What do you think?
Rate this book
Doctor Who E-Books
Doctor Who: Devil in the Smoke
Madame Vastra, the fabled Lizard Woman of Paternoster Row, knew death in many shapes and forms. But perhaps one of the most bizarre of these was death by snow...
On a cold day in December, two young boys, tired of sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, decide to build a snowman – and are confronted with a strange and grisly mystery. In horrified fascination, they watch as their snowman begins to bleed...
The search for answers to this impossible event will plunge Harry into the most hazardous – and exhilarating – adventure of his life. He will encounter a hideous troll. He will dine with a mysterious parlour maid. And he will help the Great Detective, Madame Vastra, save the world from the terrifying Devil in the Smoke.
On a cold day in December, two young boys, tired of sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, decide to build a snowman – and are confronted with a strange and grisly mystery. In horrified fascination, they watch as their snowman begins to bleed...
The search for answers to this impossible event will plunge Harry into the most hazardous – and exhilarating – adventure of his life. He will encounter a hideous troll. He will dine with a mysterious parlour maid. And he will help the Great Detective, Madame Vastra, save the world from the terrifying Devil in the Smoke.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2012
17 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Justin Richards
330 books241 followersJustin Richards is a British writer. He has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and he is Creative Director for the BBC Books range. He has also written for television, contributing to Five's soap opera Family Affairs. He is also the author of a series of crime novels for children about the Invisible Detective, and novels for older children. His Doctor Who novel The Burning was placed sixth in the Top 10 of SFX magazine's "Best SF/Fantasy novelisation or TV tie-in novel" category of 2000.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
November 12, 2016
An adventure with the Great Detective!...
No, no that one...
WHO
While this is a short story set in the fictional universe of Doctor Who, none of his regenerations participated in the story, not as a cameo or even mentioned.
The Paternoster Gang:
Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint and Strax
WHERE & WHEN
Victorian London (19th Century)
WHAT
The Paternoster Gang is an assembled team of private detectives, appearing for the first time in the TV episode, "A Good Man Goes to War" (Season 6 of the New Series era, with the 11th Doctor) where Vastra, a female Silurian, and Strax, a male Sontaran, both were in debt with The Doctor. After helping The Doctor, they along with Jenny Flint, a female human, decided to work as detectives, occasionally helping to the London Police and Scotland Yard, but also accepting private clients. People refer to Madame Vastra as "the Great Detective" giving a hint that maybe, just maybe she was some kind of inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for his novels. Jenny Flint pretends to be a chambermaid for the house of 13 Paternoster Row, and Strax, the butler of the same house, which is the headquaters of the detective team. They have access to heavy weaponry, mostly from Sontaran technology, but they usually prefer swords and other more common tools to avoid to polute the timeline of the Victorian London.
This is a short story where the Paternoster Gang are caring for the safety of an orphan child who is the main witness of a nasty murder involving weird elements.
The premise sounded quite good, and since I have watched recently the first episode of the Season 8 of Doctor Who, "Deep Breath", debuting the 12th Doctor, I thought that it was a wonderful timing to read this short story since the Paternoster Gang played a supportive role in that episode.
The characters: Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax are really wonderful and their interaction between each other and with other character is delicious and priceless. However, sadly, I have to admit that I found the mistery quite simple and that they took too much time to solve simply because they make too many "circles" around the case, not examining well the main crime scene, demanding to visit it several times, also not reacting at once to obvious clues, and doing naive mistakes during their investigative process.
Still, if you want to read a brief tale involving these three great characters, definitely it's a worthy option.
No, no that one...
WHO
While this is a short story set in the fictional universe of Doctor Who, none of his regenerations participated in the story, not as a cameo or even mentioned.
The Paternoster Gang:
Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint and Strax
WHERE & WHEN
Victorian London (19th Century)
WHAT
The Paternoster Gang is an assembled team of private detectives, appearing for the first time in the TV episode, "A Good Man Goes to War" (Season 6 of the New Series era, with the 11th Doctor) where Vastra, a female Silurian, and Strax, a male Sontaran, both were in debt with The Doctor. After helping The Doctor, they along with Jenny Flint, a female human, decided to work as detectives, occasionally helping to the London Police and Scotland Yard, but also accepting private clients. People refer to Madame Vastra as "the Great Detective" giving a hint that maybe, just maybe she was some kind of inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for his novels. Jenny Flint pretends to be a chambermaid for the house of 13 Paternoster Row, and Strax, the butler of the same house, which is the headquaters of the detective team. They have access to heavy weaponry, mostly from Sontaran technology, but they usually prefer swords and other more common tools to avoid to polute the timeline of the Victorian London.
This is a short story where the Paternoster Gang are caring for the safety of an orphan child who is the main witness of a nasty murder involving weird elements.
