Speedwell fans and lovers of rollicking histfic tales。 Thanks to the author， Berkley Publishing Group， Berkley， and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine。 #AnImpossibleImpostor #NetGalley 。。。more
Chandra Claypool （WhereTheReaderGrows）
，
I've read two historical fiction novels （so far） this month - WHO AM I？？？ As a long time fan of this Veronica Speedwell series， I was super stoked to receive this copy of the latest installment。 I have loved all six books before this one。。。。 so I suppose it was only time that one wasn't gonna *quite* do it for me。 Le sigh。I absolutely LOVE the dynamic between Veronica and Stoker。 LOVE。 Sassy， witty banter。 Her forcefulness to his more calm demeanor。。 。and you can just feel their love oozing off I've read two historical fiction novels （so far） this month - WHO AM I？？？ As a long time fan of this Veronica Speedwell series， I was super stoked to receive this copy of the latest installment。 I have loved all six books before this one。。。。 so I suppose it was only time that one wasn't gonna *quite* do it for me。 Le sigh。I absolutely LOVE the dynamic between Veronica and Stoker。 LOVE。 Sassy， witty banter。 Her forcefulness to his more calm demeanor。。 。and you can just feel their love oozing off the pages。 So what the hell are you doing， Raybourn？！？！ Ok， let me calm down and pull myself together。。。。The book starts fun。 Their dynamic is in full force within the first chapter and we see that forcefulness in Veronica's personality that I spoke of。 I also found the "mystery" intriguing but it was also sorely lacking as it took a far back seat to Veronica's past。 Now， I realize some books in series will do this。 And I also realize it's time we learned a bit more about Veronica。。。 but um， WHAT。 Uff。 I'll admit it was fun to see a little different side of the characters。。。 but I felt like Veronica was a caricature of herself。 And my heart went out to Stoker。 And I'm gonna leave it at that as I don't want to spoil anything for y'all。 I NEED the next installment to see what happens。 While this wasn't my favorite in the series， I really did still enjoy the book。。。 my feelings are muddled and on behalf of some of the characters， am miffed。 Which just shows how much I freakin' care， ok？ Haha。。。 。。。more
BOOKLOVER EB
，
In Deanna Raybourn's "An Impossible Impostor，" the inimitable Veronica Speedwell and Revelstoke Templeton-Vane （Stoker for short） embark on another suspenseful adventure。 It is 1889， and Veronica and Stoker， who work for the fabulously wealthy Earl of Rosemorran， are busy cataloging and restoring a vast collection of artifacts that the earl plans to display in a museum "designed to educate and entertain the masses。" Veronica's specialty is lepidoptery， the study of butterflies， and Stoker is a t In Deanna Raybourn's "An Impossible Impostor，" the inimitable Veronica Speedwell and Revelstoke Templeton-Vane （Stoker for short） embark on another suspenseful adventure。 It is 1889， and Veronica and Stoker， who work for the fabulously wealthy Earl of Rosemorran， are busy cataloging and restoring a vast collection of artifacts that the earl plans to display in a museum "designed to educate and entertain the masses。" Veronica's specialty is lepidoptery， the study of butterflies， and Stoker is a taxidermist， but they are also knowledgeable about other aspects of natural history and science。 When Sir Hugo Montgomorie， the head of Scotland Yard's Special Branch， asks to meet with Veronica and Stoker， he prevails upon them to grant him a personal favor。Sir Hugo asks Stoker and Veronica to visit Hathaway Hall in Devonshire， where Montogmerie's goddaughter， Euphemia （Effie）， lives with her brother， Charles， her pompous and self-important sister-in-law， Mary， and her widowed grandmother， Lady Ada Hathaway。 Effie's older brother， Jonathan， presumably died while traveling abroad， but his body was never recovered。 Now， a man has shown up professing to be Jonathan Hathaway。 Sir Hugo wants Stoker and Veronica to determine whether this individual is a fraud or the real Jonathan who has somehow returned from the dead。This is the seventh Speedwell/Stoker mystery and， happily， it retains the wit， sass， and sarcasm of its predecessors。 There continues to be delightful chemistry between Stoker and Veronica， who are personal and professional partners。 "An Impossible Impostor" is a lighthearted， fast-paced， and literate work of historical fiction。 Raybourn's characters are all well-drawn， the dialogue sparkles， and her plot is complex and diverting。 In addition， the author touches on such issues as the rights of women; the evils of colonialism; and the consequences of hiding vital information about the past from those we love。 "An Impossible Impostor" concludes with an exciting and provocative finale that will gratify and amuse fans of this enjoyable series。 。。。more
Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard
，
"The course of true love never did run smooth。" That has certainly been true for Veronica Speedwell and her fellow sleuth and partner Stoker， who finally admitted their feelings for one another at the end of their fifth adventure。 So I wasn’t really surprised when a ghost from Veronica’s past turns up， still very much alive， to complicate things once again。Veronica and Stoker are asked to confirm the identity of a man who appeared at Hathaway House beaten and bloody， unable to remember where he "The course of true love never did run smooth。" That has certainly been true for Veronica Speedwell and her fellow sleuth and partner Stoker， who finally admitted their feelings for one another at the end of their fifth adventure。 So I wasn’t really surprised when a ghost from Veronica’s past turns up， still very much alive， to complicate things once again。Veronica and Stoker are asked to confirm the identity of a man who appeared at Hathaway House beaten and bloody， unable to remember where he has been or even who he is。 Old Lady Hathaway believes him to be her grandson， the eldest son （and heir）， Jonathan; the rest of the household is less sure。 But Jonathan Hathaway was believed to have died in the explosion of Krakatoa—the same cataclysmic event from which Veronica barely escaped alive。 Veronica had been acquainted with Jonathan before the volcano’s eruption， and Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of Scotland Yard， hopes she can resolve the question of the man’s identity。But it appears that more is going on at Hathaway House than just the ambiguous return of a long-lost son。 Picturesquely situated on Dartmoor， the house is the throes of renovation by the younger son， Charles， and his wife Mary。 Meanwhile， Charles’s sister Effie longs to study astronomy， an interest callously ignored by the unimaginative Charles and actively opposed by the conventional and unsympathetic Mary。 Strange lights have been seen on the moor， and the family remain at odds over the continued presence of “Jonathan” in their midst。 When a priceless Indian diamond is stolen and “Jonathan” disappears， Stoker and Veronica return to London， only find themselves entangled in a situation more complicated and dangerous than either of them had imagined。Veronica Speedwell is one of my favorite historical mystery heroines。 Intelligent， witty， practical， ruthless when necessary but with a soft heart underneath， she is fiercely independent and deliberately， even defiantly， unconventional。 She’s not without faults， including a quick temper and a tendency to hold a grudge， but she’s also loyal and protective， particularly when it comes to Stoker。 Veronica and Stoker have much in common in terms of their personalities， but Stoker’s temper runs deeper and smolders longer， and while both carry wounds from past experiences， he may be the more deeply wounded of the two。 Watching their relationship unfold， and seeing them bring out the best （and occasionally the worst） in each other， has been half the fun of these books。 The other half is， of course， the adventures themselves， which always hold my attention and keep me guessing。I thoroughly enjoyed An Impossible Impostor。 The mysteries of Jonathan’s identity and the theft of the diamond are intertwined in unexpected ways， there are several really interesting characters， and there are a number of surprises before everything is resolved。 But what really made it compelling for me were the strains the case places on Veronica and Stoker’s relationship， and the ways in which their feelings for and commitment to one another were evident despite （and because of） those strains。 Adventure， mystery， danger， and a still-evolving relationship—I can’t wait to read the next installment！ Review originally published on my blog， The Bookwyrm's Hoard。FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher。 All opinions are entirely my own。 。。。more
Miss Book Reviews
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Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for a review copy of this book！I’m not really sure where I stand with this book。 I should probably start by mentioning that I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series， so it was silly of me to start with book #7。 I’m sure I would have appreciated this story a lot more if I had read the rest of the series。 However， I also didn’t feel like it hindered my understanding of this story。I really loved Veronica’s character！ I mean， a woman scientis Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for a review copy of this book！I’m not really sure where I stand with this book。 I should probably start by mentioning that I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series， so it was silly of me to start with book #7。 I’m sure I would have appreciated this story a lot more if I had read the rest of the series。 However， I also didn’t feel like it hindered my understanding of this story。I really loved Veronica’s character！ I mean， a woman scientist who’s also an amateur detective？ What’s not to love？ And her and Stoker together was heartwarmingly delightful！ While I understand why we don’t see their romance really heat up on the page， I do wish we were given more of their relationship。Yet， my biggest confusion with this book was that it didn’t really feel like a mystery。 If anything， it was more of a heist situation， mixed in with a lot of personal revelations on Veronica’s part that are tied to her past。 So while I did enjoy this story， I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as a mystery， and I would also advise to not do what I did， and instead start the series from the beginning。 Based on reviews I’ve seen， the earlier books of this series are fantastic， and after reading this book， I’m curious about how Veronica and Stoker came to be！ 。。。more
Kaye
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I enjoy historical mysteries and particularly enjoyed the start of this adventure as the main characters， Veronica Speedwell and her partner Stoker， are introduced。 Both are scientificcally minded。 She is a lepidopterist （preserves moths and butterflies） and he is a natural historian。 Set in 1889 London this is the seventh in the series。 I was surprised there was no murder but instead a case of a potential imposter and a jewel heist。 There is also revelations from Veronica's past。 I liked the st I enjoy historical mysteries and particularly enjoyed the start of this adventure as the main characters， Veronica Speedwell and her partner Stoker， are introduced。 Both are scientificcally minded。 She is a lepidopterist （preserves moths and butterflies） and he is a natural historian。 Set in 1889 London this is the seventh in the series。 I was surprised there was no murder but instead a case of a potential imposter and a jewel heist。 There is also revelations from Veronica's past。 I liked the story and the banter between Stoker and Veronica is fun。 But I think to understand the characters it would be better to start from the beginning of the series。 I'm not sure if previous books focus more on mysteries or character growth。 For sure this is a must read for fans of the series。 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Larissa
