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utahmomreads's review against another edition
4.0
Styled after Dickens and other writers from that period, Lynn Shepherd's newest murder mystery The Solitary House is creepy, dark and intoxicating. While literary lovers may recognize some characters and themes from Victorian-era classics, it has been a long while since I've read Dickens. Therefore, my review will be based only on the stand-alone literary success of The Solitary House.
Young Charles Maddox is a private detective who received training from his uncle, one of the greats. Recently, removed from the police force, Maddox has just one case when he is contacted by the famous and powerful attorney Tulkinghorn and hired to investigate some threatening letters received by a client. The investigation soon proves complicated and deadly as Maddox's contacts are viciously murdered. Violently warned against further inquiry, Maddox will risk his own life to uncover the crimes and the truth.
The Solitary House is just what you want from a mystery. Filled with ominous characters and atrocious crimes, the seedy underbelly of Dicken's London is revived in Shepherd's newest novel. Charles Maddox is a likable and sympathetic protagonist, just flawed enough to be believable. Those he seeks are perfectly depraved and the secret they are attempt to conceal is horrifying. Well paced, the plot is thrilling and frightening and just what one wants from a murder mystery.
Young Charles Maddox is a private detective who received training from his uncle, one of the greats. Recently, removed from the police force, Maddox has just one case when he is contacted by the famous and powerful attorney Tulkinghorn and hired to investigate some threatening letters received by a client. The investigation soon proves complicated and deadly as Maddox's contacts are viciously murdered. Violently warned against further inquiry, Maddox will risk his own life to uncover the crimes and the truth.
The Solitary House is just what you want from a mystery. Filled with ominous characters and atrocious crimes, the seedy underbelly of Dicken's London is revived in Shepherd's newest novel. Charles Maddox is a likable and sympathetic protagonist, just flawed enough to be believable. Those he seeks are perfectly depraved and the secret they are attempt to conceal is horrifying. Well paced, the plot is thrilling and frightening and just what one wants from a murder mystery.
krobart's review against another edition
4.0
I had an ambivalent reaction to The Solitary House, which is sort of a riff on Bleak House. Ultimately, I am coming down on the side of strong admiration for this book. It is completely absorbing and inventive, well written and literate, and actually convincing as a twisted alternate vision of Bleak House minus the case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce. It made me want to return to Bleak House, which I have not read recently, and dig out all the references. It is a gothic novel that becomes a serious creepfest, and I love those.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-solitary-house/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-solitary-house/
mamap's review against another edition
2.0
Intriguing, but I didn't enjoy it. I can't enjoy such a negative and harsh subject matter. Our "hero" has his little finger cut off and sleeps with the black maid. Not exactly uplifting - as the story revolves around a house of little girls kept for the amusement of older men.
Too dark.
PG-married.
Too dark.
PG-married.
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
This could have been a really intriguing take on Bleak House by Charles Dickens if it wasn't for the author's heavy handed omniscient story telling. It just really took me out of the story every time the narrative turned back to the main story. Hester's diary and the scenic descriptions were quite good. I should have read this immediately after Bleak House when I read it a couple of years ago but didn't, so I missed all the nods to the original.
mrspearlmania500's review against another edition
1.0
Made it to page 106, I am giving up. This is boring .
wychwoodnz's review against another edition
3.0
I can't help feeling I would have loved this book had I already read the particular Charles Dickens/Wilkie Collins novels this pays homage too, but as they are still on my to-be-read list I can only judge it as a standalone book. The language is immersive and beautifully gritty, the plot intense, but to be honest I had a little trouble keeping track of all the secondary characters and quite often I felt like I was missing something or wasn't concentrating hard enough (which is not really what I'm looking for in my fiction reading). I do intend to reread this book at some stage and I think I'll appreciate it more the second time around as I'll be more familiar with it.
telerit's review against another edition
4.0
I was somewhat hesitant to read this once I found that it was based in part on a Dickens novel. I have a love/hate relationship with Dickens; I hate the pages of pages of sheer description, but love the plots and characters.
Thankfully Shepherd did not indulge in as much description as Dickens is wont to do and I found the story engaging and the characters vivid.
