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The Northminster Mysteries #1
The Butchered Man
ASIN B004AM5OFK moved to the most recent edition
Northminster, 1840: a once-picturesque cathedral city, where dirty smoke stacks now rival ancient spires. When workmen make the shocking discovery of a mutilated corpse in a ditch outside the ancient walls, Giles Vernon and Felix Carswell are charged with solving the case.
Intelligent and practical, Chief Constable Major Vernon has transformed the old city watch into a modern police force, and he throws himself into the investigation with the same energy. But as he probes a murky world of professional gamblers and jilted lovers, he is drawn into a dangerous emotional game that threatens to undermine his authority.
Newly-qualified police surgeon Felix Carswell is determined to make his way in the world on his own terms despite being the bastard son of prominent local grandee Lord Rothborough. Called to treat a girl in an asylum for reformed prostitutes, what he uncovers there brings him into conflict with his new employer, Vernon, and throws the case into disarray.
Together they must overcome their differences and find the brutal truth behind the mystery of The Butchered Man.
The Butchered Man is the first Northminster Mystery featuring intrepid early-Victorian detectives Vernon and Carswell.
Northminster, 1840: a once-picturesque cathedral city, where dirty smoke stacks now rival ancient spires. When workmen make the shocking discovery of a mutilated corpse in a ditch outside the ancient walls, Giles Vernon and Felix Carswell are charged with solving the case.
Intelligent and practical, Chief Constable Major Vernon has transformed the old city watch into a modern police force, and he throws himself into the investigation with the same energy. But as he probes a murky world of professional gamblers and jilted lovers, he is drawn into a dangerous emotional game that threatens to undermine his authority.
Newly-qualified police surgeon Felix Carswell is determined to make his way in the world on his own terms despite being the bastard son of prominent local grandee Lord Rothborough. Called to treat a girl in an asylum for reformed prostitutes, what he uncovers there brings him into conflict with his new employer, Vernon, and throws the case into disarray.
Together they must overcome their differences and find the brutal truth behind the mystery of The Butchered Man.
The Butchered Man is the first Northminster Mystery featuring intrepid early-Victorian detectives Vernon and Carswell.
367 pages, ebook
First published November 2, 2010
1084 people are currently reading
1350 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
June 23, 2017
This turned out to be far better than I thought it would be. At times it seemed to be set earlier in historical times, but then it all fell into place. Lovely characters and I really appreciated the way the author handed out little snippets of background info about them without being heavy-handed or 'telling'.
A lovely, enjoyable read.
A lovely, enjoyable read.
May 1, 2016
Wow! Great mystery from the 19th century!
Felix Carswell is a physician but he practices newer methods that are often frowned upon. Felix has a secret that threatens his independence and makes of him an often taciturn young man.
Giles Vernon, chief constable, brings in the young physician at the urging of one Lord Rothborough. Giles is an older gentleman who finds his passion stirred by a local woman in charge of a school for wayward women.
The two men are practically thrown together when the body of a man is found in a terrible state; butchered. It is their job to find who did the terrible deed.
Along the way there is trouble at the school for wayward women that causes Major Vernon a few headaches. It all comes together explosively and... unexpectedly.
Smashing!
After reading this I bought the rest of the books in the series and so I am reading the second.
What a great find this author was!
Felix Carswell is a physician but he practices newer methods that are often frowned upon. Felix has a secret that threatens his independence and makes of him an often taciturn young man.
Giles Vernon, chief constable, brings in the young physician at the urging of one Lord Rothborough. Giles is an older gentleman who finds his passion stirred by a local woman in charge of a school for wayward women.
The two men are practically thrown together when the body of a man is found in a terrible state; butchered. It is their job to find who did the terrible deed.
Along the way there is trouble at the school for wayward women that causes Major Vernon a few headaches. It all comes together explosively and... unexpectedly.
Smashing!
After reading this I bought the rest of the books in the series and so I am reading the second.
What a great find this author was!
July 3, 2017
Not the best of books, but good non the less.
I cannot say that I loved the book. The story was nice and the characters were good, but I somehow expected more. I don't know if it is because of the title of the book, but I expected something more like Jack the Ripper, and it was more like Barnaby living in the time of Sherlock.
