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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Too much of a departure from the TV show which I saw first I’m afraid.
Great historical mystery set in Canada. The main protagonist was an intelligent, kind man. The mystery itself wasn't the best I've read, but it was okay. I look forward to reading more of this author.
This was tough because I've already seen many seasons of the TV show that's based on this book, so I had a very good idea of what to expect. And man was this different! I didn't expect the book to be so gritty and dark, and at times, disturbing. I missed the "sweet as apple pie" feeling I usually get from the TV show. Murdoch, our main character, was quite different from the show. I wanted more of the supporting characters, especially Crabtree. And Dr. Ogden wasn't in the book at all.
Overall a well written, fast paced mystery that kept you on your toes. I thought the murderer was a little out of left field. But a rich, complicated plot and dimensional characters.
I really like Jennings' writing, but I don't think I'll read another from this series. I'll stick to her unproduced series instead.
Overall a well written, fast paced mystery that kept you on your toes. I thought the murderer was a little out of left field. But a rich, complicated plot and dimensional characters.
I really like Jennings' writing, but I don't think I'll read another from this series. I'll stick to her unproduced series instead.
Excellent story. Absolutely loved it. The characters were engaging and the time period is always awesome. I will warn, however, that the characters are definitely not the same as the TV show, and if you’re expecting that, as I was, be prepared. I found that this story was wonderful in its own right, so it’s a series I’ll keep reading. But it’s nothing like the show.
I really enjoyed this mystery when I came back to it after am aborted attempt several years back. I think my initial issue was that it's not the TV series I know and love. But when reading it on it's own measure, it's a remarkably detailed and tightly written historical mystery. It isn't the TV series - the scientific progression isn't here and Murdoch is distinctly less tightly laced.
The mystery is very well done indeed and the multiple perspectives and constant tension from not knowimg the culprit. The wide cast of characters diffuses the suspicion and Maureen Jennings has hidden many completely unrelated secrets that become gradually unravelled. Character development could have been deeper perhaps, but over all I found this to be cleverly written with a spark of wit and engaging narrative.
The mystery is very well done indeed and the multiple perspectives and constant tension from not knowimg the culprit. The wide cast of characters diffuses the suspicion and Maureen Jennings has hidden many completely unrelated secrets that become gradually unravelled. Character development could have been deeper perhaps, but over all I found this to be cleverly written with a spark of wit and engaging narrative.
Inspector Murdock is a detetive with the Toronto police in the 1880s. He lives a quiet life, renting two rooms in a boarding house, still in morning for the loss of his fiance two years before.
Then the body of a young woman is found naked in the snow one night. Murdock is thrust into an investigation of sexual assualt, prostitution, and the seedy underside of the monied classes of Victorian Toronto.
Author Maureen Jennings has created a very rich mystery, where we follow Murdock as he tries to figure out who killed the young serving girl. Victorian era Toronto proves to be an intersting back drop for the typical murder mystery. Without DNA, profilling, fingerprinting and other modern crimesolving tools, Murdock still manages to figure out what happened, using good old fashioned police work.
And execellent book to curl up with on a rainy day.
Then the body of a young woman is found naked in the snow one night. Murdock is thrust into an investigation of sexual assualt, prostitution, and the seedy underside of the monied classes of Victorian Toronto.
Author Maureen Jennings has created a very rich mystery, where we follow Murdock as he tries to figure out who killed the young serving girl. Victorian era Toronto proves to be an intersting back drop for the typical murder mystery. Without DNA, profilling, fingerprinting and other modern crimesolving tools, Murdock still manages to figure out what happened, using good old fashioned police work.
And execellent book to curl up with on a rainy day.
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:
Yes
Cw for mention of SA in this review.
I read this in a single day spent mainly in a walk-in clinic. Period mystery is a comfort genre for me. However, my thoughts on this are deeply mixed. The tldr is that the historical aspects of the book worked for me, the sex aspects didn't, and the mystery was...fine?
The good: this takes place in 1885 Toronto. I'm from nearby so that was fun. I love historical details and there was lots of (as far as can tell, accurate) worldbuilding. I prefer the fun facts inserted into books actually of the time because it happens so naturally but this did a good job of providing rich detail without constant info dumping. The book has characters of different social/economic circumstances and touches on common hardships that medical innovation has made far less common in North America, such as tuberculosis.
The mediocre: I found the mystery itself dull. It tried to be kind of sensationalist with lots of sprinkles of sex-based plot (which I will get into) but ultimately the whole web of info and false info felt straightforward to me. I did like the detection process moments though.
