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Review: THUS WITH A KISS I DIE by Christina Dodd
- Christina Boyd
- Jul 9
- 5 min read
ABOUT THE BOOK
The delightfully irreverent eldest daughter of the not-so-ill-fated Romeo and Juliet returns to sleuth another day in fair Verona, in this hugely entertaining historical mystery series with a refreshingly bold premise.
“Woe, for I am the bug that meets the windshield's might,
No longer the speeding glass, smooth, clean and bright . . .”
You’re right. I, Rosie Montague of Verona, am lousy at iambic pentameter and Shakespeare speak, but you get the point: Sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. I, who for my whole life, have cruised along, unruffled by life’s trials, am suddenly smashed flat and speeding recklessly up the WhattheHellHappened Highway.
Why? you ask . . .
I’m 20-years-old, and by my own design, never been wed, free as no married woman ever is. I’m beautiful, but without conceit, for Juliet, my legendary Mamma is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the earth. Just ask Romeo, my legendary Papà. (Rumors of their deaths were premature.) I was heartwhole until I fell (literally) in love with Lysander of the House of Beautiful. But our love was not to be, for I was thwarted by Escalus, the Prince of Verona . . . who had designs on me.
I’m trapped.
Then! I’m presented with a solution. Escalus’s father, Prince Escalus the Elder, appears to me. He tasks that I find his killer. Did I mention Elder is a ghost?
Given that I only recently dispatched Verona’s first serial killer, I’m less than pleased. Yet Elder promises to unite me with my One True Love, so I gather clues. Meanwhile, revolution threatens, for beneath Verona society’s glittering surface lurk dark shadows—and an enemy eager to make me a tragic heroine in my own right . . .
REVIEW by Christina Boyd
Guest reviewer Sophia Rose reviewed A Daughter of Fair Verona and before the review published here on my blog, Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose emailed to tell me that Christina Dodd’s second book in the series was releasing that very day, and she would be signing books at my local indie bookstore, Village Books in Fairhaven WA. So, off I went, and I met the delightfully witty, inspiring, and welcoming author, who signed my book. True to form, I stayed up all night to read straight through and was an absolute zombie the following day. Except I did write this review… By the way, I am going to recommend the series to my #TotallyLegitBookClub and hope Christina Dodd will join us in my backyard garden to discuss her books.
Thus With a Kiss I Die by Christina Dodd is a dazzling fun, laugh-out-loud romp through Renaissance Verona—with murder, mayhem, and completely addictive second book in the “Daughter of Montague” series.
Rosaline Montague (Rosie)—eldest daughter of the still-very-much-alive Romeo and Juliet—returns with her signature sass, smarts, and zero tolerance for Verona’s nonsense. In a world that wants her silent and settled, she’s anything but. Rosie is bold, outspoken, and navigating love, power, and political games with unmatched flair.
This time, she’s roped into solving the murder of Prince Escalus the Elder—who just so happens to appear to her as a ghost. The book flirts shamelessly with Hamlet in a Shakespearean crossover that somehow works perfectly.
Rosie finds herself entangled in ghostly intrigue, political rebellion, forbidden love, and a hefty dose of royal blackmail.
I experienced a burst of the kind of smug exaltation I previously had only experienced when successfully deflecting a marital suit aimed at me. “Let’s make a deal. I'll find out who murdered you, and you promise in return that I'll marry my One True Love.”
“I can't do that. I'm a prince, not a matchmaker!”
“You’re a ghost.”
“As you wish. I'm a ghost not a wishing well.”
“That’s the deal. Take it or leave it. If I'm going to put my life in peril searching for a killer who—for what? eleven years?—has eluded capture, I want something in return.” —pp. 56-57
So, when the promise of reuniting with her One True Love is dangled in front of her, she dives headfirst into the mystery. All while dodging a very much alive prince with plans of his own…
Cal gazed at our hands and rearranged the grasp so his fingers deliberately intersected mine, reaching between, pressing our palms together. As if to give rein to sensation, he closed his eyes. With his thumb, he stroked my palm, creating the agitation that I'd told myself lacked importance; and in his face, I saw truth. I could scoff at myself, at my own passionate imaginings. It was Cal’s passionate imaginings of which I should be aware. —p. 82
Rosie’s sharp tongue and intentional commentary to the reader feel like a wink shared across centuries—a charming reminder that she knows exactly how ridiculous (and thrilling) her world is. The tone is warm, witty, and irreverent in the best possible way.
If you love historical fiction with a modern twist, a heroine who refuses to play by the rules, and a story that balances mystery, romance, and often campy wit, this one’s for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately, she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette, which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge. You can connect with Christina via her website and social media.
I'm envious that your local hosted Christina Dodd. Her invented Rosie is a scream as is everything else in these books (and novella). So glad you were highly entertained, too.