This is the first of what I hope will be many Tate and Bell mysteries, this is a terrific start to the series and works fine as a standalone novel. The book begins with the discovery of the gruesome murder a young woman on the morning of All Saints’ Day, who is displayed on a cross in Highgate Cemetery with a pig’s heart around her neck. A journalist who witnessed the display falls under the wheels of an omnibus and is killed. Gemma Tate a nurse, recently returned from the Crimea is the sister of the journalist and doesn’t believe his death was an accident. Sebastian Bell is the police officer assigned to investigate the murder of the young woman victim in the cemetery, Bell’s pregnant wife had been murdered viciously before the story begins and to ease his pain and guilt, he had sought relief in alcohol and opium. Soon the paths of Tate and Bell cross and they begin working together a little reluctantly at first to solve the two suspicious deaths.
This is London in the late 1850s, the nurses, who had returned from the Crimea are viewed with suspicion. as what honorable woman would go to such a place? There is a lot of prejudice against women shown in the story, a woman’s reputation was precious and could easily be besmirched through no fault of her own. The book also details early prejudice against Muslims working in London and the sharp class divides.
Sebastian Bell despite his baggage is a dogged detective with a quick intellect, he was assigned the case by his superior, Superintendent Lovell, who reminds Bell, “Remember your place when questioning your betters.”
Sebastian retorts half-jokingly “Should I tug at my forelock, sir?”
Tate and Bell make a good team, even though Gemma Tate has no hope in those times of working for the police in an official capacity, one wonders in future books if a romance may develop twixt the two.
The story is gripping and fast paced, the historical detail is good although there was one anachronistic reference to Botany Bay (the last convicts were shipped to New South Wales in 1850 almost a decade before the events in the book). I also wondered if poppies were available in November for taking to cemeteries. The ending felt a little rushed. Despite these minor gripes I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC, I leave this review voluntarily.
The book is due for publication on 29 February 2024
My rating 5 out of 5
Blog #2 