Reviews

Murder By Lamplight by Patrice McDonough

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rynflynn12's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It’s Fall of 1866 in London and there is a violent killer on the loose. Dr. Juila Lewis, one of Britain’s first female physicians, is brought onto this gruesome case as the medical examiner by Detective Inspector Tennant, and rather reluctantly the two of them team up to hunt down a killer. The killer is taunting Tennant and as the case goes on their focus seems to shift to Dr. Lewis so the two must solve the case before one of the ends up a victim.

This was a fantastic historical cozy mystery that had me hooked right from the beginning. This book was definitely written by someone who knows this period in history very well and it showed. Watching the struggles of those thought of as ‘less than’ through the lens of this story was well done and helped the story feel real and thus upped the stakes of the mystery for me. I really enjoyed being able to see events unfold from multiple points of view, especially the short moments we were seeing through the killer’s eyes. Overall a engaging start to what I can only hope will be a series because I need more from Lewis and Tennant.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

teri_loves_books's review

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dark mysterious slow-paced

3.0

nataliesboooks's review

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

rosyviv's review

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adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Research was done for this book, and it shows! This was an extremely well-written historical mystery novel that seamlessly transports the reader into the grime, back alleys, and injustices that was 19th century London. Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper will be instantly enthralled by this story!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the digital ARC.

Content Warnings

marianneiriss's review

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Murder By Lamplight is a cosy murder mystery, with a cleverly constructed plot, engaging characters and an immersive setting- perfect for an autumn read.

I loved the humorous dialogue, and the clever incorporation of real historical figures alongside the author’s creation of the fiery and admirable Dr Julia Lewis. Reading this as a young woman in medical school I definitely felt that some of the attitudes she faced are unfortunately still prevalent in today’s medical field!

Whilst being an enjoyable and addictive mystery (I read this in about a day, couldn’t put it down..) this novel also raises salient points about the roles of women, the poor, sex workers, and gender non-conforming people in Victorian society, and their relationship with the police and public health authorities. Although set in the 19th century there are definitely some points made that still apply to modern day.

Overall, a well-written and engaging novel, with some thought-provoking aspects as well as a page-turning mystery. Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for sending me this ARC to read and review!

Content Warnings

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