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A review by latepaul
Soot by Andrew Martin
4.0
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book.
I picked it up at library based mostly on the cover and a little bit on the blurb. On getting it home I realised I'd read [a:Andrew Martin|35691|Andrew Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1343170976p2/35691.jpg] before, namely [b:The Necropolis Railway|228912|The Necropolis Railway (Jim Stringer, #1)|Andrew Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328874880s/228912.jpg|1351212] and I became a bit wary because my memory was I didn't enjoy it that much. (In fact I gave it 7/10 so it can't have been that bad)
So this book is set in 18th century York and London. It starts with a young man, Fletcher Rigge, in debtors prison for debts he largely inherited from his father. However a Captain Harvey, son of a recently murdered silhouettist, pays the debt and arranges for him to be released for one month on the condition he solves his father's murder.
The book is told as a series of documents collected, supposedly, by a lawyer writing to the York Chief Magistrate. So it's letters, Rigge's diary, transcripts of interviews and so on. As a structural device I had no problem with this, although my one complaint would be that the letters were printed in italics and I found that difficult to read for pages at a time. A minor point though.
I think this book works on at least three levels. First it is a murder mystery. Not being a huge connoisseur of these I can say that the mystery here worked pretty well. I was intrigued and tried to figure out who had done what to whom and why.
Secondly it was a historical novel set in a time and place I don't know much about. It's set in 1798/99 in York (mostly). Apart from a little [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1380085320p2/1265.jpg] I've not read much from that period and Austen's novels seem to be mostly set in big houses in the country where as this is resolutely in cities. Indeed country v city is a theme in the book as well as a conflict in the main character's mind.
So the descriptions of the period were very evocative and whilst I'm not fit to judge the details were specific enough to feel real.
Thirdly I found the characters engaging. Not so much Rigge, who is mostly just a straight up hero and a bit of an enigma, but many of the others, including the various suspects, are very colourful. Also when the setting allows, some of the dialogue has a little of Austen's wit and playfulness. There's some entertaining flirting going on.
The ending is satisfying and wraps up the mystery but hints a the possibility of further book(s). Which I would certainly read.
I really enjoyed this book.
I picked it up at library based mostly on the cover and a little bit on the blurb. On getting it home I realised I'd read [a:Andrew Martin|35691|Andrew Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1343170976p2/35691.jpg] before, namely [b:The Necropolis Railway|228912|The Necropolis Railway (Jim Stringer, #1)|Andrew Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328874880s/228912.jpg|1351212] and I became a bit wary because my memory was I didn't enjoy it that much. (In fact I gave it 7/10 so it can't have been that bad)
So this book is set in 18th century York and London. It starts with a young man, Fletcher Rigge, in debtors prison for debts he largely inherited from his father. However a Captain Harvey, son of a recently murdered silhouettist, pays the debt and arranges for him to be released for one month on the condition he solves his father's murder.
The book is told as a series of documents collected, supposedly, by a lawyer writing to the York Chief Magistrate. So it's letters, Rigge's diary, transcripts of interviews and so on. As a structural device I had no problem with this, although my one complaint would be that the letters were printed in italics and I found that difficult to read for pages at a time. A minor point though.
I think this book works on at least three levels. First it is a murder mystery. Not being a huge connoisseur of these I can say that the mystery here worked pretty well. I was intrigued and tried to figure out who had done what to whom and why.
Secondly it was a historical novel set in a time and place I don't know much about. It's set in 1798/99 in York (mostly). Apart from a little [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1380085320p2/1265.jpg] I've not read much from that period and Austen's novels seem to be mostly set in big houses in the country where as this is resolutely in cities. Indeed country v city is a theme in the book as well as a conflict in the main character's mind.
So the descriptions of the period were very evocative and whilst I'm not fit to judge the details were specific enough to feel real.
Thirdly I found the characters engaging. Not so much Rigge, who is mostly just a straight up hero and a bit of an enigma, but many of the others, including the various suspects, are very colourful. Also when the setting allows, some of the dialogue has a little of Austen's wit and playfulness. There's some entertaining flirting going on.
The ending is satisfying and wraps up the mystery but hints a the possibility of further book(s). Which I would certainly read.