，
I had never previously read a Deanna Raybourn book。 This series has been on my to read shelf for such a long time。 So I am glad that I was finally able to delve into one of her books。 This book series seems like it is easily able to be read out of order。 There are a couple hints to previous adventures， but over all they don't detract from the book itself。 I feel like from some of those hints though that this was a tamer adventure for Veronica and Stoker。 The book is very enjoyable， but I think t I had never previously read a Deanna Raybourn book。 This series has been on my to read shelf for such a long time。 So I am glad that I was finally able to delve into one of her books。 This book series seems like it is easily able to be read out of order。 There are a couple hints to previous adventures， but over all they don't detract from the book itself。 I feel like from some of those hints though that this was a tamer adventure for Veronica and Stoker。 The book is very enjoyable， but I think that I will really need to go back and read another one of their adventures。 I truly enjoyed Veronica and Stoker's relationship and banter。 The mystery itself was okay， just very slow paced。 There is not much intrigue or action till really towards the end。 While this book wasn't maybe quite up to par with some of the other adventures or mysteries that I enjoy reading， I truly want to give it another shot and intend to read another book in this series。Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy。 。。。more
Caryn - iam。caryn
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I absolutely love Raybourn’s writing style。 She always knows how to set and describe a scene。 She’s one of my favourite descriptive authors on the market。Unfortunately， this time around， the story itself just didn’t do it for me。It felt far less adventurous than the previous books and there were many times when I felt Veronica was acting fully out of character。I will say I enjoyed learning about this time in Veronica’s past。 And there were a few moments that left me wide-eyed with shock。I guess I absolutely love Raybourn’s writing style。 She always knows how to set and describe a scene。 She’s one of my favourite descriptive authors on the market。Unfortunately， this time around， the story itself just didn’t do it for me。It felt far less adventurous than the previous books and there were many times when I felt Veronica was acting fully out of character。I will say I enjoyed learning about this time in Veronica’s past。 And there were a few moments that left me wide-eyed with shock。I guess I was expecting to be left feeling that I read a really fun and exciting book， but instead was left with a feeling of melancholy。This is in no way going to stop me from reading any and all future books in this series。 I just hope the next one feels more on par with the rest than this one does。*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from Berkley Publishing Group on NetGalley。 An honest review was provided。 。。。more
The Library Lady
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Preposterous fun。
Lesa
，
Even with the seventh book in the Veronica Speedwell series， Deanna Raybourn is still able to surprise the reader。 For that matter， An Impossible Impostor manages to shock the unflappable Veronica as well。In April 1889， Veronica and Stoker， the natural historian， have just returned home to Belvedere， the estate where they both work。 Instead of a little time for relaxation and the kind of work they both love， they’re summoned by Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of the Special Branch of Scotland Yard。 H Even with the seventh book in the Veronica Speedwell series， Deanna Raybourn is still able to surprise the reader。 For that matter， An Impossible Impostor manages to shock the unflappable Veronica as well。In April 1889， Veronica and Stoker， the natural historian， have just returned home to Belvedere， the estate where they both work。 Instead of a little time for relaxation and the kind of work they both love， they’re summoned by Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of the Special Branch of Scotland Yard。 He has a request on behalf of his goddaughter， Euphemia Hathaway。Six years earlier， Krakatoa erupted near the island of Sumatra。 Euphemia’s brother， Jonathan， disappeared there， and is presumed to be dead。 But， now a man has shown up at Hathaway Hall， claiming to be Jonathan。 While Euphemia and her brother， Charles， don’t recognize the stranger， their grandmother， Lady Hathaway， is eager to accept him as the grandson she lost and mourned。Sir Hugo hopes Veronica can help solve the mystery of the newly arrived claimant。 Veronica was on one of her adventurous trips in 1883， and joined up with Jonathan and his companions。 She managed to escape Krakatoa， but left behind her young hopes as she grew more cynical and careful after that trip。 Can she identify Euphemia’s brother？Oh， Veronica can identify the man in the Hathaway household。 She’s shocked to discover him as a “feckless， reckless， and utterly unreliable” man she once knew。 Now， she’s pressured to keep his secret。 Veronica is angry to discover an emotional side of herself that she’s always tried to contain。 And， worst of all， she fears she’ll make Stoker suffer for that secret。Of course， Speedwell and Stoker are in danger again。 This time， Veronica makes an enemy that could cause future trouble。Just when the reader feels a little tired of Veronica’s constant adventures， Deanna Raybourn puts an unusual twist to the Speedwell story。 We discover a side of Veronica we haven’t seen， and uncover one more secret from her past。 The Impossible Impostor is a surprise， and one of the strongest entries in the series in recent years。 。。。more
