Title: A Ghastly Catastrophe
Series: Veronica Speedwell, #10
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: March 3, 2026
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Historical fiction / mystery
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Veronica and Stoker are practically dying for a new adventure but when their wish is granted, they find themselves up against a secret society and a darkly seductive duo in this landmark historical mystery from beloved New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide, and Veronica and her intrepid beau, Stoker, know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.

Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Roma boy may know more about their first victim, but the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear the secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.

The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted. . . .

After a two-year gap, we return to the world of Veronica Speedwell — and this latest installment offers just the mix of danger, snark, and Victorian manners as we’ve come to expect.

I intuited Stoker’s restlessness as clearly as I felt the itch in my own blood, and the cause of it was the same as my own: we wanted a mystery. It had been nearly six months since our last investigation, and while we were certainly not professionals, we had fallen into the habit of murder — the sleuthing and not the committing, I hasten to add.

Veronica and Stoker are drawn into yet another murder mystery thanks to their association with both a Scotland Yard detective and a disgraced woman journalist. In this new adventure, two men have been found dead under suspicious circumstances, and their powerful families are keeping the details hushed up. As Veronica and Stoker learn, one man — Maurice Quincey — was found dead in a carriage, drained of blood and with puncture wounds on his neck, while the other — Jameson Harkness — supposedly accidentally fell from a balcony to his death.

Do those names ring a bell? How about when I mention two other key figures, Seward Johnson and Horace Von Hilsing?

If you suspect an homage to Dracula, you’re correct! As Veronica notes at the outset, a certain Bram Stoker not only seems to have appropriated her lover’s name as his own surname, but has obviously gotten access to Veronica’s private case notes. The nerve!

Veronica and Stoker are scientists, not particularly inclined to believe that vampires are real. But as occult mementos, a secret society, and a pair who seem to have inexplicable powers of control and persuasion come to light as part of the investigation, it’s harder to believe that there may not in fact be something otherworldly at play.

As always, it’s a delight to spend time with Veronica and Stoker, whose banter and flirtation are as entertaining as ever. The mystery itself is oodles of fun, with all sorts of shenanigans that put our heroes in danger, but also give them the opportunity to get the best of any situation, something they absolutely excel at doing.

Fans of author Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series will enjoy seeing Lady Julia pop up in A Ghastly Catastrophe. I have not read those books myself, but I’ve been wanting to, and now I’m even more determined to pick up the first book in the series, Silent in the Grave, during the current year.

The Veronica Speedwell books can be counted on for their clever mysteries, quippy dialogue, and excellent chemistry between the lead characters. Here’s hoping there are many more adventures yet to come for Veronica and Stoker!