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naluju's review
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
cdeane61's review against another edition
5.0
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It is part of a series, of which I have read one other, and based on this, I will be looking into the others.
It has elements of police procedurals, history - not only of London, but beyond, including early history of the Mafia.
Just a fun all around read.
It is part of a series, of which I have read one other, and based on this, I will be looking into the others.
It has elements of police procedurals, history - not only of London, but beyond, including early history of the Mafia.
Just a fun all around read.
thenecessarysalamander's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
mferrante83's review against another edition
4.0
The Black Hand is what happens when one combines the allure of the 19th century detective with the skill and tendancies honed during the height of the hard-boiled error. Inspector Barker is a 19th Marlowe with kung-fu skills and a pair of inseparable sunglasses. Llewelyn, Barker’s apprentice is the slightly sarcastic, somewhat snide narrator whose voice dominates the novel. It is perhaps a little odd, and certainly unique amongst the crime and detective novel’s I’ve read thus far, that the narrator of the novel is not the quirky detective hero but rather his sidekick. Of course, calling Llewelyn a side kick is not entirely fair, he is slightly more to that. He is Barker’s apprentice, yes and he certainly isn’t as off-beat as his boss but he is still a unique character in his own right.
The plot of The Black Hand, while it opens up with a storm swept fight scene illuminated by Llewelyn’s keen wit as well as flashes of lightening, quickly steps backward in time to a Thame’s side crime scene where lays the body of an infamous Italian assassin. From there the plot delves quickly into Barker’s quest to stave off the pending invasion of the Sicilian mafiosa. There is no locked door mystery, no grand revelation of facts, and no precise set equation in which the crimes occur. No, the Black Hand, is very much a modern crime thriller simply set in on the mean streets of 19th century London rather then the shadowed streets off San Francisco or New York.
It works quite beautifully and while the idea of an a crime story involving the mafia being set in 19th London is little bit odd for a reader used to movies featuring the mob being set during a more modern era and in American cities it is a sensation that quickly wears off. This is in no small part due to Will Thomas’ ability to describe the setting, describing places and the journeys between places with a ready ease. Indeed, if I wasn’t convinced already, The Black Hand has sealed my belief that as important as the detective is the environment in which he operates in is almost equally important. Mike Hammer’s New York, Marlowe’s Los Angeles, Spencer’s Boston, and Barker’s London are characters in their own right and as important to the quality of their stories as they themselves are.
Of course while Barker is the big detective of The Black Hand, his assistant/apprentice Llewelyn is the narrator and thus is worth a look on his own. If I could I would paste the whole prologue here, the opening knife fight of the novel was enough to sell me on the read, and quite a thrilling action scene. Many of the asides that Llewelyn throws out during the fight give a good indicator of his character’s wit such as his bemoaning the spiky nature of foreign plants “Why can’t they be round and safe like English leaves?” or how his attacker was “…ready to bury a dagger in my chest for decoration, if I had no objections.” Of course, later in the novel, Llewelyn gets a bit cheekier when after arriving a Scotland Yard after being arrested at a crime scene (for the second time) “We’re home!….Put the kettle on.”
The Black Hand starts out with a bang and, while it slows the pace down quite considerably during the rest of the novel, remains an engaging read and curious amalgam of modern hard-boiled sensibility in a a historical setting. Though it didn’t win The Black Hand was a nominee for the 2009 Shamus Award, an award that had I know it existed before I started this little project I would have consulted quite frequently. While I don’t plan on going back and reading the earlier Barker and Llewelyn novels (of which there are 4, excluding The Black Hand) I will be curious to see where the series goes from here.
The plot of The Black Hand, while it opens up with a storm swept fight scene illuminated by Llewelyn’s keen wit as well as flashes of lightening, quickly steps backward in time to a Thame’s side crime scene where lays the body of an infamous Italian assassin. From there the plot delves quickly into Barker’s quest to stave off the pending invasion of the Sicilian mafiosa. There is no locked door mystery, no grand revelation of facts, and no precise set equation in which the crimes occur. No, the Black Hand, is very much a modern crime thriller simply set in on the mean streets of 19th century London rather then the shadowed streets off San Francisco or New York.
It works quite beautifully and while the idea of an a crime story involving the mafia being set in 19th London is little bit odd for a reader used to movies featuring the mob being set during a more modern era and in American cities it is a sensation that quickly wears off. This is in no small part due to Will Thomas’ ability to describe the setting, describing places and the journeys between places with a ready ease. Indeed, if I wasn’t convinced already, The Black Hand has sealed my belief that as important as the detective is the environment in which he operates in is almost equally important. Mike Hammer’s New York, Marlowe’s Los Angeles, Spencer’s Boston, and Barker’s London are characters in their own right and as important to the quality of their stories as they themselves are.
Of course while Barker is the big detective of The Black Hand, his assistant/apprentice Llewelyn is the narrator and thus is worth a look on his own. If I could I would paste the whole prologue here, the opening knife fight of the novel was enough to sell me on the read, and quite a thrilling action scene. Many of the asides that Llewelyn throws out during the fight give a good indicator of his character’s wit such as his bemoaning the spiky nature of foreign plants “Why can’t they be round and safe like English leaves?” or how his attacker was “…ready to bury a dagger in my chest for decoration, if I had no objections.” Of course, later in the novel, Llewelyn gets a bit cheekier when after arriving a Scotland Yard after being arrested at a crime scene (for the second time) “We’re home!….Put the kettle on.”
The Black Hand starts out with a bang and, while it slows the pace down quite considerably during the rest of the novel, remains an engaging read and curious amalgam of modern hard-boiled sensibility in a a historical setting. Though it didn’t win The Black Hand was a nominee for the 2009 Shamus Award, an award that had I know it existed before I started this little project I would have consulted quite frequently. While I don’t plan on going back and reading the earlier Barker and Llewelyn novels (of which there are 4, excluding The Black Hand) I will be curious to see where the series goes from here.
roshk99's review against another edition
3.0
A Sherlock Holmes-like mystery adventure with organized crime. There wasn't that much to the mystery in this book since it was pretty easy to guess the bad guy, but the setting and the writing make it worth the read
stierbri's review against another edition
5.0
Another great installment. I really love these books and will be getting into the next one very soon!
lumbermouth's review against another edition
2.0
I am reading this right now but it is kind of boring. The future of our relationship is dubious.
UPDATE: gave up. I feel like it should have been much more compelling than it was. Sorry.
UPDATE: gave up. I feel like it should have been much more compelling than it was. Sorry.
vsbedford's review against another edition
3.0
Zips along as an adventure story - and ends very similarly to the first novel. Which I think was the point?
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
4.0
Private enquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant Thomas Llewelyn begin their fifth recorded case at the docks of London's East End. The bodies of an Italian assassin and his wife, who was just as deadly as her husband and never far from his side, are discovered floating in a barrel near the docks. Then Sir Alan Bledsoe, Director of the East and West India Docks, is found assassinated in a very Italian way. Soon Scotland Yard and the Home Office are asking Barker to take up the case, knowing his ability with out of the ordinary cases. More corpses appear around London--as well as notices from The Black Hand, the Sicilian mafia. No one wants the mafia to move into the British criminal classes and Barker must find a way to bring antagonistic parties--the tough dock workers, French Apaches, and the Italian (non-Sicilian, anti-mafia) Camorra together to fend off a common enemy. The job becomes very personal indeed when Barker's chef is attacked and even the home of his lady friend (Llewelyn isn't quite sure of her status in his boss's life) is invaded. Barker's ultimate goal is to bring the mafia mastermind behind all the killings out into the open. He has an idea who the man is, but unless he can flush him out it will be difficult to bring him to justice.
Thomas continues to expand on this new look at the Holmes and Watson/Wolfe and Goodwin detective team. Lots more action than most of the Holmes stories and Barker is far more mobile and physically involved than Nero Wolfe generally is. And I continue to enjoy the characters. They are very interesting and I particularly like the interaction between Barker and Llewelyn. They have the chemistry necessary to create a duo to follow in such auspicious footsteps. In the first book, we learned a lot about Llewelyn's background with more revealed in each installment, but we get just bits and pieces about Barker. Barker is a very private man and it's a good indication of their developing relationship that he finally introduces his assistant to the Widow (his mysterious lady friend). There is still plenty more to be revealed about Barker and I look forward to learning more in the next book. The other members of Barker's staff from Mac the butler and general factotum to Etienne Dummolard, his French chef, are also well-drawn. We see quite a bit of Etienne this time, though the circumstances are unfortunate for the chef. He's stabbed twice and barely survives the attack, but recovers with full force (and plenty of vim and vinegar).
The book ends with a lovely scrap on the docks--Barker and company taking on the Sicilians. And Llewelyn gets to display his newly learned knife skills. Quite an action-packed final scene. Entertaining and very informative on the early years of the mafia. ★★★ and a half. [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Pleaser request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
Thomas continues to expand on this new look at the Holmes and Watson/Wolfe and Goodwin detective team. Lots more action than most of the Holmes stories and Barker is far more mobile and physically involved than Nero Wolfe generally is. And I continue to enjoy the characters. They are very interesting and I particularly like the interaction between Barker and Llewelyn. They have the chemistry necessary to create a duo to follow in such auspicious footsteps. In the first book, we learned a lot about Llewelyn's background with more revealed in each installment, but we get just bits and pieces about Barker. Barker is a very private man and it's a good indication of their developing relationship that he finally introduces his assistant to the Widow (his mysterious lady friend). There is still plenty more to be revealed about Barker and I look forward to learning more in the next book. The other members of Barker's staff from Mac the butler and general factotum to Etienne Dummolard, his French chef, are also well-drawn. We see quite a bit of Etienne this time, though the circumstances are unfortunate for the chef. He's stabbed twice and barely survives the attack, but recovers with full force (and plenty of vim and vinegar).
The book ends with a lovely scrap on the docks--Barker and company taking on the Sicilians. And Llewelyn gets to display his newly learned knife skills. Quite an action-packed final scene. Entertaining and very informative on the early years of the mafia. ★★★ and a half. [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Pleaser request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.