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Charles Lenox Mysteries #2
The September Society
From the critically acclaimed author Charles Finch comes a novel "reminiscent of Ruth Rendell and Elizabeth George" (Booklist), in which Charles Lenox revisits his alma mater of Oxford to investiage one student's disappearance and another's murder--tied to a secret group known as The September Society. In the small hours of the morning one fall day in 1866, a frantic widow visits detective Charles Lenox. Lady Annabelle's problem is her beloved son, George, has vanished from his room at Oxford. When Lenox visits his alma mater to investigate he discovers a series of bizarre clues, including a murdered cat and a card cryptically referring to "The September Society." Then, just as Lenox realizes that the case may be deeper than it appears, a student dies, the victim of foul play. What could the September Society have to do with it? What specter, returned from the past, is haunting gentle Oxford? Lenox, with the support of his devoted friends in London's upper crust, must race to discover the truth before it comes searching for him, and dangerously close to home.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2008
558 people are currently reading
4379 people want to read
About the author
Charles Finch
37 books2,471 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
My name is Charles Finch - welcome! I'm the author of the Charles Lenox series of historical mysteries, as well as a recent novel about expatriate life in Oxford, THE LAST ENCHANTMENTS. I also write book reviews for the New York Times, USA Today, and the Chicago Tribune and essays in many different places.
Like most people on this website, I'm a huge reader. My taste is all over the place, though I tend to really like literary and mystery fiction. Some of my favorite writers: George Orwell, Henry Green, Dick Francis, Anthony Trollope, David Lodge, PG Wodehouse, Bill Bryson, Roberto Bolano, Jonathan Franzen, Shirley Hazzard, Leo Tolstoy, AR Ammons, Philip Larkin, Edgar Bowers, Laurent Binet, Laurie Colwin, Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Philip Roth, Henrik Ibsen, Geoff Dyer, the list could go forever...
A bit about myself: I was born in New York City, and since then I've lived all over the place, in America, England, France...at the moment I'm in Chicago, where I just recently moved. I spend most of my time here writing, reading, walking my dog, and trying not to let my ears freeze off.
You can find me on Facebook (facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor) where my reader are always giving fantastic book reviews, or Twitter (twitter.com/charlesfinch) which I don't like quite as much, though it's okay. I'll also try to blog here. Please let me know what I'm doing wrong, since I have remedial goodreads skills...
My name is Charles Finch - welcome! I'm the author of the Charles Lenox series of historical mysteries, as well as a recent novel about expatriate life in Oxford, THE LAST ENCHANTMENTS. I also write book reviews for the New York Times, USA Today, and the Chicago Tribune and essays in many different places.
Like most people on this website, I'm a huge reader. My taste is all over the place, though I tend to really like literary and mystery fiction. Some of my favorite writers: George Orwell, Henry Green, Dick Francis, Anthony Trollope, David Lodge, PG Wodehouse, Bill Bryson, Roberto Bolano, Jonathan Franzen, Shirley Hazzard, Leo Tolstoy, AR Ammons, Philip Larkin, Edgar Bowers, Laurent Binet, Laurie Colwin, Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Philip Roth, Henrik Ibsen, Geoff Dyer, the list could go forever...
A bit about myself: I was born in New York City, and since then I've lived all over the place, in America, England, France...at the moment I'm in Chicago, where I just recently moved. I spend most of my time here writing, reading, walking my dog, and trying not to let my ears freeze off.
You can find me on Facebook (facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor) where my reader are always giving fantastic book reviews, or Twitter (twitter.com/charlesfinch) which I don't like quite as much, though it's okay. I'll also try to blog here. Please let me know what I'm doing wrong, since I have remedial goodreads skills...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 963 reviews
May 15, 2024
Catching up…
Here I go again. I was so excited when this one was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. I thought, this looks like an interesting mystery. I perused the first couple of pages as I was checking it out and found myself saying, “hmmm…this looks familiar.” Of course, it does, I read it years ago. Oh my.
So, I decided instead to re-visit it so I could provide my review here on Goodreads.
This is the second in the Charles Lenox series. The first in the series is “A Beautiful Blue Death.” Charles Lenox is an English Gentleman private detective in England’s Victorian era.
Lenox’s character is quite engaging with a cast of solid supporting characters which makes them easily enjoyable.
In this story Lenox is hired to find a missing student at his alma mater, Oxford. The plot is a slow burn with a strong sense of time and place.
For those not looking for a complex read, this might be the perfect kind of cozy in front of the fireplace, wrapped in a comforter.
Here I go again. I was so excited when this one was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. I thought, this looks like an interesting mystery. I perused the first couple of pages as I was checking it out and found myself saying, “hmmm…this looks familiar.” Of course, it does, I read it years ago. Oh my.
So, I decided instead to re-visit it so I could provide my review here on Goodreads.
This is the second in the Charles Lenox series. The first in the series is “A Beautiful Blue Death.” Charles Lenox is an English Gentleman private detective in England’s Victorian era.
Lenox’s character is quite engaging with a cast of solid supporting characters which makes them easily enjoyable.
In this story Lenox is hired to find a missing student at his alma mater, Oxford. The plot is a slow burn with a strong sense of time and place.
For those not looking for a complex read, this might be the perfect kind of cozy in front of the fireplace, wrapped in a comforter.
May 17, 2016
3.5
The first book didn't quite work for me. After reading this one, though, I am certain it was my fault. A case of wrong timing. I did recognize that at the time too, so there's that. It happens. I may revisit it some time in the future.
The September Society mystery part is very good. It has its twists and turns, strange events and mysterious and bloody beginning. This is not a spoiler since what starts it all is in the prologue itself. The beginning of Lenox's case is in the distant past, in India. The best part is that even though you might think you understand what is going on and even solve parts of the mystery yourself, the resolution probably won't be what you expected.
However, Charles Lenox is not in his element here. He is distracted. He has realized he loves his friend Lady Jane and, every now and then the story is interrupted with his thoughts on marriage, whether she will marry him, who is the man who is visiting her, about his life in general and so on. It was so frustrating seeing all those interrupted opportunities to ask her to marry him.
I liked the story. Even with the distractions, it's pretty good. The September Society also introduces another aristocrat who wants to be a detective. I wouldn't mind reading a Lord John Dallington series at all. I hope he will appear in future books too.
The first book didn't quite work for me. After reading this one, though, I am certain it was my fault. A case of wrong timing. I did recognize that at the time too, so there's that. It happens. I may revisit it some time in the future.
The September Society mystery part is very good. It has its twists and turns, strange events and mysterious and bloody beginning. This is not a spoiler since what starts it all is in the prologue itself. The beginning of Lenox's case is in the distant past, in India. The best part is that even though you might think you understand what is going on and even solve parts of the mystery yourself, the resolution probably won't be what you expected.
However, Charles Lenox is not in his element here. He is distracted. He has realized he loves his friend Lady Jane and, every now and then the story is interrupted with his thoughts on marriage, whether she will marry him, who is the man who is visiting her, about his life in general and so on. It was so frustrating seeing all those interrupted opportunities to ask her to marry him.
I liked the story. Even with the distractions, it's pretty good. The September Society also introduces another aristocrat who wants to be a detective. I wouldn't mind reading a Lord John Dallington series at all. I hope he will appear in future books too.
May 17, 2009
I liked this book a lot more than the first, A Beautiful Blue Death, but still couldn't give it more than 3 stars. I like the main character, Charles Lenox, and I like the plots.
However, Finch's tendency to beat certain points to death makes it a little hard to get through sometimes: in the first book, it was the stupid boots, and in the second, it was Lenox's love for Oxford, as well as his preoccupation with another matter that distracted him from the case.
If he can learn to present these ideas a little more smoothly instead of constantly hitting me upside the head with them, I may eventually give him 4 stars....
However, Finch's tendency to beat certain points to death makes it a little hard to get through sometimes: in the first book, it was the stupid boots, and in the second, it was Lenox's love for Oxford, as well as his preoccupation with another matter that distracted him from the case.
If he can learn to present these ideas a little more smoothly instead of constantly hitting me upside the head with them, I may eventually give him 4 stars....
September 20, 2015
This was probably 3 stars, but I have to raise it one star for one specific reason. This book felt comforting to me and I couldn't quite figure out why until I was half way in. My high school years were a little turbulent. I found some Sherlock Holmes books back then that I read and re-read during those years. For some reason, this book had that same effect on me. This was a little nostalgic for me.
Now, this is not Sherlock Holmes but the clue finding and collecting was reminiscent of that. I actually liked that. I liked the MC, even though he was kind of needy. Usually I don't like that trait, but it seem to work for him. So I can't fault him for that.
Now, this is not Sherlock Holmes but the clue finding and collecting was reminiscent of that. I actually liked that. I liked the MC, even though he was kind of needy. Usually I don't like that trait, but it seem to work for him. So I can't fault him for that.
November 27, 2019
I do so love historical fiction and when you add a mystery, I am a relatively contented reader. This second installment in the Charles Lenox mystery series is well written and each of the characters is well developed. The setting is Victorian England, 1866 London and Oxford. What begins as a search for a missing person soon becomes a much greater tragedy with roots going back 19 years. The tension is sustained throughout the story and comes to a satisfying conclusion.
I have to admit that I am a bit late to reading this series. Having read the three prequels initially, I am now starting the series from its beginning installments and am very much enjoying it.
I have to admit that I am a bit late to reading this series. Having read the three prequels initially, I am now starting the series from its beginning installments and am very much enjoying it.
February 5, 2017
The second book in this Victorian mystery series. Gentleman detective Charles Lenox is asked by Lady Annabelle to find her son George, who has gone missing from his room at Oxford. While the mystery was interesting, I really enjoyed reading about Charles Lenox, his friends, and the day to day doings of Victorian British society. The author is very good at descriptions, making the reader feel like they are right there with the characters. The style and pace of the story also remind me of fiction written during the Victorian era, more influenced by Anthony Trollope than Wilkie Collins. An enjoyable read, if you're in the right mood.
June 27, 2010
I have time this day to write a review AND the writing bug has seen fit to bite me. So, lovlies, let's look at The September Society by the incredibly talented Charles Finch (Yale and Oxford, people. He got the education that still haunts the misty corners of my dreams). Without further ado, I present my much delayed review of The September Society.
This novel is the sequel to the much beloved and praised A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox Mysteries). That novel must be read first. Really, reading a mystery series out of order is a no-no. It was nominated for an Agatha Award, so you know it's worth your time if you're into the mystery genre like I am.
This novel, like its predecessor, is about gentleman detective Charles Lenox in Victorian England (so, naturally I'm all over this stuff). Here's a blurb from Goodreads:
"In the small hours of the morning one fall day in 1866, a frantic widow visits detective Charles Lenox. Lady Annabelle's problem is simple: her beloved son, George, has vanished from his room at Oxford. When Lenox visits his alma mater to investigate, he discovers a series of bizarre clues, including a murdered cat and a card cryptically referring to the September Society." "Then, just as Lenox realizes that the case may be deeper than it appears, a student dies, the victim of foul play." What could the September Society have to do with it? What specter, returned from the past, is haunting gentle Oxford? Lenox, with the support of Lady Jane and his other devoted friends in London's upper crust, must race to discover the truth before it comes searching for him, and dangerously close to home."
I found the novel very entertaining. Charles Lenox is like the functional Sherlock Holmes. However, I can't lie and say that it was fast-paced. It wasn't. It was dreadfully slow in the beginning. So. Slow. I was getting a bit antsy because I love Charles Lennox, really I do. He's very brilliant. And I love the characters. But they were stuck a plot that ran like a slow molasses. And then Dallington comes along and all is fine. JUST HOLD ON FOR DALLINGTON!!!!
But really, it is very well written and very enlightening. I liked his first one better, to be honest, but I still really enjoyed this one. I got a nice education on Parliament which is very helpful, I must say.
The setting takes place in Oxford and London--the descriptions of both are fantastic.
I give it 3 and a half out of 5.
This novel is the sequel to the much beloved and praised A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox Mysteries). That novel must be read first. Really, reading a mystery series out of order is a no-no. It was nominated for an Agatha Award, so you know it's worth your time if you're into the mystery genre like I am.
This novel, like its predecessor, is about gentleman detective Charles Lenox in Victorian England (so, naturally I'm all over this stuff). Here's a blurb from Goodreads:
"In the small hours of the morning one fall day in 1866, a frantic widow visits detective Charles Lenox. Lady Annabelle's problem is simple: her beloved son, George, has vanished from his room at Oxford. When Lenox visits his alma mater to investigate, he discovers a series of bizarre clues, including a murdered cat and a card cryptically referring to the September Society." "Then, just as Lenox realizes that the case may be deeper than it appears, a student dies, the victim of foul play." What could the September Society have to do with it? What specter, returned from the past, is haunting gentle Oxford? Lenox, with the support of Lady Jane and his other devoted friends in London's upper crust, must race to discover the truth before it comes searching for him, and dangerously close to home."
I found the novel very entertaining. Charles Lenox is like the functional Sherlock Holmes. However, I can't lie and say that it was fast-paced. It wasn't. It was dreadfully slow in the beginning. So. Slow. I was getting a bit antsy because I love Charles Lennox, really I do. He's very brilliant. And I love the characters. But they were stuck a plot that ran like a slow molasses. And then Dallington comes along and all is fine. JUST HOLD ON FOR DALLINGTON!!!!
But really, it is very well written and very enlightening. I liked his first one better, to be honest, but I still really enjoyed this one. I got a nice education on Parliament which is very helpful, I must say.
The setting takes place in Oxford and London--the descriptions of both are fantastic.
I give it 3 and a half out of 5.
May 29, 2016
This book barely deserves two stars. I'm being generous because I don't think any of the individual criticisms I'm about to dish out are particularly damning on their own, but together...
Problems:
1. The plot is unforgivably weak for a mystery, both in the way that it structurally unfolds and in its pacing. As I was reading, I felt a strange sense of deja vu until I suddenly put my finger on it: this book reads like a Victorian role-playing game, where all the characters wander around with very little direction, and then whenever something does happen they consistently roll very low numbers for initiative. If you have ever played D&D or some equivalent, you will know what I am talking about. If not, feel lucky.
2. The reader is expected to feel a deep fascination for every minor decision made by our distinguished protagonist, to the extent that we are frequently treated to sentences like this one: "At the Athenaeum Club he had turkey on the joint with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes--heavy but sustaining in the weather, which continued cold and wet--and read the Cambridge Journal of Roman History." I suspect this entire sentence was an excuse to use the phrase "which continued cold and wet" in order to demonstrate the author's facility with authentic period language (which I could complain about, as I find this facility only intermittently demonstrated, but I'll limit my whining.)
3. The characters are both unmemorable and unlikable. Another reviewer said compared this to "Sherlock Holmes" style mysteries, but I strongly disagree. Holmes jumps off the page as if a real and utterly fascinating person--he is full of energy, flaws, and personal style. The fact that this detective is Victorian gentlemen with a doctor friend who helps him solve crimes does NOT make this anything like a Sherlock Holmes mystery. In fact, the author could have vastly improved the book by shortening it to the length of a typical Sherlock Holmes short story and telling the story from outside the head of the protagonist, so that we aren't given a play-by-play of the detective's fruitless musings and inability to make any progress on the case despite numerous clues.
I did enjoy the loving descriptions of Oxford. Maybe that's what bumped this review up to two stars.
Problems:
1. The plot is unforgivably weak for a mystery, both in the way that it structurally unfolds and in its pacing. As I was reading, I felt a strange sense of deja vu until I suddenly put my finger on it: this book reads like a Victorian role-playing game, where all the characters wander around with very little direction, and then whenever something does happen they consistently roll very low numbers for initiative. If you have ever played D&D or some equivalent, you will know what I am talking about. If not, feel lucky.
2. The reader is expected to feel a deep fascination for every minor decision made by our distinguished protagonist, to the extent that we are frequently treated to sentences like this one: "At the Athenaeum Club he had turkey on the joint with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes--heavy but sustaining in the weather, which continued cold and wet--and read the Cambridge Journal of Roman History." I suspect this entire sentence was an excuse to use the phrase "which continued cold and wet" in order to demonstrate the author's facility with authentic period language (which I could complain about, as I find this facility only intermittently demonstrated, but I'll limit my whining.)
3. The characters are both unmemorable and unlikable. Another reviewer said compared this to "Sherlock Holmes" style mysteries, but I strongly disagree. Holmes jumps off the page as if a real and utterly fascinating person--he is full of energy, flaws, and personal style. The fact that this detective is Victorian gentlemen with a doctor friend who helps him solve crimes does NOT make this anything like a Sherlock Holmes mystery. In fact, the author could have vastly improved the book by shortening it to the length of a typical Sherlock Holmes short story and telling the story from outside the head of the protagonist, so that we aren't given a play-by-play of the detective's fruitless musings and inability to make any progress on the case despite numerous clues.
I did enjoy the loving descriptions of Oxford. Maybe that's what bumped this review up to two stars.
June 8, 2010
All right. I saw the "twist" coming right at the beginning, but maybe that's just because I'm beginning to be genre savvy with mysteries. (It took so long to actually arrive that I had persuaded myself I was wrong.)
Still some issues with anachronistic language (I think; most egregious example: it surely wasn't current idiom to say that "real life" kept you from going other things?) and telling rather than showing. And awkward exposition.
Oh, and needless cameos by famous dead guys. This guy should take lessons from Caroline Stevermer. It would help. >.>
Oh! And speaking of being genre savvy, this book suffers by comparison to Dorothy Sayers's Peter Wimsey in general, and Gaudy Night in particular.
It's probably fair to ask why I keep reading these. I suppose the answer is, I'm a sucker for historicals, and also, they are somewhat entertaining if not perfect.
Still some issues with anachronistic language (I think; most egregious example: it surely wasn't current idiom to say that "real life" kept you from going other things?) and telling rather than showing. And awkward exposition.
Oh, and needless cameos by famous dead guys. This guy should take lessons from Caroline Stevermer. It would help. >.>
Oh! And speaking of being genre savvy, this book suffers by comparison to Dorothy Sayers's Peter Wimsey in general, and Gaudy Night in particular.
It's probably fair to ask why I keep reading these. I suppose the answer is, I'm a sucker for historicals, and also, they are somewhat entertaining if not perfect.
November 30, 2021
This book was published in 2008 so many have reviewed it. My thoughts.... the clues were laid out and the mystery came to a satisfying conclusion. I did not guess the ending and that made it fun. There were parts that I found a bit slow and, this maybe only me, was the in-depth history of Cambridge and the ruminating on marrying Jane. I am reading the books in order of timeline...not order of publishing. I already have purchased the next in the series. I am going to try out the audiobook.
December 15, 2011
Rating: 3.25* of five
Jesus God, Charles, MAN UP AND ASK HER TO MARRY YOU! I got very, very, very tired of his pussfied wishywashying about whether or not to ask this perfectly lovely long-term widow, who **moved next door to him** after her husband died, if she would consent to marry him. Dude...she's been WAITING for you to do it for like ten years!! She's never even looked at another man! HELLO?!?
Yeeesh.
So he does, after yet another book's-worth of annoying shillyshallying, and she says yes (gasp), and I lost all interest in the series. I just do not care a whit about this charming, adorable, suffocatingly cozy world any more.
Oh...this mystery is set largely in Oxford, which is always lovely, and the London bits that don't involve the romantic idiocy were set in a nasty club of murdering swine, the September Society, who were covering up their illicit possession of a huge hoard of gems that they'd killed this one kid's father to protect the secret of its existence. Only they didn't, see, because he fooled 'em good! He hid for 20 years to protect his abused wife and newborn son!
Oh God. Who the hell cares. I read it, I swear, from cover-to-cover, and I wondered as I read WHY I felt I needed to finish it. Charles Finch has some voodoo or another that made me want to finish it up.
I did. Poke me with a fork, I'm done now. For good.
If you need a cozy fix, and you're more wimp-tolerant than I am, go on and read it. Otherwise, Xanax is a better tranq and peyote takes you on a better trip.
Jesus God, Charles, MAN UP AND ASK HER TO MARRY YOU! I got very, very, very tired of his pussfied wishywashying about whether or not to ask this perfectly lovely long-term widow, who **moved next door to him** after her husband died, if she would consent to marry him. Dude...she's been WAITING for you to do it for like ten years!! She's never even looked at another man! HELLO?!?
Yeeesh.
So he does, after yet another book's-worth of annoying shillyshallying, and she says yes (gasp), and I lost all interest in the series. I just do not care a whit about this charming, adorable, suffocatingly cozy world any more.
Oh...this mystery is set largely in Oxford, which is always lovely, and the London bits that don't involve the romantic idiocy were set in a nasty club of murdering swine, the September Society, who were covering up their illicit possession of a huge hoard of gems that they'd killed this one kid's father to protect the secret of its existence. Only they didn't, see, because he fooled 'em good! He hid for 20 years to protect his abused wife and newborn son!
Oh God. Who the hell cares. I read it, I swear, from cover-to-cover, and I wondered as I read WHY I felt I needed to finish it. Charles Finch has some voodoo or another that made me want to finish it up.
I did. Poke me with a fork, I'm done now. For good.
If you need a cozy fix, and you're more wimp-tolerant than I am, go on and read it. Otherwise, Xanax is a better tranq and peyote takes you on a better trip.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2022
4 Stars. A great addition to the Charles Lenox series. When a frantic Lady Annabelle visits him late one night in London, desperate for help from our upper-class private investigator to find her son, Lenox can't but say, "Yes," when she asks him to join her on a trip to Oxford. Her husband died in India years ago, and George Payson is her only child. She fears he has disappeared from his room at Lincoln College at the University of Oxford where he is reading, studying, modern history. The series is enjoyable and accurate for its time, the mid 1860s. This entry quickly draws the reader into some very strange events. While inspecting Payson's room, Lenox finds several puzzling items. They seem to have been arranged purposely. Most outlandish? A dead cat, stabbed to death with a letter opener! There were other interesting clues, and also a small business card with The September Society printed on it. Meaningless? Initially it appeared so. But it eventually leads to a group of ex-army officers who had served in India in the Punjab in the late 40s. With a secret worth protecting. There's a bonus - Lenox's hesitating romance with Lady Jane. Well worth a second read someday! (June 2022)
May 1, 2016
The September Society is one of those books that has so much potential, but doesn't quite seem to live up to it. The setting is well-portrayed, Victorian England with a strong focus on Oxford. The characters are fleshed-out fairly well, but unfortunately Lenox is a bit lacking in likability. Others add some color and make scenes more bearable, but mostly the book is Lenox with his thoughts, which can be tedious.
I'll also admit to not appreciating the 'wrapped in a neat bow' ending that we're left with, where every question is answered perfectly (and rather outlandishly in several cases) and everything is settled perfectly for the main characters as well. Very "happily ever after." Perhaps this is common in mysteries, but I prefer a bit more ambiguity in my endings.
I'll also admit to not appreciating the 'wrapped in a neat bow' ending that we're left with, where every question is answered perfectly (and rather outlandishly in several cases) and everything is settled perfectly for the main characters as well. Very "happily ever after." Perhaps this is common in mysteries, but I prefer a bit more ambiguity in my endings.
February 21, 2021
I am really enjoying this series, the second book even more than the first! I am excited to have so many still ahead of me!
Ratings:
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 4.5
Impact 4.5
Overall rating 4.25
Ratings:
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 4.5
Impact 4.5
Overall rating 4.25
March 16, 2013
I had to look up where Charles Finch was as a student because this book has one of the warmest, most realistic accounts of what it feels like to study at Oxford that I've ever read. Sure enough, the author read English at Oxford (I'm guessing Balliol or Merton) and he currently resides in the city. I'll briefly mention that reading about a place you've lived and studied in is like coming home and nothing beats this feeling of comfort and move on to the plot and characters. I was first of all surprised that Charles decided very early on in the novel to propose to Lady Jane. While the first book made it clear those two loved each other, I wouldn't have said they were in love, and it's a little surprising to have their relationship change so quickly - after all, we are told repeatedly in the first book that their devoted friendship, however peculiar, is accepted as such by themselves and society at large. I liked that unconventional bond and didn't warm up to the idea of marriage straight away. Luckily, there are many books left ahead to convince me that it was a necessary turn of events. The end of the book is very lovely for Charles seeing as he has new career prospects, which I'm very curious to see enfold (how will that affect his detective work?). The characters are very well-drawn and frankly charming (I want to see more of Graham) and Charles' musings are smart and heartfelt, which makes him one of the most endearing characters I've met. The plot is uneven, I find - I guessed the motive straight away and it's frustrating to have to wait for the resolution to be told that one was right all along. On the other hand, I would never have guessed the various twists and turns the story took and the myriad vivid characters and clever clues that were scattered were deeply engaging and kept me riveted. This is a really good installment in the series and I felt a little sad to find out that the main detective has resolved many a murder since the first book which the author simply alludes to but doesn't develop. It felt very Sherlockian in this way and I can only hope that a book of stories is in the works for at least some of those cases. This is a really good series I plan to see through until the end (not too soon, pretty please, I'm enjoying it too much!)
October 8, 2008
THE SEPTEMBER SOCIETY (Ama Sleuth/Trad Mys-Charles Lenox-England-Victorian) – G+
Finch, Charles – 2nd in series
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2008, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312359782
First sentence: The first murders were committed nineteen years before the second, on a dry and unremarkable day along the Sutlej Frontier in Punjab.
Charles Lenox returns to his alma mater when the wealthy mother of an Oxford student appeals to Lenox to find her missing son, George Payson is missing. Lenox finds one of George’s best friends is also missing. The common clue is a card on which is the name “The September Society.”
The biggest issue I had this with book was due to the apparent lack of a good editor. There was a lot of repetition. For me, it was distracting.
On the plus side is a cast of wonderful, realistic characters; Lenox, his manservant and friend Goodman in particular. I like that Lenox is taking on Dallington, the third, somewhat wastrel, son of a nobleman, as an apprentice and wonder whether this portends a shift in the series.
I learned a lot reading this book. There is a wonderful blend of creating a sense of the story’s time and place-- the book also made me hungry as Finch would describe the menu of most of the meals--with providing historical information as well. I didn’t know John Wesley and his followers were named “Methodists,” originally a pejorative term, at Lincoln College, Oxford because of their dull, methodical ways as viewed by others. The author also includes information on the beginning of ballistic analysis.
I enjoy Finch’s style for interjecting brief parenthetical information or explanations on things the reader may have noted or wondered about; i.e., “On the train once more that evening (the trips were becoming tedious)…”
The climax was a bit abrupt, but the ending had a very good twist. Overall, I certainly enjoyed the book and shall certainly read more by Finch.
Finch, Charles – 2nd in series
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2008, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312359782
First sentence: The first murders were committed nineteen years before the second, on a dry and unremarkable day along the Sutlej Frontier in Punjab.
Charles Lenox returns to his alma mater when the wealthy mother of an Oxford student appeals to Lenox to find her missing son, George Payson is missing. Lenox finds one of George’s best friends is also missing. The common clue is a card on which is the name “The September Society.”
The biggest issue I had this with book was due to the apparent lack of a good editor. There was a lot of repetition. For me, it was distracting.
On the plus side is a cast of wonderful, realistic characters; Lenox, his manservant and friend Goodman in particular. I like that Lenox is taking on Dallington, the third, somewhat wastrel, son of a nobleman, as an apprentice and wonder whether this portends a shift in the series.
I learned a lot reading this book. There is a wonderful blend of creating a sense of the story’s time and place-- the book also made me hungry as Finch would describe the menu of most of the meals--with providing historical information as well. I didn’t know John Wesley and his followers were named “Methodists,” originally a pejorative term, at Lincoln College, Oxford because of their dull, methodical ways as viewed by others. The author also includes information on the beginning of ballistic analysis.
I enjoy Finch’s style for interjecting brief parenthetical information or explanations on things the reader may have noted or wondered about; i.e., “On the train once more that evening (the trips were becoming tedious)…”
The climax was a bit abrupt, but the ending had a very good twist. Overall, I certainly enjoyed the book and shall certainly read more by Finch.
May 21, 2017
Glad I gave this series another chance! Enjoyed this second entry and will continue on through the series. Lennox and friends appear to grow on you...😊 An interesting mystery and being led to more of an understanding of the central characters was key for me here.
December 20, 2017
Ah, is there anything more sad than a lovelorn English aristocrat?? It's a good thing he had a missing Oxford student to look for!
This series is as delightful as Lord Peter, but with all the meat of an Inspector Morse. (These poor benighted policemen. What would they do without aristocrats to solve their crimes among their betters?)
Also, without footmen, doormen, and porters, how would they solve the crimes?
Oh, well, on to find the next one.
This series is as delightful as Lord Peter, but with all the meat of an Inspector Morse. (These poor benighted policemen. What would they do without aristocrats to solve their crimes among their betters?)
Also, without footmen, doormen, and porters, how would they solve the crimes?
Oh, well, on to find the next one.
September 23, 2011
This is the second book with Charles Lennox as the detective. I love historical mystery fiction and I like the author's detective and all the supporting characters of family, friends, and misfits that he has added. The descriptive information of the time and place appeared very accurate to me. The plots are twisted enough to make the solution hidden until the end.
I recommend this author and this series wholeheartedly for someone who likes an English cozy read.
I recommend this author and this series wholeheartedly for someone who likes an English cozy read.
April 27, 2016
Charles Lenox, wealthy member of Emglish society who has turned detective definitely grew on me on this, the second of Finch's books I've read. He is the stereotypical "proper Englishman," but has the knack of being able to work with all classes. His personal life is beginning to turn more positive, also. I hope to read more of this series.
August 18, 2018
Oooooooooooooooooo!!!! Didn't see THAT coming!!! Ooooooooooooooo!!!
This was such a good read/listen. I totally thought I knew what was going on and I was totally and completely wrong. W R O N G!!! Hugely. I almost danced around my room. I love being wrong in a murder mystery. Charles Finch, you hit a huge home run with this one. I so just want to dive into the next one!!!
This was such a good read/listen. I totally thought I knew what was going on and I was totally and completely wrong. W R O N G!!! Hugely. I almost danced around my room. I love being wrong in a murder mystery. Charles Finch, you hit a huge home run with this one. I so just want to dive into the next one!!!
August 21, 2021
Review 8/21/21: What is the September Society and what does it have to do with the disappearance of two Oxford undergraduates? That's what Charles Lenox must determine when a frantic mother comes to him one early morning in the fall of 1866. Lady Annabelle Payson wants Lenox to find out what has happened to her son George. When Lady Annabelle visited her son at Oxford, he promised to meet her at a tearoom. He never showed up. She then went to his rooms in college to see if he had been delayed and found his cat apparently stabbed to death. Lenox agrees to take up the case and upon investigation finds an assortment of clues in the boy's room: a collection of red items deliberately left beside the cat (a tomato, a bit frayed string, and a fountain pen with red ink); a line of ash on the windowsill; and a card embossed with The September Society on the front and odd markings on the back. Under the cat is a note with what looks like a code on it.
Further investigation reveals that George Payson is not the only Oxford student who is missing. One of his two closest friends, Bill Dabney, has also disappeared...and the third member of the trio, Tom Stamp, has no idea where his friends have gone. It isn't long before a body is found--and identified as Payson. But where is Bill Dabney? Did he commit the murder? Or did he witness it and is now on the run? With few clues to lead him forward in the case, Lenox concentrates on the September Society--a club dedicated to a certain regiment which served in India. The mystery deepens when he discovers that George's father, who died while in India, served in that same regiment and would have been eligible for the September Society had he lived.
Lenox believes that the key to current events lies in the past. He uncovers the truth of two other deaths connected with the Society and it becomes clear that secrets long buried are reaching out to affect the present. But will he be able to discover the truth in time to prevent another death--perhaps his own?
My previous (very short) review mentions that I thought this a better book than the debut novel, in part because it has an academic element and I do love an academic mystery. That still holds true. Finch gives us Oxford as the backdrop for a great deal of the story and the descriptions of the university and the surrounding area are fantastic. I also enjoyed having the novel focus on the three undergraduates and the mystery of what George Payson (primarily) has to do with the September Society. The mystery plot is very good and Finch pulls off a very nice twist in the final chapters--one that I had forgotten about and (once again) did not see coming. I also enjoyed Lenox picking up a protégé and hope that we will see more of John Dallington in the future.
I do have to concur with other reviewers on Goodreads that Lenox in love is...well...wishy-washy and muddled. Rather than start with him waffling over when and how to ask the lady to marry him--and continuing that atmosphere until the very end, I think it would have been better to build his realization of his true feelings over the course of this novel and then provide the proposal in the last chapter. But that is a minor quibble. Overall, this is a very enjoyable mystery with good background, an interesting connection to the past, and a fine, twisty ending.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before posting portions of review. Thanks.
*******************
[Previous review--from pre-blogging days]
Better than the debut novel (which was good). But, of course, I'm partial to mysteries that have an academic setting. I like the fact the Lenox shows his human qualities and makes mistakes.... Finch manages this character's foibles much better than Laura Lippmann does with her female PI. Looking forward to the next installment.
Further investigation reveals that George Payson is not the only Oxford student who is missing. One of his two closest friends, Bill Dabney, has also disappeared...and the third member of the trio, Tom Stamp, has no idea where his friends have gone. It isn't long before a body is found--and identified as Payson. But where is Bill Dabney? Did he commit the murder? Or did he witness it and is now on the run? With few clues to lead him forward in the case, Lenox concentrates on the September Society--a club dedicated to a certain regiment which served in India. The mystery deepens when he discovers that George's father, who died while in India, served in that same regiment and would have been eligible for the September Society had he lived.
Lenox believes that the key to current events lies in the past. He uncovers the truth of two other deaths connected with the Society and it becomes clear that secrets long buried are reaching out to affect the present. But will he be able to discover the truth in time to prevent another death--perhaps his own?
My previous (very short) review mentions that I thought this a better book than the debut novel, in part because it has an academic element and I do love an academic mystery. That still holds true. Finch gives us Oxford as the backdrop for a great deal of the story and the descriptions of the university and the surrounding area are fantastic. I also enjoyed having the novel focus on the three undergraduates and the mystery of what George Payson (primarily) has to do with the September Society. The mystery plot is very good and Finch pulls off a very nice twist in the final chapters--one that I had forgotten about and (once again) did not see coming. I also enjoyed Lenox picking up a protégé and hope that we will see more of John Dallington in the future.
I do have to concur with other reviewers on Goodreads that Lenox in love is...well...wishy-washy and muddled. Rather than start with him waffling over when and how to ask the lady to marry him--and continuing that atmosphere until the very end, I think it would have been better to build his realization of his true feelings over the course of this novel and then provide the proposal in the last chapter. But that is a minor quibble. Overall, this is a very enjoyable mystery with good background, an interesting connection to the past, and a fine, twisty ending.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before posting portions of review. Thanks.
*******************
[Previous review--from pre-blogging days]
Better than the debut novel (which was good). But, of course, I'm partial to mysteries that have an academic setting. I like the fact the Lenox shows his human qualities and makes mistakes.... Finch manages this character's foibles much better than Laura Lippmann does with her female PI. Looking forward to the next installment.
November 19, 2012
I'm very much enjoying the Charles Lennox series becoming a fan as soon as I got engrossed in a Beautiful Blue death. September features more twists and turns than the previous effort. I found the book to be a little bit on the slow side at the beginning which is why I didn't rate it higher.
Two murders nearly 20 years apart. The first in India among a group of dispatched English military officers, the second, 20 years later in Oxford University. What ties them together? A mysterious organization called the September Society.
That's the premise of the September Society. Of course we have the return of Charles Lennox who gets involved in the case when the mother of the recently murdered Oxford student seeks him out. A series of strange clues was left in the victim's apartment but who left them and what do they mean?
The mystery itself is pretty engrossing and there are PLENTY of twists and turns and secret identities and turncoats that are revealed in the latter part of the book which makes for a pretty fast paced and exciting conclusion.
The only thing that kept the book from being a full five stars was the investigation during Lennox's trip to Oxford. This happens during the beginning third of the book, give or take and I found it to move along rather slowly. A lot of reliving old memories of his University days. That's all fine and good and it helps to further flesh out and humanize an already interesting and endearing character, but I think too much time was spent on it.
Other than that it's a good follow up to Beautiful with some interesting character developments OUTSIDE of the mystery itself. With the return of many familiar faces (Lady Jane, Graham, Edmund) and the addition of a few new and interesting characters, a far reaching and clever mystery with plenty of twists and turns, September is a very good addition to what will hopefully be a long running series.
Two murders nearly 20 years apart. The first in India among a group of dispatched English military officers, the second, 20 years later in Oxford University. What ties them together? A mysterious organization called the September Society.
That's the premise of the September Society. Of course we have the return of Charles Lennox who gets involved in the case when the mother of the recently murdered Oxford student seeks him out. A series of strange clues was left in the victim's apartment but who left them and what do they mean?
The mystery itself is pretty engrossing and there are PLENTY of twists and turns and secret identities and turncoats that are revealed in the latter part of the book which makes for a pretty fast paced and exciting conclusion.
The only thing that kept the book from being a full five stars was the investigation during Lennox's trip to Oxford. This happens during the beginning third of the book, give or take and I found it to move along rather slowly. A lot of reliving old memories of his University days. That's all fine and good and it helps to further flesh out and humanize an already interesting and endearing character, but I think too much time was spent on it.
Other than that it's a good follow up to Beautiful with some interesting character developments OUTSIDE of the mystery itself. With the return of many familiar faces (Lady Jane, Graham, Edmund) and the addition of a few new and interesting characters, a far reaching and clever mystery with plenty of twists and turns, September is a very good addition to what will hopefully be a long running series.
August 29, 2017
This is the second in the Charles Lenox series, and my personal favorite. It's set largely in Oxford, a city I have a great fondness for, and which feels almost like its own character.
The Charles Lenox series is one, I think, fans of mystery and historical fiction will truly enjoy because it blends both genres together so elegantly, and never feels as though it is just a dry block of facts upon facts, as some historical fiction sadly does.
The story centers around the disappearance of a young man, George, from his rooms at Oxford and Lenox is called on to investigate. An Oxford graduate himself, Lenox returns to the city to discover the presence of an eerie secret club, the September Society. I won't give away any more, but it's a very cleverly plotted story and well worth reading.
Further, Lenox is just a lovely character; kind, intelligent, and competent. He is one of those characters I wish was real so I could meet him:) Dallington, his new assistant is another solid addition to the series. he provides a bit of humor and gives Lenox someone new to work with and bounce ideas off of.
All in all, a very enjoyable addition to an accomplished series.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
The Charles Lenox series is one, I think, fans of mystery and historical fiction will truly enjoy because it blends both genres together so elegantly, and never feels as though it is just a dry block of facts upon facts, as some historical fiction sadly does.
The story centers around the disappearance of a young man, George, from his rooms at Oxford and Lenox is called on to investigate. An Oxford graduate himself, Lenox returns to the city to discover the presence of an eerie secret club, the September Society. I won't give away any more, but it's a very cleverly plotted story and well worth reading.
Further, Lenox is just a lovely character; kind, intelligent, and competent. He is one of those characters I wish was real so I could meet him:) Dallington, his new assistant is another solid addition to the series. he provides a bit of humor and gives Lenox someone new to work with and bounce ideas off of.
All in all, a very enjoyable addition to an accomplished series.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 23, 2012
The definition of a cozy mystery.
There must a dead body. There must be a murderer of said dead body.
Also, you must have a smart, determined amateur detective with flaws.
There must be clues and lots of questions that create suspense. Mix in a great setting that you want to go back to in a time machine and there you have The September Society by Charles Finch.
An admirable page turner. I was guessing all the way to the end, but I wish that Graham the trustworthy valet wasn't left hanging around at Oxford. He needed more to do... And, I wish that Lady Jane had more to do as well. Perhaps in the next book.
Wonderful series.
There must a dead body. There must be a murderer of said dead body.
Also, you must have a smart, determined amateur detective with flaws.
There must be clues and lots of questions that create suspense. Mix in a great setting that you want to go back to in a time machine and there you have The September Society by Charles Finch.
An admirable page turner. I was guessing all the way to the end, but I wish that Graham the trustworthy valet wasn't left hanging around at Oxford. He needed more to do... And, I wish that Lady Jane had more to do as well. Perhaps in the next book.
Wonderful series.
May 20, 2019
Charles Lenox investigates the disappearance and murder of an Oxford student where mysterious clues point to a small group of military officers stationed in India who call themselves "The September Society." Lenox reminisces about his own time spent at Oxford. His interest in Lady Jane Gray provides a secondary plot. The mystery seems very similar in plot to others I've read. I loved James Langton's narration though!
January 19, 2015
Another fine effort by Charles Finch. Learned a lot about so many things in English history from this book and loved that the Charles Lenox character became more fleshed out, and that he is slowly developing a larger and larger circle of associates to draw upon in his work as a detective. Hopefully we will see more of these characters in the upcoming novels. Have now read 2 of the 8 in the series and like them a lot as fast-reading and wonderfully descriptive of the Victorian times.
September 22, 2020
This mystery set in Oxford was interesting enough. I will say that the sense of place wasn't quite as well done as say, Dorothy L. Sayers' Oxford, but very little is. The mystery itself was creditable enough, right up until the ending. Also, apparently Lenox is getting a seat in Parliament (or running for one anyway), his dream... It was just a lot.
I was a bit entertained by how the romance is handled in this. In the first chapter we're essentially told that Lenox seems to have suddenly realized he's in love with his best friend and next door neighbour and intends to propose. The reason this is hilarious to me is that I got to the end of the first one and thought, "Well, they're basically married already... they should just get married." Thing is, authors usually draw that out a bit. In this case it really feels like the author reread his first book and thought, "Oh, yeah, they should just be married." And then had Lenox come to that conclusion in the opening chapter. It made me laugh, but it was also kind of refreshing in a way.
Which is one of the things I like about this series, it's kind of refreshing in its simplicity. It's just fairly nice. Although, it may start veering towards sentimentality at some point.
Also, the author is clearly enamoured of gentlemen's clubs.
I was a bit entertained by how the romance is handled in this. In the first chapter we're essentially told that Lenox seems to have suddenly realized he's in love with his best friend and next door neighbour and intends to propose. The reason this is hilarious to me is that I got to the end of the first one and thought, "Well, they're basically married already... they should just get married." Thing is, authors usually draw that out a bit. In this case it really feels like the author reread his first book and thought, "Oh, yeah, they should just be married." And then had Lenox come to that conclusion in the opening chapter. It made me laugh, but it was also kind of refreshing in a way.
Which is one of the things I like about this series, it's kind of refreshing in its simplicity. It's just fairly nice. Although, it may start veering towards sentimentality at some point.
Also, the author is clearly enamoured of gentlemen's clubs.
August 26, 2018
The September Society is the 2nd book in the Charles Lenox Mysteries series by Charles Finch. Charles Lenox, a Victorian gentleman and avid would-be traveler, is known in his circles for his detective skills and is often called on by friends to help solve mysteries.
It is because of this reputation that Lady Annabelle requests Lenox’s assistance when her beloved son, George, goes missing from his rooms at Oxford. Lenox travels to Oxford, his alma mater, and finds a strange scene upon entering George’s rooms. In addition to a dead cat impaled to the floor with a letter opener, there are other odd bits and pieces strewn about the floor – thread, a tomato, a fountain pen and a card with the name of a club – “The September Society”.
Not long after Lenox begins his investigation, the body of a student is found. Lenox, along with his friends from London – including Thomas, Edmund, Graham and a potential apprentice, must unravel the meaning of these bizarre clues and find out what the September Society’s involvement may be before another student dies.
I listened to this book on audio and the narrator, James Langton, did a great job with the various characters. While the story was interesting and the personalities of the various characters was entertaining (especially Thomas and Graham), this 2nd book was much slower and, I have to say it, boring. compared to the first. There were also a couple of reveals that seemed to come out of nowhere as there wasn’t adequate foreshadowing or build-up. This is a series that I will continue as it is entertaining and keeps the reader guessing…I’m going to assume this was just the “sophomore slump”.
Rating: 3 stars
It is because of this reputation that Lady Annabelle requests Lenox’s assistance when her beloved son, George, goes missing from his rooms at Oxford. Lenox travels to Oxford, his alma mater, and finds a strange scene upon entering George’s rooms. In addition to a dead cat impaled to the floor with a letter opener, there are other odd bits and pieces strewn about the floor – thread, a tomato, a fountain pen and a card with the name of a club – “The September Society”.
Not long after Lenox begins his investigation, the body of a student is found. Lenox, along with his friends from London – including Thomas, Edmund, Graham and a potential apprentice, must unravel the meaning of these bizarre clues and find out what the September Society’s involvement may be before another student dies.
I listened to this book on audio and the narrator, James Langton, did a great job with the various characters. While the story was interesting and the personalities of the various characters was entertaining (especially Thomas and Graham), this 2nd book was much slower and, I have to say it, boring. compared to the first. There were also a couple of reveals that seemed to come out of nowhere as there wasn’t adequate foreshadowing or build-up. This is a series that I will continue as it is entertaining and keeps the reader guessing…I’m going to assume this was just the “sophomore slump”.
Rating: 3 stars
September 4, 2022
My month in the title book for September, listened to the audio book, the upper crust British accent of private detective Charles Lenox was spot on and really added to the tone and period feel of the book. It’s a Sherlock Holmes feeling whodunnit, set in London and Oxford in 1866. Lots of historical British references which made me think of Mary Freshley, from the great fire of 1666 to Christopher Wren to the history of Oxford to British occupation of India.
The title refers to a small group of upper level officers who served in eastern India during a specific campaign and who have secrets to protect. Big time secrets. What will they do to protect themselves from their past? Will they even resort to MURDER?
Fun read replete with lots of historical references and context.
The title refers to a small group of upper level officers who served in eastern India during a specific campaign and who have secrets to protect. Big time secrets. What will they do to protect themselves from their past? Will they even resort to MURDER?
Fun read replete with lots of historical references and context.
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