Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley Book Review

Publication Date: 31st October, 2023
Publisher: Aurora Metro Books
Format: Paperback
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

"I collected the first bone when I was twelve. This fact was not mentioned in court... Such a tiny little bone, more like a tooth. I only kept it to keep him safe."

Kathryn Darkling, imprisoned in Holloway, is facing death by hanging for her vengeance killing. Haunted by a spirit, she still hopes to perform the ancient black magic that will free her soul, or her struggle to punish the mighty will have been in vain. Will the love of her life

Murder on Oak Street by I. M. Foster Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: November 4, 2022
Publisher: independent
Page Length: 503
Series: A South Shore Mystery
Genre: Historical Mystery

Synopsis

New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O'Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it's time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer

Three Monkeys by Len Maynard Spotlight and Excerpt

Publication Date: 22nd July 2020
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Series: DCI Jack Callum Mysteries Book 1
Page Length: 270 Pages
Genre: Historical Crime

Synopsis

1958.

A girl’s body is found in Hertfordshire.

Her eyes and mouth have been sewn shut. Candle wax has been poured into her ears to seal them.

DCI Jack Callum, policeman and dedicated family man, who cut his teeth walking the

CAN'T-WAIT WEDNESDAY: I can't wait for The Brisbane Line by J.P. Powell

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. Find out more here.

Book Review: Shadow of the Hangman by Edward Marston

My first book for 2016 was Shadow of the Hangman by Edward Marston.  Marston is famous for a number of crime series set in various historical time periods ranging from the 11th century through to World War I.

My introduction to this author was through his 18th century adventure series about the exploits of Captain Daniel Rawson, a soldier serving under the Duke of Marlborough during the Wars of the Spanish Succession. I have also read several of Marston's Victorian series featuring Inspector Colbeck, the Railway Detective.

Shadow of the Hangman is the first in Marston's new Regency crime series. It introduces identical-twin private detectives Peter and Paul Skillen, whose physical resemblance makes for some very entertaining moments and causes some heartache for one of the brothers.

The setting is 1815: the Battle of Waterloo has been fought and England is no longer at war with the French or the American colonies, though prisoners from both conflicts are still being held in prisons around the country.

Following a riot and massacre at Dartmoor prison, two American seamen escape and make their way to London hoping to tell the authorities their version of what happened during the riot without being recaptured. Over at the Home Office, a respected cleaning lady disappears leaving behind untidy offices and overflowing waste paper baskets. Has she run off with a lover or is her disappearance a part of something more sinister?

The Bow Street Runners are called in to provide security for an upcoming public function at which the Home Secretary and other dignitaries will be present. While their nemeses, the Skillen brothers, are hired to investigate the disappearance of the cleaning lady and to track down the American fugitives. This does not go down well with Micah Yeomans, a Principal Officer of the Bow Street Runners, and even though his men have not been assigned these cases he is determined to solve them before the Skillen brothers, by fair means or foul.

I enjoyed this first offering of the new series from Edward Marston. It has a great line-up of characters made more interesting by the protagonists being twin brothers, identical in looks but dissimilar in nature. Multiple sub-plots keep the pace of the story moving and the animosity that Micah Yeomans feels for the Skillens adds another level of suspense as he plots to thwart their investigations and bring them into disrepute. The Bow Street Runners are outsmarted by the Skillens more than once, sometimes unintentionally, bringing a dash of humour to the story.

As in all the Edward Marston novels I've read to-date, the historical detail is subtly introduced. In Shadow of the Hangman it is present in sufficient quantity to transport the reader back to post-Waterloo era London with all its social and political problems.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Skillen brothers get up to next and the continued rivalry between them and the Bow Street Runners, which I'm sure will be another entertaining read. The Bow Street Rivals has all the elements to be another successful series for Edward Marston.

Book Review: On Track For Murder by Stephen Childs

On Track for Murder  is Stephen Childs' debut novel. It is set in 1889 and, as the title and elegant book cover suggest, is a mystery with a railway connection.