Thankfully Shepherd did not indulge in as much description as Dickens is wont to do and I found the story engaging and the characters vivid.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book
Ok, a bit more detail than that is probably needed but this is a terrific read. I have always struggled with Dickens (Tale of Two Cities for O-level put me off) but I spent a happy few months working my way through Wilkie Collins and the Woman in White is a favourite. Bleak House was a fabulous TV programme a few years ago and purists will say that it is not the same watching the adaptation but to me it makes Dickens accessible. So why am I rambling on about Collins and Dickens and not Shepherd. Simple, Lynn Shepherd has put together a completely original novel which incorporates plot elements from the two but stands alone as a rollicking good read.
Literary snobs can look for the links, literature lovers can enjoy the story. It could be viewed as a pastiche but the nasty plot twists are more explicit than either Collins or Dickens would have dared.
Ok, a bit more detail than that is probably needed but this is a terrific read. I have always struggled with Dickens (Tale of Two Cities for O-level put me off) but I spent a happy few months working my way through Wilkie Collins and the Woman in White is a favourite. Bleak House was a fabulous TV programme a few years ago and purists will say that it is not the same watching the adaptation but to me it makes Dickens accessible. So why am I rambling on about Collins and Dickens and not Shepherd. Simple, Lynn Shepherd has put together a completely original novel which incorporates plot elements from the two but stands alone as a rollicking good read.
Literary snobs can look for the links, literature lovers can enjoy the story. It could be viewed as a pastiche but the nasty plot twists are more explicit than either Collins or Dickens would have dared.
lazygal's review against another edition
5.0
This was an interesting blend of literary homage, mystery and historical fiction; based in part on The Woman in White and Bleak House, with a little Sherlock Holmes and real-life Dickens for seasoning, The Solitary House is one of the few stand-alones that left me wanting a sequel.
There are two mysteries here, one pertaining to a missing daughter/possibly dead granddaughter and one dealing with anonymous threats made to a Very Important Person. Charles Maddox, formerly of the Detective, is hired to figure out the answers; his travels through Dickensian London are properly atmospheric and interesting. The fog and stench are almost characters in themselves, and the people we meet, while stereotypical to anyone familiar with the literature of that era, feel real. There's an interesting needle at the difference between Dickens' writing and Austen's, a knowing wink to readers of the previous novel (which is on my To Buy/To Read list now).
The plot twist took me by surprise, but the ultimate answer I'd guessed far earlier. That something obvious can still surprise in some way is always a good sign! And the complete cliff-hanger at the end? I know there's a third book and don't know if it's also a stand-alone or if it will somehow continue the Maddox story. To be honest, either would work for me.
One small quibble: I didn't need her to reference P.D. James' The Maul and the Pear Tree (which, to be honest, is a rather coded reference but still... we get that this is an omniscient author from today and this insertion jarred a little).
ARC provided by publisher.
There are two mysteries here, one pertaining to a missing daughter/possibly dead granddaughter and one dealing with anonymous threats made to a Very Important Person. Charles Maddox, formerly of the Detective, is hired to figure out the answers; his travels through Dickensian London are properly atmospheric and interesting. The fog and stench are almost characters in themselves, and the people we meet, while stereotypical to anyone familiar with the literature of that era, feel real. There's an interesting needle at the difference between Dickens' writing and Austen's, a knowing wink to readers of the previous novel (which is on my To Buy/To Read list now).
The plot twist took me by surprise, but the ultimate answer I'd guessed far earlier. That something obvious can still surprise in some way is always a good sign! And the complete cliff-hanger at the end? I know there's a third book and don't know if it's also a stand-alone or if it will somehow continue the Maddox story. To be honest, either would work for me.
One small quibble: I didn't need her to reference P.D. James' The Maul and the Pear Tree (which, to be honest, is a rather coded reference but still... we get that this is an omniscient author from today and this insertion jarred a little).
ARC provided by publisher.
shannybean's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the end of this book more than I enjoyed the rest of the book. The chapters were way too long and it took Maddox forever to get to the point. I feel there were quite a few parts that just weren’t necessary. However I did like seeing they way everything came together at the end and I do enjoy Maddox’s character.
Overall the read wasn’t too bad just wished it was shorter.
Overall the read wasn’t too bad just wished it was shorter.