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Dr Jack Cuthbert Mysteries #1
The Silent House of Sleep
‘No one likes death. It just happens to be our business.’ Nobody who meets Dr Jack Cuthbert forgets him. Tall, urbane, brilliant but damaged, this Scottish pathologist who works with Scotland Yard is the best the new DCI has seen. But Cuthbert is a man who lives with secrets, and he still battles demons brought back from the trenches.
When not one but two corpses are discovered in a London park in 1929, Cuthbert must use every tool at his disposal to solve the mystery of their deaths. In the end, the horrifying truth is more shocking than even he could have imagined. As he works the case, Cuthbert realises that history rarely stays in the past. And even in the final moments, there is still one last revelation that leaves him reeling.
The Silent House of Sleep is the first book in the Dr Jack Cuthbert mystery series.
When not one but two corpses are discovered in a London park in 1929, Cuthbert must use every tool at his disposal to solve the mystery of their deaths. In the end, the horrifying truth is more shocking than even he could have imagined. As he works the case, Cuthbert realises that history rarely stays in the past. And even in the final moments, there is still one last revelation that leaves him reeling.
The Silent House of Sleep is the first book in the Dr Jack Cuthbert mystery series.
298 pages, Paperback
Published November 30, 2023
About the author
Allan Gaw
35 books59 followersAllan Gaw is a Scot who lives and works near Glasgow. He studied medicine and is a pathologist by training but a writer by inclination. Having worked in the NHS and universities in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and the US, he now devotes his time to writing.
Most of his published work to date is non-fiction. These include medical textbooks and regular magazine articles on topics as diverse as the thalidomide story, the medical challenges of space travel and the medico-legal consequences of the Hillsborough disaster.
More recently, he has been writing short stories, poetry and novels. He won the UK Classical Association Creative Writing Competition, the International Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize, the International Globe Soup 7 day Writing Challenge and was runner-up in the Glencairn Glass/Bloody Scotland Short Crime Fiction Competition. He has also had prose published in the literary anthologies, From Glasgow to Saturn and anthologies and the Edinburgh Literary Salon.
His poetry has been published by Dreich, Soor Ploom Press, Black Bough Poetry, SCAP and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. His debut poetry collection, Love & Other Diseases, was published in 2023 by Seahorse Publications. His second poetry collection, The Sounds Men Make, was published in 2025, also by Seahorse.
His debut novel, The Silent House of Sleep, won the 2024 Bloody Scotland Debut novel of the year. His second novel, The Moon’s More Feeble Fire, was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize The third book in the Dr Jack Cuthbert series, To the Shades Descend is out now and the fourth, The Shadows and the Dust, will be released in January 2026.
You can read more about him and his work at his website: https://researchet.wordpress.com
Most of his published work to date is non-fiction. These include medical textbooks and regular magazine articles on topics as diverse as the thalidomide story, the medical challenges of space travel and the medico-legal consequences of the Hillsborough disaster.
More recently, he has been writing short stories, poetry and novels. He won the UK Classical Association Creative Writing Competition, the International Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize, the International Globe Soup 7 day Writing Challenge and was runner-up in the Glencairn Glass/Bloody Scotland Short Crime Fiction Competition. He has also had prose published in the literary anthologies, From Glasgow to Saturn and anthologies and the Edinburgh Literary Salon.
His poetry has been published by Dreich, Soor Ploom Press, Black Bough Poetry, SCAP and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. His debut poetry collection, Love & Other Diseases, was published in 2023 by Seahorse Publications. His second poetry collection, The Sounds Men Make, was published in 2025, also by Seahorse.
His debut novel, The Silent House of Sleep, won the 2024 Bloody Scotland Debut novel of the year. His second novel, The Moon’s More Feeble Fire, was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize The third book in the Dr Jack Cuthbert series, To the Shades Descend is out now and the fourth, The Shadows and the Dust, will be released in January 2026.
You can read more about him and his work at his website: https://researchet.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 8, 2024
A new series which I will follow. Dr Cuthbert, his past and present, are intriguing, and I enjoyed meeting him as I have a soft spot for characters who struggle today because of what they have been through. The plot, set in 1920s in London, is quite complicated yet intriguing. My only reservation was linked to some gore descriptions but this, Cuthbert being a pathologist, cannot be avoided. Interesting to observe how forensic science was developing one hundred years ago.
June 19, 2024
I saw this was one of the novels shortlisted for this year’s Bloody Scotland debut novel award and thought I would give it a go, as it sounded quite promising.
It’s 1928 and Dr Jack Cuthbert is a Scottish pathologist working in London for New Scotland Yard, when he is called to the scene of a buried body which has been partially unearthed by a dog walker. Cuthbert painstakingly recovers the body but the excavation reveals an unexpected find and Cuthbert’s skills are tested to the full as he collaborates with an initially hostile DCI Mowbray, who is allocated the investigation. Both men manage to set aside their differences and cooperate to try and solve this unusually gruesome murder. There is also a second plot-line which fills in Cuthbert’s backstory and in particular his exploits as a medical student in Edinburgh and his exploits during World War 1.
As a retired Police Officer who spent 23 years of my service as a Crime Scene Investigator, I particularly enjoyed this novel, as I had to regularly attend crime scenes involving deaths and had to work under the direction of the pathologist both at the scene and in the mortuary. Although the novel is set nearly a century ago a lot of the basic principles regarding scene preservation and evidence gathering are still relevant today.
I’m loathe to give out too much detail regarding the crime under investigation, as it would spoil the shock factor involved at the heart of the gruesome Modus Operandi employed in the commission of the crime. Suffice to say it’s not for the weak of stomach. Again although set nearly a century ago the novel encompasses themes that are highly relevant today. Cuthbert is a gay man who is struggling to come to terms with his homosexuality and still mourns the death of his first unrequited ‘love’. He also suffers from mental health issues and would now be classed as suffering from PTSD, as a direct result of the horrors he faced on the front line during the war. He also has a highly unusual method which he employs to relieve his stress which I’m also not going to give away. However in his public life he is a confident individual, who is highly skilled and well regarded and whose expertise is highly sought after.
I also thought Cuthbert drew comparison to Sherlock Holmes in some aspects, in that Cuthbert always relies on facts and logic in his thinking. He has his own Dr Watson in the shape of Dr Morganthal, his junior assistant and DCI Mowbray may be regarded as his Inspector Lestrad ?
A highly enjoyable first outing for Dr Cuthbert, in the first of this series, of which there are another two already published and which I look forward to reading.
It’s 1928 and Dr Jack Cuthbert is a Scottish pathologist working in London for New Scotland Yard, when he is called to the scene of a buried body which has been partially unearthed by a dog walker. Cuthbert painstakingly recovers the body but the excavation reveals an unexpected find and Cuthbert’s skills are tested to the full as he collaborates with an initially hostile DCI Mowbray, who is allocated the investigation. Both men manage to set aside their differences and cooperate to try and solve this unusually gruesome murder. There is also a second plot-line which fills in Cuthbert’s backstory and in particular his exploits as a medical student in Edinburgh and his exploits during World War 1.
As a retired Police Officer who spent 23 years of my service as a Crime Scene Investigator, I particularly enjoyed this novel, as I had to regularly attend crime scenes involving deaths and had to work under the direction of the pathologist both at the scene and in the mortuary. Although the novel is set nearly a century ago a lot of the basic principles regarding scene preservation and evidence gathering are still relevant today.
I’m loathe to give out too much detail regarding the crime under investigation, as it would spoil the shock factor involved at the heart of the gruesome Modus Operandi employed in the commission of the crime. Suffice to say it’s not for the weak of stomach. Again although set nearly a century ago the novel encompasses themes that are highly relevant today. Cuthbert is a gay man who is struggling to come to terms with his homosexuality and still mourns the death of his first unrequited ‘love’. He also suffers from mental health issues and would now be classed as suffering from PTSD, as a direct result of the horrors he faced on the front line during the war. He also has a highly unusual method which he employs to relieve his stress which I’m also not going to give away. However in his public life he is a confident individual, who is highly skilled and well regarded and whose expertise is highly sought after.
I also thought Cuthbert drew comparison to Sherlock Holmes in some aspects, in that Cuthbert always relies on facts and logic in his thinking. He has his own Dr Watson in the shape of Dr Morganthal, his junior assistant and DCI Mowbray may be regarded as his Inspector Lestrad ?
A highly enjoyable first outing for Dr Cuthbert, in the first of this series, of which there are another two already published and which I look forward to reading.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am incredibly gratefully to HighBridge, HighBridge audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early.
The book follows Dr. Jack Cuthbert, a Scottish medical examiner in London during the latter part of the 1920s and his college years during WWI. Jack is a highly intelligent, thoughtful, and inquisitive person who is very knowledgeable and allows him to direct colleagues to ideas and conclusions. I really enjoyed the back story of Jack which was well written and felt very real. I love Jack as the main character because he feels like a real person and you are allowed to see inside his brain and his struggles.
However, I do feel like the case concluded rather abruptly which caught me off guard because the book definitely was more slow paced before the reveal.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes police/medical procedural, historical crime dramas, and well written crime procedural.
The book follows Dr. Jack Cuthbert, a Scottish medical examiner in London during the latter part of the 1920s and his college years during WWI. Jack is a highly intelligent, thoughtful, and inquisitive person who is very knowledgeable and allows him to direct colleagues to ideas and conclusions. I really enjoyed the back story of Jack which was well written and felt very real. I love Jack as the main character because he feels like a real person and you are allowed to see inside his brain and his struggles.
However, I do feel like the case concluded rather abruptly which caught me off guard because the book definitely was more slow paced before the reveal.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes police/medical procedural, historical crime dramas, and well written crime procedural.
November 1, 2025
What a wonderful start to a series! Evocative plot, wonderful characters, accurate historical storylines and an unforgettable main character. Booksellers in the United States need to start carrying this author. I am really thinking about moving next to Blackwell’s so I can have all the books I like to read, they also carry all my favorite American authors as well.
Character driven story. I knew it was the killer the minute it made an appearance but not the why or the fascinating story behind this person.
This author did a great job at painting a picture of three decades in London and the grim aspects of World War I. A four stars instead of five because the police did not do anything in order to find the killer but the killer facilitated the conviction. A beautiful, well written but heart wrenching series that I will definitely continue to read.
Character driven story. I knew it was the killer the minute it made an appearance but not the why or the fascinating story behind this person.
This author did a great job at painting a picture of three decades in London and the grim aspects of World War I. A four stars instead of five because the police did not do anything in order to find the killer but the killer facilitated the conviction. A beautiful, well written but heart wrenching series that I will definitely continue to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You will need a strong stomach for this one. There are repulsive, grotesque details of a horrific death.
This book is dual timeline following the same character in 1916 and in 1929. Personally, I found the 1916 storyline related to the main character's time in medical school and during the war to be the more compelling on the two. I got emotional at times during the WW1 scenes and actually teared up a little bit. The two timelines don't always work together as well as they should, but I do think that each adds to the story in a meaningful way. LGBTQ+ themes, grief, guilt, and regret all run beneath the main storylines, helping to bring the main character to life.
I would have liked more from his assistant in the book, who came across as a naive screw up more than probably intended.
The narrator was a bit stiff for me, and made me feel somewhat removed from the characters. If I continue the series, I would probably eye ball read them rather than listen.
Thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for this advanced listener copy.
This book is dual timeline following the same character in 1916 and in 1929. Personally, I found the 1916 storyline related to the main character's time in medical school and during the war to be the more compelling on the two. I got emotional at times during the WW1 scenes and actually teared up a little bit. The two timelines don't always work together as well as they should, but I do think that each adds to the story in a meaningful way. LGBTQ+ themes, grief, guilt, and regret all run beneath the main storylines, helping to bring the main character to life.
I would have liked more from his assistant in the book, who came across as a naive screw up more than probably intended.
The narrator was a bit stiff for me, and made me feel somewhat removed from the characters. If I continue the series, I would probably eye ball read them rather than listen.
Thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for this advanced listener copy.
January 21, 2024
This is an unputdownable book, with a really good murder mystery driving it forward. The main protagonist, Dr Jack Cuthbert, is an intriguing character, and I can’t wait to see how he develops through the series. Wholeheartedly recommend this book!
June 10, 2024
Excellent debut
Beautifully written and really brought the period to life especially covering the first world war and teaching of medicine. I look forward to reading more in the series.
Beautifully written and really brought the period to life especially covering the first world war and teaching of medicine. I look forward to reading more in the series.
August 5, 2024
I loved this book, highly recommend it. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
August 10, 2026
Wow! What a riveting book. It’s hard to believe this is a first novel. I loved Jack Cuthbert and can’t wait to spend time with him again in his next novel. The author made the World War 1 time period come alive - especially its impact on the young men caught up in its atrocities. The mystery was upsetting and surprisingly, I guessed the identity well before it was revealed. However, it was the characters that are the most memorable. They were all complex and human. I loved the maid ( Madam Smith) and chief inspector Mowbray and hope they both return in Book 2.
August 21, 2024
If you are a lover of well written crime novels then you will love this new series. The Silent House of Sleep by Allan Gaw is the first book in the Dr. Jack Cuthbert Mystery series. This is a historical crime novel which introduces readers to the enigmatic Scottish pathologist, Dr. Jack Cuthbert, who works with Scotland Yard in the late 1920s.
Set in 1929, the story begins with the discovery of two corpses in a London park. Dr. Cuthbert is called upon to investigate, and what follows is a gripping tale of mystery and suspense. As Cuthbert delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a series of shocking truths that challenge his skills and his resolve.
Dr. Jack Cuthbert is a complex man. Tall, urbane, and brilliant, he is also deeply damaged by his experiences in the trenches of World War I and these provide a supporting narrative throughout the book.
Allan’s writing captures the essence of 1920s London in vivid detail and feels very well researched.
Overall this is a great first novel in the Dr. Jack Cuthbert series.
Set in 1929, the story begins with the discovery of two corpses in a London park. Dr. Cuthbert is called upon to investigate, and what follows is a gripping tale of mystery and suspense. As Cuthbert delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a series of shocking truths that challenge his skills and his resolve.
Dr. Jack Cuthbert is a complex man. Tall, urbane, and brilliant, he is also deeply damaged by his experiences in the trenches of World War I and these provide a supporting narrative throughout the book.
Allan’s writing captures the essence of 1920s London in vivid detail and feels very well researched.
Overall this is a great first novel in the Dr. Jack Cuthbert series.
February 8, 2024
Update***
winner of The Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the year 2024! **
🌟This was fantastic!🌟
A brilliant first book in this series from Allan Gaw.
We are introduced to some fascinating characters and i have never been so invested in learning more about a main character in a long time.
We have duo time lines here, where it goes between the main character Dr Cuthbert's life as a young medical student during the first world war and later in his career. Ten or so years later. This shows Cuthbert in a light that is so natural but complex at the same time. Im looking forward to seeing him growing as a character in the second instalment which is out very soon!
The development and progression here is well formed with all characters. I enjoyed reading each one's part equally. I also enjoyed the view showing Cuthberts vulnerable side as well as his strong, confident no nonsense approach.
The story itself is very engaging. The medical scenes and explanation of the crime itself is not for the faint hearted but they do not over explain/analyse in a horribly grizzly horror type way as i have seen in some crime/thrillers. This keeps it interesting and gripping at the same time. We are kept guessing .This shows the main character from several angles and it gives us a more human aspect to engage with, which makes us feel for the character and what he has been through.
I could go on...
Highly recommended to all that are in favour of this genre!
winner of The Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the year 2024! **
🌟This was fantastic!🌟
A brilliant first book in this series from Allan Gaw.
We are introduced to some fascinating characters and i have never been so invested in learning more about a main character in a long time.
We have duo time lines here, where it goes between the main character Dr Cuthbert's life as a young medical student during the first world war and later in his career. Ten or so years later. This shows Cuthbert in a light that is so natural but complex at the same time. Im looking forward to seeing him growing as a character in the second instalment which is out very soon!
The development and progression here is well formed with all characters. I enjoyed reading each one's part equally. I also enjoyed the view showing Cuthberts vulnerable side as well as his strong, confident no nonsense approach.
The story itself is very engaging. The medical scenes and explanation of the crime itself is not for the faint hearted but they do not over explain/analyse in a horribly grizzly horror type way as i have seen in some crime/thrillers. This keeps it interesting and gripping at the same time. We are kept guessing .This shows the main character from several angles and it gives us a more human aspect to engage with, which makes us feel for the character and what he has been through.
I could go on...
Highly recommended to all that are in favour of this genre!
April 26, 2026
Special thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Gay mysteries/thrillers are my bread and butter so this book was aimed towards audiences like me! Now I will say this has virtually to romantic elements and not a lot of deep diving into the mc’s sexuality, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The mc is very competent and secure in himself but is not a Mary Sue, he lives and learns from past experiences and is an easy character to root for and follow.
The pacing was rather slow and frequent time jumps did not let the story flow, but I would still recommend.
The narrator was great, this book was easy to listen to and entertaining.
Gay mysteries/thrillers are my bread and butter so this book was aimed towards audiences like me! Now I will say this has virtually to romantic elements and not a lot of deep diving into the mc’s sexuality, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The mc is very competent and secure in himself but is not a Mary Sue, he lives and learns from past experiences and is an easy character to root for and follow.
The pacing was rather slow and frequent time jumps did not let the story flow, but I would still recommend.
The narrator was great, this book was easy to listen to and entertaining.
October 2, 2026
This first crime story from Allan Gaw introduces us to Dr Jack Cuthbert ,a forensic consultant and pathologist. This introduction interweaves his involvement in solving a brutal double killing in 1929 with his back story as a medical student and his WW1 experiences. This books doesn't avoid the gory and some of the war recollection and the murders are pretty gruesome. The crime mystery is perhaps the weakest part of the book but it is very strong on character and Dr Cuthbert is an interesting construction who is a very solid foundation for a crime series. He has his own demons to deal with and there is considerable scope for character development. There are also some others in his orbit who are undoubtedly going to feature again as the series continues. Well worth reading more!
September 29, 2024
I attended Bloody Scotland and saw the author given his prize - by the time I got to the on site bookshop they were sold out which is an indication of the reception her got. I got it on my return and it lived up to my expectations.
Dr Cuthbert is an engaging character, the early 20th Century setting is convincing, and, as the author is a pathologist we can rely on the medical details.
Dr Cuthbert is an engaging character, the early 20th Century setting is convincing, and, as the author is a pathologist we can rely on the medical details.
April 23, 2025
Jack Cuthbert is a pathologist working for Scotland Yard in the 1920s. He's suffering from PTSD from his part in WWI and dealing with his sexuality which was, at that time, a crime. When two bodies are found together he must work with the police to uncover who and why. Fantastic police/medical procedural with a wonderful main character and an interesting mystery.
July 3, 2026
Interesting if gruesome mystery with a complex main character, forensic pathologist Jack Cuthbert. The characters were well-rounded and although initially I felt impatient with the chapters dealing with Cuthbert's World War I experience, the reason for them became clear at the end. Well-researched and engaging.
August 18, 2026
historical fiction mystery about a Scottish pathologist around WW1/2 battling his personal demons and also solving crimes, loved it
July 3, 2026
I would definitely read more from this author!
September 15, 2024
I enjoyed this and even more so as it’s going to be a series. As the first in a series it set the scene with a back story without taking away from the main story of a couple of very disturbing murders. My only niggle is with some of the slang as it seemed too modern examples gob and getting your leg over.
September 18, 2024
Outstanding debut novel!
June 9, 2024
I liked the main character in this book and would read more of them, but I found the murder in this book so disturbing that I'm not sure I want to read any more of them. Which is the reason for my 3 stars. Dr Cuthbert is a sympathetic character, and I liked reading about his background and why he is the way he is, but this murder will give me nightmares for a while to come.
January 30, 2025
This was a different type of crime thriller dealing with forensic science in its early conception. Dr Jack Cuthbert an unlikely hero with such a troubled past and his unhealthy obsession with shiny shoes. The way we don’t find out why until near the end of the book adds to the suspense and horror of both the murder and WW1 trenches.
The crime is horrific and you want to know why someone could do such a thing - it is graphic in places conjuring up a gruesome picture of what took place but it is not until right at the end you get a twist which I certainly didn’t see coming. The horror is described in a scientific way so it doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series
The crime is horrific and you want to know why someone could do such a thing - it is graphic in places conjuring up a gruesome picture of what took place but it is not until right at the end you get a twist which I certainly didn’t see coming. The horror is described in a scientific way so it doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series
February 27, 2026
I so needed this refreshing (yes, that's how it felt compared to other books in the genre) take on murder mysteries, or is police procedurals a better description I wonder?
Anyway, Dr Jack Cuthbert is a great character and complicated asfuck heck. The other people we get to follow, and those we meet "in their moment" are also beautifully written as is the description of the surroundings and situations they find themselves in. Well not literally of course, there is a lot of nasty places and situations vividly described in this book, and I wouldn't have it in any other way.
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
Anyway, Dr Jack Cuthbert is a great character and complicated as
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
December 5, 2023
‘The Silent House of Sleep’ is a brilliant piece of historical fiction that introduces the character of Dr Jack Cuthbert, a medical pathologist. This is an accomplished debut novel that reads as if the author has been writing fiction for decades. I love reading books from Scottish authors and I thoroughly recommend this book. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and the interwar period is my favourite time to read about. Put in murder and I am sold!
When two bodies are found in a shallow grave in a park in London, Dr Jack Cuthbert is called to examine the bodies as he is the leading pathologist for Scotland Yard. Many think him to be abrupt and aloof but he is battling demons from the Great War, like a lot of the men of this time. As he completes the autopsies what he finds is a shocking truth which leads the investigation in a new direction!
I adored Jack! He is a brilliantly nuanced character and I instantly began to root for him. The author swaps from the present to Jack’s experiences during the war and I thought that this was a powerful mechanism that allowed the reader to really understand Jack as a person. The science and historical medical scenes came across as being completely authentic, maybe something to do with the author being a pathologist! I really liked the relationship between Jack and his assistant.
I devoured this book in record time as I was fully immersed in Jack’s world! I was instantly transported to the late 1920s London and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay! The book was excellently paced and full of tension. The scenes which dealt with Jack’s time in the war were some of the most harrowing that I have read in a while. It was clear the author had done a lot of research when it came to these sections. I found myself having to put my phone down at times to recover from them. It paints war in its truest of harsh colours.
This is an excellent debut and I am excited to see what happens next to Jack! Let me know if you pick this one up!
When two bodies are found in a shallow grave in a park in London, Dr Jack Cuthbert is called to examine the bodies as he is the leading pathologist for Scotland Yard. Many think him to be abrupt and aloof but he is battling demons from the Great War, like a lot of the men of this time. As he completes the autopsies what he finds is a shocking truth which leads the investigation in a new direction!
I adored Jack! He is a brilliantly nuanced character and I instantly began to root for him. The author swaps from the present to Jack’s experiences during the war and I thought that this was a powerful mechanism that allowed the reader to really understand Jack as a person. The science and historical medical scenes came across as being completely authentic, maybe something to do with the author being a pathologist! I really liked the relationship between Jack and his assistant.
I devoured this book in record time as I was fully immersed in Jack’s world! I was instantly transported to the late 1920s London and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay! The book was excellently paced and full of tension. The scenes which dealt with Jack’s time in the war were some of the most harrowing that I have read in a while. It was clear the author had done a lot of research when it came to these sections. I found myself having to put my phone down at times to recover from them. It paints war in its truest of harsh colours.
This is an excellent debut and I am excited to see what happens next to Jack! Let me know if you pick this one up!
May 9, 2026
Unfortunately, 'The Silent House of Sleep' was pretty pedestrian fare all round. And it would have to be a considerably slow reading day for me to move forward in the Dr. Jack Cuthbert Mysteries series.
The novel certainly wasn't awful, however, there were some laborious chapters where we had flashbacks to Metropolitan police pathologist, Dr. Jack Cuthbert's youthful time in Edinburgh at his studies to become a doctor, joining up and fighting in France and Belgium during World War I, then back to finish his medical degrees, and finally, once that had been completed, onto his commission as an officer, in a forces hospital, while still in Britain, at the tail end of the war. Which, to be quite honest, were passages that I found extremely tedious, and dreaded turning the page and seeing another chapter set in the flashback years of 1914 to 18.
For me, these chapters started poorly, and just never seemed to get going. We effectively had two posh boys at an elite school, and for the life of me, there just wasn't anything there that I could get my teeth into and empathise with, it was all completely alien to me. But hold on, maybe there was something I could recognise, as we had the first hints of the main protagonist's homosexuality. Identity politics, which I think were really the book’s whole raison d'etre: how a homosexual comes to terms and copes with his sexuality, in context with his environment (in Jack Cuthbert's case, ostensibly by trying to deny it), in a time where homosexuality was not only frowned upon, but was highly illegal and could incur lengthy imprisonment and ostracization from one's community. But unlike say, the transgender male in Alex Reeve's, 'The House on Half Moon Street', where that particular book’s main protagonist, Leo Stanhope's 'sexual identity' was very much at the forefront of the story, at all times, here however, Dr. Cuthbert's sexuality, took a back seat, and remained in the book's shadows, and was forever just glimpsed at, in hints, innuendo, and verbal abuse, and disappointingly failing to hit home it's central point.
Jack's friend, and fellow posh boy, Joseph Sebastian Troy, like so many of his generation, gets caught up in the euphoria for war, and rushes off to the recruitment office to enlist. To his credit, Jack Cuthbert, decides to stay put in the Scottish capitol and complete his studies. However, a short while later, Jack receives the dreaded news that his friend was killed in action while at the front. Bizarrely, in my book, this then motivates him to join up and enter the slaughter on the continent’s Western Front. Just why the death of Joseph Troy would precipitate the need for Jack to want to give up his studies and go to war, is lost on me, a strange turn of events indeed. If perhaps Jack had been ’in love’ with his friend, I suppose rushing off to France to kill and maim Germans, could really be seen as an act of vengeance, but it’s a pretty tenuous motive, and smacks somewhat of desperation. There then proceeds to be several chapters detailing Jack's time in the trenches, which were chock-a-block with prosaic clichés, tiresome tropes and a looming dread at their approach!
To conclude the negative parts of the book's plot development, I did think that the entire narrative surrounding the murders and their motive, were incredibly weak, and it didn't really work for me. The motive for the murder of the teacher, William Galton was fair enough, good old fashioned revenge, which also kept the ’vengeance’ theme from earlier going. But, I’m afraid to say, the method of it, tied to a corpse, mouth to mouth, till you could no longer breathe, and/or choked on your own vomit, and the corpse's maggots, and although I appreciate that the perpetrator was recreating a scene from classic literature, it was still way, way over the top, and unnecessarily elaborate, and in reality, made little sense. But it was the murder of the seemingly random student, Freddy Dawson, to be used as the corpse to which Galton would be egregiously tied, that made absolutely no sense whatsoever. If the corrupt teacher had been murdered by Julius Gossett, because of the grief his brother's suicide had caused, after Marcus Gossett had killed himself, because of the years of torture at the hands of the sadistic classics master, Galton, while at boarding school, why would Julius Gossett then proceed to put another family, Dawson's family, through that very same grief?! Bizarre, and I'm afraid that I'm left shaking my head, marvelling at just how tenuous and wafer thin the book's plot actually was, haha!
However, on the positive side, there were a few bits and pieces in the book, that I did enjoy and could empathise with, for example, when Scotsman, Dr. Jack Cuthbert first met his new boss at Scotland Yard, Chief Inspector J. 'The Pie' Mowbray, and on entering The Pie’s office,
'Cuthbert took a seat, again without being asked, and Mowbray had already decided he did not like this new doctor.
"Scotch?"
" A little early in the day for me, chief inspector. But, of course, you're not asking me if I'd like a drink, are you? You are enquiring as to my heritage. I am indeed Scottish, or if you prefer a Scotsman, but let me inform you that 'Scotch' is a whisky.'
Well said that man! I can certainly vouch for the fact, that it's an extremely bad idea to ever call a Scotsman, 'Scotch', haha! **punch in face**
Nevertheless, speaking of Scotsmen in London, and formerly being one myself, I can also empathise with another passage in the story, which mentioned how London has a tendency to mercilessly chew people up and spit them out, battered and bruised, but Jack never felt that way, and not only loves his time in the capitol, but thrives in it! I have to say, I was exactly the same, I loved my time in London, and took to it like a fish to water. People used to ask me questions like, do you not get scared traveling on the tube, late at night on your own? And laughing, with my big mohican hairstyle, painted leather jaisket, combat trousers and fourteen holer D.M. boots, I'd reply, also in my thick Scottish accent, 'In actual fact, it was the likes of me, that people on the London Underground late at night, were scared of, haha!' The reasons why people hate London, ‘it’s too anonymous, too busy,’ etc, are precisely the very reasons that I loved it! 'Get a bus mate! Get a bus!'
Finally, to finish up, I'll leave you with this passage from near the end of the book, between The Pie and Cuthbert that I also enjoyed, linking up crime and poverty,
'Have you been following in the papers everything that's been happening in America? The world's going to hell. They say this financial crash will hit us just as hard here. We're already skint as a country, what with that bloody war - this looks like all we need. They're talking poverty and unemployment the likes of which we haven't seen in years. And that means more work for us. Make men poor and hungry, take away their jobs and what do they get? Crime, and lots of it. And that'll mean more customers for you and your mortuary.'
The novel certainly wasn't awful, however, there were some laborious chapters where we had flashbacks to Metropolitan police pathologist, Dr. Jack Cuthbert's youthful time in Edinburgh at his studies to become a doctor, joining up and fighting in France and Belgium during World War I, then back to finish his medical degrees, and finally, once that had been completed, onto his commission as an officer, in a forces hospital, while still in Britain, at the tail end of the war. Which, to be quite honest, were passages that I found extremely tedious, and dreaded turning the page and seeing another chapter set in the flashback years of 1914 to 18.
For me, these chapters started poorly, and just never seemed to get going. We effectively had two posh boys at an elite school, and for the life of me, there just wasn't anything there that I could get my teeth into and empathise with, it was all completely alien to me. But hold on, maybe there was something I could recognise, as we had the first hints of the main protagonist's homosexuality. Identity politics, which I think were really the book’s whole raison d'etre: how a homosexual comes to terms and copes with his sexuality, in context with his environment (in Jack Cuthbert's case, ostensibly by trying to deny it), in a time where homosexuality was not only frowned upon, but was highly illegal and could incur lengthy imprisonment and ostracization from one's community. But unlike say, the transgender male in Alex Reeve's, 'The House on Half Moon Street', where that particular book’s main protagonist, Leo Stanhope's 'sexual identity' was very much at the forefront of the story, at all times, here however, Dr. Cuthbert's sexuality, took a back seat, and remained in the book's shadows, and was forever just glimpsed at, in hints, innuendo, and verbal abuse, and disappointingly failing to hit home it's central point.
Jack's friend, and fellow posh boy, Joseph Sebastian Troy, like so many of his generation, gets caught up in the euphoria for war, and rushes off to the recruitment office to enlist. To his credit, Jack Cuthbert, decides to stay put in the Scottish capitol and complete his studies. However, a short while later, Jack receives the dreaded news that his friend was killed in action while at the front. Bizarrely, in my book, this then motivates him to join up and enter the slaughter on the continent’s Western Front. Just why the death of Joseph Troy would precipitate the need for Jack to want to give up his studies and go to war, is lost on me, a strange turn of events indeed. If perhaps Jack had been ’in love’ with his friend, I suppose rushing off to France to kill and maim Germans, could really be seen as an act of vengeance, but it’s a pretty tenuous motive, and smacks somewhat of desperation. There then proceeds to be several chapters detailing Jack's time in the trenches, which were chock-a-block with prosaic clichés, tiresome tropes and a looming dread at their approach!
To conclude the negative parts of the book's plot development, I did think that the entire narrative surrounding the murders and their motive, were incredibly weak, and it didn't really work for me. The motive for the murder of the teacher, William Galton was fair enough, good old fashioned revenge, which also kept the ’vengeance’ theme from earlier going. But, I’m afraid to say, the method of it, tied to a corpse, mouth to mouth, till you could no longer breathe, and/or choked on your own vomit, and the corpse's maggots, and although I appreciate that the perpetrator was recreating a scene from classic literature, it was still way, way over the top, and unnecessarily elaborate, and in reality, made little sense. But it was the murder of the seemingly random student, Freddy Dawson, to be used as the corpse to which Galton would be egregiously tied, that made absolutely no sense whatsoever. If the corrupt teacher had been murdered by Julius Gossett, because of the grief his brother's suicide had caused, after Marcus Gossett had killed himself, because of the years of torture at the hands of the sadistic classics master, Galton, while at boarding school, why would Julius Gossett then proceed to put another family, Dawson's family, through that very same grief?! Bizarre, and I'm afraid that I'm left shaking my head, marvelling at just how tenuous and wafer thin the book's plot actually was, haha!
However, on the positive side, there were a few bits and pieces in the book, that I did enjoy and could empathise with, for example, when Scotsman, Dr. Jack Cuthbert first met his new boss at Scotland Yard, Chief Inspector J. 'The Pie' Mowbray, and on entering The Pie’s office,
'Cuthbert took a seat, again without being asked, and Mowbray had already decided he did not like this new doctor.
"Scotch?"
" A little early in the day for me, chief inspector. But, of course, you're not asking me if I'd like a drink, are you? You are enquiring as to my heritage. I am indeed Scottish, or if you prefer a Scotsman, but let me inform you that 'Scotch' is a whisky.'
Well said that man! I can certainly vouch for the fact, that it's an extremely bad idea to ever call a Scotsman, 'Scotch', haha! **punch in face**
Nevertheless, speaking of Scotsmen in London, and formerly being one myself, I can also empathise with another passage in the story, which mentioned how London has a tendency to mercilessly chew people up and spit them out, battered and bruised, but Jack never felt that way, and not only loves his time in the capitol, but thrives in it! I have to say, I was exactly the same, I loved my time in London, and took to it like a fish to water. People used to ask me questions like, do you not get scared traveling on the tube, late at night on your own? And laughing, with my big mohican hairstyle, painted leather jaisket, combat trousers and fourteen holer D.M. boots, I'd reply, also in my thick Scottish accent, 'In actual fact, it was the likes of me, that people on the London Underground late at night, were scared of, haha!' The reasons why people hate London, ‘it’s too anonymous, too busy,’ etc, are precisely the very reasons that I loved it! 'Get a bus mate! Get a bus!'
Finally, to finish up, I'll leave you with this passage from near the end of the book, between The Pie and Cuthbert that I also enjoyed, linking up crime and poverty,
'Have you been following in the papers everything that's been happening in America? The world's going to hell. They say this financial crash will hit us just as hard here. We're already skint as a country, what with that bloody war - this looks like all we need. They're talking poverty and unemployment the likes of which we haven't seen in years. And that means more work for us. Make men poor and hungry, take away their jobs and what do they get? Crime, and lots of it. And that'll mean more customers for you and your mortuary.'
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2023
Rounded up from 3.5
The interwar years are a favourite of mine when it comes to historical mysteries, so I knew I had to give The silent house of sleep a go.
Two bodies are discovered in a London park and Dr Jack Cuthbert is assigned to the case. He's an expert in his field, but at first, even he is stumped by what happened to the two men. The police are convinced that they don't need Cuthbert's help, but it doesn't stop him from digging until he solves what happened.
What a fantastic debut The Silent House of Sleep was!
The story weaves together a puzzling mystery alongside the harsh realities of the first world war in Cuthbert's memories.
Dr Cuthbert is a complicated man, to say the least! He has PTSD from the first world war and a few other personal issues (I will not tell you what they are, you'll have to read it and find out). At first I thought Cuthbert to be a bit self-involved and haughty, but as I read on, I softened to him and understood him a lot better.
The novel was wonderfully descriptive, conjuring vivid images in my mind. Of course, with this being a mystery, there were a few gruesome scenes, so just watch out for that if you are more sensitive to that sort of thing.
I could tell that the novel is very well researched, but there were a few times where I felt that a little too much detail was included and it slowed the pace down.
A fascinating yet gritty historical mystery with complex and compelling characters.
The interwar years are a favourite of mine when it comes to historical mysteries, so I knew I had to give The silent house of sleep a go.
Two bodies are discovered in a London park and Dr Jack Cuthbert is assigned to the case. He's an expert in his field, but at first, even he is stumped by what happened to the two men. The police are convinced that they don't need Cuthbert's help, but it doesn't stop him from digging until he solves what happened.
What a fantastic debut The Silent House of Sleep was!
The story weaves together a puzzling mystery alongside the harsh realities of the first world war in Cuthbert's memories.
Dr Cuthbert is a complicated man, to say the least! He has PTSD from the first world war and a few other personal issues (I will not tell you what they are, you'll have to read it and find out). At first I thought Cuthbert to be a bit self-involved and haughty, but as I read on, I softened to him and understood him a lot better.
The novel was wonderfully descriptive, conjuring vivid images in my mind. Of course, with this being a mystery, there were a few gruesome scenes, so just watch out for that if you are more sensitive to that sort of thing.
I could tell that the novel is very well researched, but there were a few times where I felt that a little too much detail was included and it slowed the pace down.
A fascinating yet gritty historical mystery with complex and compelling characters.
November 19, 2023
I have just finished this and had to get my review done straight away. Such a brilliant book, gruesome and sarcastic in equal measures, and so so good.
The main character in this detective series is not the detective but the pathologist, Jack Cuthbert, a war veteran who trained as a doctor and became a forensic pathologist instead of following the usual route and turning to clinics and hospital rounds. During the story, we had chapters about his time in the war and before, and learn a great deal about how he became the man he is today. I really enjoyed this, not the war element obviously as there were some awful scenes described, but the history of the MC which we usually get so little of. I loved this MC and his poor assistant, and Pie the detective he works with who hates doctors!
We learn about the murder in a methodical way, the absolute horror that it is, but it kind of makes it easier to read about. The authors writing style is superb, this is also the first in the series so I’ll definitely be looking out for more.
The main character in this detective series is not the detective but the pathologist, Jack Cuthbert, a war veteran who trained as a doctor and became a forensic pathologist instead of following the usual route and turning to clinics and hospital rounds. During the story, we had chapters about his time in the war and before, and learn a great deal about how he became the man he is today. I really enjoyed this, not the war element obviously as there were some awful scenes described, but the history of the MC which we usually get so little of. I loved this MC and his poor assistant, and Pie the detective he works with who hates doctors!
We learn about the murder in a methodical way, the absolute horror that it is, but it kind of makes it easier to read about. The authors writing style is superb, this is also the first in the series so I’ll definitely be looking out for more.
November 26, 2023
Dr Cuthbert is an imposing figure. Not only is he very tall but also a very good pathologist. He gets called to help Scotland Yard in solving two murders.
I can’t say I liked the main character too much. He comes across as jerky and condescending. He reminds me of some Drs I’ve worked with.
Fans of police dramas may enjoy this book
I can’t say I liked the main character too much. He comes across as jerky and condescending. He reminds me of some Drs I’ve worked with.
Fans of police dramas may enjoy this book
February 23, 2025
It's easy to see why Allan Gaw won the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize in September 2024; this novel is rich in character, setting and plot, with the promise of more depths to be explored in future instalments.
We open with Dr Jack Cuthbert in a courtroom, as precise, prepared and as meticulously polished in his evidence as the shine on his boots. He lays out his findings in exact terms, leaving no room for doubt. But as he departs from the court and catches a taxi, we glimpse something else, which he has no control over - we'd call it PTSD now: not just a memory of war, but the sights, sounds and scents of it descending as if Cuthbert was living it. His wrestling with these two parts of him adds depth and sympathy throughout the novel.
Law student Freddie Dawson, just 21, is missing, but weeks pass with no new leads for the investigating cops - until a man walking his dog makes a gruesome discovery in a park. And once Cuthbert and his assistant Simon - sunny, chatty and such a contrast to Cuthbert's dark quiet - have painstakingly examined the scene they find it is not one body, but two.
The homicide boss, DCI Mowbray, is brutal and ruthless, but also ambitious and smart, accepting Cuthbert's knowledge and skills can help him with this baffling case. That knowledge includes the fact the murder is linked to an ancient Latin epic, Virgil's Aeneid; a literal closed book to Mowbray, whose education was rather different to Cuthbert's.
We skip between the unravelling of the case in London in 1929 and Cuthbert's earlier experiences, firstly in 1914 where he is a medical student at Edinburgh University, then in the trenches at Ypres and later the carnage of an Advanced Dressing Station. He bounces between study and military service until after the armistice, with these glimpses showing the horrors of war and their impact on those who lived it.
There's a series of breakthroughs in the murder case, with Cuthbert and the cops working together, and finally they can bring in a suspect... though there is one missing piece of evidence left to unearth to complete the picture.
For some people there will be too much detail about the bodies, and the murderer makes the stomach turn as much as the dissections do. And while the Aeneid inspiration is as alien to most modern readers as it is to Mowbray, it fits Cuthbert's knowledge as well as the killer's mind, and is certainly a fresh idea. But these are minor quibbles - there is much to enjoy, including the ensemble of characters around Cuthbert, and many passages have a quiet power, awakening a whole range of emotions in the reader.
Dr Jack Cuthbert is a compelling and comprehensive character in a beautifully crafted world. The Silent House Of Sleep is a novel to shout about.
We open with Dr Jack Cuthbert in a courtroom, as precise, prepared and as meticulously polished in his evidence as the shine on his boots. He lays out his findings in exact terms, leaving no room for doubt. But as he departs from the court and catches a taxi, we glimpse something else, which he has no control over - we'd call it PTSD now: not just a memory of war, but the sights, sounds and scents of it descending as if Cuthbert was living it. His wrestling with these two parts of him adds depth and sympathy throughout the novel.
Law student Freddie Dawson, just 21, is missing, but weeks pass with no new leads for the investigating cops - until a man walking his dog makes a gruesome discovery in a park. And once Cuthbert and his assistant Simon - sunny, chatty and such a contrast to Cuthbert's dark quiet - have painstakingly examined the scene they find it is not one body, but two.
The homicide boss, DCI Mowbray, is brutal and ruthless, but also ambitious and smart, accepting Cuthbert's knowledge and skills can help him with this baffling case. That knowledge includes the fact the murder is linked to an ancient Latin epic, Virgil's Aeneid; a literal closed book to Mowbray, whose education was rather different to Cuthbert's.
We skip between the unravelling of the case in London in 1929 and Cuthbert's earlier experiences, firstly in 1914 where he is a medical student at Edinburgh University, then in the trenches at Ypres and later the carnage of an Advanced Dressing Station. He bounces between study and military service until after the armistice, with these glimpses showing the horrors of war and their impact on those who lived it.
There's a series of breakthroughs in the murder case, with Cuthbert and the cops working together, and finally they can bring in a suspect... though there is one missing piece of evidence left to unearth to complete the picture.
For some people there will be too much detail about the bodies, and the murderer makes the stomach turn as much as the dissections do. And while the Aeneid inspiration is as alien to most modern readers as it is to Mowbray, it fits Cuthbert's knowledge as well as the killer's mind, and is certainly a fresh idea. But these are minor quibbles - there is much to enjoy, including the ensemble of characters around Cuthbert, and many passages have a quiet power, awakening a whole range of emotions in the reader.
Dr Jack Cuthbert is a compelling and comprehensive character in a beautifully crafted world. The Silent House Of Sleep is a novel to shout about.
August 20, 2026
Pathologist, academic and non-fiction writer Allan Gaw turns his hand to historical crime mysteries for the first time in The Silent Room of Sleep, introducing readers Dr John (Jack) Archibald Cuthbert.
Cuthbert is a forensic pathologist working for Scotland Yard in the late 1920s and his training at the University of Edinburgh has prepared him well:
These were the words that had been drummed into Cuthbert by his esteemed mentor at the University of Edinburgh. They were deeply embedded in Cuthbert’s psyche but, on occasion, he chose to overrule them. When he is confronted with a particularly gruesome case, the execution of which was inspired by words from Virgil’s Aeneid, Cuthbert puts his own instincts to work.
Interspersed with the unravelling of the London double murder case is the story of Cuthbert’s years as a university student and as an army volunteer in Belgium and England during World War I. Gaw’s medical background is evident throughout the novel. There are detailed descriptions of forensic pathology procedures (as they were conducted in the 1920s) and accurate evocations of WWI trench warfare and battlefield medicine. These descriptions do not overwhelm the story and are clearly explained or well contextualised in the narrative.
* * * * * * * * * *
I enjoyed Gaw’s window into the practice of forensic medicine in the early 1900s. As a 21st century reader, I am accustomed to the ‘bells and whistles’ of newer forensic techniques; it was good to be reminded of a time when keen observation was the medical practitioner’s primary tool.
There are some plot and time frame glitches in the novel, and some metaphors that didn’t quite hit the mark for me (e.g. ‘The throb of his racing pulse bounced back from the walls’). Also the use of the term ‘tough love’ (‘isn’t that what they call it these days?’) is anachronistic; the expression is thought to have been coined in 1968 by American youth worker Bill Milliken.
* * * * * * * * * *
You can find more book reflections on my blog, Thoughts from an Idle Hour.
Cuthbert is a forensic pathologist working for Scotland Yard in the late 1920s and his training at the University of Edinburgh has prepared him well:
‘The specialist in forensic medicine is not a detective. Your job is to gather the evidence afforded you by the crime scene; it is for others to use that evidence to catch the killer.’
These were the words that had been drummed into Cuthbert by his esteemed mentor at the University of Edinburgh. They were deeply embedded in Cuthbert’s psyche but, on occasion, he chose to overrule them. When he is confronted with a particularly gruesome case, the execution of which was inspired by words from Virgil’s Aeneid, Cuthbert puts his own instincts to work.
‘The living and the dead at his command
Were coupled, face to face, and hand to hand,
Till, chok’d with stench, in loath’d embraces tied,
The ling’ring wretches pin’d away and died.’
Virgil’s Aeneid, Book VIII (trans. John Dryden)
Interspersed with the unravelling of the London double murder case is the story of Cuthbert’s years as a university student and as an army volunteer in Belgium and England during World War I. Gaw’s medical background is evident throughout the novel. There are detailed descriptions of forensic pathology procedures (as they were conducted in the 1920s) and accurate evocations of WWI trench warfare and battlefield medicine. These descriptions do not overwhelm the story and are clearly explained or well contextualised in the narrative.
* * * * * * * * * *
I enjoyed Gaw’s window into the practice of forensic medicine in the early 1900s. As a 21st century reader, I am accustomed to the ‘bells and whistles’ of newer forensic techniques; it was good to be reminded of a time when keen observation was the medical practitioner’s primary tool.
There are some plot and time frame glitches in the novel, and some metaphors that didn’t quite hit the mark for me (e.g. ‘The throb of his racing pulse bounced back from the walls’). Also the use of the term ‘tough love’ (‘isn’t that what they call it these days?’) is anachronistic; the expression is thought to have been coined in 1968 by American youth worker Bill Milliken.
* * * * * * * * * *
You can find more book reflections on my blog, Thoughts from an Idle Hour.
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