katie_liz 's review for:

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro

3.75

dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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A woman is found brutally murdered, terrifyingly posed in a cemetary. Hours later, Gemma’s brother is killed in what appears to be a carriage accident. Detective Sebastian Bell, quietly assisted by Gemma Tate are in a race against the media to solve the crimes and have the killers put away. 

I enjoyed this crime mystery, with the setting and story being reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. Whilst the crime and investigation was the focus of the book, the characters were well developed and I enjoyed the exploration of themes of gender, class and profession. 

Gemma’s character was interesting, and I look forward to learning more of her in later books. The public perception of nursing was particularly compelling. 

The story was darker and more grisly than I anticipated due to the nature of the crime. This felt appropriate and not gratuitous, but I would suggest checking trigger warnings if you are concerned. 

I’m glad I picked this up as an audiobook - the narration was great. The various character voices were engaging and articulate. The ending was satisfying, and the development of the relationship of the main characters is well set up for later books in the series. 

Thank you Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.