The premise sounded quite good, and since I have watched recently the first episode of the Season 8 of Doctor Who, "Deep Breath", debuting the 12th Doctor, I thought that it was a wonderful timing to read this short story since the Paternoster Gang played a supportive role in that episode.
The characters: Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax are really wonderful and their interaction between each other and with other character is delicious and priceless. However, sadly, I have to admit that I found the mistery quite simple and that they took too much time to solve simply because they make too many "circles" around the case, not examining well the main crime scene, demanding to visit it several times, also not reacting at once to obvious clues, and doing naive mistakes during their investigative process.
Still, if you want to read a brief tale involving these three great characters, definitely it's a worthy option.
September 10, 2023
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This is a short story that is based on the television series. In this one we visit the Paternoster Gang. Two boys are building a snowman and a human body materializes from this snowman. The boys are being hunted down and the Paternoster Gang are on the case.
This author has written many stories in this universe so I knew going into this book that the Paternoster Gang would be in good hands. I thought the characterization was spot on and I am always up for an adventure with them. I am a big fan of Strax. Actually we get to see all three members of the gang display their talents in this adventure. Vastra is considered a great detective and the author really leans into that in this story. As for the story it works for this universe. I do wish there was a little more depth and exploration with the antagonist. We truly do not learn the reason and motives of the antagonist. I chalk this up to this being a short story and the author had little room to accomplish everything he set out to do. That was the only flaw that I had with this short fun adventure.
This was a quick read that immediately put me back into this universe. There is no Doctor as this is an adventure with some minor characters we saw in several episodes of the show. Even though there was no Doctor I had a fun time with this book. The characters from the show were spot on. The story is what you would expect from this universe. And it entertained me the whole time I was reading it.
This is a short story that is based on the television series. In this one we visit the Paternoster Gang. Two boys are building a snowman and a human body materializes from this snowman. The boys are being hunted down and the Paternoster Gang are on the case.
This author has written many stories in this universe so I knew going into this book that the Paternoster Gang would be in good hands. I thought the characterization was spot on and I am always up for an adventure with them. I am a big fan of Strax. Actually we get to see all three members of the gang display their talents in this adventure. Vastra is considered a great detective and the author really leans into that in this story. As for the story it works for this universe. I do wish there was a little more depth and exploration with the antagonist. We truly do not learn the reason and motives of the antagonist. I chalk this up to this being a short story and the author had little room to accomplish everything he set out to do. That was the only flaw that I had with this short fun adventure.
This was a quick read that immediately put me back into this universe. There is no Doctor as this is an adventure with some minor characters we saw in several episodes of the show. Even though there was no Doctor I had a fun time with this book. The characters from the show were spot on. The story is what you would expect from this universe. And it entertained me the whole time I was reading it.
September 1, 2014
When two boys find a body inside their snowman, unwittingly uncovering a fiendish plot, they run for their lives. One of them, Harry, has the fortune to encounter Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax, the Paternoster Gang. Can The Great Detective and her cohorts uncover the mystery of how the woman ended up inside the snowman and who killed her?
This short story features three of my favorite Doctor Who supporting cast members, Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax, in an adventure in Victorian London. They are well-written and true to their TV counterparts. Strax is just as unintentionally hilarious as he is on television.
The story proves to be much more complicated than originally suspected but the Great Detective is up to the challenge. More than once, I wished the powers that be would devote a Doctor Who special solely to the Paternoster Gang.
The only fault I can find with Devil in the Smoke is that it was very short. I'd gladly fork over some quid for a full length adventure featuring Madame Vastra and company.
Sontar-Ha! Four out of five stars.
This short story features three of my favorite Doctor Who supporting cast members, Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax, in an adventure in Victorian London. They are well-written and true to their TV counterparts. Strax is just as unintentionally hilarious as he is on television.
The story proves to be much more complicated than originally suspected but the Great Detective is up to the challenge. More than once, I wished the powers that be would devote a Doctor Who special solely to the Paternoster Gang.
The only fault I can find with Devil in the Smoke is that it was very short. I'd gladly fork over some quid for a full length adventure featuring Madame Vastra and company.
Sontar-Ha! Four out of five stars.
December 20, 2012
This short e-book is similar to The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery in that it's a short book which serves as a prequel to an episode and doesn't feature the Doctor himself. This one is a prequel to this year's Christmas Special, The Snowmen, and sees Madam Vastra, Jenny and Strax go up against a mysterious smoke monster.
The trio work brilliantly as a little gang and though the plot of this isn't particularly exciting it's an enjoyable read. The highlights are the many brilliant lines from Strax- having a Sontaran in a human world is great fun.
Great fun and it got me even more excited for the Christmas special- can't wait!
