It is the time of Jack the Ripper, the widowed Queen Victoria sits on the throne of England. The whole of London is on edge wondering when or where Jack will kill next. The Palace, Parliament, and the press are demanding the police do more to find him.
In another part of London, rough-around-the-edges war hero, Metropolitan Detective Inspector Rudyard Bloodstone has his own serial killer to find. Inter departmental rivalries, politics, and little evidence to go on hamper the investigation at every turn. In a battle of wills, Bloodstone presses forward following his instincts in spite of the obstacles.
Adding to those problems, away from the strains of the investigation, he is engaged in the ups and downs of a new relationship with a lovely hat maker.
I received a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a wonderfully written crime novel with plenty of intrigue and suspense. I lapped up every page. I liked reading from numerous points of view, William, a Lord who is used to having the best things in life and Bloodstone who is a copper married to his job.
I thought the characters were well written and I found myself liking them. The setting was exactly what I think it would be in Victorian London. There were points that made me laugh and points that me angry that the characters were being slow and not working them out quicker. All of which I love.
My main downer on this book is that I expected it to be about Jack the Ripper and it isn’t he comes up in the last chapter but that’s all. That was a big disappointment for me. If it’s in the synopsis it should be in the book. Misleading, trying to people to read it for the wrong reasons. Which is a shame since it’s a perfectly good book that does not need that gimmickry. I will read the next one in the series but if it does the same thing, it will be the last time I read this author.
4 out of 5 stars.