I have a great affection for Lord John in Outlander, and the concept of him having his own series truly appealed to me.

However, unfortunately, this particular installment didn't quite hit the mark for me. I'm not the type of person who is drawn to mystery. The idea of sleuthing just doesn't pique my interest, and as a result, I found myself rather bored throughout.

Nonetheless, I still hold Lord John in high regard as a character, and I also liked Tom. But despite these positive aspects, I don't have any plans to continue with this series.

I must also mention that, given the abundance of romance in Outlander, I was really anticipating more in this one. Overall, it is indeed a very different read compared to the core series.

On a positive note, I do appreciate how central John's identity as a gay man is in this story. It was quite interesting to read about that world during this specific time period.

Great!

This article is not only funny but also gripping, making it a truly entertaining read.

I had the pleasure of reading it in German, and I must say that the translation was simply awesome.

The author has managed to create a story that engages the reader from start to finish, with its humorous moments and thrilling plot twists.

The translation did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the original text, allowing German readers to enjoy the story just as much as those who read it in the original language.

Overall, I would highly recommend this article to anyone looking for a fun and engaging read, whether in German or the original language.

It's a great example of how a well-written story can transcend language barriers and bring joy to readers around the world.

Forastera always saw Lord John Grey as an aristocratic man, formal, with a great secret and love to hide, but with a big heart, respectful and faithful to his convictions.

In this novel, Gabaldon precisely honors this secondary character of that saga.

As a family man, John is forced to investigate the fiancé of his cousin Olivia because he suspects that he has syphilis and therefore the wedding should be stopped despite the fact that he is a very well-established merchant socially and economically. While looking for clues about his suppositions, he is assigned to investigate an apparent traitor to the Crown.

It is in this way that both matters are intertwined. We see him as a London detective like those we already know, looking for clues, solving mysteries, facing the villains and seeing death up close in his attempts to discover the truth. Meanwhile, Grey meets who will be a faithful valet, but also, he will be seen visiting places of his past that will revive in him that dark secret that, although always present, he has been forced to hide.

All in all, a very entertaining novel about a particular character who has inspired many sighs in men and women.

Lord John in the solo version did not entirely meet my expectations. He got embroiled in conducting an investigation that is somehow related to stolen military orders and his cousin Olivia's engagement to a man suspected of having a French disease.

At first, I couldn't understand what was going on. Maybe it's also because John doesn't suit me as a detective at all. I definitely prefer him in situations more closely related to the main series of books, namely "Outlander" and its characters, as well as in social or military situations. The detective aspect of the book didn't move me at all, but I was thrilled with the life of contemporary London, the parties, and the dark alleys full of suspicious types. The author very interestingly described the phenomenon of homosexuality that emerged at that time, and it wasn't something ordinary. Because for being, as it was "beautifully" called, a pederast, one could even be hanged. At this moment, I bow to the author because at first glance, it can be seen that she delved into tons of literature in search of information.

I really like Gabaldon's writing style. Thanks to her, this story comes to life, and the characters seem real, almost as if they really lived once, and in some cases, it is indeed so. However, her other books were definitely easier and more enjoyable for me to read. This one didn't draw me in as much, it was a bit more sluggish, but I definitely don't regret the time spent with it.

Can this book be read without knowledge of the main series? Technically, yes, but I recommend getting acquainted with at least the first three volumes because Lord John sometimes recalls past events and says things like "this someone reminds me of Jamie, who is somewhere there in some place" and so on. Of course, I recommend this book to all fans of "Outlander" because it's really atmospheric, and I know that Lord John has many fans. I like him myself, and it was really nice for me to return to the eighteenth century again.

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Very quickly:

This was a good book (kind of?), but booooring. The writing is quite nice and the research is incredibly well done. There is no historical info dumping, which is a plus. However, there was one major issue that I just could not overlook.

I read books mainly for the plot, but also, if not more importantly, for the characters. In this case, we don't get to know anything about Lord John. Absolutely nothing. The focus is solely on the plot, with a generous dose of colorful side characters. But now that I'm done with the book, all I feel is a grudging curiosity towards John Grey. And I repeat, I know nothing about him. Who is Hector? What the heck is Hector? Where did John grow up? What about his brothers? What's his relationship with them? And so on and so forth.

I suppose I will read the novellas collected in Lord John and the Hand of Devils sometime in the future.

So, I'm really frustrated.

Lord John and The Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon is a rather underwhelming addition to the Outlander universe.

In an attempt to squeeze every ounce of value from the beloved Outlander series, Ms. Gabaldon has written a spin-off featuring Lord John. Set within the same time frame as the original series, it lacks the presence of the other characters that readers have come to adore. Jamie is mentioned a few times, and Claire is also referred to, although she remains unnamed in this particular book.

The story involves Lord John being embroiled in a spy scandal, complete with some rather far-fetched side plots and characters. While the portrayal of seventeenth-century London is somewhat accurate, with all its muck and dirt on display, the overall narrative comes across as pompous and unrealistic.

It seems that Gabaldon was more focused on capitalizing on the popularity of the Outlander brand rather than creating a truly engaging and standalone story. As a result, Lord John and The Private Matter fails to live up to the expectations set by the original series.

I'm rather surprised that it took me this long to get around to reading the spin-off series from the Outlander book.

In a nutshell, if you enjoy her story-telling and liked Lord John as a character, you'll like these stories.

Lord John Grey definitely can carry his own stories. The "Private Matter" unfolded in a rather interesting way and ends up being a mystery as a whole.

Having recently watched the 2nd Sherlock Holmes movie starring Jude Law as Watson, I couldn't help but cast him in my mind as Lord John.

The book stands alone well. The Outlander books are not a prerequisite for enjoying this book. All you need to know is that Lord John has a serious crush on a Scotsman named Jamie Fraser (who is large with flame red hair) but it's unrequited as Jamie is very much heterosexual and deeply in love with his wife. There's less than a handful of references to Jamie and all are very brief.

Also of note, this story takes place quite some time after Lord John returned from Scotland and there's a lot of backstory fill in about what LJ did in that time. Diana wrote "Lord John and the Hellfire Club" novella after this book and it's set in that time frame so if you want to get more of the in between time, that's where you'll find it. I don't think it's necessary to read it in advance however. You can find the novella in "Lord John and the Hand of Devils" which is a compilation of novellas about Lord John.

I ended up reading the Hellfire novella immediately after this one, then moved on to the Succubus one as Diana says it comes after this book chronologically. When I finish that, I'll set that collection aside and read the Brotherhood of the Blades.

I'm really enjoying this exploration of Lord John's world. It's a different perspective from the main Outlander series but just as engaging. The characters are well-developed and the storylines are full of mystery and intrigue. I can't wait to see what else Diana Gabaldon has in store for Lord John.

On Second Reading

It has been several years since I initially read this story. At that time, it was good, but this time around, I truly relished it. Perhaps the difference lies in having read numerous long books, which has led me to thoroughly appreciate Lord John Gray.

He is a man of integrity and sharp intellect. Observing him untangle the enigma of the spy within his brother's regiment and strive to rescue his cousin from an unfortunate marriage is a captivating experience.

In the future, I am certain that I will revisit "Private Matter" once more! Diana's stories appear to improve with each retelling. It's as if with each reading, I discover new nuances and details that enhance my enjoyment. The characters come to life more vividly, and the plot becomes even more engaging. I can't wait to see what new revelations and pleasures await me upon my next encounter with this wonderful story.

LORD JOHN AND THE PRIVATE MATTER – Good+

Diana Gabaldon's "Lord John and the Private Matter" is a standalone novel that offers an engaging look into 18th century English society.

Major Lord John Grey stumbles upon a suspicion that his cousin's fiancée might be infected with the pox. As he endeavors to find a discreet means to confirm his doubts, Grey finds himself embroiled in an investigation of vanished British Army requisition papers in Calais. He must determine if there is a link between their disappearance and the murder of a possible spy, Sergeant Timothy O'Connell. Grey commences an inquiry into O'Connell's death, which leads him to Trevelyan and a mysterious woman in green velvet.

