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A review by beate251
D is for Death by Harriet F. Townson
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.
This is the first book in a new historical crime series by Harriet Evans writing as Harriet F. Townson, and it's a corker.
The story is set in 1935. 21 year-old upper-class Dora Wildwood with a love for peppermint creams, giraffes and independence has just escaped her dreadful boor of a fiance to London, where the first thing she does is fall over a dead body in the London Library. She fancies herself as a bit of a detective so decides to help out DI Fox and his extremely nice forearms, whether he wants it or not.
This is one heck of a book - charming but with dark undertones of misogyny, plus the spectre of war already looming. It starts slow, introducing the characters who all have to do with the book world, whether they are authors, publishers or librarians. There are a lot of quotes from world literature and the book feels like a declaration of love to books, especially crime novels.
At first I wasn't really interested much in who killed the Chief Librarian as he seemed an awful guy, but I loved soaking up the atmosphere and period detail of 1930s London, the old-fashioned language, the clothes, the music and the ambition of young girls who traditionally shouldn't want for much more than being a wife and mother. Dora is lucky that she could just get on a train to London but we see the stories of other young women who haven't got that choice. I have to say hurray for Miss Pym here! It was so descriptive and well-written, I really felt like I was there.
Then the pace really picks up with some clever twists, more murders occur and previous one are linked and it's becoming clear who all this centres around. I love that Dora gets given the opportunity to get everyone together in the library for the final reveal. I love everything about that spirited and unconventional young woman: that she is awfully clever but also kind, runs rings around the Inspector ("it's Detective Inspector!"), wears jumpsuits and sends her fiance packing while falling in love with a man she then gives up for the noblest of reasons.
I say, jolly good, old girl! I should not want to wait long for the next case, which has been set up nicely at the end.
"Books keep you company when there is no one else."
This is the first book in a new historical crime series by Harriet Evans writing as Harriet F. Townson, and it's a corker.
The story is set in 1935. 21 year-old upper-class Dora Wildwood with a love for peppermint creams, giraffes and independence has just escaped her dreadful boor of a fiance to London, where the first thing she does is fall over a dead body in the London Library. She fancies herself as a bit of a detective so decides to help out DI Fox and his extremely nice forearms, whether he wants it or not.
This is one heck of a book - charming but with dark undertones of misogyny, plus the spectre of war already looming. It starts slow, introducing the characters who all have to do with the book world, whether they are authors, publishers or librarians. There are a lot of quotes from world literature and the book feels like a declaration of love to books, especially crime novels.
At first I wasn't really interested much in who killed the Chief Librarian as he seemed an awful guy, but I loved soaking up the atmosphere and period detail of 1930s London, the old-fashioned language, the clothes, the music and the ambition of young girls who traditionally shouldn't want for much more than being a wife and mother. Dora is lucky that she could just get on a train to London but we see the stories of other young women who haven't got that choice. I have to say hurray for Miss Pym here! It was so descriptive and well-written, I really felt like I was there.
Then the pace really picks up with some clever twists, more murders occur and previous one are linked and it's becoming clear who all this centres around. I love that Dora gets given the opportunity to get everyone together in the library for the final reveal. I love everything about that spirited and unconventional young woman: that she is awfully clever but also kind, runs rings around the Inspector ("it's Detective Inspector!"), wears jumpsuits and sends her fiance packing while falling in love with a man she then gives up for the noblest of reasons.
I say, jolly good, old girl! I should not want to wait long for the next case, which has been set up nicely at the end.
"Books keep you company when there is no one else."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Mental illness, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Death, and Grief