Probably the only thing that kept me reading was my curiosity. That and the fact that the language of the book was impeccable. I am in awe to Harriet Smart for the way she wrote the book. That beautiful language, the way the characters talked and thought. It made me believe in the story and it made me believe I was really there, listening to them.
That was ingenious!
I cannot say that I loved the book. The story was nice and the characters were good, but I somehow expected more. I don't know if it is because of the title of the book, but I expected something more like Jack the Ripper, and it was more like Barnaby living in the time of Sherlock.
Probably the only thing that kept me reading was my curiosity. That and the fact that the language of the book was impeccable. I am in awe to Harriet Smart for the way she wrote the book. That beautiful language, the way the characters talked and thought. It made me believe in the story and it made me believe I was really there, listening to them.
That was ingenious!
February 18, 2021
A little bit better than OK. The beginning is pretty good. While you are thrown into the middle of things, they get sorted out quickly and the characters are fairly interesting. Then the muddle of a plot arrives and goes from messy to worse as everyone seems to have dire secrets etc etc. while the end tests believability and fails. It is too long, with extended forays into the sex lives of the two leads, well most everyone really, which is fraught rather than interesting. An OK read but not much more.
August 18, 2021
Well crafted mystery, but even more interestingly to me, a historical study of the very first efforts to create a modern police force in 1850s Northminster, Scotland.
The main characters are a former army Major who is in charge of building the police and the bastard son of a nobleman who has taken up medicine and is hired by the police to help with investigation.
The characterization is pretty solid, with deeper and multifaceted personalities. There is some unnecessarily detailed sexuality and both leads fall prey to foolish choices, but both were reasonably plausible in the situation. The author wisely avoids very obvious, boring themes and choices, making the events feel fresher and more readable.
There are some minor complaints about a bit too-modern attitudes in the main characters, but overall the time period feels well established and its not too heavily part of the story or characterization.
Looking forward to reading more in the series for now.
The main characters are a former army Major who is in charge of building the police and the bastard son of a nobleman who has taken up medicine and is hired by the police to help with investigation.
The characterization is pretty solid, with deeper and multifaceted personalities. There is some unnecessarily detailed sexuality and both leads fall prey to foolish choices, but both were reasonably plausible in the situation. The author wisely avoids very obvious, boring themes and choices, making the events feel fresher and more readable.
There are some minor complaints about a bit too-modern attitudes in the main characters, but overall the time period feels well established and its not too heavily part of the story or characterization.
Looking forward to reading more in the series for now.
March 24, 2018
Historical mystery taking place mid-19th century in Northminster, and featuring a young police surgeon paired with an established Chief Constable to solve a local murder. Honestly, it was just a little too grungy for me and I didn't much connect with or like any of the characters.
May 9, 2024
The dialogue between characters was belabored.
June 23, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this good old-fashioned murder mystery. Set in 1840, there are no computers, cell phones or GPS trackers. No DNA testing. Just good ol' fallible common sense, deduction and judgment. It was so satisfying a read that I immediately downloaded the second book in the series!
January 24, 2016
Introduction
Welcome to the review of a crime mystery set in early years of the Victorian era.
I know that life for people at the bottom of the hierarchy was no bed of roses especially for women and children. Upper class ladies faced another enemy: boredom and paternalism. On the other hand it was a time of invention and progress. Police work were in one's infancy. It is the mix of all the ingredients which fascinate me. Of course this has an influence on what I expect on crime and/or mystery novels set in Victorian era. But I neither want Dickensian exposition nor the exclusive use of English spoken at that time. I'm afraid I would not understand a word.
I'm more than happy that I discovered the book I review today because it delivered what I hoped to get.
The 267 pages of the book are divided into 34 consecutively numbered chapters which are followed by an epilogue. The story is told from third person.
Main characters are Chief Constable Major Vernon and police surgeon Felix Carswell.
1840 ... England ....the fictitious town of Northminster ... a ditch outside the wall ... a corpse murdered and mutilated ....
This is the premise for the first day of police surgeon Felix Carswell. His new boss is Chief Constable Major Vernon, a former soldier who served in India.
Major Vernon is a man with a vision of how police should be organised and work.