Eighteen year old Abigail Sergeant and her younger brother, Bertrand, disembark from a steamship in Fremantle, Western Australia, looking forward to being reunited with their father and starting a new life.

Mr. Sergeant, a railway engineer, sent out from England years before, has overseen the connection of the railway between Perth and the port city of Albany, on the south-east coast.

While joyfully welcomed by their father, Abigail and Bertrand's  reunion with their step-mother, Frances, is not so happy. A mutual dislike between Abigail and Frances causes unrest in the home, but Abigail is determined to let nothing threaten her and Bertrand's pleasure at being with their father and the security of living as a family once more.
   
Abigail's hopes of a happy family life are shattered when her father is murdered and Bertrand is found holding the murder weapon. He is arrested, but Abigail knows Bertrand is  innocent. She just needs time to contact a witness. Granted five days by the Detective Inspector in charge of the case, Abigail sets off for Albany, accompanied by Constable Dunning, a policeman she met previously at the Fremantle docks.

Abigail is an unconventional eighteen year old. She finds steam engines and all things mechanical interesting. An interest encouraged by her father and frowned upon by her step-mother, who thinks such interests unnatural in a female. A well-bred young lady should be focusing on marriage and domestic affairs.

Abigail's mechanical knowledge plays a large part in the story and adds credibility to the way she extricates herself from a number of difficult situations. She is also very protective of her brother, who finds it hard to communicate and interact with people, and faced life in an institution had they remained in England. When the investigation threatens to overwhelm her and she is niggled by self-doubt, thoughts of Bertrand unjustly accused makes her more determined to bring the real culprit to justice.

Constable Dunning is also unusual for his time. He readily accepts Abigail's fascination with trains and steam engines and sees her as a capable partner in the task they have been assigned. A little awkward around Abigail at first, he is cool-headed and methodical in his approach to the investigation, his pencil stub and notebook never faraway. 

The relationship between Abigail and Constable Dunning is sweetly developed. Abigail's preconceived view that her ideal mate would be someone sharing her mechanical interests is completely overthrown when she realises that Constable Dunning also has an enquiring mind and is not the weakling she first thought. There are some lovely moments and humourous exchanges between the two as their feelings for each other grow.

Packed with drama from the first chapter, it is easy to be swept along with Abigail and Constable Dunning in their quest to prove Bertrand is innocent. Kidnapping, arson and attempted murder bring them into contact with a thuggish seaman, petty criminals and a religious fanatic before the case is solved. Though I had my suspicions who the murderer was, there are a number of suspects with equally strong motives just to complicate matters and add an element of doubt. A plot twist at the end is a clever distraction before the murderer is finally revealed.

On Track for Murder is a fast-paced, well-written historical mystery with a touch of romance. Victorian era views and prejudices, plausible plot lines, credible outcomes, believable protagonists, all combine to make this a very entertaining read.  I enjoyed this novel and look forward to more from Stephen Childs.

Note: I received a free copy of this novel from Authoright in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

On Track for Murder  is published by Clink Street Publishing and is available September 1, 2015, from The Book Depository, Amazon US and other book sellers.

Book Review: The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson

Thomas Hawkins is on his way to Tyburn to be hanged as a murderer. He is anticipating a royal pardon, so is not overly concerned - at first, though the experience is far from pleasant. As he travels from Newgate Prison through the streets of Georgian London, he narrates what has brought him to this sorry plight. 

Thomas and his love, Kitty Sparks, are happily running a book shop, selling legal and illegal publications, and dealing with weekly visits from the local magistrate. However, Thomas is growing bored with domesticity and craves excitement. He is slowly returning to his old ways. The same ones that saw him thrown into debtors' prison not so long ago.
 
He mentions to James Fleet, the notorious leader of one of London's street gangs and the father of Sam, who Thomas is teaching to be a gentleman, that he's looking for adventure. Subsequently, a summons from Queen Caroline brings him more excitement than he cares for as he becomes involved in the unhappy marriage of the King's mistress, Henrietta Howard, and her husband. To add to Thomas' woes, his next-door neighbour, Joseph Burden, is murdered and he becomes the prime suspect. Assisted by Kitty and Sam, Thomas tries to prove his innocence, but unfortunately his very public arguments with his neighbour, his way of life and a rumour circulating that he has killed before, work against him and he is eventually arrested for the crime.

I eagerly awaited the return of Thomas Hawkins after following his exploits in The Devil in the Marshalsea, Antonia Hodgson's debut novel and the first in the series. It was worth the wait. What's more reading the first book is not a prerequisite to enjoying and following this sequel as there is enough of Thomas' back story woven into the narrative to explain his present situation.

The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins commences a few months after Thomas' release from the Marshalsea and introduces a colourful mix of new characters and others we have met before. Unlike The Devil in the Marshalsea, where most of the action is confined to the one place, Thomas' investigations and his gentlemanly pursuits lead him all over London, from the violent Georgian underworld to the opulence of St. James' Palace.

Trouble dogs Thomas' every move as he tries to extricate himself from the mess he's in. Unfortunately his actions are often misconstrued. For all his worldly experiences, he is still quite naive, a trait that makes him such a lovable rogue.

There are a number of suspects for Burden's murder, but Thomas is unable to link any of them to the crime and, another of his traits, a sense of honour, stops him laying the blame on anyone without having  indisputable evidence. Like Thomas, I had no real idea who the culprit was, though I had my suspicions.

I enjoyed reading Thomas' trial transcript presented as an authentic 18th century publication. Kitty's evidence was particularly moving and amusing in equal amounts. Throughout the novel Kitty's defence of Thomas is fierce, which makes for some very entertaining moments and some poignant ones.

Thomas' narration is interspersed with scenes of his progress from Newgate to Tyburn. These are well done and the switch in perspective adds extra suspense. As the scenery changes en route, these sketches also show Thomas' range of emotions. He still hopes for a pardon, but the closer he gets to Tyburn, the less confident of receiving one he becomes.

I loved everything about this novel. It is fast paced with many plot twists, an assortment of characters, fictional and lesser known historical figures, and a  great setting for a protagonist such as Thomas Hawkins. Once again Antonia Hodgson succeeds in bringing the Georgian world he inhabits to life with her vivid descriptions and attention to detail. I can still hear the tolling of the church bell and the jeering of the crowds as Thomas makes his way to Tyburn. His speech from the gallows, though not what the crowd wants to hear, is theatrical and honest, with a touch of humour, which makes Thomas Hawkins such an endearing character. Does he get his pardon? Now that would be telling ...

Saturday Sleuthing: Classic Cars, Spitfires, Chimney Sweeps, Chefs and Jane Austen

Amy Myers writes crime novels, but they are crime novels with a difference. Her crime solving characters are an unusual mix and while some of these novels cannot be called historical fiction they do have links to the past.

THE JACK COLBY, CAR DETECTIVE, MYSTERIES

Jack Colby is the owner of a classic car restoration business and while tracking down classic cars finds himself involved in murder. I was drawn to these books by their covers: classic cars have a style of their own, especially those from the 1930s. Six books are currently available in this series.

Classic In The Barn (Jack Colby, Car Detective Mysteries #1)

When Jack Colby glimpses a 1938 Lagonda V12 lying uncared for in a Kentish country barn, he has to have a closer look - which brings him face to face with its angry owner, Polly Davis. Is it the car or Polly that captivates his heart? He decides to find out more about both, but his enquiries are abruptly cut short when Polly is murdered. Convinced that the Lagonda is somehow involved, he is determined to bring her killer to justice, even at the expense of his own safety . . .








Classic Cashes In (Jack Colby, Car Detective, Mysteries #6)

Jack Colby, car detective, takes a seemingly routine commission that precipitates him into a dangerous world of secrets and murder. A commission to buy a classic Packard saloon from the 1930s on behalf of a client should have been routine for Jack Colby, but this Packard is special ...and as Jack struggles to piece together the car's history and the mystery surrounding it, he is soon precipitated into a dangerous world where nothing is as it seems. What is the reason behind enigmatic banking magnate Philip Moxton's desperate desire for this particular car? Whatever it is, the car's current owner, actor Tom Herrick, seems to know it too - and is all too willing to sell. But when murder strikes, Jack is drawn into a hunt for the truth that involves not only his personal happiness but facing a relentless killer.



THE MARSH AND DAUGHTER MYSTERIES

Peter and Georgia Marsh are a father and daughter team. Peter is an ex-policeman confined to a wheelchair and Georgia is the wife of a publisher. Together they investigate crimes from the past and write books about their cases. There are eight books in this series, The Wickenham Murders,  is the first.

Once again I was drawn to these two novels by their covers: spitfires always signal a World War II story, another of my favourite eras, and the ink pot, with the image of the old mansion, and quill definitely hinted at a more historical connection.

Murder in Hell's Corner (Marsh and Daughter Mystery #3)

A reunion of Spitfire pilots from the Battle of Britain in a Kentish country hotel, and an overgrown rockery garden covered with bluebells combine to spark off one of Georgia and Peter Marsh's most dramatic cases. They discover that a murder had taken place in the 1970s; the victim was a popular war hero, Patrick Fairfax. His murder had never been solved. Convinced that there is a story here, the father and daughter Marsh team is driven to find out what happened. As well as the Spitfire pilots, the reunion included several members of the aviation club Fairfax ran after the war, and not all of them had cause to love him. Fairfax' memory is still green: his family keeps the flame burning, a film is in production, and his classic story of the Battle of Britain is to be reissued. What Peter and Georgia discover, however, sets in train of events that leads to a second murder, as the passions of today boil over to prevent the truth from emerging.

Murder in Abbott's Folly (Marsh and Daughter Mystery #8)

Curiosity about a murder that took place in an eighteenth-century folly draws father and daughter team Peter and Georgia Marsh to a Jane Austen-themed summer gala at Stourdens, a fast-decaying Georgian mansion in Kent. But instead of enjoying a literary day out, they are thrust into a tense situation, with a collection of Jane's letters - thought to contain thrilling secrets about her love life - at its heart. Should they be published? Peter and Georgia are inadvertently caught up in the battle - which soon turns deadly .







THE TOM WASP MYSTERIES

Tom Wasp is a chimney sweep from the East End of London. Together with Ned, his former climbing boy, they solve crimes in Victorian London. There are only two novels so far in this series, the first being Tom Wasp and the Murdered Stunner.

Tom Wasp and the Newgate Knocker (Tom Wasp Mystery #2)

When chimney sweep Tom Wasp visits his friend Eliza Hogg in Newgate Prison in January 1863, on the day before she is due to be hanged, he is surprised to be given the only thing of value she possesses and even more surprised when that turns out to be a pawn ticket. Tom's apprentice, twelve-year-old Ned, is disappointed that the pawned item is only a scruffy sailor doll. Some days later, however, they find its hidden secret...








THE AUGUSTE DIDIER MYSTERIES

This series, of nine books, is set in the late Victorian/early Edwardian era and features Auguste Didier, a French chef. This was Amy Myers' first series.

Murder in Pug's Parlour (Auguste Didier Mysteries #1)

Accused of poisoning a man with the mushrooms he prepared the night of the murder, chef Auguste Didier is forced to investigate the crime himself in order to clear his name.













I did say at the start of this post that Amy Myers' crime solving characters are an unusual mix. What do you think?

While I probably won't read any of the Jack Colby novels or the books featuring Auguste Didier, not being a great fan of books with a culinary setting, I'm seriously tempted by the other two series. Cold case crimes fascinate me by the fact that crimes can still be solved a very long time after they are committed. And the Tom Wasp Mysteries? This series did grab my attention. If a chef and a car restorer can solve crime, why not a Victorian chimney sweep?

Amy Myers' writing career spans over 25 years, from 1986 to the present. She also writes romances, suspense and historical novels under a number of pseudonyms: Laura Daniels, Alice Carr and Harriet Hudson. As with most authors with a large body of work, many of her early crime novels are out of print, but some have been released as ebooks.

Book Review: A Cruel Necessity by L.C. Tyler

The theatres are padlocked. Christmas has been cancelled. It is 1657 and the unloved English Republic is eight years old. Though Cromwell's joyless grip on power appears immovable, many still look to Charles Stuart's dissolute and threadbare court-in-exile, and some are prepared to risk their lives plotting a restoration.

For the officers of the Republic, constant vigilance is needed. So, when the bloody corpse of a Royalist spy is discovered on the dung heap of a small Essex village, why is the local magistrate so reluctant to investigate? John Grey, a young lawyer with no clients, finds himself alone in believing that the murdered man deserves justice. Grey is drawn into a vortex of plot and counter-plot and into the all-encompassing web of intrigue spun by Cromwell's own spy-master, John Thurloe.

So when nothing is what it seems, can Grey trust anyone?

John Grey, returning home after a night’s drinking in the village inn, meets a stranger who enquires after the innkeeper. Thinking nothing of this until a body is discovered and  no-one in the village admits to seeing the stranger, John sets off to solve the murder and becomes embroiled in more deaths and espionage along the way.

He lurches from one suspect to another in his investigation,  always one step behind and manipulated by those around him. For all his academic learning, John is outwitted by those less educated than himself. Early on in the novel I had a feeling that John was the only person in the village not in on the conspiracy and was being indulged.

John Grey is just one of  a cast of amusing and eccentric characters that populate the village, where Republicans and disenfranchised Royalists live side by side. John once held Royalist views, but now supports the Commonwealth. This all adds to John's dilemma of who to trust.

Told from John Grey’s point of view, the story held my interest. There were enough clues and suspects along the way to keep the momentum going to the surprise revelation at the end.

 

I found this an unusual historical mystery. The style of writing left me puzzled. It read like a comedy. I wasn't sure this was the effect the writer intended, but an internet search revealed Len Tyler is a writer of comic crime fiction and so the writing style made sense.

This was Len Tyler's first historical mystery. While being an entertaining read, I’m not sure I enjoyed this novel enough to read another in the series for no other reason than I discovered I am not a great fan of comic fiction.

Matthew Hawkwood - A Regency James Bond

James McGee writes crime novels set in Regency London during the Napoleonic Wars  featuring Matthew Hawkwood, an ex-soldier, who is now a Bow Street Runner and described as "a Regency James Bond".

The series commences with “RATCATCHER”, also released under the title “HAWKWOOD”, followed by “RESURRECTIONIST”, “RAPSCALLION” and “REBELLION’. 

 “THE BLOODING”, which takes Hawkwood to America, is due for release in 2014.

Another series for my reading wish list …..

Book Review: The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller

For my next read I decided to leave the medieval world behind for a while and move forward a few hundred years to the end of the First World War - the year 1920 to be exact - and a mystery.

This is an unusual detective story. It opens on a railway station platform, with a silent crowd waiting to pay their respects to the Unknown Warrior, whose coffin is aboard a train bound for burial in London, and a mysterious figure standing alone.

Dealing with his own personal loss and a life that has changed forever, ex-soldier, Laurence Bartram, receives a letter from the sister of a former school friend who is trying to make sense of why her brother, John Emmett, committed suicide after surviving the war.

Puzzled by the relevance of items in John Emmett's possession at the time of his death, Laurence sets off to find the answers and soon becomes embroiled in a mystery that brings back the recent horrors of World War I and its devastating effect on those that lived through it and its aftermath. I won't elaborate on the story further,  as that would spoil it  for those who haven't read it, only to say it is a tragic tale.

My interest was held to the very end of the novel. The image of that mysterious figure at the station was always in my mind. Who was he and  what connection, if any, did this person have to the unfortunate events  in the story? I had many theories, none of which were correct, and to me the essence of a good mystery novel is one that keeps me guessing until the author decides to reveal the solution.

I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading Elizabeth Speller's next entitled "The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton" also featuring Laurence Bartram.

If you want to know more about the aftermath of World War I, Aftermath is a great website to visit. There is a page devoted to the Unknown Warrior.