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Our friends at the Bronte Blog have weighed in on Laura Joh Rowland's imaginative new novel Bedlam: The Further Adventures of Charlotte Bronte: "We were pleased to hear there would be a second installment of Charlotte Brontë's secret adventures, as we had really liked the first. Laura Joh Rowland had provided such a sturdy springboard into that fantasy world where Charlotte Brontë turns into a Victorian superheroine that we were oh so willing to take that leap again.

And a few lines into Bedlam: The Further Secret Adventures of Charlotte Brontë confirmed that the spring board was still good enough. Laura Joh Rowland's apt re-creation of Charlotte Brontë's style is still as accomplished and mesmerising as the first time around, even with the all-American turns of phrase that graze the text from time to time. She moves with ease in Victorian times: conventions, events, behaviour and all sorts of other important background information are seemingly effortlessly whipped up.

Purists may or may not agree with this action-figure Charlotte but what's undeniably true is that when circumstances allow it, Charlotte is as much her real self as possible and even her imaginary projection is intriguing in being quite coherent with her real self and what we know of her. And then there's the helpful disclaimer at the end where real events and real people are differentiated from imaginary events.

And even then there's evidence of Laura Joh Rowland having fun and joking with her readers. The "WANTED" poster with Charlotte's portrait by Richmond made us chuckle and appreciate the effort made by Rowland in order to be - usually at the same time - entertaining and accurate. The impossible situations, the action movie scenes, particularly the last scene at the Great Exhibition, follow the same philosophy, we think. They are not to be taken extremely seriously, looked at with the magnifying glass of reality, but just taken in the reader's stride. We all know Charlotte Brontë wasn't a superheroine, that her health wouldn't have stood 10% of what happens in the book, but for less that 400 pages, may we just forget about it and believe that Charlotte Brontë really did have these secret adventures?"

Laura Joh Rowland's new Charlotte Bronte mystery, Bedlam: The Further Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte, is already drawing excellent review attention:

"Jane Eyre’s alter ego returns when Charlotte Brontë again finds herself embroiled in a treacherous escapade that transports her from the squalid slums of Whitechapel to Queen Victoria’s regal summer estate. While visiting her publisher in London, Charlotte hopes to find the inspiration for her next novel during a visit to the notorious Bedlam Psychiatric Hospital. Instead, she recognizes one of the inmates as John Slade, her secret-agent lover whom she believed was on a mission to Russia—or dead. When Charlotte’s efforts to free Slade put her directly in the center of an international plot to stop a terrorist from launching a lethal biological weapon, the intrepid author herself is accused of heinous murders and becomes the subject of a police manhunt. Rowland’s literary heroine demonstrates all the cunning, guile, and daredevil skills of a modern-day Bond girl while retaining the essence of Victorian morality. Sharply relevant, Rowland’s inventive action-thriller delivers enough intrigue and romance to satisfy a wide array of readers."� Booklist

"Love draws the Victorian novelist into another breathtaking adventure. The surprising success of Jane Eyre has thrust Charlotte Bronte into the glare of the public spotlight, but this is a mixed blessing. Her sisters Anne and Emily have recently died after living through the commercial failures of their fiction, and Charlotte has left behind the love of her life, British spy John Slade, whom she met during an implausible escapade in Moscow. Renowned author and social lion William Makepeace Thackeray, who's taken Charlotte under his wing, shepherds her meeting with London's literati. Then an opportunity to visit the infamous mental institution Bedlam takes a dark turn. One inmate bears an unsettling resemblance to Anne; another, Charlotte is sure, is her beloved John, though asylum officials identify him as Polish refugee Josef Typinski. When Typinski escapes from Bedlam in the confusion following a murder of which he now stands accused, Charlotte knows what she must do. Chapters from John Slade's prior adventure alternate with dispatches from Charlotte's colorful investigation, which includes meeting the Queen and Prince Albert, a brief stay in prison and an incognito encounter with fans of her new novel, Shirley. The audacity of building a mystery caper around this unlikely heroine is part of the novel's considerable charm. Elegant stylist Rowland's prose remains as pitch-perfect as in Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte (2008), in what should be another long-running series from the author of the Sano Ichiro mysteries." - Kirkus Reviews

Thanks to everyone who attended last night's "thrilling" evening with Overlook authors Peter Quinn, Laura Joh Rowland, and R.J. Ellory. And a very special thanks to Kristin, Jordan, Esther, and all the staff at The Center for Fiction for their gracious welcome.

Don't miss this special evening of readings by top novelists Laura Joh Rowland, Peter Quinn, and R.J. Ellory at The Center for Fiction, 17 East 47th Street, in New York, at 6:30pm.

Tuesday, October 20, 7pm, at The Center for Fiction, 17 East 47th Street, New York. For more information, 212-755-6710 / www.centerforfiction.org.

Laura Joh Rowland, author of The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte, will appear at the third annual Thrillerfest conference in New York on Saturday, July 12. Laura will participate in a panel, "Real or Imagined: Historical Thrillers," and discuss her latest novel, set in Victorian England, and featuring the famous and fascinating Bronte family. Thrillerfest is sponsored by the International Thriller Writers association.

Laura John Rowland, author of the thrilling literary mystery The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte, will appear at the Printers Row Book Fair in Chicago on Sunday, June 8. Laura will take part in the panel discussion: "Murder She Wrote," with Tasha Alexander, Lori Andrews, and Jane Hirt, which is followed by a book signing. Sunday, June 8, 12:30 p.m at the University Center/Loop Room.

Sarah Weinman takes a look at the growing trend of literary figures turning into detectives in The Los Angeles Times. Of the newly released The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte, Weinman writes: "Laura Joh Rowland's first stand-alone novel after a slew of mysteries featuring 16th century Japanese detective Sano Ichiro -- delivers almost exactly what its title promises. Flush from the success of "Jane Eyre" but battling writer's block, as well as the envy of her younger sisters, Charlotte takes an impulsive trip to London to clear up a case of literary misunderstanding and soon finds herself a witness to the murder of a fetching maid with ties to a conspiracy that would bring down the British monarchy. The plot spins out of control merrily enough and in suitably thrilling fashion, and it's great fun to watch sparks fly between Charlotte and the handsome spyman Mr. Slade."

Laura Joh Rowland's The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte is the Boston Globe's "Pick of the Week." Karen Keyte of Books, Etc. in Portland Maine writes: "It may be departure from her San Ichiro mysteries, but this ripping good story is sure to delight Rowland's steadfast fans and win her legions more. In this fun and fast-paced novel, Bronte tackles a mystery involving a charge of plagiarism and murder."

Laura Joh Rowland, author of Overlook's The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte, is featured today on Dear Author's "My First Sale" series.

Laura talks about her interest in the beloved Victorian author and her fascinating family. Laura also talks about her own challenges of reinventing herself as a novelist with Charlotte, which is a departure from her critically acclaimed Sano Ichiro samurai detective series.

The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte will be available in stores and libraries on Wednesday, March 13th.

Author: Deborah Noyes
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Published: 2007 Candlewick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0763624004 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Delicately depicted in mint, peach and red, this beautifully worded legend shares the solitary heartbreak and secret unraveling of a young girl who shines light into her own uncertain future.

Other books mentioned:

• Goodnight Moon
• Gleam and Glow

It's been such a busy weekend for us and so very hot here. The temps hit 103 with high humidity. We are long overdue for some rain and are trying to keep everything green and living.

I just had to take a moment to post this beautiful vintage hat with lovely silk and velvet milinery flowers. I had the good fortune to come across it at a sale recently and was tickled pink! See the tiny vintage rhinestones, oh I love when I come across such wonderful finds.