The trio work brilliantly as a little gang and though the plot of this isn't particularly exciting it's an enjoyable read. The highlights are the many brilliant lines from Strax- having a Sontaran in a human world is great fun.
Great fun and it got me even more excited for the Christmas special- can't wait!
December 19, 2012
I enjoyed this much more than the Melody Malone e-book. It was great fun to read about the Sontara, the Silurian and the human running around 19th century London solving murders. The book was told from the perspective of one of the boys in a workhouse who discovered a corpse. The only problem with this was it seemed to leave out any possibilities of romance between Vastra and Jenny. When Vastra is proclaiming her love and they are referring to each other as "dearest" and "darling" in their 3 minute preview. It is quite disappointing that there wasn't one mention of this in the entire story. I mean the fact that they are interspecies lesbians is what makes these characters so cool! Richards however, seemed much more interested in writing about Stark, he was often the one with the most to do. It was fun and funny and I enjoyed it and really wish they could have their own show. It'd be lots better than Torchwood!
June 29, 2020
When I first saw Vastra and her "maid" Jenny in A Good Man Goes to War I instantly wanted more of their adventures. Who wouldn't want to read or watch more about a Silurian being a detective in Victorian England? Crazy people is who. This was awesome and fun. Smoke monster whose weakness is snow. So Christmasy and Dickensian but with an even more supernatural twist than Dickens ever wrote. I can't wait for the Christmas special in a day and this really got me in the mood. Only downer? That little kid was a little to cloyingly sweet... make him clean up that mess in the Crystal Palace says I. Also Strax is the best anacronism of the Victorian age ever. Sontaran comic relief!
December 30, 2022
I’ve been rewatching Doctor Who and read this in search of more stories with the Paternoster Row gang. This was a fun bitesized adventure of theirs! The writer definitely understood their characters personalities, which was important to me, although why did he called Jenny and Vastra “good friends.” Anyway, this was like watching a little episode in my head, fun stuff!
January 4, 2013
I've been longing for more of Madam Vastra's adventures, so to have the full Paternoster Row gang of Vastra, Jenny and Strax the Sontaran together is a real treat. This is a quick and enjoyable read that appeals to a wide range of Doctor Who fans but is ultimately aimed at older children. It may be that this is the reason that it lacks some character depth, with the unique nature of Madam Vastra and Jenny's relationship missing from the story and Strax somewhat reduced to a bumbling fool. I think that's a weakness in this book and does a disservice to the characters.
The plot involves a snowman, a murder and an alien mystery which has the potential to be dark but actually comes off as a bit rushed and light. The humour in the story comes almost solely from Strax, a character that I really like within the Who-verse. Unfortunately here he comes across as a parody rather than the Sontaran warrior that he is. The story itself is a prequel plot to the recent Christmas episode but stands alone and I do think it has the potential for a longer and more detailed story for an older audience. As it is this is a fun read and anything that features more of the Paternoster Row trio is a bonus.
The plot involves a snowman, a murder and an alien mystery which has the potential to be dark but actually comes off as a bit rushed and light. The humour in the story comes almost solely from Strax, a character that I really like within the Who-verse. Unfortunately here he comes across as a parody rather than the Sontaran warrior that he is. The story itself is a prequel plot to the recent Christmas episode but stands alone and I do think it has the potential for a longer and more detailed story for an older audience. As it is this is a fun read and anything that features more of the Paternoster Row trio is a bonus.
February 10, 2013
Whohoo! Я наконец добралась до Докторских аудиокнижек, и за это стоит винить Торчвуд, который я, по иронии судьбы, увидела раньше Доктора, и благодарить Элизабет Слейден, которая показала мне, что творится с whoniverse в аудиоформате.
Devil in the Smoke материализовалась в моем плеере ровно тогда, когда нужно – сразу после просмотра рождественской серии Доктора с участием Вастры, Дженни, Стракса и девочки с суфле. Кроме разочарования, серия мало чего добавила к общему впечатлению от эры Одиннадцатого, но увидеть няшную троицу с Paternoster Row было верхом удовольствия. Услышав, что есть книжка про них БЕЗ участия Доктора, я буквально до потолка прыгала, тем паче найти более-менее симпатичных персонажей вокруг 11th становится все сложнее.
Упустила из виду, что докторские книжки – это, по сути, нечто среднее между Сарой Джейн и Торчвудом. Не будет тебе крови, кишок и секса, но и о детских решениях проблем можно забыть. И это чертовски забавно.
