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The Grateful Water
When a young butcher spots a strange shape on the banks of the River Liffey in the hot summer of 1866, the city of Dublin is gripped by a grimy case of infanticide. Detective Martin Peakin, an amateur entomologist and full of regret for his failed engagement, sets off in search of the murderer, eager to impress his superiors.
But, as Peakin draws closer, he begins to realise that not all is as it seems. Everyone related to the case is hiding something, while his own secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. The river binds these Dubliners together, but who will it divide in the end? And will Peakin actually solve this most shocking, ordinary and desperate of crimes?
The Grateful Water – sticky with blood and secrets and guilt – will suck you in until the last page.
But, as Peakin draws closer, he begins to realise that not all is as it seems. Everyone related to the case is hiding something, while his own secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. The river binds these Dubliners together, but who will it divide in the end? And will Peakin actually solve this most shocking, ordinary and desperate of crimes?
The Grateful Water – sticky with blood and secrets and guilt – will suck you in until the last page.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 17, 2024
6 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 30, 2024
My Rating 4.5*
The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman published May 17th with New Island Books and is described as ‘a riveting debut’. Bringing the smells and sounds of 1860s Dublin very much to life, this vivid tale immerses the reader into the lives of a fascinating cast of characters, all from different strata of society. Denis is a young butcher, three years married to his beloved wife, Rose. Their marriage began healthy, and with plenty of love, but a tragic incident left Rose distanced and unable to give Denis the affection he craves. Denis is a patient man, and one concerned for his city and community, so when he sees a baby’s body swaddled in the mud of the river he immediately reports it to the police. With the investigation team headed by Detective Martin Peakin, this case of suspected infanticide has the city in shock. Folk are horrified that someone could leave their new-born baby in the mire of the River Liffey and the rumour mill soon begins to turn.
With very few leads, Peakin is struggling to uncover any further detail that could lead to an arrest. Peakin is longing for a promotion and is feeling the financial impact of his choices, knowing how difficult it would be for any woman to survive on his salary. If he could just solve this case, maybe then his superiors would look at him differently.
Peakin’s scant findings direct him toward the more upper echelons of Dublin society, challenging him with much of what he has believed and accepted to date. As the crumb trail gathers momentum, he is approached by various folk with differing agendas and soon finds himself caught up in spider’s web of truth and lies.
Peakin is a very empathetic character who is conscious of the struggles faced by many who are born on the wrong side of the tracks. He is conscious that there are those who would happily send certain folk down for murder, in order to promote their own intentions so he has to handle the case with kid-gloves.
With incredible attention to detail, Adelman has recreated a very authentic atmospheric tale, with the hardship and struggles of 1860s Dublin almost lifting off the pages. In a time when charlatans were part of life, lack of information was a fact and poverty and shame drove people to do terrible things, The Grateful Water captures the essence of that period in a very visual manner. Adelman is an historian by trade adding a very convincing element to this novel. Peakin is a great character, one I hope we will see return again as I feel his story is not yet finished. The Grateful Water is one I would definitely recommend to historical crime fiction fans. Like CJ Sansom’s Shardlake and K.J. Maitland’s Pursglove, Adelman has brought a period of history to life capturing a time and a place in exacting detail. An absorbing read, The Grateful Water, is a very enjoyable, compelling novel, a accomplished debut from a writer who clearly knows her stuff!
The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman published May 17th with New Island Books and is described as ‘a riveting debut’. Bringing the smells and sounds of 1860s Dublin very much to life, this vivid tale immerses the reader into the lives of a fascinating cast of characters, all from different strata of society. Denis is a young butcher, three years married to his beloved wife, Rose. Their marriage began healthy, and with plenty of love, but a tragic incident left Rose distanced and unable to give Denis the affection he craves. Denis is a patient man, and one concerned for his city and community, so when he sees a baby’s body swaddled in the mud of the river he immediately reports it to the police. With the investigation team headed by Detective Martin Peakin, this case of suspected infanticide has the city in shock. Folk are horrified that someone could leave their new-born baby in the mire of the River Liffey and the rumour mill soon begins to turn.
With very few leads, Peakin is struggling to uncover any further detail that could lead to an arrest. Peakin is longing for a promotion and is feeling the financial impact of his choices, knowing how difficult it would be for any woman to survive on his salary. If he could just solve this case, maybe then his superiors would look at him differently.
Peakin’s scant findings direct him toward the more upper echelons of Dublin society, challenging him with much of what he has believed and accepted to date. As the crumb trail gathers momentum, he is approached by various folk with differing agendas and soon finds himself caught up in spider’s web of truth and lies.
Peakin is a very empathetic character who is conscious of the struggles faced by many who are born on the wrong side of the tracks. He is conscious that there are those who would happily send certain folk down for murder, in order to promote their own intentions so he has to handle the case with kid-gloves.
With incredible attention to detail, Adelman has recreated a very authentic atmospheric tale, with the hardship and struggles of 1860s Dublin almost lifting off the pages. In a time when charlatans were part of life, lack of information was a fact and poverty and shame drove people to do terrible things, The Grateful Water captures the essence of that period in a very visual manner. Adelman is an historian by trade adding a very convincing element to this novel. Peakin is a great character, one I hope we will see return again as I feel his story is not yet finished. The Grateful Water is one I would definitely recommend to historical crime fiction fans. Like CJ Sansom’s Shardlake and K.J. Maitland’s Pursglove, Adelman has brought a period of history to life capturing a time and a place in exacting detail. An absorbing read, The Grateful Water, is a very enjoyable, compelling novel, a accomplished debut from a writer who clearly knows her stuff!
August 25, 2024
I felt that the author captured the atmosphere of 19th century Dublin pretty well. I enjoyed the old street names, which I believe were authentic with one exception; Pearse Street was named in the1920s in honour of Patrick Pearse the leader of the 1916 Rising. The plot was generally plausible with a few exceptions. The flavour of the language and the speech of the characters was, I felt, authentic. However, the term “billfold” is totally anachronistic, unheard of in Dublin of the 1960s, never mind the 1860s! I was amazed to see it, not once but several times in the text.
October 16, 2024
“She held her silent bundle over the water, shame and guilt wound tight in plain cloth. She dropped it and listened as it fell, one hand gripping the stone rail.”
I enjoy beginnings like this. Two affecting sentences, giving context to the story and characters we’re about to meet. The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman a story set in Dublin in the late 1860’s, tells of an unidentified baby found in the bed of the River Liffey and the investigation to identify both baby and mother. With its dual timeline and multi POV perspective you get a multi-layered focalised narrative that keeps the pace fast and exciting.
“She tried to smile and wondered if he could smell the gin off her like she could smell the pig off him.”
The author uses many images of scent in her storytelling which together create a motif of masking, hiding. This works well with the themes of deceit, the investigating police officer with a penchant for whores, the seemly decorous Miss Anne with a secret lover and the extortionist Kitty Conroy with the soft heart. It’s very much a story of appearances versus inner values and these conflicting qualities of the characters were some of my favourite parts of the narrative.
The writing is good, figurative but accessible and easy to read, I loved the simplicity of this simile…. “They moved from room to room for meals as if performing achingly slow Stations of the Cross (the parlour for breakfast, the dining room for luncheon and dinner, the sitting room for tea).”
Mingled throughout the plot there are glimpses of post famine Ireland, the movement to overthrow colonialism and the beginnings of the Magdalene Laundries and looking outside of the frame of the story you can see how being a historian has helped the author achieve a great sense of time and place.
An enjoyable piece of Irish historical fiction. Thank you to the author and @islandbooks for an advance copy in return for an honest review. The Grateful Water is out now.
I enjoy beginnings like this. Two affecting sentences, giving context to the story and characters we’re about to meet. The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman a story set in Dublin in the late 1860’s, tells of an unidentified baby found in the bed of the River Liffey and the investigation to identify both baby and mother. With its dual timeline and multi POV perspective you get a multi-layered focalised narrative that keeps the pace fast and exciting.
“She tried to smile and wondered if he could smell the gin off her like she could smell the pig off him.”
The author uses many images of scent in her storytelling which together create a motif of masking, hiding. This works well with the themes of deceit, the investigating police officer with a penchant for whores, the seemly decorous Miss Anne with a secret lover and the extortionist Kitty Conroy with the soft heart. It’s very much a story of appearances versus inner values and these conflicting qualities of the characters were some of my favourite parts of the narrative.
The writing is good, figurative but accessible and easy to read, I loved the simplicity of this simile…. “They moved from room to room for meals as if performing achingly slow Stations of the Cross (the parlour for breakfast, the dining room for luncheon and dinner, the sitting room for tea).”
Mingled throughout the plot there are glimpses of post famine Ireland, the movement to overthrow colonialism and the beginnings of the Magdalene Laundries and looking outside of the frame of the story you can see how being a historian has helped the author achieve a great sense of time and place.
An enjoyable piece of Irish historical fiction. Thank you to the author and @islandbooks for an advance copy in return for an honest review. The Grateful Water is out now.
July 12, 2024
This was an engaging mystery set in mid 19th century Dublin. The plot moved along nicely. The characters were interesting. Some were quite one-sided in the Victorian novel vien, but I appreciated that others were not. One simultaneously routed for the detective to solve the case and to fail. He was fully drawn and fully flawed but still mostly effective.
Some of the turns of phrases were particularly good. When describing a perfumed woolen shop in mid August :" So the shop smelled like sheep on their way to the theatre". I laughed out loud at that
A thoroughly enjoyable summer vacation read
Some of the turns of phrases were particularly good. When describing a perfumed woolen shop in mid August :" So the shop smelled like sheep on their way to the theatre". I laughed out loud at that
A thoroughly enjoyable summer vacation read
June 29, 2024
I loved this deeply atmospheric tale of 19th century Dublin. The different strata of society are well drawn. The plot kept me hooked until the end. The place and powerlessness of women at that time is very clear.
July 10, 2024
One of the best books set in Dublin
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It has sparked an interest in historical fiction. I loved all the characters and the description of Dublin. Very well written and well worth a read.
June 11, 2024
I loved all the revelations throughout. I was constantly guessing and completely absorbed in the book, especially in Anna’s story.
I have to say I’ve never read any book based in the nineteen century so it was also nice to be able to experience that time through the authors writing.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book & will definitely be delving into the world of historical crime books ☺️
September 10, 2024
Adelman's prose is rich and evocative, masterfully capturing the sensory experiences of a bustling, overheated Dublin. Her narrative is crisp and unsentimental, yet rich in detail, allowing the reader to almost smell the thronged streets and feel the oppressive summer heat. The book’s strength lies in its deep characterizations and the vivid setting that serves almost as a character itself. Each person Peakin encounters is finely drawn, with motives and secrets that are slowly unraveled, adding layers of depth to the mystery.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews