Some Danger Involved

Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas.

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Touchstone;(March 8, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0743256190



Amazon Review

An atmospheric debut novel set on the gritty streets of Victorian London, Some Danger Involved introduces detective Cyrus Barker and his assistant, Thomas Llewelyn, as they work to solve the gruesome murder of a young scholar in London's Jewish ghetto. When the eccentric and enigmatic Barker takes the case, he must hire an assistant, and out of all who answer an ad for a position with "some danger involved," he chooses downtrodden Llewelyn, a gutsy young man with a murky past.
As they inch ever closer to the shocking truth behind the murder, Llewelyn is drawn deeper and deeper into Barker's peculiar world of vigilante detective work, as well as the heart of London's teeming underworld. Brimming with wit and unforgettable characters and steeped in authentic period detail, Some Danger Involved is a captivating page-turner that introduces an equally captivating duo.



I've read one other Baker and Llewelyn book and enjoyed them both.  I went backward on this one as this would be the book that explains how Baker and Llewelyn become a team.

This book was a little slower but then this books sets up every other Baker and Llewelyn book to come.  

The books though are totally separate crimes and so other than background information they need not be read in succession. 

Although these books take place in early London the author actually lives in America.  I am guessing he did a lot of background work before writing them, because they are written for a very readable audience.

I have to admit that I didn't figure this one out until it was actually solved!

Slow reading this month, a lot of depression is back.. slow but sure, on to the next book! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspector of the Dead

Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell.

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Mulholland Books;(March 24, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0316323932

From School Library Journal

This follow-up to Murder as a Fine Art (2014) is set in 1855 while England is in the midst of the Crimean War. It opens with The Opium-Eater, Thomas De Quincey, and his daughter Emily leaving town, but a gruesome murder during a church service, seemingly connected to a rebel group committed to killing Queen Victoria, changes their plans. De Quincey is still addicted to laudanum, yet his skill at seeing connections, patterns, and possibilities that others miss is as strong as ever. The murders continue, each one more gruesome and artistically staged than the last. Teaming up again with Inspector Ryan and Detective Sergeant Becker, the De Quinceys work to untangle the motivation behind the murders and find the killer. The story is enriched by the weaving of historical facts into the narrative: the grinding failures of the Crimean War; the rigid, oppressive class divisions in London; and the multiple assassination attempts on Queen Victoria's life are all integral to the plot. The inclusion of some history of crime scene investigation practices enriches the story. Although it is a sequel, the book also stands alone. Teens will enjoy contrasting the class and culture stereotypes as well as expectations of women of the time with current-day ideas. VERDICT The narrative's drama, tension, and plot twists make this a likely hit with readers looking for grisly murder mysteries or compelling historical fiction.—



This is my second book by author David Morrell, who some may know as the author of the Rambo books/ movies.

Once again this book includes the characters of Thomas De Quincey (the Opium Eater) and his daughter Emily.  I have found De Quincey  a great character for the stories David Morrell has written.

Needing so much Opium to stay out of pain it has made his mind "dream" and yet know things he shouldn't know.  Most would long ago have died from the amount of this drug he takes... which of course is what makes him so interesting.  His daughter Emily fills a "secondary" story line between the two books that they have been in. (Murder as a Fine Art being the first book)  Other than the characters the stories do not overlap so you need not read one book in order to read the second. 

I enjoyed this book very much.  Morrell uses a lot of true history and true characters and  his descriptions of where he is at any time is so well done you feel you can see it.

So another good book bites the dust.......

Of the two books I like Murder as a Fine Art just a tiny bit more. But both are good reads.