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sjruskin's review
4.0
I just really enjoy these mysteries. I like the setting and the plot kept me guessing right until the very end. I am sure to read the next in the series.
duparker's review
4.0
This entry continued the success of the series. The writing is really well done, the story is really interesting and the overall plot and pace work very well. I like the characters and how they evolve and how they actually seem three-dimensional.
aoosterwyk's review
4.0
This book was fantastic! The characters, setting, weird mining village with bizarro superstitions... the whole package was interesting and entertaining.
mehitabels's review
3.0
Much like the first book in the series, I liked the characters, the plot, the background and time period. I still feel this is a maturing author, but quite enjoy his efforts.
jannenemarie's review against another edition
4.0
I think Nevil is my favorite character. He is extremely dedicated.
lavoiture's review
2.0
I love fluffy mysteries, but this one...I mean, seriously, it made no sense. I liked the main characters, but they were also too much of the same: Head guy with integrity but a drinking problem, second-in-command who is 100% loyal, brilliant doctor with a "simple giant" (what is with THAT description, btw?) helper...just too formulaic for me. And before I knew the author was American, I knew he was American. For a book set in England, that's not great. Now. Would I read more of them? Yeah, go on then...
richard_morrow's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A sequel to ‘The Yard’ set far away from metropolitan London and once more Hammersmith and Day are set to work to solve the case of several missing people; how missing can these people be if the Yard has dispatched two members of the Murder Squad? Simplistic language makes up a compelling mystery with a range of characters. The fictional Blackhampton is a town with darkness at its core, and not just from all the coal being mined there and it seems every way the London detectives turn there is danger waiting them. I love how the three main protagonists are so different but so likeable at the same time. Bloody and macabre but also highly engaging which makes you want to keep reading- a real page turner.
cpalisa's review
4.0
Really liked this book...even better than the one before it (The Yard). Technically, I'd give it 4.5 stars. I wanted to pick it up all the time to find out what was happening. I really like the main characters and felt like I "knew" them a bit after the first book. Set during an interesting time period (late 19th century England) but was set in a poor mining village instead of London. Lots of going on in the plot but still was easy enough to follow. The last bit was a little too drawn out for me which is why it isn't 5 stars for me but other than that I really liked it!
ari__s's review
3.0
It's been some time since I read the first in this series so it took me a little while to remember the specifics about each character. This wasn't hard to do, mostly because there isn't immense depth to the characters, but there also isn't much character development involved so even once I remember who was who I didn't feel like I had gained much insight. I love the quick verbal exchange that happens for the majority of the dialogue - all very short, sweet, to the point, and offhandedly humorous. At the same time, though, it does fall into the trap of lengthy verbal exchange where the reader loses track of exactly who is speaking, which became mildly irritating at times. Regardless, while I didn't enjoy this book as much as the Yard, in part because the novelty had worn off, Grecian maintains the Holmes-esque vintage freshness of how he tackles murder mysteries. On the whole this story was still quite entertaining, enough so that I probably will venture onto the next installment, though I don't know if I would hasten other readers to both reading past the Yard, which seemed more thought out and developed than the Black Country. Anyhow, it was a fun read at best. Perfect for blizzard weather and procrastinating.