Вастра – няша, и попробуй меня переубеди. Меня неимоверно тянет к зеленым ящерицам, ок. Кстати, об интимном тандеме Вастры/Дженни тут нет ни слова, чему я ужасно рада. Моффат так рьяно пытался ввести элемент нестандартности в сериал, что это выглядит глупо и напыщенно. О боже, отношения служанки и ящерицы-детектива в викторианской Англии! Всем упасть и не вставать. Хочется биться об стенку головой, настолько идиотски это звучит.
Сама по себе Дженни не ценна и местами раздражает. Я просто ревную, конечно, но для такой обалденной тетки, как Вастра, можно было бы подобрать подругу покруче, хотя… когда я начинаю думать, что там может происходить за закрытыми дверьми, Дженни уже не кажется самой неподходящей кандидатурой. И почему, скажите мне, я сейчас думаю о том, насколько твердая у ящериц кожа? *_*
Перед Страксом я преклоняюсь. Он болван, солдафон, картошечная башка и тролль, неспособный на пространственное мышление, но я хихикала в голос, какой же он чудный. Вот таких забавных героев, позволяющих расслабиться, мне очень не хватало. Я даже не поленилась и выцепила основные цитаты с его участием.
Мне все пришлось по вкусу, включая сюжет. Книга является приквелом в рождественской серии, и чуть было не обманула мои ожидания, потому что начинается она с кровоточащего снеговика. Но, как ни странно, тут не будет марширующих снеговичков, а сам по себе снег отчасти поможет героям.
Злодей получился довольно блеклым, but who cares?? Я не ради него слушала книжку.
Честно говоря, я даже лучше стала относиться к нынешней эре. И зря я так на Моффата гоню, раз уж ему удалось создать таких героев, которые доставляют море удовольствия. И! докторским аудиокнижкам крупно повезло, что именно эта стала у меня первой, потому что она сподвигла меня на все остальные =3
Жажду еще книжек про няшную троицу!
annikeh.net
Devil in the Smoke материализовалась в моем плеере ровно тогда, когда нужно – сразу после просмотра рождественской серии Доктора с участием Вастры, Дженни, Стракса и девочки с суфле. Кроме разочарования, серия мало чего добавила к общему впечатлению от эры Одиннадцатого, но увидеть няшную троицу с Paternoster Row было верхом удовольствия. Услышав, что есть книжка про них БЕЗ участия Доктора, я буквально до потолка прыгала, тем паче найти более-менее симпатичных персонажей вокруг 11th становится все сложнее.
Упустила из виду, что докторские книжки – это, по сути, нечто среднее между Сарой Джейн и Торчвудом. Не будет тебе крови, кишок и секса, но и о детских решениях проблем можно забыть. И это чертовски забавно.
Вастра – няша, и попробуй меня переубеди. Меня неимоверно тянет к зеленым ящерицам, ок. Кстати, об интимном тандеме Вастры/Дженни тут нет ни слова, чему я ужасно рада. Моффат так рьяно пытался ввести элемент нестандартности в сериал, что это выглядит глупо и напыщенно. О боже, отношения служанки и ящерицы-детектива в викторианской Англии! Всем упасть и не вставать. Хочется биться об стенку головой, настолько идиотски это звучит.
Сама по себе Дженни не ценна и местами раздражает. Я просто ревную, конечно, но для такой обалденной тетки, как Вастра, можно было бы подобрать подругу покруче, хотя… когда я начинаю думать, что там может происходить за закрытыми дверьми, Дженни уже не кажется самой неподходящей кандидатурой. И почему, скажите мне, я сейчас думаю о том, насколько твердая у ящериц кожа? *_*
Перед Страксом я преклоняюсь. Он болван, солдафон, картошечная башка и тролль, неспособный на пространственное мышление, но я хихикала в голос, какой же он чудный. Вот таких забавных героев, позволяющих расслабиться, мне очень не хватало. Я даже не поленилась и выцепила основные цитаты с его участием.
Мне все пришлось по вкусу, включая сюжет. Книга является приквелом в рождественской серии, и чуть было не обманула мои ожидания, потому что начинается она с кровоточащего снеговика. Но, как ни странно, тут не будет марширующих снеговичков, а сам по себе снег отчасти поможет героям.
Злодей получился довольно блеклым, but who cares?? Я не ради него слушала книжку.
Честно говоря, я даже лучше стала относиться к нынешней эре. И зря я так на Моффата гоню, раз уж ему удалось создать таких героев, которые доставляют море удовольствия. И! докторским аудиокнижкам крупно повезло, что именно эта стала у меня первой, потому что она сподвигла меня на все остальные =3
Жажду еще книжек про няшную троицу!
annikeh.net
May 21, 2013
3.5 Stars. Released as a prequel to the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas special "The Snowmen" (a personal favorite), Devil in the Smoke explores the presence and activities of "The Great Intelligence" in Victorian London prior to events that introduced a depressed, embittered Doctor to a governess named Clara, also known as the impossible girl. While the Doctor doesn't feature in this short tale, it is nonetheless one of the stronger Who novellas I've read, thanks in no small part to its focus on the trio of Vastra, Jenny, and Strax, three of the more colorful and frankly interesting supporting characters that have been introduced during Matt Smith's run as Eleven.