Gabaldon does a remarkable job of presenting a different facet of 18th century English society, which held my attention throughout the reading. She is highly skilled at evoking a sense of place and crafting interesting characters. However, the plot does have some holes, with certain assumptions left for the reader to make, and the ending is rather abrupt. Despite these flaws, I still found the novel enjoyable.

4.5★s

Lord John and the Private Matter is the initial novel in the captivating Lord John Grey series penned by the highly popular American author, Diana Gabaldon.

As Lord John Grey, a Major in His Majesty’s 47th Regiment, patiently awaits his next posting, he receives the news of the demise of a Sergeant who was well-acquainted to him. When he pays a condolence visit to the widow, something seems amiss. Subsequently, his friend, Colonel Harry Quarry, discloses that Sergeant O’Connell was suspected of being a spy. The man assigned to shadow him has vanished, and Grey is entrusted with the task of conducting an investigation.

Simultaneously, quite unexpectedly, Grey stumbles upon a disconcerting fact regarding the Hon. Joseph Trevelyan, the prospective husband of his niece, Olivia Pearsall. As Grey makes inquiries to either confirm or dismiss his concerns, he uncovers more alarming details, and the boundaries between his two areas of investigation start to become blurred.

Before Grey ultimately learns the truth about what has transpired, he will embark on a series of adventures. He will visit a brothel and a molly house, closely examine two lifeless bodies, acquire a new valet, endure mercury poisoning, encounter cross-dressers, consume a significant amount of German wine, adjudicate in a fight over a corpse, and board a ship bound for India. There are numerous twists and turns leading up to the thrilling climax of this rather enjoyable work of historical fiction.

Love Lord John so much!

This book was truly quite entertaining and had a wee bit of scandal thrown in, which made it all the more captivating. What an excellent detective LJG is!! His skills and intellect are truly remarkable, and it's a joy to follow his adventures.

I'm really looking forward to filling in the gaps from the OL big books with these bulges of goodness and intrigue. These shorter stories offer a unique perspective and add depth to the overall narrative. It's like getting a sneak peek into the world of Lord John and uncovering hidden secrets and mysteries along the way.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or historical fiction. It's a great addition to the series and will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Lord John Grey is on the case! Tasked with multiple investigations, he must find out who murdered a man, determine if his cousin's fiance is infected with Syphilis, and locate a missing young man.

Quite frankly, I'm completely at a loss as to who this book was intended for. It certainly wasn't for me. Maybe the author wrote it specifically for Lord John? But he doesn't even seem like the character I got to know in Outlander. So once again, I'm left wondering why this book was written in the first place.

For the most part, this is just a historical detective novel with a touch of LGBT themes. And to be honest, it wasn't all that captivating. The only somewhat interesting aspect was how Lord John was going to attempt to prove that the fiance had Syphilis, mainly because it was rather amusing. Gabaldon tried to make the murder of the army man interesting, but I really didn't find anything engaging about it, except that she made it overly complicated behind the scenes.

Perhaps the worst part of the plot was that everything was revealed in a single chapter at the end of the book, and it was all interconnected. It was a 20-minute info dump about things we already knew, as well as the true motives behind everything. This was by far the least interesting way to end the book that I can think of. I didn't really care about any of the plot threads at this point, and what little interest I had died when they became intertwined. There was no real need for them to be connected at all, other than the author's desire.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect was the lack of romance or any real social ties. Lord John is alone in this book. The strongest point of Gabaldon's works is the relationships she weaves. This book really didn't have any of that, so it felt rather lifeless. I really enjoyed Lord John's presence in Outlander, but he doesn't seem like the same person here. There are hints of the character I came to like, but that's all they are - hints. Maybe there are only hints because most of the relationships I associate with him haven't been established yet. Still, I was disappointed.

This was not the book for me. I like the character, and I like Outlander. I'm not sure what this book was trying to achieve. I was bored for most of the time, and while there wasn't anything overly bad about it, there just wasn't anything that kept me interested. 56 points/100 (3 stars/5).