Rachel
，
I received an ARC copy through Netgalley。 Thank you to the publisher Berkley and author Deanna Raybourn。 All opinions expressed are my own。The seventh foray into Veronica Speedwell was a delightful caper。 This book delved more into Veronica's life as a young lady adventurer and some of the difficulty she faced。Upon the urging of Sir Hugo Montgomerie Veronica & Stoker leave London and travel to Hathaway hall - Stoker to see if he can find an elusive specimen and Veronica to determine the identity I received an ARC copy through Netgalley。 Thank you to the publisher Berkley and author Deanna Raybourn。 All opinions expressed are my own。The seventh foray into Veronica Speedwell was a delightful caper。 This book delved more into Veronica's life as a young lady adventurer and some of the difficulty she faced。Upon the urging of Sir Hugo Montgomerie Veronica & Stoker leave London and travel to Hathaway hall - Stoker to see if he can find an elusive specimen and Veronica to determine the identity of presumed dead， but now returned， friend from her past。 Jonathan was thought perished in the eruption of Krakatoa 6 years earlier， but now he has returned to his family home with a few personal effects。 Is he really alive and amnesiac or is this a clever impostor？ When a priceless jewel disappears， all evidence points to Jonathan。 Veronica and Stoker are thrust into solving the jewel and secrets from the past bring into question how secure their partnership is。I found this to be an entertaining mystery。 My quibble is that though the book wrapped up neatly， I was missing an emotional conclusion。 I hope this can be solved within the next book。 。。。more
☕️Kimberly
，
Full RTC
Minna
，
Thank you to NetGalley， Berkley Books， and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title。 An honest review was requested but not required。Be careful what you wish for。I distinctly recall wishing in book #6 that Veronica， and I quote， “come to [the] realization in book #7， [that] Stoker is the perfect mate for her and deserves better than to be pushed away at every turn。” Ugh。 Well， it happened， but it happened too late。 Veronica and Stoker are called to investigate the possible ret Thank you to NetGalley， Berkley Books， and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title。 An honest review was requested but not required。Be careful what you wish for。I distinctly recall wishing in book #6 that Veronica， and I quote， “come to [the] realization in book #7， [that] Stoker is the perfect mate for her and deserves better than to be pushed away at every turn。” Ugh。 Well， it happened， but it happened too late。 Veronica and Stoker are called to investigate the possible return of a figure from Veronica’s past who had long been thought dead， as well as ascertain the welfare of a young lady who is the goddaughter of Sir Hugh Montgomery。 Secrets from Veronica’s past threaten to come into the open and Veronica， despite her avowed desire to come clean to Stoker， does not do so for various reasons。 （Most of which are outside of her control， but still。）THEN there is a secondary plot in which a jewel goes missing， various parties wish to recover it， abductions take place （again）， things happen， culminating in （view spoiler）[ Veronica’s ultimate realization that she is ready and willing to commit to Stoker， only for him to say… NO。 AND THEN LEAVE。 （hide spoiler）]I had been worried that this series was growing a little stagnant but this ending really lit a fire。 What on earth is Veronica going to do now？！ I am waiting impatiently at the front of the line for the next story。 ARGH。 Adding to 2022 PopSugar Reading Challenge for category: Book Set in Victorian Times。 。。。more
Barbara Rogers
，
Barbara’s rating: 3/3。5 of 5 StarsSeries: Veronica Speedwell #7Publication Date: 2/15/22Period: VictorianNumber of Pages: 336When I read a book， I want to get lost in the story。 I want to forget I’m reading and hear the character’s voices speaking as the story unfolds。 Unfortunately， this story just didn’t get me there。 I like this series， but for some reason， this particular addition to the series felt too convoluted and the situations felt too forced。 There are certainly plenty of plots within Barbara’s rating: 3/3。5 of 5 StarsSeries: Veronica Speedwell #7Publication Date: 2/15/22Period: VictorianNumber of Pages: 336When I read a book， I want to get lost in the story。 I want to forget I’m reading and hear the character’s voices speaking as the story unfolds。 Unfortunately， this story just didn’t get me there。 I like this series， but for some reason， this particular addition to the series felt too convoluted and the situations felt too forced。 There are certainly plenty of plots within plots to keep you wondering who is doing what to whom – maybe too many of those。 I think the ONLY person I liked in this book was Stoker – and he ended up being hurt emotionally。 Why do authors feel the need to do that？ There wasn’t a real reason for it other than to set up the next book and that could have easily been done another way。 Perhaps the author was suffering from the effects of the pandemic and isolation。 Honestly， if I had read the last chapter or so of the book before I requested the ARC， I would never have requested it。 I would have just skipped this book and waited for the next one when it is released -- and that is mostly because of the ending。 I did not like it - it was depressing。There was no murder， little real mystery， and way too much drama about Veronica’s past。 Who would have thought we still had more secrets to learn from Veronica’s past。 I mean – goodness – enough already。 