The tale opens with a positively Dickensian touch -- two young boys, Harry and Jim, sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, steal a few moments in which to build a snowman. But their stolen moment of play is transformed into horror when a dead woman emerges from within the snowman they just built, setting into motion a chain of events that threatens not only their lives but the very existence of the entire world. Clearly it's a case that calls for the considerable investigative powers of the Great Detective.
And so enters Madame Vastra, the green-skinned Silurian from "A Good Man Goes to War" who has made a life for herself in Victorian London, as the veiled and enigmatic Great Detective. I LOVED this aspect of the Christmas special, as since Moffat is showrunner for both Who and Sherlock, it seemed inevitable that at some point the two worlds would cross paths. In introducing Vastra as the "real life" Great Detective of literary legend, Moffat cleverly brings his Holmes-related duties to bear in the Doctor's universe. And I loved that he turns expectations on their head by having Vastra, a female alien,claim the title of Great Detective when going into the concept I would've expected the Doctor to lay claim to that honor -- and relish it.
Richards is one of the better and most consistently reliable novelists to work in the Who universe, and here he delivers a fast-paced, engaging story that not only expands on events of "The Snowmen" but makes a compelling case for more appearances by the trio of Vastra, Jenny, and Strax -- if not their own spin-off show. *wink* Playing with the tropes of both the Who universe and Holmesian fiction, The Devil in the Smoke is engaging novella with a surprisingly literary tone for fiction of this ilk. Marred only by its short length and several typos, Devil in the Smoke is a lightly diverting, worthwhile entry in the ever-expanding world of Who-related fiction.
The tale opens with a positively Dickensian touch -- two young boys, Harry and Jim, sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, steal a few moments in which to build a snowman. But their stolen moment of play is transformed into horror when a dead woman emerges from within the snowman they just built, setting into motion a chain of events that threatens not only their lives but the very existence of the entire world. Clearly it's a case that calls for the considerable investigative powers of the Great Detective.
And so enters Madame Vastra, the green-skinned Silurian from "A Good Man Goes to War" who has made a life for herself in Victorian London, as the veiled and enigmatic Great Detective. I LOVED this aspect of the Christmas special, as since Moffat is showrunner for both Who and Sherlock, it seemed inevitable that at some point the two worlds would cross paths. In introducing Vastra as the "real life" Great Detective of literary legend, Moffat cleverly brings his Holmes-related duties to bear in the Doctor's universe. And I loved that he turns expectations on their head by having Vastra, a female alien,claim the title of Great Detective when going into the concept I would've expected the Doctor to lay claim to that honor -- and relish it.
Richards is one of the better and most consistently reliable novelists to work in the Who universe, and here he delivers a fast-paced, engaging story that not only expands on events of "The Snowmen" but makes a compelling case for more appearances by the trio of Vastra, Jenny, and Strax -- if not their own spin-off show. *wink* Playing with the tropes of both the Who universe and Holmesian fiction, The Devil in the Smoke is engaging novella with a surprisingly literary tone for fiction of this ilk. Marred only by its short length and several typos, Devil in the Smoke is a lightly diverting, worthwhile entry in the ever-expanding world of Who-related fiction.
January 22, 2013
This is a short novella featuring Madame Vastra (AKA: The Great Detective), Jenny Flint and Strax (AKA: The Turkish Fellow & The Psychotic Potato Dwarf). Together they fight crime in late Victorian London. The public know them as The Paternoster Gang.
Don't get your hopes up that this will give any insight into the Jenny/Vastra relationship or how Strax came back to life or how Vastra became "The Great Detective". It gives about as much character insight or back-story as an episode of Law and Order.
This is a simple mystery that misdirected me for about half the story, on purpose or not -- I'm not sure. It begins with a Christmas snow, a Snowman, a dead woman found in the snow and a mysterious gentleman in a top hat. One would naturally think that somehow these plot points are references to the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas Special, "The Snowmen"; one would be wrong.
I enjoy the characters of Vastra, Jenny and Strax and Justin Richards has written more Doctor Who than just about anyone, but this was disappointing. Save your money and if you can, check it out from your local library's e-collection.
Don't get your hopes up that this will give any insight into the Jenny/Vastra relationship or how Strax came back to life or how Vastra became "The Great Detective". It gives about as much character insight or back-story as an episode of Law and Order.
