A Pretender's Murder

Eric Peterkin #2

by Christopher Huang

Colonel Russell before the War had four sons; now he has four widowed daughters-in-law, each facing the aftermath in her own iconic way.

An old friend of the Colonel’s dead sons resurfaces, reawakening tales of wartime espionage — enemy spies preying on the unwitting families at home — and is he really who he says? When the Colonel is thrown bodily through an upstairs window of his London Club, Eric Peterkin is once again called to investigate.

Eric Peterkin’s second mystery is about recognising that war impacts more than just the men who fought: there are wheels turning behind the scenes and strings being pulled from afar, and the people we leave behind might ultimately leave us behind. Set in the 1920s and the aftermath of the Great War, the story honours the period by reflecting the changing social mores, the gradual emancipation of women, the questioning of tradition, and the illusion of innocence — the truth behind the facade, against a backdrop of ongoing war trauma.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 27, 2026

About the author

Christopher Huang was born in Singapore. He migrated to Canada at the age of seventeen, but returned the following year to complete his two years of military service in the Singapore Army. He studied Architecture at McGill University, and lived for many years in Montreal, Quebec, before moving to Calgary, Alberta.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars for a slow moving, intricate mystery, set in 1925 London, England.
This is book 2 in the Eric Peterkin series and I have not read book 1. It worked for me as a stand alone.
The blurb: "Colonel Russell before the War had four sons; now he has four widowed daughters-in-law, each facing the aftermath in her own iconic way. Then an old friend of the Colonel’s dead sons resurfaces, reawakening tales of wartime espionage — enemy spies preying on the unwitting families at home — and is he really who he says? When the Colonel is thrown bodily through an upstairs window of his London Club, Eric Peterkin is once again called to investigate."
Pros: There is a list of the cast of characters at the beginning of the book. Because there are multiple characters, I found this list of characters very helpful in figuring out the relationships between the various characters. It is was an intricate mystery, with many suspects and false leads. I did not figure who did what to whom until the end. The author has explored the changing mores of 1920s England, including the emerging role of women in society.
Cons: There were so many characters and flashbacks to episodes in the past that I found it difficult to follow.
If you like historical fiction mysteries with no sex or profanity and only postmortem violence, then you may like this book.
#APretendersMurder #NetGalley
Thank You Inkshares for sending me this eARC through NetGalley and Edelweiss Plus.

Pub Date Feb 24 2026

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Christopher Huang, and Inkshares for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always looking for new and exciting authors, I turned to the second novel in this series by Christopher Huang. Once more set during the inter-war years, Huang takes the reader into the middle of a murder at a club frequented by the British upper crust. Exploring the challenges of Britain’s 1920s class, race, and culture, Huang checks all the needed boxes to create an entertaining read for the attentive reader. A stellar follow-up that reminds me a great deal of the classic mystery writers from ages past!

Assuming the role of Secretary at the Brittania, a private club in the heart of London, former Lieutenant Eric Peterkin has a busy schedule outside of proofreading manuscripts for publication. He is just recovering from the murder of his predecessor and the ensuing drama in naming a killer, seeking now a respite to allow the Club to flourish once more. One of the esteemed members of Britannia is Colonel Russell, whose four sons have met various demises during the war period. With four widowed daughters-in-law, Colonel Russell has his hands full trying to keep the family together and the peace amongst them.

When a man who was a close friend to one of the Colonel’s sons re-emerges with stories of wartime espionage and double-crossing, Russell cannot believe what he is hearing. He callenges the man’s stories and the reputation with which his son is left, especially now that he cannot defend himself. Soon thereafter, Colonel Russell is thrown from a window at Brittania and killed, leaving Eric Peterkin to investigate once more.

A man of mixed race, Peterkin must not only try to pull on the various stories people tell, but climb out of the cultural preconceived notions people in Britain make of him. He faces concerns not from the Club members, but the investigation that Scotland Yard puts on, herded by a man whose time in Hong Kong leaves Peterkin worried that notions of Chinese heritage can only handicap an ability to be taken seriously. With a killer out there, Peterkin must turn over every stone, even as many wonder if the murder were simply retribution for the duplicitous work the younger Russell undertook for the enemy during the Great War. Still, amateur sleuth or not, Eric Peterkin is never one to let a good mystery pass him by. Another stellar piece by Christopher Huang that had me turning pages and wondering well into the night.

I enjoy discovering new authors and their work, which is why I was so excited to stumble upon Christopher Huang not long ago. Devouring the opening story in the series left me needing more and this ARC scratched the itch. The narrative captures the sentiment of 1920s Britain effectively and uses nuanced preconceived notions of the time to propel the story forward. The flow served to guide the reader along, with easy to comprehend themes and an effective pathway to better understanding where things were headed. Peppering in historical references and using them to tell the story keeps the reader involved and ready to play a role in the mystery. Huang’s focus once more on developing characters helps add depth and flavouring to his story. He builds up a little more backstory for Peterkin, while also offering more with the introduction of his sister, Penny, and others. The cast of characters is well suited for the piece and kept me entertained until the final pages. Plot points evolve in the story at various stages, providing some entertainment and excitement for the attentive reader. Surprises serve to provide some sense of unpredictable nature and ensures the reader keeps forging onwards as a killer waits in the shadows. I am committed to this series, which harkens back to some of the great stories penned by great mystery writers who lived and wrote during this period.

Kudos, Mr. Huang, for a piece well worth my time.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Linh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrigues upon intrigues, oh my!! 🤩🤩 A Pretender's Murder is a fun murder mystery story set in the 1920s Britain. I love the cast here and really enjoyed reading from the main character's perspective.

Full disclosure, I was not aware that this is actually the second book in a series when I requested for this book in Netgalley. 😅 So it felt like jumping off into the deep end of the pool a lil' bit, but I wasn't too terribly lost at all. The premise/blurb sounded interesting, so I just went for it. And I'm super glad I did!

The mystery really picked up at about ~65/70% I think. The story leading up to the end was a blast, kept me guessing until everything was revealed.

Super fun, I'd happily recommend this book! I'll be looking out for more from Christopher Huang.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pretender’s Murder could have been written during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction where the whodunits are free of blood, and the upper class gets their comeuppance. Thanks to an intelligent and insightful (amateur detective), the mystery comes to a tidy ending, just like the game of Clue. However, Christopher Huang has brought it into the 21st century by including themes of nationalism, PTSD, elitism, sexism, and racism in 1925 London.

Lieutenant Eric Peterkin—our slightly naive sleuth—is dealing with life post WWI. He carries guilt for the decisions he had to make, and the brutal deaths of his comrades. He suffers from flashbacks that take him back to a bloody battle that took place in the trenches. When he is elected to the position of secretary at the Brittania—a club for soldiers to meet, relax, and eat in luxury—he is relieved that the affable and respected Colonel Hadrian Russell has taken him under his wing. As a child of an English father and a Chinese mother, the attention and acceptance of a man of the colonel’s caliber is atypical. So when Russell is murdered in the Brittania, Peterkin takes it upon himself to find the killer.

This is a wonderfully written book. The characters are fully realized and the ending made sense. There were times when I thought I caught a flaw in the plot (and characters); but when I read on, I found that I was trying to make the story fit my idea of where it was going. This is book two in the Eric Peterkin series (book one is A Gentleman’s Murder). I didn’t read book one, so I will be taking a trip to my library to borrow the it.

I wound like to thank Inkshares and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this mystery novel.

[George Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Peterkin, former lieutenant, has been recently installed as the secretary to the Britannia. As the secretary of this soldiers-only club, Eric is responsible for managing the day to day routines of the club.
Colonel Hadrian Russell is the acting president of the Britannia. He is a well liked individual that has lost all four of his sons to The Great War. His four daughter-in-laws are now his only link to his sons.
But not is all as it seems with the congenial colonel, as he is discovered on the front walk of the Britannia - shot and evidently pushed out a window.
Eric Peterkin finds himself playing detective, yet again, when Scotland Yard tried to pin the murder on friends he knows are innocent. Is it one of the four daughter-in-laws? A spy resurfacing from the war? A friend of one of his sons that recently returned to the area?
With references to the game Clue, all this book needs is a set of character cards for all the cast.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pretender's Murder is the second book in the author's historical crime series featuring amateur sleuth Eric Peterkin, the follow-up to A Gentleman's Murder.

As a result of events in the previous book and his role in them, Eric is now Secretary of the Britannia Club. He's the latest in a long line of Peterkins to be members of the Club. Only the male members of the family, of course. But no sooner has he begun to find his feet in his new role than he finds himself once again drawn into the investigation of a murder. This time it's the violent killing of the Britannia Club's acting President, Colonel Hadrian Russell, and on the premises no less. There's an obvious suspect, at least that's what Inspector Crane of Scotland Yard believes, but Eric's not so sure. For example, who could have gained access to the Club premises when every door was locked and only a few trusted people had keys? Who was the person glimpsed leaving the building on the night of the murder? What was the motive?

As in the previous book, the investigation leads back to events in the Great War, in particular the death of Andrew, one of the fours sons of Colonel Russell killed during the conflict. His death was not on active service like his brothers, but was assumed to be an assassination carried out by German spies on account of his espionage activity. Most of the culprits were rounded up and executed but one slipped through the net.

There are many things I enjoyed about the book, not least of which is the cunningly constructed plot that will keep you guessing up until the final pages. If you worked out who did it, how and why before the solution is revealed, well done you because I didn't.

Eric is the son of a Chinese mother and English father and this allows the author to explore the theme of identity. Judging by the reaction of others, Eric's appearance marks him down as someone of Chinese heritage. (Eric's sister Penny, is lighter skinned and able to 'pass' as white, seen as useful for her marriage prospects.) But Eric speaks no Chinese much to the puzzlement of Inspector Crane, recently returned from a long posting in Hong Kong, who has enthusiastically embraced Chinese culture such as breakfasting on congee. On the other hand, as we learn in a welcome insight into his childhood, Eric's mother took pains to cultivate an English accent and embrace all things British.

Another thing the author does well is to weave into the story the lasting impact of the war, including on those who survived it or those who experienced loss. Colonel Russell's four widowed daughter-in-laws have each responded in different ways to their bereavement. Lady Alice takes comfort from a perpetual show of mourning, dressed always in black, whilst her sister-in-law Flora seeks to live life to the full. Eric himself is haunted by memories of what he witnessed in the trenches, enduring periodic flashbacks. Other elements introduced into the story include the emergence of 'alienists' (a now obsolete term for psychiatrists), the rise of suburban housing estates and the activities of charlatans seeking to take advantage of the bereaved by professing to be able to communicate with the dead.

Eric's hunt for clues necessitates a visit to post-war Europe where he finds evidence that turns everything on its head. As he discovers, not everyone is who they profess to be and it's possible to be both a war hero and an utter cad.

A Pretender's Murder is another clever historical mystery that incorporates all the elements of 'Golden Age' crime fiction but with moments of darkness. By the way, I heartily recommend reading the Historical Notes at the end of the book which contain a wealth of fascinating information about the factual basis for many of the events, people and locations in the book, but also clearly demonstrate the depth of the author's research.

[Ashlyn Aria · Rating 4 out of 5]

┊ ┊ ⋆˚  4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for honest feedback!

The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds;
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Anyone who knows me will know that all it takes to get me to sob with joy is say the words early 1900s murder mystery. I’m a huge fan of mysteries and crime: those were the sort of books I grew up reading. So add in historical fiction, and I was sold, because, again, those books raised me. Yet, I was still unprepared for how exhilarating this one was. The intricacy of the plot with a blend of complex suspects and characters really drew me in from the moment I read the blurb, and it exceeded all my expectations in the best way possible. Nobody wants to read a predictable mystery, after all, and this was anything but.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
➽ plot summary: A gripping tale set in the 1920s, this compelling mystery deals with the realities of the aftermath of war–in this case, the “Great War,” as it was called at that time. When Colonel Hadrian Russell—a respected war veteran and acting club president—is murdered by being thrown from a window, Eric is drawn into a wide tapestry of secrets and post-war trauma. Colonel Russell had four sons who all died in the war, leaving behind four widowed daughters-in-law, different as night and day. As Eric investigates, he uncovers wartime intrigues, hidden identities, and a resurfacing spy, all while grappling with his own mixed heritage and place in British society.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
➽ thoughts: I was hooked onto this book from the poem at the beginning, only following further in at the sight of our cast of characters—Huang wrote this part tremendously, successfully casting a shadow of mystery and intrigue which makes you eagerly continue, only to be met with a first chapter indeed in the style of early 1900s Golden Age detective fiction. I will admit–and I am Gen Z/Alpha myself, so don’t think I’m biased–I was skeptical at first. Could Christopher Huang mirror the style and magic of mysteries written at that time? Could anybody?
The answer: Yes. Eric Peterkin may not be a Sherlock Holmes or a Hercule Poirot, but that's fine. Every detective has their own charm.
Not only is the writing style of this book matching with the time period, but the mystery is as well, with the proper nods to society back then where due. The focus on the postwar struggles–and, of course, our detective’s struggles in being a man of mixed race–are all nice, subtle undertones to the mystery unraveling around.
➳ I really liked how this novel drew attention to Eric Peterkin’s internal struggles, sometimes internalized racism against his own country, and gave him value as a person, rather than the surface-level characters we are used to seeing in these types of murder mysteries. His inner conflict–which, I feel, will be relatable to many–gave him value as a character.
➳ Another thing that has been given attention is the use of jokes to cover up pain, and how pain can affect different people, psychologically. This in itself may be a small detail but it has a large impact.
➳ I loved the interactions between Eric and Flora; the scene at the end where Flora says “You’re saying a myth defines who you strive to be [...] I think I like your version better,” was so heartwarming and made for an amazing story.
➳ The resolution of the mystery also satisfied me in every aspect. The dismantling of the ‘femme fatale’ cliche was pleasing to see. The admission felt rather rushed–I would have preferred it to be longer–but otherwise was nicely done. The conclusion was written wonderfully, with great explanation.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Overall, a great mystery book. Seamlessly blending into the style of the likes of Agatha Christie, this book created an unforgettable ride of mystery and thrill with important topics as undertones.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pretender's Murder is the second volume in Christopher Huang's Eric Peterkin historical mystery series. I love reading historical mysteries because they can give readers a sense of day-to-day life for ordinary people in whatever era and location are depicted. In this case, the era is immediately after the end of WWI, and the situation is London—primarily a private gentleman's club for for former military officers. Eric Peterkin is a former military officer, now working as a reviewer of detective/military novels.

He is also mixed race. His father was a white British officer who spent significant time in India. His mother was Chinese national his father met and married in India, who returned to England with him and did all she could to adapt to English norms. This fact makes Peterkin an unusual character in a very homogeneous social group. It also allows Huang a chance to depict life in post-WWI London from a perspective that isn't typical of historical mysteries (how I wish it were!).

The first Peterkin mystery, A Gentleman's Murder, explored issues of racial and national identity—and the bigotries/perspectives framing them. In A Pretender's Murder, Huang takes the opportunity to continue exploring these themes while also examining life for women at the war's end. Many had taken on—and enjoyed—new roles during the conflict, now they're expected to return to the narrower role that was expected of them pre-war.

The victim in this mystery is Colonel Russell, acting president of the club. All four of his sons have been killed in the war. His sons' wives meet weekly with the Colonel for lunch at the club. Having these four female characters allows Huang to individualize each woman so she becomes significantly more than the I-suppose-we-should-put-a-woman-in-here woman, who is too often vaguely developed as a character. Peterkin also has a sister, Penny, who begins building a relationship with the "Russell women" over the course of the novel. So we have five strong female characters to spend time with.

The plotting in A Pretender's Murder is complex, with frequents twists and surprises, all of which seem reasonable given the characters. The reader is forced to keep guessing as new complications arise. While the reader might be able to suss out bits of the overall mystery(ies), figuring everything out before the novel's end is a challenge. I certainly needed Huang's story telling to make it to a resolution at the novel's end.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, particularly those that are set post-WWI and that involve a diverse set of characters, you're in for a treat with A Pretender's Murder.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGally; the opinions are my own.

[Sue Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

But women seldom have the choices men think they do, and far less so when a forceful man frames himself as her lord and master

3.5 🌟🌟🌟🔅 but I will round it up to 4 🌟

First, a thank you for Netgallley and the author for providing the eARC for my honest opinion

To be honest, I was very close to DNFing this book at 20%
and I am so glad I powered through to finish my 50% mark before DNFing because believe me it got very interesting and fast pace

and to understand this mystery crime thriller, you must understand the setting

It is the year 1925. Europe is still recovering from a devastating World War and does not realize that a new one is a decade away.

A very prominent British colonal is murdered triggering a series of Secrets involving espionage, treason, family betrayal and hidden identities.

Eric Peterkin, our British Chinese decendent protagonist, finds himself in the midst of undercovering the reason behind the murder though he is not a detective but the killing happened in his establishment

the investigation takes us through the historical aftermath of the war where we learn its impact of the many people affected by it.

I have to tell you that thus book is NOT for everyone in my humble opinion.

the writing style is that of Arther Conan Doyle and late Charles Dickins. Something not everyone would vibe with nowadays.

Also, I didn't know that this is the second book in a stand alone series and that we meet Eric in book 1. This made me a bit confused at the beginning of the book.

There is a lot of detailed describtion of places, rooms and people, something I found tedious but came to realize how important when the big reveal occurred

As I said, I struggled with the beginning of the book - 25% in I did not like the characters nor understood their relationship. I was also very skeptical of the role of women. they appeared to be sidelined and just there

I never was happy to be wrong

the plot took a fast pace towards surprise after surprise and the women were front and center

I do recommend reading this book if you love history combined with mystery
and my advice "power through the first 25% and I promise you're in for a wild ride"

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read the first in the series - A Gentleman's Murder - I was eagerly awaiting the second, so was glad of an opportunity to finally read this. This book follows on from the first and there are a number of references made throughout this one - however, it can be read as a stone-alone novel.

Set in the years immediately following WWI, the scene is again set in the Britannia Club, a club for returned soldiers only in London, where we find Peterkin is now Secretary. Against a backdrop of post traumatic stress and the horrors of the Great War", social change, identity and the emancipation of women, murder is once again committed within these hallowed walls.

Returning from Hong Kong and now seconded to Scotland Yard, Inspector Benedict Crane investigates - whilst Peterkin himself conducts his own postmortem of events and interviews those close to the victim, many of who are hiding their own secrets.

As an exploration into the effects of war on those who survived and returned, this is very empathically done - in addition to taking into account the impact of those who remained at the home front and suffered trauma and loss of a different kind.

The mystery of who and why the Colonel was killed was well-crafted, with witnesses and suspects alike coming under the scrutiny of both Peterkin and the Inspector - with both gaining a little more than their counterpart based on the interpersonal relationships. Peterkin is aided in his investigation by his sister Penny and best friend Avery, with a host of other characters providing their perspective (at times I found myself questioning their relevance).

But the past has a way of rearing its head, old secrets long forgotten or buried are coming to the fore ... but at what cost?

Where this lost me a little bit was the need to go "off site" - that is to France and Switzerland" where answers were not forthcoming - and to me this was really was merely an unnecessary diversion for the reader. In addition, in order to portray the societal changes and struggles, I felt the narrative went on a bit too long as there are a number of different elements to be explored before all are brought together.

All in all, another decent novel from Huang.

[ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

When I started this, I feared I was not going to enjoy it. I hadn't read the first novel in the series, and even though this book was clearly written to be accessible to people like myself, I was struggling to immerse myself into this world. I wasn't too interested in the characters and it took a while for things to start moving.

Luckily, I stuck with this, because it ended up being quite interesting.

It's London in 1925, and Eric Peterkin is the secretary of the Britannia, a club for soldiers. The acting president of this club is the revered and esteemed Colonel Russel, whose four sons all died in the war. They are all survived by their wives, who commonly frequent the club with Russel. When Colonel Russel is found dead, Eric dons his amateur detective hat, once again, to find the perpetrator.

Much like the other novel by Huang that I have read, this is not the fast-paced murder mystery that one would expect from the genre. Instead, we take our time uncovering the secrets borne from World War that our characters still harbour. We learn more about the Colonel Russel and the four wives - and it turns out that there is a lot more to all of them them what the world sees.

Although I do tend to enjoy faster-paced books, this book maintained my interest because I genuinely liked the four wives of the Colonel's sons, and I appreciated that this book didn't shy away from exploring not just the toll war continues to take on society, but on the extra burden that women had to bear during this time. The mystery aspect, while not entirely unpredictable at times, was well thought out and still engaging for the most part. I also though Eric was a decent protagonist - though I must note that while this job does do a pretty good job at clueing us into what happened in the last book and his backstory, I do think someone returning to this series would probably like him more - and I did enjoy his amicable nature demonstrated with both his acquaintances, coworkers, friends and family.

Overall, this book was a pleasant surprise, and I feel like I have no choice but to check out the first book in this series now.

[Doriana Del Pilar Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year, one of my goals was to read books from authors of different backgrounds, and I’m so happy I was accepted on NetGalley to read this book as an ARC.

I love detective mystery books, as well as historical fiction, and this book didn’t disappoint. I learned this was a sequel, after I got accepted to review this, so I read the first one just to have a bit of context on the main character Eric Peterkin, and how he views the world. I must say this book has some minor references of the first one, but it is not relevant for this one’s plot (so you can read this without having the need to read the other).

The story is full of plot twists, and it keeps you on the edge thinking who actually did it. So that’s amazing, and something I love from detective books.

I removed one star just because there are some slight jumps between scenes I couldn’t process (but that may be because english is not my first language).

Overall, awesome book and will definitely read more from this author.

[Davina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

This was definitely a slower-paced mystery, but I think that’s kind of what Christopher Huang is going for with the Eric Peterkin series. It’s not about high-stakes action or fast reveals—it’s more about the atmosphere, the slow unraveling, and the way post-war London still lingers in every corner of these characters’ lives.

Once again, the setting was done beautifully. Huang has a real talent for building a world that feels lived-in. You can really see 1920s London through the pages, and I appreciated how the story weaved in the emotional aftermath of the war. It wasn’t front and center, but it was there, and it added a lot of depth.

There were a few plot twists I enjoyed, and I liked seeing some familiar faces from the first book make an appearance. That little sense of continuity was a nice touch. I even managed to predict a couple of things, but it didn’t take away from the experience—it felt more like being in on the mystery rather than spoiling it for myself.

That said, I did find myself drifting a bit at times. The murder didn’t feel like the main focus, and I was hoping for a bit more tension or urgency. The pacing slowed in the middle, and I lost some of that initial intrigue. I also had a harder time connecting with the characters this time around. They filled their roles, but I kept wishing for just a little more spark or complexity.

Still, if you’re into atmospheric historical mysteries that take their time and focus more on setting and subtle character moments, this could really work for you. It’s thoughtful, quiet, and has a lot to say beneath the surface.

[Janereads10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Huang's upcoming novel played with my expectations like a master puppeteer, revealing one truth only to snatch it away with another more startling revelation. The narrative wound through its post-WWI setting with such deliberate precision that each twist tightened the knot of suspense until I found myself completely entangled.

The historical backdrop of 1920s England breathed with such authenticity that I was transported—not just observing the mystery but inhabiting it. I appreciated how Huang wove period details into the fabric of the story without ever letting them overshadow the central puzzle. The family dynamics and post-war disillusionment provided crucial motivation for characters whose secrets ran deeper than initially appeared.

I was captivated by each revelation which cascaded into the next. Just when I thought I had gained solid footing, Huang pulled another thread that unraveled my theories completely. The grand reveals delivered such satisfaction precisely because they were earned—clues hiding in plain sight that I kicked myself for missing.

The final resolution landed with emotional weight I rarely experience in mysteries, leaving me both intellectually impressed and emotionally invested.

For those who appreciate mysteries that offer a rare combination of historical immersion and genuine surprise, don’t miss out on this one.

Special thanks to Inkshares and NetGalley for providing the advance copy, though all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Cali Buhrman · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Whispers rippled through the audience, drowning out the excited scribbling of the press. Eric could almost see the adjective dashing being scratched out, replaced with sinister, in the description of Ward’s scar. "

This was a thrilling mystery and Huang beautifully sets the scene in post-war London, with vivid details that transport you to the Britannia Club and beyond. The characters are so layered and intriguing, with clever dialogue and just as important—what isn’t being said. Family secrets, the effects and aftermath of war, and a Clue-like cast of suspects and witnesses, the brilliant ending made the slower pace of some parts totally worth the wait.
I wasn’t familiar with this author before reading A Pretender’s Murder but am certainly a fan now and hope there is more to come in this series!

Thank you Inkshares and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Eva Müller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huang is definitely an author to look out for. I can't remember ever reading a contemporary writer emulating golden age mysteries so well. And with a main character that has neither suspiciously modern views, nor is a vehicle for the author grieving about the good old days, where you could still be racist. Peterkin is posh, but he's also mixed-race, so he is still an outsider. He views things differently than his white contemporaries. But not everything. While he has a charming relationship with his sister, he's still surprised (and slightly shocked), when he realises, that she has different plans than demurely sitting at home for the rest of her life. It's all really well done
And then the mystery is also brilliantly done. It's full of twists and turns and moments that make you think you've figured it out, only to go somewhere completely different a page later.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This is a layered, thoughtful mystery centered around Eric Peterkin, a veteran of the Great War. While the murder mystery itself is engaging, it’s the rich social commentary that truly stands out. Christopher Huang skillfully weaves themes of race, class, gender expectations, and the lingering psychological toll of war—not only on veterans, but on the families who live in its aftermath.

Although I didn’t read the first book in the series, I had no trouble getting to know the characters. I especially enjoyed the dynamic between the four sisters-in-law—it added warmth and intrigue to the narrative.

I gave it four stars instead of five because the pacing lagged at times and my attention wandered occasionally. Still, it's a well-written novel with a compelling plot and a lot of depth.

[Monika Caparelli-Hippert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second installment in the series about former British Army Lieutenant Eric Peterkin, who is involuntarily drawn into a murder investigation. I haven't read the first installment (I'll catch up :-) !), so I can say: no problem, readers can easily jump in with this one. There are a few references to the first case, but this is completely new and can be read independently of the first.

The year is 1925. Eric Peterkin has recently become secretary of the venerable Gentleman's Club Britannia, which is reserved for former and, of course, current British soldiers. The First World War has been over for seven years, but it still casts its shadow. Many of the club members—many of the men on the street!—are physically scarred or severely traumatized by "shell shock." And this brings me directly to an aspect of the story that I really liked: Huang addresses the PTSD the men suffered from and repeatedly incorporates this into the plot. Peterkin also suffers from flashbacks, and we as readers suffer with him. I found it very exciting and interesting, including how society at the time dealt with this new phenomenon.

But back to the plot; of course, there's a murder. Relatively early on, the new interim president of the Britannia Club, Colonel Hadrian Russell, is shot and thrown out of the club's window. The colonel was the much-loved, respected figure in the club, having financed many things and lost all four of his sons in the war.
Naturally, this is a case for Scotland Yard; and Peterkin initially has neither the time nor the desire to get involved. But when the official investigation stalls, Peterkin takes over the case together with his best friend Avery Ferrett and his sister Penny, and things get exciting. There are more than enough suspects: the four widows of the Russell sons are, at first glance, charming ladies who were treated like daughters by their father-in-law, but is the family really that charming? And as soon as Eric starts digging into things, he's up to his knees in old spy stories dating back to the war.

My reading impression: This was really good! Super cool plotting. At first, I thought, okay, it's kind of a classic "whodunnit," not bad, but the story really picked up speed. Nothing here is as it seems at first. We race through the events with Eric, Avery, and Penny, and just when you think you've figured something out, it turns out to be a false trail. Whom can Eric trust anymore?

A brilliant cast of protagonists, by the way. For me, historical London, a society in transition, has been resurrected here. The Empire, the Golden Age, in its last years on one side, and the new society and upcoming feminism on the other. And with Eric and Penny we have two main characters who embody this: the father is English, the mother Chinese – both of them struggle with racism in everyday life, in a society that still has Asian colonies.

Then we have Scotland Yard Inspector Benedict Crane, still relatively young, and who'se just returned to London after a 10-year stay in Hong Kong. He, too, isn't expected to achieve much with his chinese attitudes – his weak spot, as Eric soon realizes.

And when at one point the investigation escalates into a séance, I had to grin inside; I think spiritualism was quite en vogue back then :-) . In any case, we also have Madame Davidova, who wants to call the deceased murder victim himself for questioning as a witness (why not – that's also a possibility :-) ), and Avery isn't the only one who turns out to be an occultist... I think the author captured the zeitgeist pretty well here.

In any case, the story is fast-paced and the tension level is high throughout!

Stylistically, the whole thing is a bit sophisticated. I'm not a native English speaker, so I definitely notice this when I read novels that have a slightly higher linguistic level than the mainstream. On the one hand, the novel is a good read, but on the other hand, I had to look up a few words for the first time in a while. It's not a bad thing, not at all, but I wanted to point it out. The conversations, i.e., the direct speech, are also a bit more linguistically elaborate than in most other novels and crime novels I read. But that contributes to the harmonious atmosphere, so: all good!

All in all: a brilliant crime novel with many twists that kept me thoroughly entertained! I give it full marks, and I'm looking forward to the author's next books.

Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy!

[Sylthrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Peterkin is tasked with being the new secretary of the soldiers only club Britannia under Colonel Hadrian Russell.. That is until the Colonel is found murdered right outside his club. Reluctantly Eric begins his investigation into the mystery and soon discovers that very few things are what they seem.

I had a hard time getting into this book - the writing style feels very different from anything I've read recently, the sentence structure is different. Everything feels paced slower, the sentences longer, the descriptions flowing. Took a bit to get used to, honestly, but once you get into it, you're in. That's when the writing style fully unfolds and the book becomes so super enjoyable. This is definitively a book I'm buying myself in print version once it's out because it was just that good that I want to go back and reread it. I loved that writing style. And it fits so well with the theme of the book! Anything else would've just been too modern to be believable, I don't think the immersion you get here could've been created otherwise.

I loved the characters, especially Eric - he is reluctant to do what he's doing, he struggles with the lingering effects of the war, he's actually busy enough with his job and the manuscripts he's reading.. And yet he can't say no, when it's his men who get accused of the crime. But it's not only that - he's also half Chinese, yet can't speak any of the Chinese dialects, and still gets treated differently. Then there's the four daughters in law of Hadrian Russell - they really felt like thought through characters, everyone of them different from the rest, different focus, goals.. They felt real. It was a little difficult to meet them at first because you're kind of thrown in, here's the four daughters in law with their four late husbands, all of Hadrian's sons.. But since they've actually got personality, you can get to know them over the course of the book.

The story is very much an old times crime solving puzzle, the book feels like one and hey, look at that cover. Just fits. You don't get fast paced action, things take their time to unfold and there's clues to find and so many slow steps to be taken. This feels more in the vein of Sherlock Holmes and I love it for that reason.

Topicwise of course the Great War is looming over everything - it hasn't been long that it was over, people are still suffering of the aftermath and getting help for mental issues at all is very difficult if not just impossible. But it's not just the men who suffered, women lost their traditional roles and some don't mind but gaining the acceptance of their surroundings is a whole different topic. The story does not feel like it was just built around those topics to draw attention though, they're naturally woven into the book and it's just done so well, I could really imagine myself back in the times, fear still prevalent, but things not quite fully changed into modernity. This book did a great job at world building and keeping that world fully alive.

The one thing I was a little bit put off by was the whole traveling part - it felt so nonchalant, no one got informed of Eric and the other's absence, they just left she got their bags and ended up traveling to Switzerland and simply being gone. It felt a little rushed to just up and go, given that everyone involved has a job and positions you can't usually just leave and not turn up for.. And even being in Switzerland didn't do much for the story, except of course for the discoveries made there.

Speaking of discoveries - the plot is very well thought out. There's a few twists, that you can see coming but not fully, it's just that feeling you get when things add up too conveniently.. And that does nothing to change from the fact that the way the plot is built up makes this book just a fun read. It's like you're getting to collect your own clues as well, solving alongside Eric and if you missed something, he and his men will bring it up eventually. Like I said above - it feels like a puzzle and I loved it.

Overall, I definitively enjoyed that. Very much in the vein of Sherlock Holmes, very much a mystery you can unravel alongside the characters and very much a book that'll just keep you reading because you can't stop. It's just fun and a whole different world.

Thank you Inkshares for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[kilmosnaps · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

Special thank you to @netgalley for the advanced reader copy. I absolutely loved this. Didn’t realize this was a sequel when I requested it so I read ‘A Gentleman’s Murder,’ before this and fell in love with the world.

This one enhanced the world. Peterkin is the new Britannia Club Secretary and just trying to do his job when he gets caught up in another MURDER investigation. He’s thrust into peacetime espionage, mistaken identity and femme fatales. This was wonderful.

I’m gonna need Peterkin to connect with his Chinese roots in Book 3. We got a new character Inspector Crane just back from Hong Kong and can speak Chinese, so there’s this whole “who am I really/“ torn between two worlds business.

We have an Dr. Duplessis, a French alienist (19th century psychiatrist) who helps with the investigation and gets to theorize about why Eric HAS TO keep looking into murder that don’t technically concern him. That was fun.

Now I think Eric Peterkin is a virgin. He’s like got the opposite of rizz. He’s so concerned with being a gentleman he wouldn’t want to ruin a woman’s virtue. He keeps getting opportunity and won’t seal the deal. Also - he’s so naive to the true ways of the world and it’s interesting seeing his brain break when confronted with new ideas. He needs to get WOKE faster so he can sleep with someone without being married, that’ll be book 5, lol.

Avery finally got to have to séance he’s been begging for. I need more Avery! Penny is a firebrand and I’m glad we got more of her this book.

Can’t wait for the next book.

Publication Date: February 24, 2026

‘Some people invite confessions. Others performed to an audience. More rare are those who do neither, but shine like a flame of the fluttering moth drawn to their presence.’

‘The gracious widow, the glittering professional, the glamorous vampire, the girlish ingénue,… and of course, the magnanimous patriarch.’

‘The entire business seemed unreal: first, that there should be a second murder at the Britannia Club, let alone so soon after the first( and then it should have happened to Colonel Hadrian Russell of all people. The Lord of the club lounge! Popularity personified! What enemies could such a man possibly have?’

“It’s as if i’m not permitted to think of the man’s death until I’ve cleared away the mess it’s left behind.”

‘Avery smiled.
What’s so funny?” Eric asked.
“You want to investigate the murder. Like the last time.”
“I do not!”
“And why not? What did Albert Benson have that Colonel Russell doesn’t?”

“Besides, look at him. Look at her. He’s old enough to be her father.”
“He’s thirty-eight.”
“Old enough he should be looking elsewhere!”

“If there’s one thing I learned from my time in Hong Kong, it’s that we must have the public on our side if we intend to actually get any police work done. Amateur HURST loose may get in the way, but we still want eyes and ears in all of the street corners; helpful citizen, such as yourself, with insight we might lack…”

‘Eric hasn’t anticipated a need to also prove he was Chinese enough.’

“I’d forgotten. I’ve grown so used to the way things are now, and what’s my one loss, really? Others have lost more.”

‘Avery was impressed. “Espionage! And the police won’t consider it? That settles it, then: you’re playing detective.”
“I’m taking a passing interest in the inquiry.”

‘Eric knew two things about the Working Lads Institute: first, that the inquests for Mary Ann Nichols and Annie Chapman, two of Jack the Ripper’s victims, had been held here; and second, that it had served as something of a sanctuary for West Indian soldiers during the war. ‘

“I’ll admit I missed Bradshaw. We all did. That man was an institution all on his own… He lived a different world. But you and me, we know this world, don’t we?”

‘… and then they were off - to Paris, and the reopening of old wounds.’

“You are stronger than you realize, Monsieur Peterkin, and have less to fear than you think. You have only to ask yourself who you are.”

‘We’ll have to go to Switzerland…”
“Eric! If that sanatorium really is a nest of spies-“
“The War has been over for seven years, and they’re on neutral ground. Unless they’re also traders to the Swiss, no one cares.”

‘There is, you see, the matter of murder.”

“You’d go further without the fiction.”
“The fiction is what makes it real.”

“I wouldn’t dream of giving this to the police… Not yet. Not until I’ve investigated it myself first. To my fullest satisfaction.”

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Londinium was formerly an outpost of the Roman Empire. Surviving pieces of the wall built by the Romans were incorporated into the newer London buildings. In 1925, a pipe in the Britannia Club burst. Workmen uncovered a room that had previously been sealed. A proper entrance to the new pipe room would provide access from the kitchen to the back door.

Eric Peterkin was the new club secretary of the Britannia Club, in this Golden Age puzzle box mystery set in post WW I. The whodunnit explores themes of murder, the trauma of war, race and lies and deception of the intricately detailed protagonists.

“The Britannia was full of men still overshadowed by the war.” “Lieutenant Peterkin’s ears still rang from the shell…blind blackness, something acrid in the air…He felt around, pushing away…much of the collapsed dugout…His fingers found fabric…a sleeve…Private Dent…not all of Private Dent…” The explosive sound of the burst pipe triggered this memory.

Colonel Hadrian Russell was the acting president of the Britannia Club. He possessed great strength and fortitude despite the death of his four sons in the Great War. The Roster of the Fallen was a wall of brass plaques with the names of club members who’d fallen in battle. “Hadrian belonged to that class of officer, usually high up enough to see very little of actual fighting, who thought that shell shock didn’t happen to men of strong moral fiber.”

Hadrian, considered to be the “magnanimous patriarch”, was left with four daughters-in-law. George Russell, the eldest son died when his outfit’s attack on the Germans failed. His “gracious widow”, Lady Alice, was the de facto matriarch of the Russell family. She habitually wore black mourning attire. David was burned by mustard gas. His widow, Flora Grace, was a “glamorous (trouser wearing) vamp”. The trousers were "calculated to obfuscate her femininity, yet somehow managed the opposite.” Patrick died by sniper fire only weeks before the Armistice. Twenty year old Patrick had just married nineteen year old Lucy. Lucy, a “girl ingenue”, favored wearing white-and-navy sailor dresses. Andrew Russell’s cause of death seemed questionable. He died in a Parisian hotel while trying to flush out German spies. His widow, Madame Eliot was a “glittering professional” content with running her own business.

On the night in question, Hadrian Russell was visited by Capt. Gregory Ward. Ward had returned to England with the hope of reinstating his membership in the club after a lengthy absence. After fighting in the war, he came down with consumption and was sent to a sanatorium in the Swiss Alps to recover. With Eric Peterkin’s assistance, Ward recovered his father’s Webley revolver from the club vault. The revolver, wrapped in oilcloth, was scratched with a small rectangle divided into triangle quarters by an inscribed X. The same marking was found in the imprint of a woman's boot in the Parisian hotel room housing Andrew Russell’s body.

“A loud bang, another bang, and a crash like breaking glass-the window had been broken outwards-Colonel Russell on the pavement outside…the Colonel’s fingers were frozen around the barrel of a “Webley” revolver. Why had Hadrian gone back to the Britannia Club at half-eleven? Why was Ward’s gun in Hadrian’s hand?

Enter Inspector Benedict Crane…”his blond beard was cut in the fashion more common in Chinese caricatures. Benedict had spent a decade in Hong Kong. He made it clear that Eric Peterkin, an amateur sleuth, would only get in the way of his police work. Crane claimed to know how the criminal mind worked. A picture of pomposity! Eric had his own challenges. As a child, he watched his mother work with a tutor to “iron out” all traces of her Chinese accent. She knew the struggle of having to prove she was English enough. Did Eric, raised in England, have to prove that he was Chinese enough? Will the two detectives come to respect each other’s investigations and theories in an attempt to unlock the tangled mystery and solve Hadrian’s murder?

Author Christopher Huang continues to impress with his second Detective Peterkin novel. There are many intangibles implemented to resolve this complex, historical fiction mystery. Being trustworthy is not the same as being truthful!

Highly recommended.

Thank you Noah Broyles@ Inkshares for the Print ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[long2 -`♡´- · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟 4 stars｜A Pretender’s Murder – Christopher Huang
This is a book I really enjoyed and would absolutely recommend to others, but I have to admit, it was also quite a challenge for me.

As someone who doesn’t have a deep background in European history, I struggled to fully grasp many of the locations, references, and historical nuances. At the beginning, I was taking notes diligently: names, places, mythical figures… but halfway through, there were just too many. With the ARC deadline approaching, I eventually gave up on tracking them and had to speed-read through the rest. That said, I still plan to get a finished copy and re-read it slowly when I have the chance, it deserves that kind of attention.

📚 What I loved:

✔️ Atmosphere – A strong sense of 1920s post-WWI Britain. The setting, mood, and emotional undertones were beautifully built.

✔️ Themes of war aftermath – Beyond just PTSD, the book examines how war reshapes families, women’s roles, and the mental health of survivors.

✔️ Non-traditional mystery – Less action-packed, more “slow burn psychological unravelling.” It reads almost like historical literary fiction disguised as a murder mystery.

🧩 What I struggled with:

⚠️ Too many characters – The four widows, the dead sons, side characters, secret agents, spies… it’s a lot. I had trouble keeping track, especially when some characters share names or identities get intentionally blurred.

⚠️ Complex plot structure – With red herrings, false memories, historical conspiracies and secret identities, I often felt lost. It only clicked for me near the very end.

⚠️ Language barrier – As someone who reads English as a second language, this book was effortful. The prose is elegant and era-appropriate, but the vocabulary can be dense.

🎭 In terms of themes and backdrop, this book explores:

– Post-war grief and trauma

– Repressed identities (racial, social, gendered)

– The psychological toll of truth and deception

🕵️ In terms of mystery, the murder itself (Colonel Russell’s fall) is only the surface — the real intrigue lies in the peeling back of old war secrets, family lies, and hidden traumas. The resolution was satisfying, and every detail counts, though you’ll need a lot of focus to follow the clues.

📖 Recommended if you like:

– Historical detective fiction in the Golden Age style

– Literary mysteries with layered characters and slow pacing

– Stories that explore how war fractures people and societies

⛔ Not recommended if you prefer:

– Fast-paced thrillers or single-thread plots

– Easily digestible mysteries with fewer characters

– Quick reads or books you can finish without deep concentration

This was a beautiful, complex read, even if I didn’t catch every thread, I was still moved by its emotional depth and quiet intelligence. I’ll definitely return to it again, next time with a notebook… and no deadline.

📦 Thanks to NetGalley and Inkshares for the ARC. A Pretender's Murder will be published on 27 Jan 2026.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This story takes place right after WW1, the war to end all wars. The characters belong to the Britannia Club, an exclusive club that accepts soldiers post-war. The main protagonist of the story, Eric Peterkin, was elected the secretary after the happenings of the first book in the series. The popular and well-liked president of the club is Colonel Russel is murdered, and the complicated chase begins. An inspector Crane pokes his nose around the club, and Eric is forced to investigate the Colonel's history and family while trying to keep the name and prestige of the club intact.

Colonel Russel and his family are central to the story. He had 4 sons, all of whom died in the war, and all of whom were married. Thus, then, his daughter-in-laws are his remaining family, and they are regular visitors to the club. Eric unravels a messy array of threads and secrets to find out what really happened to the Colonel. The mystery around the death and the relationships between all the characters was actually excellent. There were some twists that I didn't expect, and found the ride intriguing.

What I didn't like is the pacing/meandering of the story. Some parts of the story were tense and engaging. But some parts (especially the international bits?) felt unnecessary to the plotline. The pacing felt inconsistent. At first, the Colonel's death felt very important and it was imperative that it be solved quickly, but then sometimes it faded to the background? That said, what I think Christopher Huang did exceptionally well was the PTSD and the shadowy threat of violence and grief from war. Growing up as the daughter of a soldier in the Vietnam War, I know intimately what the darkness that can seep into the bones of a family due to war. I commend and applaud Huang for his masterful writing about the deep effects of war.

I did a bit of a history deep dive after this book because of how interesting it all was. I found that the actual Britannia Club was a facility for British servicemen which later became a key institution for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). There were other organizations similar in London, such as the Army and Navy Club, which was established in the late 1800s. Altogether, if you like history and are patient enough with slow mysteries, I'd recommend this book! I thought it was an excellent portrayal, and the mystery itself was very good. I think perhaps I am just an impatient person and couldn't wait to figure out whodunnit.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions written here are my own.

[Sue Trowbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Everything always seems to start with the War," says Eric Peterkin, secretary of the Britannia Club and amateur sleuth. I'm not a huge fan of World War I novels—truly a conflict so horrible that it beggars the imagination—but I enjoyed Christopher Huang's previous book, "Unnatural Ends," enough to give "A Pretender's Murder" a try.

Eric has recently been appointed to his position at London's Britannia Club, which, with its membership of ex-servicemen, is the sort of genteel place where men who survived battle now sit around and drink gin and tonics and smoke cigars. Colonel Russell is one of the club's most prominent members; it's 1925, a few years after the end of WWI, and the Colonel lost all four of his sons in the conflict. Their names now adorn the club's Roster of the Fallen. All four of his daughters-in-law gather at the club every Friday to have lunch.

When the Colonel is killed at the club, Eric begins to investigate his murder. Could it have something to do with Captain Gregory Ward, recently returned to London after spending several years in a Swiss sanitarium, who just reactivated his membership at the Britannia? The novel's title promises a "pretender," after all, and there is more to Ward than meets the eye.

There is a lot of heavy material in this book—besides the grief that still marks the Russell sons' widows, Eric himself struggles with bouts of PTSD, as the violence he confronts in the present day causes him to flash back on his memories of the war. Huang is an elegant prose stylist, though, and I enjoyed all of the historical detail he puts into the book: German dueling scars, the spiritualism craze, the suburban growth of London, and Citroën's massive advertisement on the Eiffel Tower are a few of the interesting elements we encounter en route to the unmasking of the murderer.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Golden Age mystery set in 1925.
This is a book about secrets. Some hide the unpalatable truth about a much beloved husband, others are about betrayal and passing secrets to the enemy.
Memories about the Great War are still painful. The Britannia Club in London has a brass plaque on its wall, the Roster of the Fallen. PTSD is not recognised, there are only heroes and cowards.
Colonel Hadrian Russell saw his four sons go off to war, all were killed in the line of duty.
A letter arrives from a Captain Gregory Ward, requesting the reinstatement of his membership which lapsed during the war, he was a friend of Andrew Russell. The Captain has evidently suffered much, he has been in a Sanatorium, has lost much weight and has gone grey, you would hardly recognise him today.
When Colonel Russell is shot and the thrown out of the front window of the club, it becomes apparent that events of the war are still causing much bitterness and hostility today.
Eric Peterkin, secretary of the Britannia club is himself plagued by memories of the trenches and has episodes of shell shock. He is asked to investigate the death of Colonel Russell.
We are dealing with spies, codes and betrayal. There are racial slurs and a patriarchal attitude towards females.
This is a fascinating and poignant story. It is brilliantly constructed, full of devious characters, with an intricately developed plot and a rattling good read.
This author does “ slow burner” books, you have to allow time for the scenes to be set and the characters to be introduced, it is almost hesitant in it’s approach, but like an onion, the truth is revealed layer by layer.
I rated this as a five star read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Inkshares for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.

[S A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book featuring Eric Peterkin. I did not read the first book, but this did not hinder my enjoyment of the story and it does work as a standalone novel.

Set in a Gentlemen's Club after the war, this story falls follows Eric Peterkin in his new role as the club secretary. As the title implies, a murder takes place and that's when the intrigue begins. As this is a period story, there's obviously no forensics and modern technology so the story has classic murder mystery sleuthing reminiscent of Agatha Christie. If you like those types of tales you are in for a treat. I don't think that the mystery was obvious - it wasn't completely clear what the motive was or who had committed the crime at the outset. That is what made the story more compelling, I hate being proved right early on.

There were two parts of the story that makes it standout. Being set after the war, Huang encapsulates the aftermath of the war well. The main character, Eric was a Lieutenant and parts of the story detail the mental aftermath of warfare. As an undercurrent within the backgrounds of the characters its refreshing to see a writer demonstrate that war has a impacted everyone in different ways, including how it has affected the female characters too.

The main character, Eric Peterkin has a mixed race background. This isn't a main feature within the novel but narrating the thoughts and feelings that he has linked to this mixed heritage is special. The complexities of being in post war Britain, where attitudes were different highlights the element of otherness, whilst not falling into racial stereotypes. At one point in the story there is a police officer who has returned from Hong Kong who wishes to converse with Eric Peterkin in Cantonese. Unfortunately, he does not speak the language and the inner monologue around not understanding an element of his heritage is an interesting read. For me, this aside from the narrative of the story helps to round out the character and makes it far more realistic by having a multi-faceted character not completely driven solely by continuing the plot.

Overall I liked this story and would be more than happy to read more adventures of Eric Peterkin. It's a telling of a classic murder mystery in the styles of the classics within the genre. Its nice to see something that harks back to Agatha Christie style stories that orignally made me fall in love with reading.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

London, 1925 and former Lieutenant Eric Peterkin is the new secretary of the prestigious Britannia Club, whose members are exclusively British soldiers. One of their most esteemed members is current acting president Colonel Hadrian Russell, who lost sadly lost all four of his sons in WWI. Now he dines at the club on Fridays with their four widows: Lady Alice, the matriarch and mother of the Colonel’s only grandchildren, Miranda Eliot, now running her husband Andrew's business, Flora, a glamorous vamp and Lucy, the youngest who now lives with and keeps house for the Colonel.

Peterkin had recently been involved in solving the murder of a club member so when Colonel Russell is shot and thrown out a window onto the street, he once again becomes involved in the investigation into his murder along with his friend Avery and sister Penny. Although Inspector Benedict Crane of Scotland Yard is leading the investigation, Peterkin is able to talk to witnesses and family members and get to the heart of why he was killed. All four of his daughters in law harbour secrets that will eventually lead Peterkin to uncover an imposter as well as the motives for the murder.

Although this is the second in the series, the writing and background assures that it can be easily read as a stand alone novel. Written in the style of a Golden age mystery, the cast of characters is well drawn and London during a time of transition is well depicted. The war has changed for many with so many widows now dependent on family or earning their own wages with some women now running their husband’s businesses and wanting more freedoms. Many returned soldiers are struggling with life changing injuries and PTSD that also affect their families. Although the pacing of the mystery is gradual, the complex plot builds well, allowing for a depth of atmosphere to be generated by the period and setting. It's a enjoyable period mystery with some good twists, as Peterkin traces the murder back to events that took place in WWI.

With thanks to Inkshares via Netgalley for a copy to read

[Abbey Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I begin, I would like to thank NetGalley, Christopher Huang, and Inkshares for allowing me to read an early copy of this book. The following review will contain my personal opinions on this book, without any bias.

A Pretender's Murder, where Historical Fiction meets Murder Mystery.

This book takes places in the 1920s, just after WW1. Eric Peterkin is the newly appoint secretary of the Britannia, a private club for soldiers. Peterkin was being advised in this new position by Colonel Hadrian Russel, until Colonel Russel was murdered inside of the Britannia. Inspector Benedict Crane has recently moved back to London from Hong Kong and is looking for the case that will establish the beginning of a successful career for him in London, he believes Colonel Russel's case is just that. However, Peterkin is not fully satisfied with the work of Detective Crane and decides to do some investigating of his own. Peterkin is assisted in his investigation by his sister, Penny, and his best friend, Avery, while they look for clues around London and travel to Switzerland to uncover more of the story. Throughout his investigation, Peterkin discovers a multitude of secrets being kept by those closest to Colonel Russel, and even some secrets being kept by Colonel Russel himself. This book explores themes of PTSD, culture, race, sexism, and more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The plot is quite complex and includes lots of character, so pay attention to details! Every time I thought that I had guessed who the murderer was, Huang threw another twist my way. I will admit that at times the story did slow down and began to feel like it was being dragged on just a little too long, but it all culminated with an amazing ending that made it worth sticking it out. If you like history, games like Clue, and complex characters then this is the book for you!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

What initially drew me to A Pretender’s Murder were the tropes I love most in a mystery: a murder at the heart of a prestigious institution, a historical London setting steeped in secrets, a classic cat-and-mouse investigation, and the delicious possibility that everyone could be the culprit. And on those points, the book delivers: the premise is layered, the atmosphere richly imagined, and the threads of betrayal and espionage give it a compelling edge.

Set in 1925 London, the story follows Lieutenant Eric Peterkin, who finds himself drawn into the investigation of a murder at the Britannia Club—an elite gathering place for war veterans—after the mysterious and brutal death of its president, Colonel Hadrian Russell. With suspects ranging from grieving daughters-in-law to figures from the Colonel’s war-scarred past, the mystery had all the ingredients of a gripping whodunit.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite match the promise. The pacing was slow and the narrative, at times, overly drawn out. I found the interweaving of past and present scenes within single paragraphs particularly jarring as it disrupted the flow and made it difficult to stay immersed in the story. The characters, while numerous and complex on paper, felt flat in execution, which made it hard to stay emotionally engaged. Whereas I typically breeze through a book in a day, this one took me nearly two weeks to complete.

That said, I still appreciate Huang’s ambition and his effort to create a richly textured world. While the novel aims for complexity and scope, the structure often feels unwieldy, with scenes and timelines bleeding into one another in a way that can obscure rather than enhance. With tighter editing and stronger focus on character development, the story might have fulfilled its intriguing premise more effectively.

Thank you, Inkshares, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Miranda Dell'Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, but I had no trouble jumping right into Eric Peterkin’s second foray into detective work. I didn’t read the first book and was pleasantly surprised that this book works as a standalone. The story pulled me in blending historical fiction, suspense, and classic whodunnit elements.

The book opens with lieutenant Eric Peterkin taking on the role of secretary at the Brittanica - a club for former soldiers of the Great War. We quickly meet Colonial Russell, the Brittanica’s acting president, and his family. When Colonial Russell is found dead after being pushed out of a window, Eric reprises his role as a detective to find the killer.

The book's historical setting is one of its standout features. I’m not a historian, but Huang has a knack for immersing readers in 1925 London, capturing the social dynamics of post-war London with subtlety and depth. Societal expectations, post-war trauma and grief, and the political landscape are all woven into the fabric of the story, giving readers a strong sense of the time period.

Huang does an excellent job of keeping the reader on their toes with clever plot twists and unexpected revelations. The pacing is slower, with enough tension building up throughout the novel to keep readers intrigued without feeling rushed.

A Pretender’s Murder is an enjoyable and thought-provoking historical mystery that showcases Christopher Huang's storytelling abilities.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book. This review is my personal opinion.