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slimikin's review against another edition
2.0
For a little while there, I thought Grecian would just kill every single one of his characters and leave me sitting, stunned and awash in their blood, in the parlor of Day's house. Yeesh. This was definitely more of a gory thriller than the smart, historically nuanced mysteries I've come to expect from this series.
carolsnotebook's review
2.0
Things I didn’t like -
1. Jack the Ripper – really? Couldn’t we have a new bad guy, not one who’s been written and re-written a million times? It just annoyed me.
2. Day’s wife Claire has her babies in this one. Not only was she annoying, but I really don’t want to read about labor.
This is a bit more gory than most mysteries I read, but that didn’t really bother me. I don’t know that it’s really a mystery, more a thriller. We know who the killers are already and the other bad guy is pretty obvious from the beginning.
I will say John Curless did an excellent job as reader. He kept the characters separate and there were several longer dialogues that he kept interesting and moving along. I felt like he read it as it was meant to be read, melodrama and all. I probably wouldn’t have finished it if it had been in print instead of audio.
You can find my whole review at
1. Jack the Ripper – really? Couldn’t we have a new bad guy, not one who’s been written and re-written a million times? It just annoyed me.
2. Day’s wife Claire has her babies in this one. Not only was she annoying, but I really don’t want to read about labor.
This is a bit more gory than most mysteries I read, but that didn’t really bother me. I don’t know that it’s really a mystery, more a thriller. We know who the killers are already and the other bad guy is pretty obvious from the beginning.
I will say John Curless did an excellent job as reader. He kept the characters separate and there were several longer dialogues that he kept interesting and moving along. I felt like he read it as it was meant to be read, melodrama and all. I probably wouldn’t have finished it if it had been in print instead of audio.
You can find my whole review at
hslk0111's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the first book. The second book was pretty good. This one was just okay. I like the characters and the time period, but the plot was a little far fetched. I will, however, eagerly wait for book 4.
mslaura's review against another edition
3.0
I love a dark, gritty Victorian crime novel, but for me this one fell somewhat short of the previous books in this series. It was a bit more "in your face" for lack of a better term and lacked the nuance and depth of the previous novels. The plot did not feel as well developed and though one should expect a fair amount of gore in a book that includes Jack the Ripper as a central character, it felt somewhat gratuitous at times, as if the goal was shock rather than suspense. It did, however, leave me wanting to read the next book in the series and find out more about the Harvest Man, so overall I give it three stars.
mcampbel's review against another edition
4.0
Glad I didn't read this one at night. This book gives you shivers. It is very, very suspenseful!!
ashleyjapan's review against another edition
5.0
At this point, I think it's safe to say that I'm a huge Alex Grecian/Murder Squad fan. This book was the most nail biting story yet. As usual, I found that the story started pretty slowly, with a lot of character development and setting of tone and plot. But, once things picked up I really couldn't put down this book. Grecian is a master of the thrill and keeps you on the edge of your seat with a knife-edge balance of horror and anticipation. Even with a happy ending, you're left asking yourself when will things all fall apart, and you realize that the story is far from over. I'm definitely reading the next book as soon as I can get a hold of it!
judythereader's review against another edition
2.0
A year after he has disappeared, London still struggles with the shadow of Jack the Ripper. A group of men have banded together to mete out their own form of justice. They go so far as to break killers out of prison so they can take charge of their punishment. The London Police, lead by the Murder Squad, pull out all the stops in order to bring these men back in.
Over the course of a single day, Walter Day, Neville Hammersmith and the women in their lives will find their lives changed forever.
I adored the first book in this series. I was okay with the second, but I think I'm done with it now.
Over the course of a single day, Walter Day, Neville Hammersmith and the women in their lives will find their lives changed forever.
I adored the first book in this series. I was okay with the second, but I think I'm done with it now.
jaclynder's review against another edition
4.0
The best book in the series so far!
I'm not generally one for mysteries, but there's something about those set in a historical period that keeps me coming back for more. I discovered Alex Grecian a few years ago when I won book 1 of The Murder Squad series in a Goodreads giveaway, and I've been anxiously awaiting each installment since then.
The series is set in London following the Jack the Ripper murders and follows the changes to Scotland Yard after the horrific murders. Namely, the formation of the Murder Squad. Walter Day is one such inspector that forms the new Murder Squad and he's been changing the approach to investigation ever since. At this point in the series, with The Devil's Workshop readers are fairly familiar with Day and his team, including constable Hammersmith and Doctor Kingsley; however, the team is put sorely to the test in the latest installment.