This is a simple mystery that misdirected me for about half the story, on purpose or not -- I'm not sure. It begins with a Christmas snow, a Snowman, a dead woman found in the snow and a mysterious gentleman in a top hat. One would naturally think that somehow these plot points are references to the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas Special, "The Snowmen"; one would be wrong.
I enjoy the characters of Vastra, Jenny and Strax and Justin Richards has written more Doctor Who than just about anyone, but this was disappointing. Save your money and if you can, check it out from your local library's e-collection.
May 7, 2013
A novella that acts as a prequel to the most recent Doctor Who Christmas special 'The Snowmen.' This novel features Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax, but is notably missing the Doctor. Set in Victorian England, Madame Vastra is referred to as the Great Detective. Her lizard-like appearance means she wears a veil most of the time.
A couple of young boys build a snowman and discover a dead woman in it. They are chased and one of the boys, Harry, is rescued by Strax, a stocky alien with a mind set on mayhem. Harry is taken to Madame Vastra for help. The mystery is solved, but leads right into where the Christmas special picks up.
I would love a series with these three characters, known as The Paternoster Gang. I'd like more depth, and having them solve crimes in Victorian London would be a lot of fun. This book is a novella, so it gives no more depth to the characters, which is a shame, but it's still a quick, fun read.
A couple of young boys build a snowman and discover a dead woman in it. They are chased and one of the boys, Harry, is rescued by Strax, a stocky alien with a mind set on mayhem. Harry is taken to Madame Vastra for help. The mystery is solved, but leads right into where the Christmas special picks up.
I would love a series with these three characters, known as The Paternoster Gang. I'd like more depth, and having them solve crimes in Victorian London would be a lot of fun. This book is a novella, so it gives no more depth to the characters, which is a shame, but it's still a quick, fun read.
March 3, 2013
This book is more Doctor Where than Doctor Who. Perhaps the book description should have alerted me as it doesn't actually mention Doctor Who himself but his name in the book title had led me to expect that he would make an appearance at some point.
Aside from the lack of the eponymous hero this was a decent little novella. Strax provided his customary comic relief and it was interesting to see the development of Vastra's Great Detective persona. The story moved along at a decent pace as would be expected in such a relatively short story.
Sadly the production quality of this kindle edition was not up to the standards I would expect from a professional production. There were several glaring typesetting errors (ponders to self whether typesetting is the appropriate term for an e-book)which I suspect even a self-publisher would have been embarassed to have let slip through.
Aside from the lack of the eponymous hero this was a decent little novella. Strax provided his customary comic relief and it was interesting to see the development of Vastra's Great Detective persona. The story moved along at a decent pace as would be expected in such a relatively short story.
Sadly the production quality of this kindle edition was not up to the standards I would expect from a professional production. There were several glaring typesetting errors (ponders to self whether typesetting is the appropriate term for an e-book)which I suspect even a self-publisher would have been embarassed to have let slip through.
April 25, 2013
A great story about Madam Vastra, Strax, and Jenny. I always enjoy seeing these three in Doctor Who episodes and it's great to read a story all their own. A nice Sherlockesque story of mystery and action.
September 28, 2022
Solid characters. The personalities of Paternoster Gang really came through. I really liked it. But Vastra said Jenny is her " maidservant and friend"? Really? I'm gonna assume that this took place before their marriage and not that Justin Richards forgot that these two are married.
January 1, 2013
A fun quick read. I enjoyed the chance to spend a little time with Madam Vastra and Jenny, even if it was a bit light on substance.
June 16, 2013
This was a cute story for fans of the Paternoster Gang (they really do need their own spin off!), but very short.
January 12, 2025
The spin off adventures of three characters who appear in five episodes of Doctor Who is admittedly the most deep-end example of "geek" related media that I've invested my self in for the last ten or so years of my life. I have primarily kept this fixation to myself and a handful of online friends who I write fan-fiction with, but with this review I am outing the depths of my geek-dom to, at the very least, my Goodreads followers. I've had the recent opportunity to listen to the audiobooks of Silhouette and Devil in the Smoke by Justin Richards which came out some years ago and I had only read excerpts of.
Silhouette was fine for what it was, but its narrative needed to follow the perspectives of the Doctor, Clara, the Paternoster Gang (with a detective subplot for Strax), the baddie, associates of the baddie, and other original characters invented for the story. It was a fine book if you wanted a light Doctor Who adventure that happened to have Paternoster Gang in it.
Devil in the Smoke, however, has two perspectives to follow. One is that of a young boy named Harry who is witness to a murder and is swept up into the mysterious world of 13 Paternoster Row and the second is that of the Paternoster Gang, banded together to solve a single case. This is purely a Paternoster Gang story, not a Doctor Who ft. the Gang story. This is perhaps the best of the official Paternoster Gang related ephemera I have read (and I have read/listened to a great deal of it). There is a clear and simple mystery case, swashbuckling, an outsider perspective to look in on the inner workings of 13 Paternoster Row, and a perfect understanding of the group's banter. If you are lucky to listen to the audio version, Dan Starkey narrates and provides Strax with his signature voice. All that is missing are the hints of romance I usually anticipate from Vastra and Jenny stories (hence my 4/5 rating) but when I think of what there was to work with in 2012, I feel lucky that any Vastra and Jenny stories exist at all. As an e-book that served to say "Remember these guys? Here's what they do" before the premiere of The Snowmen, I think it did its job. The shortness of the novella length helps the pacing from never wavering and everyone is in character (do y'all know how low the bar is sometimes? The bar here is on the taller end of the middle which is like, monumental really). Personally I really enjoyed that we followed a child character witnessing these beloved weirdos and the Victorian inspired prose really sold me. Devil in the Smoke is a great little story for ardent nerds.
Silhouette was fine for what it was, but its narrative needed to follow the perspectives of the Doctor, Clara, the Paternoster Gang (with a detective subplot for Strax), the baddie, associates of the baddie, and other original characters invented for the story. It was a fine book if you wanted a light Doctor Who adventure that happened to have Paternoster Gang in it.
Devil in the Smoke, however, has two perspectives to follow. One is that of a young boy named Harry who is witness to a murder and is swept up into the mysterious world of 13 Paternoster Row and the second is that of the Paternoster Gang, banded together to solve a single case. This is purely a Paternoster Gang story, not a Doctor Who ft. the Gang story. This is perhaps the best of the official Paternoster Gang related ephemera I have read (and I have read/listened to a great deal of it). There is a clear and simple mystery case, swashbuckling, an outsider perspective to look in on the inner workings of 13 Paternoster Row, and a perfect understanding of the group's banter. If you are lucky to listen to the audio version, Dan Starkey narrates and provides Strax with his signature voice. All that is missing are the hints of romance I usually anticipate from Vastra and Jenny stories (hence my 4/5 rating) but when I think of what there was to work with in 2012, I feel lucky that any Vastra and Jenny stories exist at all. As an e-book that served to say "Remember these guys? Here's what they do" before the premiere of The Snowmen, I think it did its job. The shortness of the novella length helps the pacing from never wavering and everyone is in character (do y'all know how low the bar is sometimes? The bar here is on the taller end of the middle which is like, monumental really). Personally I really enjoyed that we followed a child character witnessing these beloved weirdos and the Victorian inspired prose really sold me. Devil in the Smoke is a great little story for ardent nerds.
May 24, 2018
My favourite character in the Doctor Who series is, easily, Strax. As a Strax fan, I was constantly giggling at his lines as I listened to the audio version of this story.
Quite short, with only a couple of discs, but it is quite punchy and fun. The story follows Jimmy as he meets Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax. Together they must solve a mystery about bloody corpse that appeared in his snowman.
If you're a fan of these characters in the television show--especially Strax--you will love this book in audio format.
Quite short, with only a couple of discs, but it is quite punchy and fun. The story follows Jimmy as he meets Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax. Together they must solve a mystery about bloody corpse that appeared in his snowman.
If you're a fan of these characters in the television show--especially Strax--you will love this book in audio format.
July 31, 2024
A world of Doctor Who story without the Doctor, is not something new. This is a short story featuring the popular Paternoster Gang Madame Vastra, Jenny and the Sontaran Strax set in Victorian London. When two boys find a dead body inside their snowman their lives are in danger. One of them, Harry, encounters the Paternoster Gang and this leads to an encounter with a smoke monster.
This is a short story but well written. The comedic character of Strax is captured well and the story moves at pace. An enjoyable quick read.
This is a short story but well written. The comedic character of Strax is captured well and the story moves at pace. An enjoyable quick read.
March 19, 2024
I like the Paternoster Gang and consider it a pity that they weren't around for longer.
I don't know why, the style of writing did not exactly suit me... The plot was all right, nothing spectacular. Certainly not longwinded, given the length of the story - more's the pity as all was quite obvious. The interactions were the strongest elements - except that Jenny was not acknowledged as Vastra's wife, merely as maidservant and friend. Which is a bit jarring.
Overall, not a bad tie-in.
I don't know why, the style of writing did not exactly suit me... The plot was all right, nothing spectacular. Certainly not longwinded, given the length of the story - more's the pity as all was quite obvious. The interactions were the strongest elements - except that Jenny was not acknowledged as Vastra's wife, merely as maidservant and friend. Which is a bit jarring.
Overall, not a bad tie-in.
June 30, 2017
Fun little short story featuring three of Doctor Who's most entertaining featured players: Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax. The audio version read by Strax himself (Dan Starkey) is a great listen; pity the story doesn't really live up to the production.
Only recommended for die-hard Whovians, especially since the Doctor doesn't make an appearance.
Only recommended for die-hard Whovians, especially since the Doctor doesn't make an appearance.
October 21, 2017
This story is certainly an introduction for the connecting Doctor Who episode. In that respect, it serves it's purpose. It is also a fair short story. My problem that I feel short changed. There is so much more that could be done with this. Unless there was a strict limit to the size of the story, it could have definitely represented Vastra and the others better.
November 11, 2024
Good little prequel
Good little prequel to 'The Snowman' Doctor Who Christmas episode. Felt bad for poor Jim - if only they'd managed to save him when they saved Harry from the cage. The choice Harry is given at the end, I kind of wanted him to choose the Academy. Mind you, it wasn't exactly revealed what he chose, so...
Good little prequel to 'The Snowman' Doctor Who Christmas episode. Felt bad for poor Jim - if only they'd managed to save him when they saved Harry from the cage. The choice Harry is given at the end, I kind of wanted him to choose the Academy. Mind you, it wasn't exactly revealed what he chose, so...
July 13, 2025
A short and funny mystery featuring the Paternoster Gang. All are characterized well, with a fantastic reading by Dan Starkey for the audiobook version. I thought Strax trying to comprehend London speak was pretty funny.
Nothing really to dislike about it, but I can't rate it any higher because it's a very simple and straightforward story so there's nothing exceptional or exciting about it.
Nothing really to dislike about it, but I can't rate it any higher because it's a very simple and straightforward story so there's nothing exceptional or exciting about it.
September 4, 2021
Short and fun
I’m biased here. I can never get enough Paternoster Gang stories, and this was a fun romp. Perhaps more could have been explained about the villain’s motives but again, I’m here for Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax so it’s all good. 🦎🙋🏻♀️🥔
I’m biased here. I can never get enough Paternoster Gang stories, and this was a fun romp. Perhaps more could have been explained about the villain’s motives but again, I’m here for Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax so it’s all good. 🦎🙋🏻♀️🥔
December 26, 2021
When a young woman is found dead inside a snowman, the Paternoster Gang must rush to save a street urchin who may be the only witness to the crime.
A fun story which looks at the Victorian gang which often helped the Doctor in his adventures.
A fun story which looks at the Victorian gang which often helped the Doctor in his adventures.
December 13, 2025
My favorite lesbian couple with their potato pet
February 15, 2017
I loved this book, it's short it's only about 100 page long but it was very tightly written and the author captured Madam Vastra, Jenny and Strax perfectly, especially Strax and did have me scoffing and laughing at his antics and his misunderstandings of things not to mention has murderous leanings. My only complaint is that the author never acknowledge the fact that Vastra and Jenny are married and he would use terms like ' friend' and that annoyed me. Of course this could have been a decision that the publishers had taken and no fault of the author at all. Regardless, this was not enough to never re-read this book or any other paternoster gang books he writes.
October 20, 2014
It's... yeah. It's OK. It's a pretty decent Paternoster Row Gang adventure, really. Pretty consistent with the same in the television series. Strax's... Sontaran-ness... is probably more than a little overused, but somehow manages to be funny most of the time anyway. Vastra is brilliant, Jenny is excellently capable, adorable, and sarcastic. Etc., etc.
At the same time, though, it's faintly disappointing in some ways. The titular antagonist is remarkably underdeveloped, to the point that I still don't actually have any clue what it was--which wouldn't bother me in a fictional universe given to supernatural phenomena, but I don't think that's consistent with my experience of the Whoverse. There's some vague mention of something that might have been a spaceship crashing? But really, the "Devil in the Smoke" might as well be an actual demon for all the explanation we get.
And remarkably little is done with any of the characters--but then that may be an issue inherited from the source material. The Gang has plenty of interesting backstory, but somehow a lot of it seems to happen offscreen.
For all that, though, it's an entertaining little story. Worth the time, though not spectacular.
At the same time, though, it's faintly disappointing in some ways. The titular antagonist is remarkably underdeveloped, to the point that I still don't actually have any clue what it was--which wouldn't bother me in a fictional universe given to supernatural phenomena, but I don't think that's consistent with my experience of the Whoverse. There's some vague mention of something that might have been a spaceship crashing? But really, the "Devil in the Smoke" might as well be an actual demon for all the explanation we get.
And remarkably little is done with any of the characters--but then that may be an issue inherited from the source material. The Gang has plenty of interesting backstory, but somehow a lot of it seems to happen offscreen.
For all that, though, it's an entertaining little story. Worth the time, though not spectacular.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews