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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
A very well crafted combination of police procedural, drama, and horror making use of the lesser known Thames Torso Murders, taking place in parallel with Jack the Ripper's. Will definitely read the next one :)
Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough is a 2014 Jo Fletcher Books publication.
The Torso murders seemed to coincide with the infamous Jack the Ripper case in 1887-1889. But, due to the media sensation the Ripper murders caused, the Thames River case seemed to go mostly unnoticed.
This book is loosely based on those real- life crimes, but offers a paranormal tint to the story that heightens the already heavy sense of evil, which was an element I wasn’t expecting.
So, while this is a historical mystery, it could also be considered a horror novel. The author did a wonderful job of capturing the time period, creating the atmosphere of a city on edge, terrified of the horrific, and graphic murders plaguing London.
The main character is Doctor Bond, a man battling an opium addiction and the visions the drug brings about. When he is called to the scene of these horrific crimes, he recognizes a man has seen in some of the opium dens he frequents. Coincidence? Apparently not. Bond discovers the man is a priest who is not only hunting the torso killer, but something far more evil. As the two join forces, Bond will discover that evil lurks must closer to him than ever could have imagined.
When I checked this book out of the library I didn’t realize the book had a supernatural tone, thinking it was a straightforward historical mystery and crime novel. Horror novels are not really a favorite of mine these days, but this one was very, very absorbing.
It’s creepy and suspenseful, with well drawn characters, who are each haunted in one way or another, but determined to contain the evil in their midst. In the end, I had to admit, this was a chillingly spooky novel that I appreciated more than I would have thought.
4 stars
The Torso murders seemed to coincide with the infamous Jack the Ripper case in 1887-1889. But, due to the media sensation the Ripper murders caused, the Thames River case seemed to go mostly unnoticed.
This book is loosely based on those real- life crimes, but offers a paranormal tint to the story that heightens the already heavy sense of evil, which was an element I wasn’t expecting.
So, while this is a historical mystery, it could also be considered a horror novel. The author did a wonderful job of capturing the time period, creating the atmosphere of a city on edge, terrified of the horrific, and graphic murders plaguing London.
The main character is Doctor Bond, a man battling an opium addiction and the visions the drug brings about. When he is called to the scene of these horrific crimes, he recognizes a man has seen in some of the opium dens he frequents. Coincidence? Apparently not. Bond discovers the man is a priest who is not only hunting the torso killer, but something far more evil. As the two join forces, Bond will discover that evil lurks must closer to him than ever could have imagined.
When I checked this book out of the library I didn’t realize the book had a supernatural tone, thinking it was a straightforward historical mystery and crime novel. Horror novels are not really a favorite of mine these days, but this one was very, very absorbing.
It’s creepy and suspenseful, with well drawn characters, who are each haunted in one way or another, but determined to contain the evil in their midst. In the end, I had to admit, this was a chillingly spooky novel that I appreciated more than I would have thought.
4 stars
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Firstly, it’s a cover crush, I just love that cover! And mysteries being one (of 2) of my go-to reads, it wasn’t a hard sell. I enjoyed the setting of Victorian London (though I’m questioning on this young lady going to Bath with her sick fiancé as no chaperone was mentioned??? It’s not right…). I love the dark atmosphere the author has successfully created; I could literally feel the crowded dank dirty smelly dark East London streets the characters prowled through. I feel however that the supernatural creature was rather underdeveloped though I think it has something to do with a second book as a follow up.
This is a very good novel, and I enjoyed reading it. At the same time, however, it felt slightly incomplete - as if cuts had been made that maybe shouldn't have been. I like that Pinborough paints a great picture of the time without burying the story in period detail (something that too many historical-fiction writers do, seeming to assume that's all you need to tell a story). At the same time, I think the novel could have been a bit longer, to create a little more tension. I have the sequel already, and I'm looking forward to reading it very soon. Recommended, then, but a slightly cautious one.
Being led by the hand through the sinister gas-lit streets of Victorian London by the marvellous Sarah Pinborough, this is masterful genre-defying thriller that will endlessly feed your curiosity and mess with your mind…in a good way! Blending together all the atmosphere of a city gripped by fear in the shadow of Jack The Ripper, Pinborough draws on another unsolved series of murders from the same period, the Thames Torso murders, and melds and manipulates aspects of both investigations with an intriguing dose of the supernatural, in this the first of a projected series. So why was it so good, I hear you cry. Read on…
Mayhem introduces us to Dr Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, a seemingly respectable and professional fellow who harbours more than a few demons of his own, suffering sleepless nights and not averse to trips to the seedy underbelly of the city to sate his desire for opium. With his involvement in the first grim discovery in the confines of Scotland Yard, he embarks on an investigation of his own into this heinous murder, joining forces with a mysterious priest and the real life figure of Aaron Kominski, a man deemed insane in the Ripper investigation and a chief suspect in the original case. Pinborough’s assured craft of characterisation shines through in this unlikely trinity, with the dour Dr Bond immersed in a world of supernatural influence so readily embraced by the beliefs and experiences of his two cohorts. The priest and Kominski have an unwavering belief in otherworldly forces, which sets them against Bond’s position of a man of science, but Bond’s belief in the tangible is unsettled by the priest’s tales of the curse of the Upir- a folkloric spirit who inhabits a man body baying for blood- and the strength and veracity of Kominski’s visions of the future. I thought the charaterisation of all three protagonists was extremely well-executed throughout with the variances between their physical and mental characters seeming absolutely authentic, without resorting to the melodramatic characters of the penny dreadful, a trap that too many authors fall into when attempting to capture the spirit of this age. Kominski, in particular, I found most affecting and I admired the way that Pinborough drew so closely on the factual sources of this tormented man’s life to create such a credible character cleverly exposing the humanity that lay beyond his tortured soul. Equally the bringer of tales, the wild-eyed priest, was an extremely effective foil to Dr Bond, and toyed with our reactions to him having a largely quite sinister air throughout. Although I was not immediately enamoured with Dr Bond, who is to be the recurring figure of the series, I was converted by the end to the nuances of his character, and look forward to how the experience of this investigation will colour his actions in the next books.
I must confess to having a slight aversion to ostensibly crime thrillers set in this period, having been tainted by reading a right couple of groaners recently- probably the fault laying in the fact that they were chockful of Americanisms and badly edited- but my fears were assuaged instantly. The atmosphere is tangible throughout, capturing the sounds, sights and smells of this iconic period in London’s history. The portrayal of the professional and social world of Dr Bond was perfectly balanced with the poverty and criminality of the world of Kominski, with the barriers of two men in completely different classes falling by the wayside in the hunt to capture a killer. As the storyline unfolded with a sojourn to the world of the Grand Tour and an ill-judged (for one character certainly) stopover in Eastern Europe, the reader is consistently entertained and wrongfooted throughout with the changing locales and a nicely terrifying search for a killer.
As you have probably ascertained, I really quite liked Mayhem, and if you enjoy your crime with a twist this will be a good read for you too. Packed full of attention to historical detail and with a marvellous band of characters, I think this marks the start of a great series.
Mayhem introduces us to Dr Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, a seemingly respectable and professional fellow who harbours more than a few demons of his own, suffering sleepless nights and not averse to trips to the seedy underbelly of the city to sate his desire for opium. With his involvement in the first grim discovery in the confines of Scotland Yard, he embarks on an investigation of his own into this heinous murder, joining forces with a mysterious priest and the real life figure of Aaron Kominski, a man deemed insane in the Ripper investigation and a chief suspect in the original case. Pinborough’s assured craft of characterisation shines through in this unlikely trinity, with the dour Dr Bond immersed in a world of supernatural influence so readily embraced by the beliefs and experiences of his two cohorts. The priest and Kominski have an unwavering belief in otherworldly forces, which sets them against Bond’s position of a man of science, but Bond’s belief in the tangible is unsettled by the priest’s tales of the curse of the Upir- a folkloric spirit who inhabits a man body baying for blood- and the strength and veracity of Kominski’s visions of the future. I thought the charaterisation of all three protagonists was extremely well-executed throughout with the variances between their physical and mental characters seeming absolutely authentic, without resorting to the melodramatic characters of the penny dreadful, a trap that too many authors fall into when attempting to capture the spirit of this age. Kominski, in particular, I found most affecting and I admired the way that Pinborough drew so closely on the factual sources of this tormented man’s life to create such a credible character cleverly exposing the humanity that lay beyond his tortured soul. Equally the bringer of tales, the wild-eyed priest, was an extremely effective foil to Dr Bond, and toyed with our reactions to him having a largely quite sinister air throughout. Although I was not immediately enamoured with Dr Bond, who is to be the recurring figure of the series, I was converted by the end to the nuances of his character, and look forward to how the experience of this investigation will colour his actions in the next books.
I must confess to having a slight aversion to ostensibly crime thrillers set in this period, having been tainted by reading a right couple of groaners recently- probably the fault laying in the fact that they were chockful of Americanisms and badly edited- but my fears were assuaged instantly. The atmosphere is tangible throughout, capturing the sounds, sights and smells of this iconic period in London’s history. The portrayal of the professional and social world of Dr Bond was perfectly balanced with the poverty and criminality of the world of Kominski, with the barriers of two men in completely different classes falling by the wayside in the hunt to capture a killer. As the storyline unfolded with a sojourn to the world of the Grand Tour and an ill-judged (for one character certainly) stopover in Eastern Europe, the reader is consistently entertained and wrongfooted throughout with the changing locales and a nicely terrifying search for a killer.
As you have probably ascertained, I really quite liked Mayhem, and if you enjoy your crime with a twist this will be a good read for you too. Packed full of attention to historical detail and with a marvellous band of characters, I think this marks the start of a great series.
This is a historical fiction paranormal thriller book set during Jack the Ripper's reign of terror, except the focus of the book is to stop the monster causing the spree by inciting the London inhabitants to murder and other foul things. Dr Thomas Bond is at the forefront of this hunt when he gets unwillingly involved during his time at one of the opium dens.
The setting is London in one of the hottest, muggy summers and the author does this really well. They really get the oppressive atmosphere, not just caused by being in a city with millions of people but also the weather and the threat of violence that hovers during this novel. The atmosphere really sets off this book nicely as the city has to deal with two vicious serial killers operating at the same time. The mundane and supernatural elements were woven together nicely and I liked what creature was behind all the murders.
I really liked the development of this story. The plot and the pacing were really nicely done and I was interested right up until the end, both as they look for the monster and as they figure out how to deal with it once they find it. I liked how unlikely a team the three of them were and how the monster wasmaybe defeated in the end.
That being said, I found the characters a little flat and hard to root for. The plot definitely kept me reading because I found myself bored by the characters more than once. The only ones I really cared about were Juliana, her father and Aaron, the Polish guy with the visions but we didn't see any of them very much.
3.5 stars!
The setting is London in one of the hottest, muggy summers and the author does this really well. They really get the oppressive atmosphere, not just caused by being in a city with millions of people but also the weather and the threat of violence that hovers during this novel. The atmosphere really sets off this book nicely as the city has to deal with two vicious serial killers operating at the same time. The mundane and supernatural elements were woven together nicely and I liked what creature was behind all the murders.
I really liked the development of this story. The plot and the pacing were really nicely done and I was interested right up until the end, both as they look for the monster and as they figure out how to deal with it once they find it. I liked how unlikely a team the three of them were and how the monster was
That being said, I found the characters a little flat and hard to root for. The plot definitely kept me reading because I found myself bored by the characters more than once. The only ones I really cared about were Juliana, her father and Aaron, the Polish guy with the visions but we didn't see any of them very much.
3.5 stars!
This book was based in the time of Jack the Ripper and tells the story of another killer, one who was possessed by and evil being. Overall, I liked this book. It was a little slow in the beginning, but picked up near the end. The ending was somewhat predictable, but still a good read.
3.5
Historical mystery with a supernatural twist, set in 1888 London.
Historical mystery with a supernatural twist, set in 1888 London.