Felix Carswell is a young man who studied surgery in Edinburgh has to cope with the fact that he is the bastard son of Lord Rothborough.
The characterisation is well done. Both main characters have weak spots which have an impact on the story. Furthermore each character who has an impact on the story is described in a way that you know immediately the social status of the person and you understand why the act as they do. Especially the description of status and role of women is a highlight. Women do not stay in the background in this story. But the all act as one could expect from women in Victorian era. All the characters mirror Victorian society in a superb way. They are vibrant and alive!
The fictitious town of Northminster is described in such a sense of realism and accuracy that the reader is drawn into real Victorian town like a jump into the drawing chalk sketches in the film Marry Poppins. It is like a time travel in your mind with a great portion of realism when it comes to smell, dirt and so on. But the story is not limited to the boundaries of the town. There are farms outside , the Rothborough estate, an asylum for wayward girls and not to forget a train travel to London.
Dickensian exposition and the exclusive use of English spoken at that time. Nevertheless language and prose support the story efficiently. There is something ageless in that which makes it reading a pleasure.
Who is responsible for the murder and the mutilation of the corps found in the ditch outside the wall?
This is the question to be answered by Chief Constable Major Vernon and police surgeon Felix Carswell.
Until near the end of the book Vernon and Carswell are in the dark and the reader does not get more information as they get. With every clue found by the two men and with every revelation of dirty little secrets the story twists and turns into another direction. There is more than one suspect which force guessing. Social convention is a hindrance at times.
The investigation gets more and more complicated by the personal secrets and weaknesses of the investigators. There are scenes where you may not understand the naivety of the detectives. At first sight I could not understand it too. But at second sight and with over 50 years of experience of life let me tell you, that there are men who behave like Vernon and Carswell.
All the mentioned ingredients deliver a book which is nearly impossible to put down. It is a real page turner and only sleep hindered me to read the book in one session.
Author Harriet Smart talent shines in her way to present characters, culture, setting, and description of Victorian era.
I rated the book with five stars over at GOODREADS. It is another excellent example how living conditions in Victorian England in combination with excellent characters and a twisted plot deliver perfect entertainment which does not dismiss the reader without spending time to think about living conditions and police procedure in Victorian England.
If you love crime and mysteries set in the Victorian era like I do then you should put The Butchered Man on your list.
If you want to discover crime and mysteries set in the Victorian era then you should give The Butchered Man a try.
I for myself bought copies of available book two and three in The Northminster Mysteries
The Dead Songbird (digital, February 2013) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B00BD75QQW] by Harriet Smart.
The Shadowcutter (digital, March 2015) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B00V8YEBWU] by Harriet Smart.
Furthermore I ordered a copy of book four to be published in February 2016 in advance.
The Hanging Cage (digital, 1st February 2016) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B01ACFBI2G] by Harriet Smart.
For more more information visit the author's site or follow her on Twitter.
This review will be posted on my blog Edi's Book Lighthouse, on GOODREADS and over at Amazon under the nickname brienneselwyn
Welcome to the review of a crime mystery set in early years of the Victorian era.
I know that life for people at the bottom of the hierarchy was no bed of roses especially for women and children. Upper class ladies faced another enemy: boredom and paternalism. On the other hand it was a time of invention and progress. Police work were in one's infancy. It is the mix of all the ingredients which fascinate me. Of course this has an influence on what I expect on crime and/or mystery novels set in Victorian era. But I neither want Dickensian exposition nor the exclusive use of English spoken at that time. I'm afraid I would not understand a word.
I'm more than happy that I discovered the book I review today because it delivered what I hoped to get.
The 267 pages of the book are divided into 34 consecutively numbered chapters which are followed by an epilogue. The story is told from third person.
Main characters are Chief Constable Major Vernon and police surgeon Felix Carswell.
1840 ... England ....the fictitious town of Northminster ... a ditch outside the wall ... a corpse murdered and mutilated ....
This is the premise for the first day of police surgeon Felix Carswell. His new boss is Chief Constable Major Vernon, a former soldier who served in India.
Major Vernon is a man with a vision of how police should be organised and work.
Felix Carswell is a young man who studied surgery in Edinburgh has to cope with the fact that he is the bastard son of Lord Rothborough.
The characterisation is well done. Both main characters have weak spots which have an impact on the story. Furthermore each character who has an impact on the story is described in a way that you know immediately the social status of the person and you understand why the act as they do. Especially the description of status and role of women is a highlight. Women do not stay in the background in this story. But the all act as one could expect from women in Victorian era. All the characters mirror Victorian society in a superb way. They are vibrant and alive!
The fictitious town of Northminster is described in such a sense of realism and accuracy that the reader is drawn into real Victorian town like a jump into the drawing chalk sketches in the film Marry Poppins. It is like a time travel in your mind with a great portion of realism when it comes to smell, dirt and so on. But the story is not limited to the boundaries of the town. There are farms outside , the Rothborough estate, an asylum for wayward girls and not to forget a train travel to London.
Dickensian exposition and the exclusive use of English spoken at that time. Nevertheless language and prose support the story efficiently. There is something ageless in that which makes it reading a pleasure.
Who is responsible for the murder and the mutilation of the corps found in the ditch outside the wall?
This is the question to be answered by Chief Constable Major Vernon and police surgeon Felix Carswell.
Until near the end of the book Vernon and Carswell are in the dark and the reader does not get more information as they get. With every clue found by the two men and with every revelation of dirty little secrets the story twists and turns into another direction. There is more than one suspect which force guessing. Social convention is a hindrance at times.
The investigation gets more and more complicated by the personal secrets and weaknesses of the investigators. There are scenes where you may not understand the naivety of the detectives. At first sight I could not understand it too. But at second sight and with over 50 years of experience of life let me tell you, that there are men who behave like Vernon and Carswell.
All the mentioned ingredients deliver a book which is nearly impossible to put down. It is a real page turner and only sleep hindered me to read the book in one session.
Author Harriet Smart talent shines in her way to present characters, culture, setting, and description of Victorian era.
I rated the book with five stars over at GOODREADS. It is another excellent example how living conditions in Victorian England in combination with excellent characters and a twisted plot deliver perfect entertainment which does not dismiss the reader without spending time to think about living conditions and police procedure in Victorian England.
If you love crime and mysteries set in the Victorian era like I do then you should put The Butchered Man on your list.
If you want to discover crime and mysteries set in the Victorian era then you should give The Butchered Man a try.
I for myself bought copies of available book two and three in The Northminster Mysteries
The Dead Songbird (digital, February 2013) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B00BD75QQW] by Harriet Smart.
The Shadowcutter (digital, March 2015) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B00V8YEBWU] by Harriet Smart.
Furthermore I ordered a copy of book four to be published in February 2016 in advance.
The Hanging Cage (digital, 1st February 2016) [ Kindle Edition ASIN: B01ACFBI2G] by Harriet Smart.
For more more information visit the author's site or follow her on Twitter.
This review will be posted on my blog Edi's Book Lighthouse, on GOODREADS and over at Amazon under the nickname brienneselwyn
Read
March 11, 2024I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was. It did keep me guessing till the end. Recently I read the book "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" by Ben Stevenson, in which the author outlines the membership oath of the Detectives Club from the 1930s and the rules mystery writers are supposed to follow for a good story. Ever since I have applied these rules to every murder mystery I have read, and "The Butchered Man" follows them beautifully. A great read.
March 22, 2018
Fascinated by a step back in time.
The time period has always been fascinating to me. The customs, speech, manners, etc., all make the intricacies of this murder mystery even more appealing. The characters are so intriguing due to confines of societies rules, yet they are compelling and understandable in the very human reactions that they manifest. Like this author.
The time period has always been fascinating to me. The customs, speech, manners, etc., all make the intricacies of this murder mystery even more appealing. The characters are so intriguing due to confines of societies rules, yet they are compelling and understandable in the very human reactions that they manifest. Like this author.
April 7, 2018
This was a great read! I got this book off of Bookbub, a freebie and was not sure if I was going to like it. I enjoyed it very much! A police mystery set in 1840 London did not instantly appeal, but wound up being quite a satisfying story. I will be reading more of this series.
April 22, 2024
6.5/10. I would recommend this book if people like murder mysteries. For me, I will forget it as quickly as i read it. I thought it took a while to get into the action. The way it made men look so weak was weak. I didn’t really care about the person that died; they kind of deserved it.
July 14, 2018
I enjoy a good Victorian CSI. The "team" is the chief constable and the police surgeon, who use methods available at the time to determine who murdered and butchered the parson of Northminster. The two have their own shortcoming, including getting roaring drunk and allowing themselves to be seduced (the constable was seduced by a prime suspect), but they learn to work together in this first novel of the series. Sufficiently entertaining that I'll look for more of them.
February 9, 2023
I waited months to review and cannot recall anything other than the characters and the fact I liked the book. Sorry! When I re-read some day, I'll improve this.
March 19, 2018
One of the best murder mysteries I have read!
This well written story is full of twists and turns that leaves you guessing who done it! I would highly recommend giving this book a try if you like these types of stories! Full of great old style wording and you will not want to put it down!
This well written story is full of twists and turns that leaves you guessing who done it! I would highly recommend giving this book a try if you like these types of stories! Full of great old style wording and you will not want to put it down!
August 18, 2017
A great murder mystery story set in the early Victorian period. I enjoyed the characterisations and narrative style along with the vivid descriptions of the Victorian underbelly, another author I will be looking to read again.
August 21, 2017
I reviewed novels for a Scranton, publication, while I was in college . since then , I have reviewed books as a hobby . so I know by the first 10 pages if a novel book is good or bad, to my tastes. If I think the book is bad, I jget rid of it and don't read it , nor do I review it . but if it's good, I continue to read it, and I enjoy it and I write a little review.
"The Butchered Man" by Harriet Smart , set in Victorian England, gave me a most pleasant surprise. Not only did it contain a tight plot, but also was accompanied by intelligent, readable text.
Chief Constable Major Giles Vernon and Police Surgeon Felix Carswell combine forces to find the monster who murdered a local preacher, John Rhodes. We are presented with the usual gallery of characters, but among them is Miss Hilliard, a strong mistress and law keeper in a household of socially troubled servants. Frankly, she scared me! She reminded me of every Catholic nun I experienced in grade school! I shivered: a great tribute to this gifted author.
You will be taken away with this novel, and, as I discovered, delightfully, she has written many more Vernon/Carswell novels. I can't wait!
"The Butchered Man" by Harriet Smart , set in Victorian England, gave me a most pleasant surprise. Not only did it contain a tight plot, but also was accompanied by intelligent, readable text.
Chief Constable Major Giles Vernon and Police Surgeon Felix Carswell combine forces to find the monster who murdered a local preacher, John Rhodes. We are presented with the usual gallery of characters, but among them is Miss Hilliard, a strong mistress and law keeper in a household of socially troubled servants. Frankly, she scared me! She reminded me of every Catholic nun I experienced in grade school! I shivered: a great tribute to this gifted author.
You will be taken away with this novel, and, as I discovered, delightfully, she has written many more Vernon/Carswell novels. I can't wait!
October 9, 2018
This is a new author for me. The book is a well written murder mystery set in 1840 England, in a declining factory town. Chief Constable Major Vernon is determined to establish a professional police force in the town, and he hires Felix Carswell as a surgeon. Felix is a new doctor, young, idealistic, and hotheaded, while Vernon is experienced, practical, and restrained, but no less idealistic. The murder victim is a clergyman who had engaged himself to several women; there are a lot of suspects, although one senses who the murderer is early on. The draw here is the personalities of Vernon and Carswell, who both must cope with troubling family problems. Vernon has an insane wife; Carswell is the illegitimate son of a nobleman who plagues Felix with good intentions. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
March 20, 2021
'The past is a foreign country.' This excellent novel effectively demonstrates this by showing us just how strange and different Britain was only a (relatively) short while ago. The stratified class system; the restrictions on women, particularly the 'requirement' to marry; the hypocrisy of male demands with regard to sex. The author has done her research well and I felt transported back into a society on the brink of modernity but, in still so many ways, just post-feudal. I appreciated that, given the nature of the society being described, that the author introduced strong female characters too. I shall certainly be seeking out more 'Northminster Mysteries'.
January 4, 2016
I don’t know why I found the start mildly irritating – I think it was the usual formula of young man being ordered around by resented patron, but the plot soon caught my attention and I liked the local police chief, Giles Vernon, who is more prominent than the young surgeon, Felix Carswell, the young man being ordered around. Both men have back stories which are intriguing but they are interesting in their own rights, too. Things went with a swing though there were a few predictable moments, and the ending sets things up well for the next book which I look forward to reading.
August 9, 2017
The butchered man
I could not put this book down. I was transported backwards in time and held captive by the story as it unfolded.
This is a new author for me. But I will be reading the remainder of the series.
This is a series that should be adopted by PBS or the BBC. It has the potential to be skillfully brought to the small screen and warmly received by the public.
The characters are complex and yet vividly fleshed out. The mystery has several different twists and is well organized. There is romance and suspense, scandal and loss, intrigue and politics...
I could not put this book down. I was transported backwards in time and held captive by the story as it unfolded.
This is a new author for me. But I will be reading the remainder of the series.
This is a series that should be adopted by PBS or the BBC. It has the potential to be skillfully brought to the small screen and warmly received by the public.
The characters are complex and yet vividly fleshed out. The mystery has several different twists and is well organized. There is romance and suspense, scandal and loss, intrigue and politics...
April 14, 2019
This was an easy read, maybe too easy. Once all the characters were in place and had been interviewed at least once, it became very obvious who the murderer was. And, once again, our hero has to battle not only the bad guys, but also his boss who is too blind to see what is right in front of his nose. It was fun to have the doctor, not a position for a gentleman, to be solving the case. And even though the victim was obviously murdered, he had to get permission to do an autopsy. So different from today.
August 2, 2017
Couldn't put it down!
Delightfully different take on Elizabethan England! Intriguing murder plot and very human characters. A sideways look at the periods mores and societies hypocritical attitudes. Very enjoyable reading.
Delightfully different take on Elizabethan England! Intriguing murder plot and very human characters. A sideways look at the periods mores and societies hypocritical attitudes. Very enjoyable reading.
March 30, 2018
This is the first book that I've read by Ms. Smart and I throughly enjoyed it. The plot was interesting and well executed, the characters well developed and the ending left me wanting to read the next one in the series!
October 17, 2017
Interesting
A good story, but it seemed to wander from the plot at times. Several typos slowed the action scenes just when it got interesting.
A good story, but it seemed to wander from the plot at times. Several typos slowed the action scenes just when it got interesting.
November 29, 2017
Great historical fiction mystery. love the interaction between Felix Carswell the forensic surgeon and Giles Vernon, the Policeman.
December 19, 2018
1/17/1840, Lord Rothborough was questioning Dr. Felix Carswell (police surgeon, Edinburg) about his past relationship with Professor Logan.
Constable Reever has come across a body in a ditch.
Sergeant White was attending to the crime scene.
The construction foreman was being questioned.
Northminster. The Blue Boar Hotel (Minster St.). Chief Constable Major Vernon (Northminster PD) & Dr. Carswell were enjoying their food/drink.
Constable Giles Evans was updating them on the deceased.
Constable Evans & Dr. Carswell are going to try & solve the murder case.
Why did Edward Sutherland (attorney) come see Mr. Stephen Rhodes & Mr. John Rhodes (cousin)?
Stephen had been murdered.
Giles saw to the funeral arrangements for Abigail Prior.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well who-dun-it murder mystery horror written book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Anthemion publisher; EBookStage; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Constable Reever has come across a body in a ditch.
Sergeant White was attending to the crime scene.
The construction foreman was being questioned.
Northminster. The Blue Boar Hotel (Minster St.). Chief Constable Major Vernon (Northminster PD) & Dr. Carswell were enjoying their food/drink.
Constable Giles Evans was updating them on the deceased.
Constable Evans & Dr. Carswell are going to try & solve the murder case.
Why did Edward Sutherland (attorney) come see Mr. Stephen Rhodes & Mr. John Rhodes (cousin)?
Stephen had been murdered.
Giles saw to the funeral arrangements for Abigail Prior.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well who-dun-it murder mystery horror written book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Anthemion publisher; EBookStage; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
January 18, 2024
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
3.5 hearts
The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
Kindle freebie on December 22, 2022 (as a box set of books 1-3) (currently $2.99 at Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)
When I went looking into books set in Scotland in my freebies, The Northminster Mysteries is not what I thought I would find. It is set in early Victorian time of 1840. We have an ex-military man as head of the constables, Vernon. Then Carswell, who is a doctor, to work as police surgeon.
I thought each man was skilled in his profession. They had sincere desire to determine the killer and protect innocents. There were some bad things happening. The investigation was logical and handled fairly well. The mystery plot was well written
I found it odd how much they got wrapped up in personal emotions as they worked. I don't know if this will be a normal thing for them or if it was an aberration allowing us to learn more of each of their characters. It didn't seem so odd to have passionate outbursts from Carswell who is young and inexperienced but the actions of Vernon being an older, military man didn't seem very fitting. I will need to read more in the series to see how that goes.
3.5 hearts
The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
Kindle freebie on December 22, 2022 (as a box set of books 1-3) (currently $2.99 at Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)
When I went looking into books set in Scotland in my freebies, The Northminster Mysteries is not what I thought I would find. It is set in early Victorian time of 1840. We have an ex-military man as head of the constables, Vernon. Then Carswell, who is a doctor, to work as police surgeon.
I thought each man was skilled in his profession. They had sincere desire to determine the killer and protect innocents. There were some bad things happening. The investigation was logical and handled fairly well. The mystery plot was well written
I found it odd how much they got wrapped up in personal emotions as they worked. I don't know if this will be a normal thing for them or if it was an aberration allowing us to learn more of each of their characters. It didn't seem so odd to have passionate outbursts from Carswell who is young and inexperienced but the actions of Vernon being an older, military man didn't seem very fitting. I will need to read more in the series to see how that goes.
July 28, 2019
Where to start?
When I first started this I thought it was inspired by Holmes and Watson. There were, after all, several similarities - a doctor and detective duo, period piece set in England (though this is Victorian and they were Edwardian), and notable chemistry between the protagonists. However, as I continued reading I stopped thinking that. The characters, cliched backstory notwithstanding, are their own people. They do not mirror H and W in any other way.
Right away I liked the setting and atmosphere. Felix Carswell, the doctor, was likable immediately. The way his past was intentionally shadowed felt frustrating rather than sparking my interest, but thankfully I didn't have to wait too long for it to be explained. Despite the wait, I felt it made his character more character more interesting.
His counterpart, Chief Constable Giles, on the hand, was instantly revealed as cliched, which dropped my estimation of him and the book as a whole. I also had a hard time swallowing his "murder board" tool to solve the crime. It seemed too anachronistic.
At first, the seduction of V by H made me roll my eyes, but as the story progressed I saw it was not included for gratuity's sake, and I could appreciate it for the plot twistiness of it. All things considered, it was fairly tasteful, if a bit more detailed than strictly necessary. (The similar scene with C was much the same.)
As with murder mysteries everywhere, it was fairly predictable. What I enjoyed were the characters and setting.
When I first started this I thought it was inspired by Holmes and Watson. There were, after all, several similarities - a doctor and detective duo, period piece set in England (though this is Victorian and they were Edwardian), and notable chemistry between the protagonists. However, as I continued reading I stopped thinking that. The characters, cliched backstory notwithstanding, are their own people. They do not mirror H and W in any other way.
Right away I liked the setting and atmosphere. Felix Carswell, the doctor, was likable immediately. The way his past was intentionally shadowed felt frustrating rather than sparking my interest, but thankfully I didn't have to wait too long for it to be explained. Despite the wait, I felt it made his character more character more interesting.
His counterpart, Chief Constable Giles, on the hand, was instantly revealed as cliched, which dropped my estimation of him and the book as a whole. I also had a hard time swallowing his "murder board" tool to solve the crime. It seemed too anachronistic.
At first, the seduction of V by H made me roll my eyes, but as the story progressed I saw it was not included for gratuity's sake, and I could appreciate it for the plot twistiness of it. All things considered, it was fairly tasteful, if a bit more detailed than strictly necessary. (The similar scene with C was much the same.)
As with murder mysteries everywhere, it was fairly predictable. What I enjoyed were the characters and setting.
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