Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Lizzy Grimm is struggling to keep her late father’s antique shop, Grimm Curiosities, open which is proving somewhat difficult in 1850s York, England. Not only are women shopkeepers a rarity, but Lizzy’s mother has been struck with a strange affliction that leaves her unable to speak and limits other responses. This means Lizzy is a young woman alone, unchaperoned. Any whiff of scandal could close the shop for good, leaving both Lizzy and her mother without home or resources.

Then two very different gentlemen take an interest in the shop. The first is Mr. Carlisle, who actually wants to speak with Lizzy’s mother. It turns out that Mr. Carlisle’s beloved sister has been struck with a similar affliction after the death of their mother.  Intrigued, Lizzy dares to hope they may join forces to see if there is some cure, even if Mr. Carlisle’s social standing is a bit of a barrier.  After all, shop girls who consort with the sons of barons will be the subject of gossip at the very least.

The second caller is one Mr. Stokes, who shows up eager to buy books in an old series about the supernatural. While willing to pay handsomely for any volumes, there’s something about him that makes Lizzy uneasy—and unwilling to admit that she has the whole set.  She sells him the one volume he found on the shelf, trying to buy time to decide about the others: it was a set that was precious to her father and even though she needs the money, she is loath to sell.

It soon becomes apparent that there is indeed something otherworldly about, but can Lizzy follow the clues and solve the puzzle? And does she dare trust either of these men to help her?

This is a delightful tale filled with period details and garnished with some folklore and supernatural elements.  At its heart it’s a romance, but with enough other elements to satisfy non-romance readers.  I certainly enjoyed it.  I felt the ending was a bit rushed after the rather leisurely start, but it certainly had its surprising moments.  I wished for a bit more folklore as well, but the strong sense of time and place did help.  I will be looking for other books by this author.