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A review by rowingrabbit
Theft of Life by Imogen Robertson
4.0
This is #5 of the Westerman/Crowther books, one of the series I keep on a watch list, waiting for the next instalment. They are set in victorian England & feature Harriet Westerman, a wealthy young widow & Gabriel Crowther, a brilliant, reclusive anatomist. Together they look into mysterious deaths & murders as kind of an alternative Holmes & Watson.
In this outing, both are spending time in London & end up investigating the death of a former West Indies plantation owner & slave trader. His body is found near St. Paul's Cathedral, bearing the symbolic ties & mask owners used to punish their slaves.
Harriet is reluctantly drawn in for 2 reasons. First, the body is identified by William Geddings, her footman. As a former slave, William knows the man from his native Jamaica. Second, authorities invite the esteemed Gabriel Crowther to perform the autopsy & determine the cause of death. And Crowther only works with one assistant.
It's an intricate who-dun-it full of twists & red herrings. Not everyone is who they seem & Harriet & Crowther are soon in personal danger as they begin to uncover hidden alliances among the powerful sugar barons. Before it's all over, Harriet will also discover shocking news about her deceased husband that makes her reexamine their marriage & her own beliefs.
It touches on slavery & how much the UK depended on that labour for the lucrative sugar trade. Abolitionists were beginning to gain a following but it was a politically dangerous stance & one that could have severe ramifications for the country's economy.
The cast is large, ranging from peers to street urchins (whenever I read novels that include the strict class system that existed at the time, I always wonder how I would have fared...badly, I suspect). The author has obviously done her homework as evidenced by the notes at the end. She incorporates some real life people from the time along with new characters & returning ones. In particular, Geddings & Francis Glass, another former slave, are compelling & their stories are both poignant and hopeful.
We also catch up with Harriet & her eccentric family members. Sister Rachel (and most of proper society) is scandalized by Harriet's continued involvement in seedy affairs & is sure all she needs is a new husband.
No one knows what to make of Harriet & Crowther's partnership but it makes perfect sense to them. She is an intelligent "modern" woman who enjoys the freedom that comes with being a widow. Crowther started out as a complete recluse who spent his days communing with skeletons, preferring the dead to the living. Gradually he has become barely suitable for polite company & his dry, witty and terse comments provide much of the humour. Their dialogue is sharp, smart & understated & despite different backgrounds they seem to complement each there perfectly.
Fans of this series have been holding their breath, wondering will they or won't they? There is some movement on that front but I won't spoil it except to say it may not be what you expect.
As usual, the author has turned out a well written murder mystery with a clever plot, interesting characters & richly evocative of the time. Add to that the delightful & evolving relationship between the two MC's & you've got an entertaining few hours on your hands. Can't wait for the next one.
This can be read as a stand alone but as with most series, is more enjoyable if you know what has come before. Highly recommend for fans of the Deanna Raybourne series.
In this outing, both are spending time in London & end up investigating the death of a former West Indies plantation owner & slave trader. His body is found near St. Paul's Cathedral, bearing the symbolic ties & mask owners used to punish their slaves.
Harriet is reluctantly drawn in for 2 reasons. First, the body is identified by William Geddings, her footman. As a former slave, William knows the man from his native Jamaica. Second, authorities invite the esteemed Gabriel Crowther to perform the autopsy & determine the cause of death. And Crowther only works with one assistant.
It's an intricate who-dun-it full of twists & red herrings. Not everyone is who they seem & Harriet & Crowther are soon in personal danger as they begin to uncover hidden alliances among the powerful sugar barons. Before it's all over, Harriet will also discover shocking news about her deceased husband that makes her reexamine their marriage & her own beliefs.
It touches on slavery & how much the UK depended on that labour for the lucrative sugar trade. Abolitionists were beginning to gain a following but it was a politically dangerous stance & one that could have severe ramifications for the country's economy.
The cast is large, ranging from peers to street urchins (whenever I read novels that include the strict class system that existed at the time, I always wonder how I would have fared...badly, I suspect). The author has obviously done her homework as evidenced by the notes at the end. She incorporates some real life people from the time along with new characters & returning ones. In particular, Geddings & Francis Glass, another former slave, are compelling & their stories are both poignant and hopeful.
We also catch up with Harriet & her eccentric family members. Sister Rachel (and most of proper society) is scandalized by Harriet's continued involvement in seedy affairs & is sure all she needs is a new husband.
No one knows what to make of Harriet & Crowther's partnership but it makes perfect sense to them. She is an intelligent "modern" woman who enjoys the freedom that comes with being a widow. Crowther started out as a complete recluse who spent his days communing with skeletons, preferring the dead to the living. Gradually he has become barely suitable for polite company & his dry, witty and terse comments provide much of the humour. Their dialogue is sharp, smart & understated & despite different backgrounds they seem to complement each there perfectly.
Fans of this series have been holding their breath, wondering will they or won't they? There is some movement on that front but I won't spoil it except to say it may not be what you expect.
As usual, the author has turned out a well written murder mystery with a clever plot, interesting characters & richly evocative of the time. Add to that the delightful & evolving relationship between the two MC's & you've got an entertaining few hours on your hands. Can't wait for the next one.
This can be read as a stand alone but as with most series, is more enjoyable if you know what has come before. Highly recommend for fans of the Deanna Raybourne series.