Inspector Box Series· Book VIII
Nortman Russell
The Priory Gate Press
1 September 2011 /ISBN: 9780956772404
Historical Crime / 1894 /London and Yorkshire
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AMAZON
UK
Reviewed
by Rachel A Hyde
Dr Antoine Landru is a benevolent man who runs a free clinic for
the inhabitants of one of London·s poorest districts. Apart
from having old-fashioned ideas concerning how diseases are transmitted,
he seems a philanthropic pillar of the community. When plague pit
dating from the ·Great Visitation of 1665 is opened he does
not hesitate to tell people that soon they will start dying from
the bubonic plague, and surely enough they do. With riots on their
hands, the police are soon busy; but when Inspector Box hears of
a plot to start a war in Europe, things take an even more sinister
turn.
The game's afoot! Sherlock Holmes might not feature in this thrilling
Victorian tale of death and derring-do, but there is so much else
to enjoy you are unlikely to miss him. Box, Knollys and Colonel
Kershaw make a formidable team, and pages fly as the action soon
heats up and leads in some surprising directions. This is not a
mystery novel as such, as it is not hard to guess whodunit and why;
categorize it instead as a crime/adventure novel. Victorian London
and snowbound Yorkshire come to life with some remarkably tactile
descriptions, whether of riots, open plague pits, discussions with
shady characters or chases through snowy landscapes. There might
not be that many pages in this book, but there is plenty of story
as well as, like all good book series, more information about the
recurring characters. I know I can always expect a good yarn with
Mr Russell, and once again I am not disappointed. |