The bad: (this section contains spoilers)In the prologue, it's immeditely revealed that the teenage servant who becomes the murder victim has been raped, and her post mortem reveals that she was pregnant. The rich son is revealed to be gay, but only as a gotcha, and his fate is to marry a woman in the hopes that it "straightens him out." Two of ensemble cast are sex workers, who are living in poverty and judged harshly by the other characters; one is murdered and the other barely survives an attempt. The author is presumably trying to make some kind of point about sexual and class violence and perhaps cast her devout Roman Catholic cop protagonist in a darker light, but I didn't find the point clear or convincing and instead found these parts of the book pretty gratuitous.
Overall, it was...okay, I guess? It was readable. I might pick up more of the series if I find them used/cheap for the next time I have to wait for five hours at a clinic.
I read this in a single day spent mainly in a walk-in clinic. Period mystery is a comfort genre for me. However, my thoughts on this are deeply mixed. The tldr is that the historical aspects of the book worked for me, the sex aspects didn't, and the mystery was...fine?
The good: this takes place in 1885 Toronto. I'm from nearby so that was fun. I love historical details and there was lots of (as far as can tell, accurate) worldbuilding. I prefer the fun facts inserted into books actually of the time because it happens so naturally but this did a good job of providing rich detail without constant info dumping. The book has characters of different social/economic circumstances and touches on common hardships that medical innovation has made far less common in North America, such as tuberculosis.
The mediocre: I found the mystery itself dull. It tried to be kind of sensationalist with lots of sprinkles of sex-based plot (which I will get into) but ultimately the whole web of info and false info felt straightforward to me. I did like the detection process moments though.
The bad: (this section contains spoilers)
Overall, it was...okay, I guess? It was readable. I might pick up more of the series if I find them used/cheap for the next time I have to wait for five hours at a clinic.
This is an instance where I prefer the Canadian TV series to the books, even though this first book was quite good. In the book, Crabtree has a minor role, is an extremely tall man, and has four children with a fifth on the way. In the series, he is definitely involved in the cases, is unmarried, and adds a certain innocence and awe in his willingness to posit aliens as potential perpetrators.
The book's settings are probably more accurate, as life was still difficult for many in the 1890s and people and places were not as clean as they are presented to be on the series.
In the first book, Murdoch's office is a cramped area not much larger than a closet, with an old file cabinet and desk. On the series, he has a large office and has invented many gadgets to help in the undertaking of his case work.
In the series, Dr. Julia Ogden handles the autopsies and is also a love interest for Murdoch. She does not appear in the first book and I do not know if she is in any of them.
The case presented was interesting, and Murdoch still had to deal with politics and prejudices from various layers of society as he seeks for clues in the murder.
I will read the other books in the series, as they are good mysteries. I will continue to watch The Artful Detective (aka Murdoch Mysteries) and delight in the world of Murdoch as presented there.
If you have not seen The Artful Detective, the first six seasons are out and I believe the seventh season just came available on DVD.
The book's settings are probably more accurate, as life was still difficult for many in the 1890s and people and places were not as clean as they are presented to be on the series.
In the first book, Murdoch's office is a cramped area not much larger than a closet, with an old file cabinet and desk. On the series, he has a large office and has invented many gadgets to help in the undertaking of his case work.
In the series, Dr. Julia Ogden handles the autopsies and is also a love interest for Murdoch. She does not appear in the first book and I do not know if she is in any of them.
The case presented was interesting, and Murdoch still had to deal with politics and prejudices from various layers of society as he seeks for clues in the murder.
I will read the other books in the series, as they are good mysteries. I will continue to watch The Artful Detective (aka Murdoch Mysteries) and delight in the world of Murdoch as presented there.
If you have not seen The Artful Detective, the first six seasons are out and I believe the seventh season just came available on DVD.
(Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Canadian, Series)
Although she is the author of two other mystery series, Jennings is probably best known as the author of this series featuring Detective Murdoch, set in nineteenth-century Toronto, Ontario. The books are the basis for the popular television series Murdoch Mysteries
Except the Dying is the first in that series and I read it to prepare for the summer’s Read By the Sea event.
Years ago, I read the fourth installment, Let Loose the Dogs, and always meant to get back to it.
This debut wasn’t as good as I remember #4 being, but it held its own. For certain, I’ll try another.
3½ stars
Although she is the author of two other mystery series, Jennings is probably best known as the author of this series featuring Detective Murdoch, set in nineteenth-century Toronto, Ontario. The books are the basis for the popular television series Murdoch Mysteries
Except the Dying is the first in that series and I read it to prepare for the summer’s Read By the Sea event.
Years ago, I read the fourth installment, Let Loose the Dogs, and always meant to get back to it.
This debut wasn’t as good as I remember #4 being, but it held its own. For certain, I’ll try another.
3½ stars