Heather’s Bookshelf: Red Lily
Author: Janice Graham
Released: 05/21/25
Genre: Historical Suspense
“As the minutes passed I began to think it odd that no one else had appeared. Even if she had been thoroughly unlikable and had made nothing but enemies, surely someone would have found it in their heart to attend the service. I found it hard to imagine a person so odious that they inspired not even a little pity. I wished I’d bought a larger bouquet.”
“Red Lily” takes place in 1989, introducing Carl Box. Carl’s never met his Aunt Lily, but news of her recent passing brings up all kinds of questions.
Carl’s informed he’s been bequeathed some undisclosed items from Aunt Lily, but he must go to Paris, France in order to learn more details. He’s always thought Aunt Lily was wrongly persecuted by their family, and the promise of her estate is enough for Carl to pack up himself and his two-legged dog, Billy, for a trip to Paris.
As it turns out, Aunt Lily is very much alive. She’s also hiding so many secrets and working through repercussions of her past actions. Carl feels obligated to help and then intrigued enough to jump into the world of spying.
Will Carl and Billy figure out the truth and help Aunt Lily or will her past finally catch up with all of them?
Trigger Warning: violence, murder, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this tale. The story is told through the POV of Carl. I really kept forgetting that Carl was a male. There was something about how this character was written or the speech patterns that had a feminine air to it. It didn’t really matter to the overall story, just something of note. Carl was an overall intriguing protagonist. He was initially very reluctant, moving into more apprehensive and suspicious and then eager and accepting. His character evolution and the relationships with his aunt and love for Billy really jump off the page. Aunt Lily is a great character as well. She’s mysterious, has lived one hell of a life, and continues to be a fighter. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her past adventures and stories. Billy has a great back story and adds a lot of characterization to both of the other lead characters. I even liked how Carl was a bit jealous of Billy taking a liking to Aunt Lily. The setting in Paris adds to the allure of the story and the mystery factor. The cafe scenes especially reminded me of my time in France. There’s a couple of reveals throughout the book that I felt were a bit obvious, but still fulfilling. They made sense and fit with the rest of the story, I’m just not sure if they added much to the tale. The ending wrapped everything up nicely and tied in an event of historical significance.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A historical suspense set in a beautiful setting with an intriguing protagonist and fantastic ancillary character.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Janice Graham
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Find it for purchase here
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