Following the escape of four murderers from prison, Day and the rest of the Yard are sent to investigate and recapture the criminals before they can do any further damage. One of these criminals will be recognized from book one. However, it soon becomes clear to Day and company that there is more behind the apparent escape, and in fact, appears to be well planned out and has unleashed Jack the Ripper once again. This conspiracy threatens the lives of Day, his team, and those closest to him, and it seems that the team may not make it out of this investigation unscathed.
In my opinion, The Devil's Workshop is the best of the series so far. It was, by far, the most suspenseful of the series, as the violence hits closer to home for Day. I simply could not put this one down, which made for a rather groggy day at work the following morning. I did not know how this one was going to end, and I was worried that the characters that I'd come to love would be harmed irreparably, and really, some of them are. But to answer which ones, well that would spoil the book. Go forth and read!
As for the characters, this is really what has kept me reading the series. Yes, the mystery is great, but I love Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith. They make such a great team and I love getting glimpses into their personal lives. The author has done such an excellent job at combining mystery with fully developed characters. And Grecian's a master at multiple points of view; this has added so much to these mysteries. While character development is slow (because of all the action and mystery) it's what keeps me coming back; I want to know more about each of them. I can't wait to see what happens next for the Murder Squad considering the ending of this book. Changes are afoot and I hope this team can stay together. Only reading the next book will determine this.
The Devil's Workshop was a fantastic read. If you like character-driven mysteries, this would be the perfect choice for you. And if you haven't read the first two books in the series, I urge you to start at the beginning. These atmospheric novels are fantastic and worth the time spent reading.
Originally reviewed here.
I'm not generally one for mysteries, but there's something about those set in a historical period that keeps me coming back for more. I discovered Alex Grecian a few years ago when I won book 1 of The Murder Squad series in a Goodreads giveaway, and I've been anxiously awaiting each installment since then.
The series is set in London following the Jack the Ripper murders and follows the changes to Scotland Yard after the horrific murders. Namely, the formation of the Murder Squad. Walter Day is one such inspector that forms the new Murder Squad and he's been changing the approach to investigation ever since. At this point in the series, with The Devil's Workshop readers are fairly familiar with Day and his team, including constable Hammersmith and Doctor Kingsley; however, the team is put sorely to the test in the latest installment.
Following the escape of four murderers from prison, Day and the rest of the Yard are sent to investigate and recapture the criminals before they can do any further damage. One of these criminals will be recognized from book one. However, it soon becomes clear to Day and company that there is more behind the apparent escape, and in fact, appears to be well planned out and has unleashed Jack the Ripper once again. This conspiracy threatens the lives of Day, his team, and those closest to him, and it seems that the team may not make it out of this investigation unscathed.
In my opinion, The Devil's Workshop is the best of the series so far. It was, by far, the most suspenseful of the series, as the violence hits closer to home for Day. I simply could not put this one down, which made for a rather groggy day at work the following morning. I did not know how this one was going to end, and I was worried that the characters that I'd come to love would be harmed irreparably, and really, some of them are. But to answer which ones, well that would spoil the book. Go forth and read!
As for the characters, this is really what has kept me reading the series. Yes, the mystery is great, but I love Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith. They make such a great team and I love getting glimpses into their personal lives. The author has done such an excellent job at combining mystery with fully developed characters. And Grecian's a master at multiple points of view; this has added so much to these mysteries. While character development is slow (because of all the action and mystery) it's what keeps me coming back; I want to know more about each of them. I can't wait to see what happens next for the Murder Squad considering the ending of this book. Changes are afoot and I hope this team can stay together. Only reading the next book will determine this.
The Devil's Workshop was a fantastic read. If you like character-driven mysteries, this would be the perfect choice for you. And if you haven't read the first two books in the series, I urge you to start at the beginning. These atmospheric novels are fantastic and worth the time spent reading.
Originally reviewed here.
aditurbo's review against another edition
5.0
I devoured this book in about two days, holding my breath all the way with suspense. I loved the first book in the series, but thought the second one was a bit weaker. I'm glad to see that Grecian is back to form, creating some great characters and sweeping plot lines. Warning: There are many very gruesome scenes in this book, but what can you expect from a novel about Jack the Ripper and a few other murderers? It pulled me in right from the start, and I really needed to know that all of my favorite characters are going to make it out of it alive. I'm not going to tell you if they did.