I thought the story was slow at times and those blazing， fiery interactions between Stoker and Veronica just weren’t really there this time。 We do get an imposter， an abduction， a very， very valuable stolen jewel， and some pretty vile villains。 Those just weren’t enough to suck me into the story。I found the first bit of the story very entertaining because Stoker and Veronica are traveling back from the continent with a baby （not their own） and the situations that are described are definitely funny。 It was the best part of the book！The gist of the story is: Upon their return to England， Sir Hugo Montgomerie， the head of Special Branch of Scotland Yard approaches them to handle a personal matter for him。 They eventually agree and travel to Hathaway Hall on Dartmoor。 When they arrive， they find a highly dysfunctional family。 Has Jonathan Hathaway really returned from the dead or is it an imposter？ Veronica knows right away but then doesn’t tell anyone。 Why wouldn’t she tell given what he had done to her in the past？ Anyway – a large， irreplaceable diamond is stolen and Jonathan is blamed。 He swears he didn’t do it and Veronica believes him – go figure。 Lots of things go on – including abductions – while they are trying to uncover the real thief。 Then – at the end – well – things aren’t very good between Veronica and Stoker and …If you choose to read this book， I truly hope you love it。 There are lots of 5-star reviews out there and I hope yours will be one of them。 For me， however， it left much to be desired and created a lot of absolutely unnecessary emotional turmoil。 I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy （ARC） of this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 。。。more
Meredith
，
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review。Raybourn is back again with a new adventure featuring Stoker and Veronica！ In this newest installment， we find Veronica and Stoker confronted with ghosts of the past。 But are they ghosts？ And in order to determine the truth， risks will be taken， the past confronted， and hearts will be laid open。 Stoker and Veronica were commendable during this latest novel。 I loved the inclusion of the thyla Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review。Raybourn is back again with a new adventure featuring Stoker and Veronica！ In this newest installment， we find Veronica and Stoker confronted with ghosts of the past。 But are they ghosts？ And in order to determine the truth， risks will be taken， the past confronted， and hearts will be laid open。 Stoker and Veronica were commendable during this latest novel。 I loved the inclusion of the thylacine， or the Tasmanian Tiger as Stoker's latest taxidermy project。 The ending left me。。。anxious？ I was thrilled with the adventures for some of our characters， and in turn exceedingly frustrated for others。 Leave it to Raybourn to make the reader feel the spectrum of dizzying relief and elation to anxiety and dread within the last few pages。 I can hardly wait for the next installment！ 。。。more
Mary
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AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR by Deanna Raybourn The treacherous bogs of Dartmoor are an apt metaphor for the dangerous deceptions waiting as traps for Stoker and Veronica。 Their mission， to acquire a rare thylacine specimen， is also cover for a private errand for Sir Hugo， to determine if the returning long-lost heir is really Jonathan Hathaway or an impostor。 Problems and dangers multiply with a rare blood red diamond from India， Sir Hugo’s god-daughter Euphemia being denied education in astronomy （u AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR by Deanna Raybourn The treacherous bogs of Dartmoor are an apt metaphor for the dangerous deceptions waiting as traps for Stoker and Veronica。 Their mission， to acquire a rare thylacine specimen， is also cover for a private errand for Sir Hugo， to determine if the returning long-lost heir is really Jonathan Hathaway or an impostor。 Problems and dangers multiply with a rare blood red diamond from India， Sir Hugo’s god-daughter Euphemia being denied education in astronomy （unladylike， you see）， phantoms and ghostly lights， dangerous and brutal kidnappers， strong and competent females 。 。 。 and so much more。 Captivating adventure， leavened with humor， made this book nearly impossible to put down。 The ending is satisfying， with a hint of future adventures to assure me that another book is planned。 Perfection！ 。。。more
Sara LaValley
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Once again Deanna Raybourn knocks it out of the park with the newest installment in the Veronica Speedwell mysteries。 This book put me through the emotional rollercoaster to end all rollercoasters。 I was laughing， swooning， holding my breath， and screaming by the end of it。 I felt that as a whole it was very well paced， which is what I have come to expect from this series。 We see a new side of Veronica that I don’t think we’ve gotten up to this point。 To that note， we also get a much needed look Once again Deanna Raybourn knocks it out of the park with the newest installment in the Veronica Speedwell mysteries。 This book put me through the emotional rollercoaster to end all rollercoasters。 I was laughing， swooning， holding my breath， and screaming by the end of it。 I felt that as a whole it was very well paced， which is what I have come to expect from this series。 We see a new side of Veronica that I don’t think we’ve gotten up to this point。 To that note， we also get a much needed look into her past， which is something that I have been dying for more of， and let me tell you it is a shocker。 Did I find her behavior to be frustrating at times？ Yes。 Could I understand on some level the way she was behaving the way she did？ Also yes。Stoker remains to be the only man that deserves rights， and he is once again responsible for dropping some of the GREATEST and most SWOON-WORTHY lines of this whole dang series。 He is also one of the most reasonable and understanding love interests that I have ever come across， but I won’t say more because ~spoilers~。Veronica and Stoker’s relationship still holds me by the throat after all this time， and seeing the way their relationship has evolved to the point of them dropping endearments like it's the most natural thing in the world and of her inner dialogue being so open with how much she loves him makes me die every time。 No I’m not exaggerating。 This book does throw a couple roadblocks at their relationship， but being the fact that they are legitimately soulmates I know that their relationship will bounce back stronger than ever， and I cannot wait to see it。As always there are some new characters， some that I hate， some that I love， and some that I hate and love at the same time。 One character in particular， even though there were times that I legitimately could not stand him， was responsible for some of the funniest moments throughout the whole book。 The mystery in this novel unravels in a very natural way， and as with every mystery there are some twists that I predicted and plenty that I did not。 This book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger that left me screaming and throwing my kindle across the room in the middle of the night， and also dying for book eight， but that being said I know everything will work out （but can I have book eight now so I can get everything resolved please？？）。 You all have heard me say this a million times at this point but I'm going to say it once more for good measure: READ。 THIS。 SERIES。 。。。more
Amanda
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[ I received a digital arc for an honest review]I am a huge fan of Deanna Raybourn and her historical mystery series'。 Veronica Speedwell has become one of my favorite， so it pains me to write this review。I honestly don't know what to say。 I really didn't like Veronica the majority of the time。 She was frustrating and her big secret， that we learn about， came out of nowhere。 It boggles my mind how it had not come up beforehand， especially since her secret has similarities to stoker's history。 Ho [ I received a digital arc for an honest review]I am a huge fan of Deanna Raybourn and her historical mystery series'。 Veronica Speedwell has become one of my favorite， so it pains me to write this review。I honestly don't know what to say。 I really didn't like Veronica the majority of the time。 She was frustrating and her big secret， that we learn about， came out of nowhere。 It boggles my mind how it had not come up beforehand， especially since her secret has similarities to stoker's history。 How had she not thought on this secret over the course of 6 books。 The mystery itself was decent， but it was overshadowed by Veronica's drama。 The writing was the quality I expect from Deanna Raybourn， I just didn't enjoy what she chose to do with said writing。 The only strong positive I'm taking away from this book is a strong and emotional declaration of his feelings for Veronica given by Stoker。Disappointment is still fresh days after finishing the book， so here's my breakdown :Stoker 5 starsVeronica 2 starsNon Veronica aspects of the story 3 starsIn the end， I'm quite salty over the book as a whole and the way it ended。 It was so unsatisfying。 Will I read the next book in the series？ Maybe only because I need closure。 。。。more
Kristen
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full review to comearc received from netgalley in exchange for honest review
Robin
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I’m a huge fan of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series， but in every series， there are always one or two books that have a bit more sparkle than the rest。 For me， it’s this book， which combines all of Raybourn’s many gifts into one completely delicious package。 In book seven of this series， lepidopterist Veronica has settled in with her beloved Stoker， in an extremely unconventional arrangement for the time （Victorian Britain）: they live in sin， and Veronica is very much a working woman。B I’m a huge fan of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series， but in every series， there are always one or two books that have a bit more sparkle than the rest。 For me， it’s this book， which combines all of Raybourn’s many gifts into one completely delicious package。 In book seven of this series， lepidopterist Veronica has settled in with her beloved Stoker， in an extremely unconventional arrangement for the time （Victorian Britain）: they live in sin， and Veronica is very much a working woman。Because Veronica is the illegitimate daughter of the Prince of Wales， she has no family to disappoint， and Stoker doesn’t really fit into his own family。 The two ae the perfect outside-insider detecting couple。 They know how to navigate in society， but they aren’t exactly “of” it。 In this case they are asked to travel out to the countryside to see if Veronica can identify a man who has turned up claiming to be a man who died in a volcanic eruption several years ago。 He was a friend of Veronica’s and hopefully she’ll be able to identify him。 He’s appeared as the head of the family after the family had assumed his death， and his younger brother， along with his wealthy wife， have taken over the family seat and are very busily underway with their desired renovations。 The godfather of the oldest sister， Effie， has asked them to have a particular care for her。 She’s a budding astronomist whose dreams are being quashed by her conventional sister-in-law。Their cover is that they will be taking a look at the collection left behind by the grandfather of the family， specimens he acquired in his travels around the globe。 Stoker， a gifted taxidermist and devoted student of the natural world， is excited by the prospect of discovering a rare Tasmanian Tiger， a species now extinct that was rare even in the 1880’s。 The family is accepting the man’s identity as he appeared on their doorstep in great distress， and they took him in to nurse him。 When he woke up he appeared to recognize his grandmother， and as he was the unpleasant， imperious old lady’s favorite， she’s all in。 Veronica and Stoker are very much stepping in to a fraught family situation。There’s a wonderful twist early on and the cleverness of the plot continues to unfold。 Raybourn is a wonderful combination of an adventure writer， a romance novelist， and a straight up mystery writer as the plot is very much the thing。 To say much more about the story would be to give away things that readers should be lucky enough to discover for themselves。I will say that one of the strong gifts of a long series is the way writers can develop characters over a period of time， giving them depth and humanity that I’m not sure can always be achieved in a single novel。 In this one， Raybourn gives the reader even more of an insight into Veronica and Stoker’s relationship， what holds it together， and what has the potential to tear it apart。 There’s some lovely writing here， writing I won’t soon forget。 This book is a standout in a strong series。 。。。more
Christine Hovey
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I can’t wait to read this book 👀
Shelley
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*Source* Publisher*Genre* Historical / Romance / Mystery*Rating* 4。0*Thoughts*An Impossible Imposter is the Seventh installment in author Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series。 It is April 1889， Veronica and her natural historian partner Revelstoke Templeton-Vane are just returning from a trip to Alpenwald where they just attended the wedding of Princess Gisela who appeared in An Unexpected Peril。 Just when you figured Veronica and Stoker were out of the investigation business， and ready t *Source* Publisher*Genre* Historical / Romance / Mystery*Rating* 4。0*Thoughts*An Impossible Imposter is the Seventh installment in author Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series。 It is April 1889， Veronica and her natural historian partner Revelstoke Templeton-Vane are just returning from a trip to Alpenwald where they just attended the wedding of Princess Gisela who appeared in An Unexpected Peril。 Just when you figured Veronica and Stoker were out of the investigation business， and ready to get back to work preparing Lord Rosemorran's pending museum， they are once again dragged back in by Sir Hugo Montgomerie of Special Branch， Scotland Yard。*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*https://gizmosreviews。blogspot。com/20。。。 。。。more
Anna Fox
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I really like this series。 Each book makes me wonder if Stoker and Veronica will ever be on the same page in their relationship。 Workwise and in their adventures they seem to manage it！ However， the characters they come across are always interesting。 Thank you to the author， publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review。
WriterCK
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Another excellent adventure with Veronica Speedwell and Stoker！ I have devoured the previous books and always eagerly await the next one。 This story explores betrayal， jewels， and the righting of wrongs。 Filled with twists and turns and witty dialogue Speedwell and Stoker's relationship never gets dull as new facets of their past and personality are constantly revealed。 As usual， a bounty of secondary characters are presented in crisp and unique fashion that serve to keep the plot moving along。 Another excellent adventure with Veronica Speedwell and Stoker！ I have devoured the previous books and always eagerly await the next one。 This story explores betrayal， jewels， and the righting of wrongs。 Filled with twists and turns and witty dialogue Speedwell and Stoker's relationship never gets dull as new facets of their past and personality are constantly revealed。 As usual， a bounty of secondary characters are presented in crisp and unique fashion that serve to keep the plot moving along。 The main storyline is resolved by the end of the book but there are still some loose ends to tie up and once again， I anticipate the next story by the talented Deanna Raybourn。 This book was given to me freely by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Deborah E Kehoe
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When Veronica and Stoker are approached by Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of special branch， to look into the reappearance of a missing heir Veronica knew she was going to be facing a phantom from her past。 She once knew Jonathon Hathaway but had thought him dead in a volcano eruption in Krakatoa six years ago。 It’s up to her to identify him for the family but things are never as simple as they appear。 If he is the missing heir he would gain access to an incredible fortune in jewels and Veronica is When Veronica and Stoker are approached by Sir Hugo Montgomerie， head of special branch， to look into the reappearance of a missing heir Veronica knew she was going to be facing a phantom from her past。 She once knew Jonathon Hathaway but had thought him dead in a volcano eruption in Krakatoa six years ago。 It’s up to her to identify him for the family but things are never as simple as they appear。 If he is the missing heir he would gain access to an incredible fortune in jewels and Veronica is their only hope。 During this investigation Veronica must come face to face with a ghost from her past and reveal her secrets to Stoker， the man she now loves。An Impossible Imposter had the same drama and adventure as previous Veronica Speedwell novels， but what intrigued me and kept me reading was again her relationship with her partner and lover， Stoker。 We have gotten to know the two of them over these seven novels but I feel like it’s always Stoker’s secrets that are revealed。 This time Veronica’s own past comes back to haunt her making her fearful of what he will think if her past is revealed。 This added a fine bit of tension that is sometimes missing from the more personal aspects of these novels。In addition to the mystery of Jonathan Hathaway and if he is or isn’t the heir to Hathaway Hall is only the tip of the mystery iceberg。 The background behind the fortune in jewels becomes the center of the story adding some historical relevance to the fictional story by taking the story briefly back to the past when England occupied India。 This background added color to an already lurid mystery making this story a page turner。If you’re a fan of this series you MUST pick up this novel。 There is plenty of angst and passion between our two main characters and the mystery while not very mysterious， had all the drama of a good soap opera。 I keep expecting this series to taper off， but this author is skilled at making me want to read the next installment。 Unfortunately I know I’ll have to wait another year for the next one to appear。❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest。 。。。more
Deidre
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I don't know how she does it， but Deanna Raybourn keeps Stoker and Veronica so sizzling and fresh in each book that you cannot turn the pages fast enough and by the end are desperate to start the next book。 I have a two-day swoon-hangover after finishing each one and this， the seventh in the series， is no different。 Still as fun and romantic and the first books， this series just keeps getting better！ It's hard to say that for many authors。 Anna Lee Huber's "Lady Darby Mysteries" is the only othe I don't know how she does it， but Deanna Raybourn keeps Stoker and Veronica so sizzling and fresh in each book that you cannot turn the pages fast enough and by the end are desperate to start the next book。 I have a two-day swoon-hangover after finishing each one and this， the seventh in the series， is no different。 Still as fun and romantic and the first books， this series just keeps getting better！ It's hard to say that for many authors。 Anna Lee Huber's "Lady Darby Mysteries" is the only other that comes to mind。 That's why Deanna Raybourn's books are an "auto-buy" for me and should be for everyone who likes romantic mysteries。In "An Impossible Imposter，" Veronica and Stoker are sent to validate the identity of an old friend of Veronica's who was assumed dead and has suddenly turned up again at his family's estate。 The story takes an engrossing turn when a secret of Veronica's is revealed and her relationship with Stoker is threatened。 The main mystery revolves around a stolen Indian jewel， with several interested parties trying to steal it back。 Of course， Veronica and Stoker are caught in the middle and a madcap adventure ensues。 I LOVED this book。 I love ALL Raybourn's books。 You can't go wrong with her words in your hands。 Just buy this and everything else she ever writes （The Lady Julia Grey books are WONDERFUL as well！）。 I will eagerly await Veronica's next missions and （hopefully） her locking down Stoker once and for all。 。。。more
Annarella
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I don't think I could be bored or dislike a book in this series: each one is better than the previous and they're always highly entertaining。This is the best so far: Veronica and Stoker are at their best， the plot is fast paced and full of twist。I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a lot of fun。Highly recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC， all opinions are mine I don't think I could be bored or dislike a book in this series: each one is better than the previous and they're always highly entertaining。This is the best so far: Veronica and Stoker are at their best， the plot is fast paced and full of twist。I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a lot of fun。Highly recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more
Sasha
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4。5 — Book Number Two of 2022 is An Impossible Imposter， by Deanna Raybourn。 I’ve been a huge fan of the Veronica Speedwell novels from the very beginning。 In Raybourn’s seventh novel in the series， all of the trademark wit and charm that hooked me from Book 1 （A Curious Beginning， pub。 9/1/2015） is still out in full force。 Raybourn did venture into a more tender territory than usual: a theme throughout the book focused on feelings and relationships and heartbreak and love — all topics general 4。5 — Book Number Two of 2022 is An Impossible Imposter， by Deanna Raybourn。 I’ve been a huge fan of the Veronica Speedwell novels from the very beginning。 In Raybourn’s seventh novel in the series， all of the trademark wit and charm that hooked me from Book 1 （A Curious Beginning， pub。 9/1/2015） is still out in full force。 Raybourn did venture into a more tender territory than usual: a theme throughout the book focused on feelings and relationships and heartbreak and love — all topics generally not brought into polite conversation by our dear Veronica。 This brought a refreshing change of pace and allowed me to connect even more deeply with my favorite characters （Stoker & Veronica， duh！！）。 As always， I enjoyed my time reading this book immensely， and am already looking forward to reading Raybourn’s next Speedwell novel。 Excelsior！！Much thanks to @NetGalley & @BerkleyPub for providing me with this digital advanced reader’s copy for review。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=An Impossible Impostor
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=An Impossible Impostor&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft