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bluestarfish's review
3.0
Murder and detectives in London of 1780s. I realised part way through that this is book X in a series, so I think I've found out some spoilers from previous books, but I caught the hang of the characters pretty quick and the story itself is very interesting. England did profit from slave labour and this novel does weave in some real people from that time into this story of mayhem and discovery.
caramacsherry's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
avsfan08's review
4.0
Another brilliant Crowther and Westerman mystery with a fascinating and heart-breaking look at the slave trade.
Probably more 4 1/2 stars but just felt the ending a bit rushed.
Probably more 4 1/2 stars but just felt the ending a bit rushed.
glrreid's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lizabettie96's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Insightful and gripping
jeannine's review
5.0
I had to sleep on this one before writing about it. I’m a little unsatisfied by a couple things (see below), but they aren’t enough to take this down from a five-star read. As always with Imogen Robertson, this book is beautifully written with complex storylines starting separately and slowly weaving together until they are in a tight braid.
The way Robertson conveyed the varied attitudes towards slavery in England was interesting and, at times, eye-opening as an American reader. The notes at the end talk about reparations being made by the government to the enslavers (of course, ugh), but there is some somewhat satisfying attempts at reparations in the story once some of the main characters learn of how they benefitted financially from slavery. The children play a bigger role than usual and their commitment to seeing enslavers punished (one of them pushes for reparations) is heartwarming, even if it’s a little horrifying that they were reading stories about rape and murder.
The mystery is complicated, as always. There are a lot of characters to keep track of. In fact, I think the number of people this story involved might have lead to a) the somewhat abrupt ending (like a tv show cancelled at the last minute, the final chapter is just a run down on what happens in the near future for each character), b) fewer Harriet and Crowther scenes, and c) fewer scenes with Crowther and the kids (there’s one sweet moment I can think of). The “homey” scenes were always a palette cleanser after the gruesome ones. I relished those little sweet moments when they did happen (Harriet kissing Gabriel on the forehead).
I’m not an expert on the 1700s, but is it realistic for a widow under 30 not to remarry? Harriet’s single status is part of this book and it seems so natural to let her relationship with Gabriel evolve to the next level. They love each other. It’s the 1700s. She’s young. She’d /probably/ remarry and if she’s afraid of losing independence, her dear friend who loves her is the obvious choice. A choice that would have ended this somber story on a positive note and be satisfying to the readers.
Still, this is an amazingly woven tale. I love this series so much that I tracked down copies, even ordering this last one from the UK. I don’t buy most of my books, so that’s saying something!
The way Robertson conveyed the varied attitudes towards slavery in England was interesting and, at times, eye-opening as an American reader. The notes at the end talk about reparations being made by the government to the enslavers (of course, ugh), but there is some somewhat satisfying attempts at reparations in the story once some of the main characters learn of how they benefitted financially from slavery. The children play a bigger role than usual and their commitment to seeing enslavers punished (one of them pushes for reparations) is heartwarming, even if it’s a little horrifying that they were reading stories about rape and murder.
The mystery is complicated, as always. There are a lot of characters to keep track of. In fact, I think the number of people this story involved might have lead to a) the somewhat abrupt ending (like a tv show cancelled at the last minute, the final chapter is just a run down on what happens in the near future for each character), b) fewer Harriet and Crowther scenes, and c) fewer scenes with Crowther and the kids (there’s one sweet moment I can think of). The “homey” scenes were always a palette cleanser after the gruesome ones. I relished those little sweet moments when they did happen (Harriet kissing Gabriel on the forehead).
I’m not an expert on the 1700s, but is it realistic for a widow under 30 not to remarry? Harriet’s single status is part of this book and it seems so natural to let her relationship with Gabriel evolve to the next level. They love each other. It’s the 1700s. She’s young. She’d /probably/ remarry and if she’s afraid of losing independence, her dear friend who loves her is the obvious choice. A choice that would have ended this somber story on a positive note and be satisfying to the readers.
Still, this is an amazingly woven tale. I love this series so much that I tracked down copies, even ordering this last one from the UK. I don’t buy most of my books, so that’s saying something!
trusselltales's review
4.0
This fascinating crime novel sees the return of anatomist Crowther and his friend and investigative assistant Harriet Westerman. This time they are drawn into the case of a plantation and slave owner found dead in horrific circumstances in London. As the mystery unfolds the theme of slavery and its intrinsic role in British society is explored. A very harrowing read in places, eye opening at times, with the portrayal of characters refusing to shy away from unpleasant truths.
emnodash's review
2.0
Originally posted on bluchickenninja.com.
The best way I could describe this book is CSI: Georgian London. This book does a really good job at being a murder mystery while also being a fantastic historical fiction novel. It tells the story of Harriet Westerman, a wealthy young widow and Gabriel Crowther, a brilliant, reclusive anatomist, as they investigate the death of former West Indies plantation owner. Slavery plays an importation role in this book which makes it feel very dark. It touches on the subject of England’s extensive slave trade and plantation owners in Jamaica. It also focuses on the free slaves who started to build lives for themselves in the UK.
This book has a fantastically large number of interesting characters. However I am admittedly not that great with names and this resulted in me being confused because there were so many characters. While I enjoyed this book I couldn’t help but feel that I would have understood who and what was going on much better if I had read the other books in the series first.
The best way I could describe this book is CSI: Georgian London. This book does a really good job at being a murder mystery while also being a fantastic historical fiction novel. It tells the story of Harriet Westerman, a wealthy young widow and Gabriel Crowther, a brilliant, reclusive anatomist, as they investigate the death of former West Indies plantation owner. Slavery plays an importation role in this book which makes it feel very dark. It touches on the subject of England’s extensive slave trade and plantation owners in Jamaica. It also focuses on the free slaves who started to build lives for themselves in the UK.
This book has a fantastically large number of interesting characters. However I am admittedly not that great with names and this resulted in me being confused because there were so many characters. While I enjoyed this book I couldn’t help but feel that I would have understood who and what was going on much better if I had read the other books in the series first.
lizzie_evans's review
5.0
Brilliant and disturbing! The true extent of slavery in this country we should all know about. Imogen Robertson gives such incredible detail to her story and the characters are so real and engaging. This could have been a totally true account in my mind. Some beautiful phrases and quickening pace made it hard to put down.
I've loved all the Crowther and Westerman stories but this one is cracking!
I've loved all the Crowther and Westerman stories but this one is cracking!