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Scotland Yard's Murder Squad #3
[The Devil's Workshop: Book 3: Scotland Yard Murder Squad] [By: Alex Grecian] [July, 2014]
They thought he was gone, but they were wrong. Jack the Ripper is loose in London once more.
Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad faces the most shocking case of its existence, in the extraordinary new historical thriller from the author of the acclaimed national bestsellers The Yard and The Black Country.
London, 1890. A small group of the city’s elite, fed up with the murder rate, have made it their business to capture violent criminals and mete out their own terrible brand of retribution. Now they are taking it a step They have arranged for four murderers to escape from prison, and into the group’s hands.
But the plan goes wrong. The killers elude them, and now it is up to Walter Day, Nevil Hammersmith, and the rest of Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad to hunt the convicts down before they can resume their bloody spree. But the Murder Squad may already be too late. The killers have retribution in mind, and one of them is heading straight toward a member of the Murder Squad, and his family.
And that isn’t even the worst of it. During the escape, one of the killers has stumbled upon the location of another notorious murderer, one thought gone for good, but who is now prepared to join forces with them.
And Saucy Jack has learned some new tricks while he’s been away.
Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad faces the most shocking case of its existence, in the extraordinary new historical thriller from the author of the acclaimed national bestsellers The Yard and The Black Country.
London, 1890. A small group of the city’s elite, fed up with the murder rate, have made it their business to capture violent criminals and mete out their own terrible brand of retribution. Now they are taking it a step They have arranged for four murderers to escape from prison, and into the group’s hands.
But the plan goes wrong. The killers elude them, and now it is up to Walter Day, Nevil Hammersmith, and the rest of Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad to hunt the convicts down before they can resume their bloody spree. But the Murder Squad may already be too late. The killers have retribution in mind, and one of them is heading straight toward a member of the Murder Squad, and his family.
And that isn’t even the worst of it. During the escape, one of the killers has stumbled upon the location of another notorious murderer, one thought gone for good, but who is now prepared to join forces with them.
And Saucy Jack has learned some new tricks while he’s been away.
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First published May 20, 2014
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About the author
Alex Grecian
60 books1,635 followersGrecian is the author of several bestselling thrillers, including THE SAINT OF WOLVES AND BUTCHERS, and five novels featuring Scotland Yard's Murder Squad: THE YARD, THE BLACK COUNTRY, THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP, THE HARVEST MAN, and LOST AND GONE FOREVER, plus the original Murder Squad ebook, THE BLUE GIRL.
He also created the six-volume graphic novel series PROOF, and the two-part graphic novel RASPUTIN.
He currently lives in the American Midwest with his wife and son. And a dog. And a tarantula.
He also created the six-volume graphic novel series PROOF, and the two-part graphic novel RASPUTIN.
He currently lives in the American Midwest with his wife and son. And a dog. And a tarantula.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 584 reviews
August 26, 2014
It appears that the Murder Squad series has crashed and burned.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the first two novels in this series was the character studies of those involved with or related to Scotland Yard's Murder Squad, especially detectives Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith, forensic pathologist Dr. Bernard Kingsley, and his daughter Fiona. Here the spark that lit up each of the characters is absent. The relentless undercurrent of the story - the fact Walter Day is anxious about his impending fatherhood - is driven home with all the subtlety of a two-by-four to the face.
Another thing I enjoyed about the earlier novels was their sense of historical time and space as they dealt with post-Ripper Victorian London at the dawn of forensic science and professional detective method. Unfortunately, The Devil's Workshop contains some jarring anachronisms. Worse yet, Alex Grecian misses a tremendous opportunity as he spotlights the historical Jack the Ripper: rather than offering clues to the man's identity or motivations for his crimes during the Autumn of Terror, the Jack in this novel is a (post)modern caricature without past or consistency. His behavior fails to inform our understanding of the real Ripper killings; in fact, it blithely contradicts the Ripper's documented behavior in ways that are never addressed.
I'm not a squeamish reader, and I recognize violence can be used to strong effect in fiction (as it was, I would say, in the first book in this series). The Devil's Workshop, however, seems like a series of grisly and grotesque scenes held together by the thinnest of plots, and because the characterization fails so badly, the reader's lack of empathy with the characters robs the violence of its deeper impact. Rather than being emotionally powerful, these scenes simply became tedious.
I've been waiting for Grecian to engage the Ripper since his first novel in this series. I wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I may be done with the Murder Squad instead.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the first two novels in this series was the character studies of those involved with or related to Scotland Yard's Murder Squad, especially detectives Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith, forensic pathologist Dr. Bernard Kingsley, and his daughter Fiona. Here the spark that lit up each of the characters is absent. The relentless undercurrent of the story - the fact Walter Day is anxious about his impending fatherhood - is driven home with all the subtlety of a two-by-four to the face.
Another thing I enjoyed about the earlier novels was their sense of historical time and space as they dealt with post-Ripper Victorian London at the dawn of forensic science and professional detective method. Unfortunately, The Devil's Workshop contains some jarring anachronisms. Worse yet, Alex Grecian misses a tremendous opportunity as he spotlights the historical Jack the Ripper: rather than offering clues to the man's identity or motivations for his crimes during the Autumn of Terror, the Jack in this novel is a (post)modern caricature without past or consistency. His behavior fails to inform our understanding of the real Ripper killings; in fact, it blithely contradicts the Ripper's documented behavior in ways that are never addressed.
I'm not a squeamish reader, and I recognize violence can be used to strong effect in fiction (as it was, I would say, in the first book in this series). The Devil's Workshop, however, seems like a series of grisly and grotesque scenes held together by the thinnest of plots, and because the characterization fails so badly, the reader's lack of empathy with the characters robs the violence of its deeper impact. Rather than being emotionally powerful, these scenes simply became tedious.
I've been waiting for Grecian to engage the Ripper since his first novel in this series. I wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I may be done with the Murder Squad instead.
August 12, 2015
Great read! The villains where brilliant as well as the usual characters and atmospheric setting. I enjoyed it more because it featured a certain, ah, 'saucy' someone haha. Plus the ending was left open...
July 27, 2019
“The Devil's Workshop” is the third novel in the Scotland Yard Murder Squad series and this time the story starts off with a prison break wherein a select number of dangerous prisoners are allowed to escape, one of these prisoners was the murderous tailor Cinderhouse, from “The Yard” and now another gruesome killer, the Harvest Man, is on the loose as well as a mysterious prisoner who was being held in underground catacombs and continuously tortured for over a year. His identity and how he came to a prisoner was a shocker.
Nevertheless, it was somewhat disconcerting that the main characters are so inept when they come up against villainous adversaries. Understandably the Murder Squad is newly formed and Day and Hammersmith are diligent in their pursuit of justice but they seem to mostly find themselves overpowered in life and death situations. In their pursuit of Saucy Jack, and the four “escaped prisoners,” both Day and Hammersmith are grievously injured and Hammersmith is kicked off the police force because he is so unkempt and careless in his zealotry.
There is much gruesome violence and gore in this second book. The book is full of suspense and very well written, but Grecian is displaying a penchant for killing off very likeable characters, which can be a turn off for me because if there is no one to root for, then there not much point aligning oneself with inconvenient deals of justice and honor. The writing is very good and I want to find out what’s next for Inspector Day and Sergeant Hammersmith and look forward to seeing what happens in the book.
Nevertheless, it was somewhat disconcerting that the main characters are so inept when they come up against villainous adversaries. Understandably the Murder Squad is newly formed and Day and Hammersmith are diligent in their pursuit of justice but they seem to mostly find themselves overpowered in life and death situations. In their pursuit of Saucy Jack, and the four “escaped prisoners,” both Day and Hammersmith are grievously injured and Hammersmith is kicked off the police force because he is so unkempt and careless in his zealotry.
There is much gruesome violence and gore in this second book. The book is full of suspense and very well written, but Grecian is displaying a penchant for killing off very likeable characters, which can be a turn off for me because if there is no one to root for, then there not much point aligning oneself with inconvenient deals of justice and honor. The writing is very good and I want to find out what’s next for Inspector Day and Sergeant Hammersmith and look forward to seeing what happens in the book.
May 16, 2014
The best book in the series so far!
I'm not generally one for mysteries, but there's something about those set in a historical period that keeps me coming back for more. I discovered Alex Grecian a few years ago when I won book 1 of The Murder Squad series in a Goodreads giveaway, and I've been anxiously awaiting each installment since then.
The series is set in London following the Jack the Ripper murders and follows the changes to Scotland Yard after the horrific murders. Namely, the formation of the Murder Squad. Walter Day is one such inspector that forms the new Murder Squad and he's been changing the approach to investigation ever since. At this point in the series, with The Devil's Workshop readers are fairly familiar with Day and his team, including constable Hammersmith and Doctor Kingsley; however, the team is put sorely to the test in the latest installment.
Following the escape of four murderers from prison, Day and the rest of the Yard are sent to investigate and recapture the criminals before they can do any further damage. One of these criminals will be recognized from book one. However, it soon becomes clear to Day and company that there is more behind the apparent escape, and in fact, appears to be well planned out and has unleashed Jack the Ripper once again. This conspiracy threatens the lives of Day, his team, and those closest to him, and it seems that the team may not make it out of this investigation unscathed.
In my opinion, The Devil's Workshop is the best of the series so far. It was, by far, the most suspenseful of the series, as the violence hits closer to home for Day. I simply could not put this one down, which made for a rather groggy day at work the following morning. I did not know how this one was going to end, and I was worried that the characters that I'd come to love would be harmed irreparably, and really, some of them are. But to answer which ones, well that would spoil the book. Go forth and read!
As for the characters, this is really what has kept me reading the series. Yes, the mystery is great, but I love Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith. They make such a great team and I love getting glimpses into their personal lives. The author has done such an excellent job at combining mystery with fully developed characters. And Grecian's a master at multiple points of view; this has added so much to these mysteries. While character development is slow (because of all the action and mystery) it's what keeps me coming back; I want to know more about each of them. I can't wait to see what happens next for the Murder Squad considering the ending of this book. Changes are afoot and I hope this team can stay together. Only reading the next book will determine this.
The Devil's Workshop was a fantastic read. If you like character-driven mysteries, this would be the perfect choice for you. And if you haven't read the first two books in the series, I urge you to start at the beginning. These atmospheric novels are fantastic and worth the time spent reading.
Originally reviewed here.
I'm not generally one for mysteries, but there's something about those set in a historical period that keeps me coming back for more. I discovered Alex Grecian a few years ago when I won book 1 of The Murder Squad series in a Goodreads giveaway, and I've been anxiously awaiting each installment since then.
The series is set in London following the Jack the Ripper murders and follows the changes to Scotland Yard after the horrific murders. Namely, the formation of the Murder Squad. Walter Day is one such inspector that forms the new Murder Squad and he's been changing the approach to investigation ever since. At this point in the series, with The Devil's Workshop readers are fairly familiar with Day and his team, including constable Hammersmith and Doctor Kingsley; however, the team is put sorely to the test in the latest installment.
Following the escape of four murderers from prison, Day and the rest of the Yard are sent to investigate and recapture the criminals before they can do any further damage. One of these criminals will be recognized from book one. However, it soon becomes clear to Day and company that there is more behind the apparent escape, and in fact, appears to be well planned out and has unleashed Jack the Ripper once again. This conspiracy threatens the lives of Day, his team, and those closest to him, and it seems that the team may not make it out of this investigation unscathed.
In my opinion, The Devil's Workshop is the best of the series so far. It was, by far, the most suspenseful of the series, as the violence hits closer to home for Day. I simply could not put this one down, which made for a rather groggy day at work the following morning. I did not know how this one was going to end, and I was worried that the characters that I'd come to love would be harmed irreparably, and really, some of them are. But to answer which ones, well that would spoil the book. Go forth and read!
As for the characters, this is really what has kept me reading the series. Yes, the mystery is great, but I love Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith. They make such a great team and I love getting glimpses into their personal lives. The author has done such an excellent job at combining mystery with fully developed characters. And Grecian's a master at multiple points of view; this has added so much to these mysteries. While character development is slow (because of all the action and mystery) it's what keeps me coming back; I want to know more about each of them. I can't wait to see what happens next for the Murder Squad considering the ending of this book. Changes are afoot and I hope this team can stay together. Only reading the next book will determine this.
The Devil's Workshop was a fantastic read. If you like character-driven mysteries, this would be the perfect choice for you. And if you haven't read the first two books in the series, I urge you to start at the beginning. These atmospheric novels are fantastic and worth the time spent reading.
Originally reviewed here.
June 15, 2021
Even though I finished it less then a day ago I don't remember much of anything of it witch is a shame as it sounded exciting and its includes Jack the ripper
April 8, 2014
3-1/2 stars: I'm a fan of the Murder Squad books and had high expectations for this book. I was so excited when I got an advanced reader's copy to review. While I did ultimately end up enjoying this book a lot, in many ways it wasn't quite up to par with the other two books in the series. The other books were detective stories with Day and Hammersmith working with Dr. Kingsley to solve cases and catch criminals. This book was more a thriller than anything else. There was no real case to solve, only escaped convicts to catch. Dr. Kingsley didn't work his forensic magic and Day and Hammersmith didn't do much detecting. There was a lot of chasing and we saw a lot of the inside of the criminals' minds, particularly Jack the Ripper's. That made for some very creepy and disturbing chapters.
The book was slow to start for me; it wasn't until about halfway through when it became a real page-turner and I couldn't put it down. But the page-turning was due more to a feeling of "oh my goodness, I can't believe this is happening" than to being drawn in by a mystery or an intricate case. I wish there had been more case and less "chase" and I certainly could have done with seeing less into the twisted mind of Saucy Jack but overall it was still an exciting book which elicited many gasps and shivers from me. I look forward to the next book in the series but hope Grecian goes back to writing more about the detectives, the doctor and solving cases.
**I got an Advanced Reading Copy of this book from Penguin's First To Read program.**
The book was slow to start for me; it wasn't until about halfway through when it became a real page-turner and I couldn't put it down. But the page-turning was due more to a feeling of "oh my goodness, I can't believe this is happening" than to being drawn in by a mystery or an intricate case. I wish there had been more case and less "chase" and I certainly could have done with seeing less into the twisted mind of Saucy Jack but overall it was still an exciting book which elicited many gasps and shivers from me. I look forward to the next book in the series but hope Grecian goes back to writing more about the detectives, the doctor and solving cases.
**I got an Advanced Reading Copy of this book from Penguin's First To Read program.**
May 23, 2020
It’s been over 2 yrs since I last visited this series! Where does the time go!
An easy & compelling read is how I remember the first two & this is certainly more of the same from the start. The characters are light & fit in with the whole nuance of the story & as I recollect from the prior two stories the eviiiil villain is in Italics to help us place him from the get-go & this one is a good ‘un & a fine fit for the plot. He’s no pantomime villain mind & a right piece of work….
A decent read in the high 3’s for me rounded upto 4 stars.
An easy & compelling read is how I remember the first two & this is certainly more of the same from the start. The characters are light & fit in with the whole nuance of the story & as I recollect from the prior two stories the eviiiil villain is in Italics to help us place him from the get-go & this one is a good ‘un & a fine fit for the plot. He’s no pantomime villain mind & a right piece of work….
A decent read in the high 3’s for me rounded upto 4 stars.
June 27, 2015
I love a dark, gritty Victorian crime novel, but for me this one fell somewhat short of the previous books in this series. It was a bit more "in your face" for lack of a better term and lacked the nuance and depth of the previous novels. The plot did not feel as well developed and though one should expect a fair amount of gore in a book that includes Jack the Ripper as a central character, it felt somewhat gratuitous at times, as if the goal was shock rather than suspense. It did, however, leave me wanting to read the next book in the series and find out more about the Harvest Man, so overall I give it three stars.
August 23, 2014
First let me assure that The Devil's Workshop is a good, thrilling read, and a four-star rating by definition means "really liked it." Alex Grecian has created a series featuring Walter Day of the newly formed Murder Squad of Scotland Yard, a specialized squad introduced into the Yard in response to the lingering evil of Jack the Ripper and its release of murderous activity among the London population of 1890. Inspector Day is paired with Sergeant Nevil Hammersmith in this series, and their working relationship is most satisfying one in the stories. Walter's other two pivotal pairings in the series, with his wife Claire and with coroner/pioneer-in-forensics-investigating Dr. Bernard Kingsley are brilliant pairings. Now, the reason for my four-star and not five-star rating. These four characters are such fine creations, but their development seems somewhat truncated to me. There is a disconnect in the personal that if fleshed out would deliver the broader dimensions of familiarization and full lives both on and off the clock.
In the Devil's Workshop, the story opens with a prison break created by the bizarre circumstances of a wild, unmanned train crashing into one of the prison blocks. It is a well-planned, arranged break by a group of "upstanding" men who have grown tired of what they deem unpunished criminals, men who have been convicted of murder but who aren't really suffering the consequences of their vile acts. Inspector Walter Day is sent for in the middle of the night, as are all personnel of Scotland Yard, to aid in the capture of four, maybe five, escaped prisoners who are of the worst, most depraved sort. Personally alarming to Walter is the escape of a murderer he recently helped put away, a murderer who knows where he lives and had approached Walter's wife there. With Claire being just days away from giving birth to their first born, it is an added worry to Walter in the manhunt. The "organization" that is responsible for the prison break had plans to quickly recapture the newly freed scum of society and begin teaching them lessons that prison deemed inappropriate, but nothing goes as planned, and havoc and tragedy ensue. Added to this nightmarish scenario is the reemergence of the nefarious Jack, who has some scores to settle and gruesome fun to enjoy.
So, the storyline deviates in this third book in the series from solving a fresh case or cases to rehashing old ones. While it is thrilling to follow the desperate chase to corral these reprobates, I did miss the innovative techniques of Dr. Kingsley in solving a murder and the well matched investigative prowess of Day and Hammersmith in unmasking a killer. However, I admit quite willingly that the last half to third of the book had me reading nonstop and staying up well past the midnight hour to finish the tale. Still a fan of Grecian and the Murder Squad series, I do look forward to more.
In the Devil's Workshop, the story opens with a prison break created by the bizarre circumstances of a wild, unmanned train crashing into one of the prison blocks. It is a well-planned, arranged break by a group of "upstanding" men who have grown tired of what they deem unpunished criminals, men who have been convicted of murder but who aren't really suffering the consequences of their vile acts. Inspector Walter Day is sent for in the middle of the night, as are all personnel of Scotland Yard, to aid in the capture of four, maybe five, escaped prisoners who are of the worst, most depraved sort. Personally alarming to Walter is the escape of a murderer he recently helped put away, a murderer who knows where he lives and had approached Walter's wife there. With Claire being just days away from giving birth to their first born, it is an added worry to Walter in the manhunt. The "organization" that is responsible for the prison break had plans to quickly recapture the newly freed scum of society and begin teaching them lessons that prison deemed inappropriate, but nothing goes as planned, and havoc and tragedy ensue. Added to this nightmarish scenario is the reemergence of the nefarious Jack, who has some scores to settle and gruesome fun to enjoy.
So, the storyline deviates in this third book in the series from solving a fresh case or cases to rehashing old ones. While it is thrilling to follow the desperate chase to corral these reprobates, I did miss the innovative techniques of Dr. Kingsley in solving a murder and the well matched investigative prowess of Day and Hammersmith in unmasking a killer. However, I admit quite willingly that the last half to third of the book had me reading nonstop and staying up well past the midnight hour to finish the tale. Still a fan of Grecian and the Murder Squad series, I do look forward to more.
June 21, 2015
The third book in Alex Grecian’s Murder Squad series and another brilliant read. Once again we follow the story of our beloved characters as they deal with trouble in Victorian London. This time, however, they’re not digging to the bottom of a murder instead they are chasing criminals who have escaped from prison. Through this we see old and new villains alike as they try to avoid the Murder Squad and being sent back to prison.
I will admit that I was a bit put off by the notion of Jack the Ripper roaming the streets once more, as I especially loved this series as it occurred after Jack the Ripper was done with his crimes. However, that being said, I was not at all disappointed by what I was given. It was not entirely what I expected but it was a gripping read on that front, offering us an entertaining prospect with Jack returning to the streets of London and causing more havoc for the police. For anyone else who is tentative about this prospect know that we are not dealing with Jack roaming the streets killing off more females as we’re given a different insight into the life of the notorious killer, a very unique and interesting take on what happened.
Jack isn’t the only new character we are introduced to in this book. The mysterious Inspector March that Day has inspired to be like throughout the first two books makes an appearance here, allowing us to view the relationship between Day and the man he views as a mentor and father figure of sorts. There is also the reappearance of what some might deem beloved characters from the first book that may have missed during The Black Country.
Moreover, there seems to be more of an insight into the personal lives of characters – especially the lives of Walter and Claire Day – throughout. Whilst there isn’t as much Hammersmith and Doctor Kingsley action they both do appear to offer up their usual loveable idiosyncrasies and the chain of events surrounding them is especially interesting. Hammersmith in particular (although this may be a somewhat bias view as he quickly became my favourite character when reading the series) has an interesting story towards the end of the book which will leave you excited to see where things go in the future.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In fact, if the truth is to be known, I enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed The Black Country putting it almost on par with The Yard.
Any fans of the Murder Squad need to pick this up now!
I will admit that I was a bit put off by the notion of Jack the Ripper roaming the streets once more, as I especially loved this series as it occurred after Jack the Ripper was done with his crimes. However, that being said, I was not at all disappointed by what I was given. It was not entirely what I expected but it was a gripping read on that front, offering us an entertaining prospect with Jack returning to the streets of London and causing more havoc for the police. For anyone else who is tentative about this prospect know that we are not dealing with Jack roaming the streets killing off more females as we’re given a different insight into the life of the notorious killer, a very unique and interesting take on what happened.
Jack isn’t the only new character we are introduced to in this book. The mysterious Inspector March that Day has inspired to be like throughout the first two books makes an appearance here, allowing us to view the relationship between Day and the man he views as a mentor and father figure of sorts. There is also the reappearance of what some might deem beloved characters from the first book that may have missed during The Black Country.
Moreover, there seems to be more of an insight into the personal lives of characters – especially the lives of Walter and Claire Day – throughout. Whilst there isn’t as much Hammersmith and Doctor Kingsley action they both do appear to offer up their usual loveable idiosyncrasies and the chain of events surrounding them is especially interesting. Hammersmith in particular (although this may be a somewhat bias view as he quickly became my favourite character when reading the series) has an interesting story towards the end of the book which will leave you excited to see where things go in the future.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In fact, if the truth is to be known, I enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed The Black Country putting it almost on par with The Yard.
Any fans of the Murder Squad need to pick this up now!
February 5, 2017
Creepy, evil, dark and full of mid-19th century London ambiance including several chapters below ground. This is definitely my favorite entry of the series so far and I predict the next will be as dark as this one.
One warning-- of all the series, this is the goriest and not for the faint of heart. Well-written but violence and sadism runs amok.
All your favorite characters are here (although not nearly enough Hammersmith) plus a few evil convicts on the run to keep the Murder Squad inspectors hopping.
And then there's Jack. And the Harvest Man.
Enough said... go read it yourself!!
One warning-- of all the series, this is the goriest and not for the faint of heart. Well-written but violence and sadism runs amok.
All your favorite characters are here (although not nearly enough Hammersmith) plus a few evil convicts on the run to keep the Murder Squad inspectors hopping.
And then there's Jack. And the Harvest Man.
Enough said... go read it yourself!!
April 5, 2018
In 1890, a prison break releases several vicious murderers onto the streets of London and all available police are gathered to catch the escapees. The fledgling murder squad is no exception and so previous series regulars Detective Walter Day and Sergeant Nevil Hammersmith join the hunt. They soon discover a mysterious organization has been taking justice into their own hands and their inept actions have not only led to the prison break but also the escape of a mysterious prisoner of their own being held secretly in London’s undercity. None other than Jack the Ripper is loose once more.
I actually enjoyed this one a little more than the first two books in the series despite the Jack the Ripper theme, which I feel has been done to death (no pun intended). Whereas those first two books started out well as fairly straight-forward historical murder mysteries, they tended to go off the rails near the end. This one was engaging throughout and had a couple of sub plots that were also well done, including Walter’s very pregnant wife and her resulting ordeal. The writing was well done, as usual, and I always like the 1890s London setting. The general goriness in this volume is substantially heightened but I suppose that comes along with Jack the Ripper territory. Consequently, one can classify this novel as much "thriller" as "mystery", perhaps more so.
This is the first of several Saucy Jack related novels within the larger series so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of plot strings left unresolved, leading us into the next novel in the series, The Harvest Man, clearly a reference to one of the escaped prisoners who remains at large at the end of this book. Up till now, this was one series I had considered abandoning but my interest level has risen once again so I’ll be looking for that next book soon.
I actually enjoyed this one a little more than the first two books in the series despite the Jack the Ripper theme, which I feel has been done to death (no pun intended). Whereas those first two books started out well as fairly straight-forward historical murder mysteries, they tended to go off the rails near the end. This one was engaging throughout and had a couple of sub plots that were also well done, including Walter’s very pregnant wife and her resulting ordeal. The writing was well done, as usual, and I always like the 1890s London setting. The general goriness in this volume is substantially heightened but I suppose that comes along with Jack the Ripper territory. Consequently, one can classify this novel as much "thriller" as "mystery", perhaps more so.
This is the first of several Saucy Jack related novels within the larger series so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of plot strings left unresolved, leading us into the next novel in the series, The Harvest Man, clearly a reference to one of the escaped prisoners who remains at large at the end of this book. Up till now, this was one series I had considered abandoning but my interest level has risen once again so I’ll be looking for that next book soon.
March 5, 2018
While I feel that this is a definite departure from the first two books, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing, as always, was simple and easy to follow. There weren't really any surprises or plot twists in this, and I felt completely disconnected from Day and Hammersmith, so there are definitely things lacking in this installment. I loved reading about Jack, but I'm hoping for a return to the feel of the first two books as I move on in the series. It was a quick, fun read. I enjoyed it.
November 24, 2019
I had this chat with Alex Black one time (she has a profile on here and youtube and you should check her out!!), that after reading hundreds of books, your bar for a good story raises a lot, had I read this year's ago I may have liked it more.
The first 110 pages dragged to the point of boredom, then things picked up when Jack the ripper was introduced. I gather this is part of a series but I'll leave it there.
The first 110 pages dragged to the point of boredom, then things picked up when Jack the ripper was introduced. I gather this is part of a series but I'll leave it there.
October 18, 2022
Book #3 just falls right off a cliff. Characters we like behave arbitrarily and a character we don't like There's also an uptick in queasy gratuitous violence.
And worst, readers are hit with the Victorian-London cliché double whammy: I hate it when that happens.
And worst, readers are hit with the Victorian-London cliché double whammy: I hate it when that happens.
October 2, 2014
This third Scotland Yard Murder Squad Mystery is especially enjoyable. I am definitely not a fan of horror stories, but this book was very earnie, dark and compelling, drawing me into the plot almost immediately. Grecian has given Jack the Ripper a new start on his reign of murder and evil, giving him almost the persona of the antichrist. The literal underground of London added great historical interest to the plot also.
This book stands alone just fine, but I am personally glad that I read the previous two books in the series because knowing the background of the Murder Squad adds so much. Inspector Day and his wife are expecting their first child. Their friends and fellow workers get themselves in life threatening situation once again, and the expected child adds to their threatened lives. Life in 1890's Scotland Yard is very new for the times, and much different than today's investigative policeman.
I listened to this on Audible and the delivery was spectacular. The tone and breath of Jack's voice added an air of authenticity to the story that would be difficult to duplicate by just reading the story for yourself. Grecian's Murder Squad continue to please my sense of storytelling. He creates an atmosphere with his words that is marvelously mysterious, and well above the average story telling. Recommend beginning with THE YARD.
This book stands alone just fine, but I am personally glad that I read the previous two books in the series because knowing the background of the Murder Squad adds so much. Inspector Day and his wife are expecting their first child. Their friends and fellow workers get themselves in life threatening situation once again, and the expected child adds to their threatened lives. Life in 1890's Scotland Yard is very new for the times, and much different than today's investigative policeman.
I listened to this on Audible and the delivery was spectacular. The tone and breath of Jack's voice added an air of authenticity to the story that would be difficult to duplicate by just reading the story for yourself. Grecian's Murder Squad continue to please my sense of storytelling. He creates an atmosphere with his words that is marvelously mysterious, and well above the average story telling. Recommend beginning with THE YARD.
July 20, 2016
I received this book for free as part of a Goodreads giveaway. I've read the first of the Murder Squad series (unfortunately I ran out of time to read the second before the third arrived), and I do think the characters have been developed well. In reading this installation I also think that the author has worked hard to establish a series of dependable, likeable characters. With 'The Devil's Workshop', the entire story takes place over what seems to be roughly a day, and there is a lot of action and there are a lot of characters to keep track of, and at times I had to go back and reread sections to remember who was involved/what was going on. I thought that some of the longer conversations between one of the main characters and Jack the Ripper slowed down the plot a bit, and the wife of the same main character going into labor in a background plot felt like just another hurdle to get over in trying to resolve the main conflict that drove the heart of the novel.
July 15, 2014
I loved The Devil’s Workshop, placed in 1890 London; this tale follows Detective Walter Day and Detective Nevil Hammersmith as they hunt down a group of escaped murders. Full of secret societies, Saucy Jack, deviant law men, pregnant wives with babies on the way, hidden tunnels, botched plans, and copious twists turns, and one must not forget about the delightfully evil villains, Grecian brings London’s streets alive. I have always liked the tales of Jack the Ripper, but haven’t found fiction that doesn’t present him in predictable manner, that is until I read The Devil’s Workshop. A five star book, I plan on purchasing this novel for quite a few of my family members, who I hope will enjoy this tale as much as I did. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.
Originally published at: http://www.firsttoread.com/books/the-...
Originally published at: http://www.firsttoread.com/books/the-...
August 11, 2016
I devoured this book in about two days, holding my breath all the way with suspense. I loved the first book in the series, but thought the second one was a bit weaker. I'm glad to see that Grecian is back to form, creating some great characters and sweeping plot lines. Warning: There are many very gruesome scenes in this book, but what can you expect from a novel about Jack the Ripper and a few other murderers? It pulled me in right from the start, and I really needed to know that all of my favorite characters are going to make it out of it alive. I'm not going to tell you if they did.
November 28, 2016
Another good installment in the Scotland Yard Murder Squad series. In this one, we are introduced to two new villains; Jack the Ripper and someone called The Harvest Man. An old nemesis comes back as well. Detective Day and his stalwart companion Hammersmith must race against the clock and round up four murderers who have escaped from jail. But was this jailbreak an accident, or a coincidence? A good read!
January 17, 2017
Ok... that's it. Am 1/3 of the way through and I will not read any more. This book explores the depths of depravity in a way that I do not need. I do not want to finish it though that is not my usual choice when I start a book, even if it turns out to be one I do not particularly care for. Maybe there is redemption at the end but it is not close enough to inspire a desire to go on or even a desire to read any more of this author's writing.
July 27, 2019
Excellent writing and well researched; that is what earned this book 5 stars. The characters are multifaceted and interesting as they continue to develop and thrive, along with their flourishing detective skills, growing and evolving the as yet unheard of brand new Murder Unit.
However, as this series progresses it gets more gruesome. The first book had just a bit of gore and the second book had none at all. Therefore when the first chapter was grisly, and got worse as the story unfolded, I was very disappointed and really didn't want to finish it. But I did, just to find out what happened to characters I was attached to. For the next two books, which I won't be reading, I just read the summary and it told me everything I wanted to know. This is a 5 book series and I am let down, as well as disheartened, that I won't have read the entire series.
I will be going back to my cozy mysteries and just leave this series hanging, unfinished.
However, as this series progresses it gets more gruesome. The first book had just a bit of gore and the second book had none at all. Therefore when the first chapter was grisly, and got worse as the story unfolded, I was very disappointed and really didn't want to finish it. But I did, just to find out what happened to characters I was attached to. For the next two books, which I won't be reading, I just read the summary and it told me everything I wanted to know. This is a 5 book series and I am let down, as well as disheartened, that I won't have read the entire series.
I will be going back to my cozy mysteries and just leave this series hanging, unfinished.
March 17, 2017
This book went off the rails very quickly for me. And when it went off the rails, it did so spectacularly.
I can read gore. I can read horror. I can read through it and accept it as long as it is isn't utterly and completely gratuitous. I finished this book while battling waves of disgust.
Yes, yes...Jack the Ripper was HORRIBLE. Jack the Ripper was obscenely horrible. Jack the Ripper committed horrible, heinous, very graphic crimes. Mr. Grecian has elevated them to an even higher level of heinousness.
He relishes writing the gory descriptions. For some people this is good, but it wasn't for me. So much so that my husband actually warned me off reading the next two books. "It gets worse," he said. I trust him. I'm skipping the next two installments, and any other that follow...
Mr. Grecian seems to falter when it comes to writing about human interaction that isn't of a criminal sort. He has imbued the relationship between his lead character and Jack the Ripper with more intimacy than I had witnessed between the lead character and his (supposedly) much-beloved wife.
This book goes from one improbable scenario to the next, and so on and so forth until you are, by the last twenty pages, saying "no, no, no...you have GOT to be kidding me???!!!"
A) Jack the Ripper has been kept in what basically amounts to a dungeon under the city of London for about a year. No light, no human contact aside from that which his torturers (oh, the justice seekers) give him. He also has not moved from where he is sitting, and has been wearing a hood the whole time. The man is freed and, voila!, can walk and move as if he has been leading quite a normal life...
B) Jack the Ripper has been tortured. His hands and feet were shackled, and his liberator had to cut through flesh to remove his shackles. Jack the Ripper's appearance seems to be normal enough to blend in nicely with the population of London. (Memo to me: don't travel back in time...these people were obviously clueless...)
C) Walter Day (Mr. Grecian's hero) is wounded on both legs...one (the left) loses feeling completely, and the other is in pain. He can walk...maybe a little wobbly, but he can walk. Yeah...
D) Mrs. Walter Day gives birth to twins...this whole thing happens in one day, by the way, while a most gruesome murder is taking place downstairs in her kitchen. Her babies, obviously, are born before their due date, and it is a rather laborious process. She, however, manages to -TWO DAYS LATER!!!!!- take the babies in a pram to the hospital where her husband is recovering from his injuries.
An aside here: it doesn't matter how "modern" you were at this time, you had a baby and you were basically confined to your home...you didn't go out TO THE PARK with two newborns...women were kept at home...and, let's face it, two people were murdered (issuing tremendous amounts of blood, gore, etc.,) all over her kitchen and parlor, and Mrs. Day's house is totally navigable for a woman leaving for the hospital with a pram and twins...
E) You have a female character (he REALLY doesn't know how to write those) who is pushed into a pantry, locked in it, and asks sheepishly "is everything OK out there?" while a massive struggle is going on and a constable is being murdered in a spectacular way. The killer replies. The killer...while dripping with blood. He is all like "oh, yeah...nothing but us chickens out here!" And this girl...heaven help me...shrugs her shoulders, finds candles and ponders that at least there's food for her to eat...
Seriously! That's what she does! While someone is being repeatedly stabbed and there's blood spattering all over the place and furniture is getting toppled left and right..."you ok out there?????"
The first two books were fine. They showed promise. Mr. Grecian seems to have been overly excited by the prospect of continuing his series, and threw everything but the kitchen sink in there for this round. You have tailored clothes, a nosy neighbor who manages to free a man who is tied to a chair and has no tongue while using a garden hoe... You have a rather obvious bad guy who, if you have ⅓ of your brain caffeinated enough, will be revealed to you as soon as he turns up on the page. You have the can't-be-killed character who will suffer (once more) horrific injuries and still survive while insisting that he's fine...
While reading this book I kept thinking "didn't this, or something closely resembling it, happen on Ripper Street????" Yes, yes...same time period. Yes, yes...Jack the Ripper is very well documented in his own way. But, come on!!! If you get to the end and you don't feel a little disgusted and ready to give up on the whole thing, you are a better reader (with a stronger stomach) than I am.
So you might want to read it just to argue with me about the absurdity of it all. Or you might want to skip it.
I will never again approach Mr. Grecian's books with enthusiasm. Caution...lots and lots of caution. IF I ever approach them at all.
I can read gore. I can read horror. I can read through it and accept it as long as it is isn't utterly and completely gratuitous. I finished this book while battling waves of disgust.
Yes, yes...Jack the Ripper was HORRIBLE. Jack the Ripper was obscenely horrible. Jack the Ripper committed horrible, heinous, very graphic crimes. Mr. Grecian has elevated them to an even higher level of heinousness.
He relishes writing the gory descriptions. For some people this is good, but it wasn't for me. So much so that my husband actually warned me off reading the next two books. "It gets worse," he said. I trust him. I'm skipping the next two installments, and any other that follow...
Mr. Grecian seems to falter when it comes to writing about human interaction that isn't of a criminal sort. He has imbued the relationship between his lead character and Jack the Ripper with more intimacy than I had witnessed between the lead character and his (supposedly) much-beloved wife.
This book goes from one improbable scenario to the next, and so on and so forth until you are, by the last twenty pages, saying "no, no, no...you have GOT to be kidding me???!!!"
A) Jack the Ripper has been kept in what basically amounts to a dungeon under the city of London for about a year. No light, no human contact aside from that which his torturers (oh, the justice seekers) give him. He also has not moved from where he is sitting, and has been wearing a hood the whole time. The man is freed and, voila!, can walk and move as if he has been leading quite a normal life...
B) Jack the Ripper has been tortured. His hands and feet were shackled, and his liberator had to cut through flesh to remove his shackles. Jack the Ripper's appearance seems to be normal enough to blend in nicely with the population of London. (Memo to me: don't travel back in time...these people were obviously clueless...)
C) Walter Day (Mr. Grecian's hero) is wounded on both legs...one (the left) loses feeling completely, and the other is in pain. He can walk...maybe a little wobbly, but he can walk. Yeah...
D) Mrs. Walter Day gives birth to twins...this whole thing happens in one day, by the way, while a most gruesome murder is taking place downstairs in her kitchen. Her babies, obviously, are born before their due date, and it is a rather laborious process. She, however, manages to -TWO DAYS LATER!!!!!- take the babies in a pram to the hospital where her husband is recovering from his injuries.
An aside here: it doesn't matter how "modern" you were at this time, you had a baby and you were basically confined to your home...you didn't go out TO THE PARK with two newborns...women were kept at home...and, let's face it, two people were murdered (issuing tremendous amounts of blood, gore, etc.,) all over her kitchen and parlor, and Mrs. Day's house is totally navigable for a woman leaving for the hospital with a pram and twins...
E) You have a female character (he REALLY doesn't know how to write those) who is pushed into a pantry, locked in it, and asks sheepishly "is everything OK out there?" while a massive struggle is going on and a constable is being murdered in a spectacular way. The killer replies. The killer...while dripping with blood. He is all like "oh, yeah...nothing but us chickens out here!" And this girl...heaven help me...shrugs her shoulders, finds candles and ponders that at least there's food for her to eat...
Seriously! That's what she does! While someone is being repeatedly stabbed and there's blood spattering all over the place and furniture is getting toppled left and right..."you ok out there?????"
The first two books were fine. They showed promise. Mr. Grecian seems to have been overly excited by the prospect of continuing his series, and threw everything but the kitchen sink in there for this round. You have tailored clothes, a nosy neighbor who manages to free a man who is tied to a chair and has no tongue while using a garden hoe... You have a rather obvious bad guy who, if you have ⅓ of your brain caffeinated enough, will be revealed to you as soon as he turns up on the page. You have the can't-be-killed character who will suffer (once more) horrific injuries and still survive while insisting that he's fine...
While reading this book I kept thinking "didn't this, or something closely resembling it, happen on Ripper Street????" Yes, yes...same time period. Yes, yes...Jack the Ripper is very well documented in his own way. But, come on!!! If you get to the end and you don't feel a little disgusted and ready to give up on the whole thing, you are a better reader (with a stronger stomach) than I am.
So you might want to read it just to argue with me about the absurdity of it all. Or you might want to skip it.
I will never again approach Mr. Grecian's books with enthusiasm. Caution...lots and lots of caution. IF I ever approach them at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2014
Jack is back! And he's far more metaphysical than you might have expected London's most notorious serial killer to be.
I never got a galley for the second book in the series, so it's been a while, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not reading it. That's in stark contrast with The Long Mars, which I picked up and was completely overwhelmed by. I guess what I'm saying is that it works as a stand-alone, which is never a bad thing.
The story starts with a prison break that doesn't quite go right, although I definitely appreciated the grandeur of the plan behind it. Some people will attempt a prison break with a truck or a van (or a helicopter, if they're the A-Team), but there aren't many who would try it with a train. So, kudos to them for thinking big. The part that doesn't quite go right is never properly explained, and I'm not sure if that's been left for another book, or if it was just forgotten.
Bad men escape from the prison, some are caught, some elude capture, and one of them makes friends with Jack the Ripper, who has been held and tortured in an underground cell for a year. Jack uses his mind-powers to convince the escapee to free him, then recovers from a year of being chained to a wall rather quickly. It reminds me a bit of Kill Bill, where Uma Thurman spends a couple of hours in Buck's truck consciously working her muscles back into shape. The recovery time for Jack is even shorter, and even more unrealistic. He's been living in his own filth for a year, how is it that none of the wounds that were inflicted on him got infected?
Anyway, the prison break has got every police officer in the city busy, especially those on the murder squad. Inspector Day goes on a wild chase through the tunnels beneath London in search of the escapees. Meanwhile, his wife starts to go into labor with a baby that he's not sure he wants! So much on his mind!
The pace becomes almost frantic, and I'm not sure why the timeline is so condensed. It just felt rushed.
I like the interpretation of Jack the Ripper that Grecian provides. It's a bit more nuanced than, say, a raving lunatic with a thirst for blood, though there is a bit of that in there as well.
The book was fine. I keep waiting for the successor, in terms of quality, to The Alienist, and I'm sad that this isn't it. In the meantime, though, it's a quick, exciting read.
I never got a galley for the second book in the series, so it's been a while, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not reading it. That's in stark contrast with The Long Mars, which I picked up and was completely overwhelmed by. I guess what I'm saying is that it works as a stand-alone, which is never a bad thing.
The story starts with a prison break that doesn't quite go right, although I definitely appreciated the grandeur of the plan behind it. Some people will attempt a prison break with a truck or a van (or a helicopter, if they're the A-Team), but there aren't many who would try it with a train. So, kudos to them for thinking big. The part that doesn't quite go right is never properly explained, and I'm not sure if that's been left for another book, or if it was just forgotten.
Bad men escape from the prison, some are caught, some elude capture, and one of them makes friends with Jack the Ripper, who has been held and tortured in an underground cell for a year. Jack uses his mind-powers to convince the escapee to free him, then recovers from a year of being chained to a wall rather quickly. It reminds me a bit of Kill Bill, where Uma Thurman spends a couple of hours in Buck's truck consciously working her muscles back into shape. The recovery time for Jack is even shorter, and even more unrealistic. He's been living in his own filth for a year, how is it that none of the wounds that were inflicted on him got infected?
Anyway, the prison break has got every police officer in the city busy, especially those on the murder squad. Inspector Day goes on a wild chase through the tunnels beneath London in search of the escapees. Meanwhile, his wife starts to go into labor with a baby that he's not sure he wants! So much on his mind!
The pace becomes almost frantic, and I'm not sure why the timeline is so condensed. It just felt rushed.
I like the interpretation of Jack the Ripper that Grecian provides. It's a bit more nuanced than, say, a raving lunatic with a thirst for blood, though there is a bit of that in there as well.
The book was fine. I keep waiting for the successor, in terms of quality, to The Alienist, and I'm sad that this isn't it. In the meantime, though, it's a quick, exciting read.
June 22, 2014
Scotland Yard’s “Murder Squad” is still in its infancy; undermanned and sometimes untrained, they are not doing their job with the expediency some citizens expect. This small group of citizens takes it upon themselves to capture criminals and mete out their own brand of justice – namely making them suffer in the same manner as the victims. Their own plan, however, is also moving along a little more slowly than they anticipated so they hatch a scheme to get more criminals at one time. Arranging, in a most unique way, the prison escape of four criminals they hope to subsequently round up again. The plan goes horribly wrong and now the Murder Squad” has escaped criminals on their hands as well as their ongoing caseload of crimes.
To make matters worse, one of the escaped criminals is a man with a vendetta against Inspector Walter Day. The “Tailor” happens to run into a fellow criminal who is well known to the police. The “Murder Squad” was created to catch this one criminal who has eluded them, but now “Saucy Jack” is back!
This all going on while Inspector Day’s wife is busy having her baby in the background. The author pulls it all together brilliantly.
This series is definitely historical, but I could not describe it as Historical Fiction – a more accurate description might be Historical Thriller if such a genre exists. Mr. Grecian takes us into the fog-shrouded, gas-lit streets of London in the late 19th century. The ambience blends perfectly with the grisly crimes perpetrated. This entry in the series, even more than the other two, definitely had some cringe-worthy moments.
I would highly recommend this series to any fans of “historical thrillers”, but would suggest starting with Mr. Grecian’s first book. This book, even more than the last (The Black Country) needs a little bit of familiarity with the first book (The Yard). This book would also appeal to fans of Lindsay Faye’s “Copper” series (The Gods of Gotham, Seven for a Secret) so they could compare how it’s done on the “other side of the pond”.
To make matters worse, one of the escaped criminals is a man with a vendetta against Inspector Walter Day. The “Tailor” happens to run into a fellow criminal who is well known to the police. The “Murder Squad” was created to catch this one criminal who has eluded them, but now “Saucy Jack” is back!
This all going on while Inspector Day’s wife is busy having her baby in the background. The author pulls it all together brilliantly.
This series is definitely historical, but I could not describe it as Historical Fiction – a more accurate description might be Historical Thriller if such a genre exists. Mr. Grecian takes us into the fog-shrouded, gas-lit streets of London in the late 19th century. The ambience blends perfectly with the grisly crimes perpetrated. This entry in the series, even more than the other two, definitely had some cringe-worthy moments.
I would highly recommend this series to any fans of “historical thrillers”, but would suggest starting with Mr. Grecian’s first book. This book, even more than the last (The Black Country) needs a little bit of familiarity with the first book (The Yard). This book would also appeal to fans of Lindsay Faye’s “Copper” series (The Gods of Gotham, Seven for a Secret) so they could compare how it’s done on the “other side of the pond”.
April 24, 2014
This is the third entry into the Scotland Yard Murder Squad series and in my opinion the best one yet. You really want to read these books in order because the third book revisits a nemesis from book one, a thoroughly nasty child killer who goes by the name of Cinderhouse. Thanks to a spectacular prison break he is on the loose in London along with a handful of other psychopathic killers who include non other than Jack the Ripper himself. Jack is portrayed as a sort of Hannibal Lector, a criminal of the most dangerous sort, intelligent and completely bat crap crazy. To complicate matters even further, Claire, Walter day's wife is moments away from giving birth to the couples first child. All of this leads into a truly terrifying showdown at the Day residence.
I was fresh off from reading the second installment in the series, The Black Country so I was primed and ready for this outing. The tone of these books is undeniably dark. There are a lot of descriptions of torture and gore which probably wouldn't offend fans of Hannibal or The Following on TV. It seems like excessive gore is the in thing in entertainment now with everyone wanting to push the envelope but I do find it off putting. I prefer psychological terror over descriptions of people's organs outside their bodies.
Despite the grizzly descriptions I found the story top notch and extremely well put together. The epilogue was chilling and the author left a few loose strings which will take the story of the murder squad further while still providing a satisfying ending to this novel. I highly recommend this series to fans of historical crime fiction.
I was fresh off from reading the second installment in the series, The Black Country so I was primed and ready for this outing. The tone of these books is undeniably dark. There are a lot of descriptions of torture and gore which probably wouldn't offend fans of Hannibal or The Following on TV. It seems like excessive gore is the in thing in entertainment now with everyone wanting to push the envelope but I do find it off putting. I prefer psychological terror over descriptions of people's organs outside their bodies.
Despite the grizzly descriptions I found the story top notch and extremely well put together. The epilogue was chilling and the author left a few loose strings which will take the story of the murder squad further while still providing a satisfying ending to this novel. I highly recommend this series to fans of historical crime fiction.
June 25, 2019
London, 1890. There has been a train wreck, and one of the cars has crashed into a prison. There is complete chaos, and bodies everywhere, but when everything has been checked and accounted for, it looks like some prisoners have escaped. And these are some of the most notorious and vicious sociopaths in London, including the infamous Saucy Jack, better known as Jack the Ripper. The Scotland Yard Murder Squad has its hands full chasing down these criminals. This is the first book I read in this series and I loved it. The POV switches between many of the main characters, including not only the detectives, but also the criminals. It was definitely creepy to see the world through some of these serial killers. Loved the Victorian setting. Definitely will be reading more of this series!
June 7, 2014
Another great book in the series. Jack the Ripper is back! Left open for another book. Enjoyed very much. Fast read.
June 8, 2015
Glad I didn't read this one at night. This book gives you shivers. It is very, very suspenseful!!
August 22, 2014
The creepiest Jack the Ripper ever. Excellent series starting with "The Yard."
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