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Midnight Streets
A pacy, evocative dark historical thriller about a working-class private detective in 1920s London's Soho, who has grown up alongside the morally dubious characters who are key to cracking the cases he investigates, for fans of Laura Shepherd Robinson and the TV series Peaky Blinders.
When Cockney private detective George Harley saves a young girl's life on a dark London night in 1929, he doesn't realise it marks the beginning of an investigation which will change his life forever. The incendiary book which inspired the girl's abduction also seems to be linked to a series of grisly murders that are taking place on Harley's patch, and though he's delighted to be asked by Scotland Yard to help find the killer before they strike again, he could do without the local razor- and cosh-wielding mobsters thinking he's in the police's pocket.
Set during the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, Harley's world is a far cry from the country house of an Agatha Christie whodunnit. This working-class sleuth does his 'sherlocking' in the frowsy alleyways and sleazy nightclubs of Soho – the city's underbelly – peopled with lowlife ponces, jaded streetwalkers, and Jewish and Maltese a world of grubby bedsits, all-night cafés, egg and chips, and Gold Flake cigarettes.
Here, the midnight streets are black as pitch and, as Harley finds himself embroiled in the macabre mysteries of a city in which truth is as murky as the pea-souper smog and the sins are as dark as stout porter beer, he begins to realise he may never find a way out.
When Cockney private detective George Harley saves a young girl's life on a dark London night in 1929, he doesn't realise it marks the beginning of an investigation which will change his life forever. The incendiary book which inspired the girl's abduction also seems to be linked to a series of grisly murders that are taking place on Harley's patch, and though he's delighted to be asked by Scotland Yard to help find the killer before they strike again, he could do without the local razor- and cosh-wielding mobsters thinking he's in the police's pocket.
Set during the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, Harley's world is a far cry from the country house of an Agatha Christie whodunnit. This working-class sleuth does his 'sherlocking' in the frowsy alleyways and sleazy nightclubs of Soho – the city's underbelly – peopled with lowlife ponces, jaded streetwalkers, and Jewish and Maltese a world of grubby bedsits, all-night cafés, egg and chips, and Gold Flake cigarettes.
Here, the midnight streets are black as pitch and, as Harley finds himself embroiled in the macabre mysteries of a city in which truth is as murky as the pea-souper smog and the sins are as dark as stout porter beer, he begins to realise he may never find a way out.
447 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 18, 2025
9 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Phil Lecomber
5 books11 followersPHIL LECOMBER was born in 1965 in Slade Green, on the outskirts of South East London—just a few hundred yards from the muddy swirl of the Thames.
Most of his working life has been spent in and around the capital in a variety of occupations. He has worked as a musician in the city’s clubs, pubs and dives; as a steel-fixer helping to build the towering edifices of the square mile (and also working on some of the city’s iconic landmarks, such as Tower Bridge); as a designer of stained-glass windows; and—for the last quarter of a century—as the director of a small company in Mayfair specializing in the electronic security of some of the world’s finest works of art.
All of which, of course, has provided wonderful material for a novelist’s inspiration.
Always an avid reader, a chance encounter as a teenager with a Gerald Kersh short story led to a fascination with the ‘Morbid Age’— the years between the wars. The world that Phil has created for the George Harley Mysteries is the result of the consumption and distillation of myriad contemporary novels, films, historical accounts, biographies and slang dictionaries of the 1930s—with a nod here and there to some of the real-life colourful characters that he’s had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with over the years.
So, the scene is now set … enter George Harley, stage left …
Most of his working life has been spent in and around the capital in a variety of occupations. He has worked as a musician in the city’s clubs, pubs and dives; as a steel-fixer helping to build the towering edifices of the square mile (and also working on some of the city’s iconic landmarks, such as Tower Bridge); as a designer of stained-glass windows; and—for the last quarter of a century—as the director of a small company in Mayfair specializing in the electronic security of some of the world’s finest works of art.
All of which, of course, has provided wonderful material for a novelist’s inspiration.
Always an avid reader, a chance encounter as a teenager with a Gerald Kersh short story led to a fascination with the ‘Morbid Age’— the years between the wars. The world that Phil has created for the George Harley Mysteries is the result of the consumption and distillation of myriad contemporary novels, films, historical accounts, biographies and slang dictionaries of the 1930s—with a nod here and there to some of the real-life colourful characters that he’s had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with over the years.
So, the scene is now set … enter George Harley, stage left …
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 24, 2025
In one of life’s extremely serendipitous moments, I espied Midnight Streets on the to-shelve trolley at the bookstore where I work. Attracted by the cover art, the jacket quote from Jake Arnott (who hardly ever does these) and the tempting book blurb, I quickly made my purchase and started it on the commute home. All I can say is that this is truly one of those little gems that puts a spring in my step and a song in my heart. Okay, that might be slightly over-egging it, but this really is a fantastic read and here’s why…
As someone who is more Team Chandler than Team Christie, I have struggled to find British ‘Golden Age’ crime (with incredibly few exceptions) that is as gritty and taut as its American counterpart in the same period, but I think Phil Lecomber has completely nailed it in Midnight Streets. Set in London in the late 1920s, Lecomber conjures up the zeitgeist and the atmosphere of the decade with aplomb. The sleazy streets of Soho are utterly tangible as we enter its less than salubrious confines, and those that frequent its nightclubs, houses of ill repute and drinking dens. This is a world of gangsters, shysters, pimps, rent boys and shady ladies, where poverty and desperation walk hand in hand with those who seek to prosper from other’s misfortune- a world that Lecomber depicts with a deftness of touch and vivid description. The sights, sounds, smells and fashions of this period, still reeling in the shadow of WWI, and this particular locale are described beautifully, and the book is peppered with the slang and vernacular of the period giving an additional rhythm and cadence to the narrative. It is rare to find a historical crime thriller that so wonderfully conjures up this detail with such a sense of place and atmosphere, but this, Lecomber achieves in spades.
Into this swirling miasma of criminality and loose behaviour, we are introduced to the main protagonist, private detective George Harley. Harley is a suave ex-serviceman, who may, or tantalisingly, may not, have been involved in the secret security service after his demob from the army, and who ekes out a living as a more reputable example of the private detective profession. He is noble, tough, principled (when needed) and able to drift between differing social strata with ease, being mostly accepted by the criminal fraternity, the police, the well heeled and those that lie between. However, as we soon discover, its not that easy to avoid trouble among the warring criminal factions, and Harley finds himself in a whole heap of peril, not always of his own making. Throw into the mix a particularly nasty string of murders with links to the macabre underground world of black magic, that bring more trouble to Harley’s door on a professional and personal level, and prepare yourself to be sucked in completely. No spoilers from me, but things get very dark indeed for our intrepid sleuth.
Aside from the pitch perfect world building that seeps through every page, the plotting and the way that the narrative gradually unfolds is done beautifully, with nifty changes of pace and reveals that belie your expectations. I was absolutely immersed in this world and its colourful and nefarious inhabitants from start to finish, and was delighted to discover that Lecomber is currently working on the next instalment. It cannot come soon enough, and I will continue pressing this book into as many hands as possible, as it really is that good.
If you love the gritty spare style of Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hamnett, Gerald Kersh or contemporary authors like Jake Arnott and Dominic Nolan, you will absolutely devour this. Trust me. Highly recommended.
As someone who is more Team Chandler than Team Christie, I have struggled to find British ‘Golden Age’ crime (with incredibly few exceptions) that is as gritty and taut as its American counterpart in the same period, but I think Phil Lecomber has completely nailed it in Midnight Streets. Set in London in the late 1920s, Lecomber conjures up the zeitgeist and the atmosphere of the decade with aplomb. The sleazy streets of Soho are utterly tangible as we enter its less than salubrious confines, and those that frequent its nightclubs, houses of ill repute and drinking dens. This is a world of gangsters, shysters, pimps, rent boys and shady ladies, where poverty and desperation walk hand in hand with those who seek to prosper from other’s misfortune- a world that Lecomber depicts with a deftness of touch and vivid description. The sights, sounds, smells and fashions of this period, still reeling in the shadow of WWI, and this particular locale are described beautifully, and the book is peppered with the slang and vernacular of the period giving an additional rhythm and cadence to the narrative. It is rare to find a historical crime thriller that so wonderfully conjures up this detail with such a sense of place and atmosphere, but this, Lecomber achieves in spades.
Into this swirling miasma of criminality and loose behaviour, we are introduced to the main protagonist, private detective George Harley. Harley is a suave ex-serviceman, who may, or tantalisingly, may not, have been involved in the secret security service after his demob from the army, and who ekes out a living as a more reputable example of the private detective profession. He is noble, tough, principled (when needed) and able to drift between differing social strata with ease, being mostly accepted by the criminal fraternity, the police, the well heeled and those that lie between. However, as we soon discover, its not that easy to avoid trouble among the warring criminal factions, and Harley finds himself in a whole heap of peril, not always of his own making. Throw into the mix a particularly nasty string of murders with links to the macabre underground world of black magic, that bring more trouble to Harley’s door on a professional and personal level, and prepare yourself to be sucked in completely. No spoilers from me, but things get very dark indeed for our intrepid sleuth.
Aside from the pitch perfect world building that seeps through every page, the plotting and the way that the narrative gradually unfolds is done beautifully, with nifty changes of pace and reveals that belie your expectations. I was absolutely immersed in this world and its colourful and nefarious inhabitants from start to finish, and was delighted to discover that Lecomber is currently working on the next instalment. It cannot come soon enough, and I will continue pressing this book into as many hands as possible, as it really is that good.
If you love the gritty spare style of Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hamnett, Gerald Kersh or contemporary authors like Jake Arnott and Dominic Nolan, you will absolutely devour this. Trust me. Highly recommended.
March 11, 2025
Macabre but piqued my interest!
Children being lured or stolen from the streets of Soho and subjected to the wiles of a crazed organisation called Ancient Order of the Unicursal based on an ancient occult order. A forbidding, gutsy novel noir complete with the gumshoe English equivalent and a host of shady characters.
The time frame is between the wars, 1929.
Private detective George Harley becomes involved as a consultant with Scotland Yard, supposedly to be kept quiet. Of course there’s the bent Detective who’s trying to take the glory, even if the case is more complicated than Inspector Detective Quigg could even dream. There’s always someone who’s been bribed, or pressured and closely guarded evidence is released by the newspapers.
Harley is ex MI5. His girlfriend Cynthia Masters is a gem, from an upper middle class, slightly bohemian family.
Harley’s acquainted and friendly with the various gangs around Soho. However the people in the Ancient Order circle are chilling psychopaths, including one German contender.
I was sympathetic with Harley as he tries to seperate fact from fiction.
The end is induces a chilling note and I’m left wondering. One case is closed but it seems another closely related is going to draw George Harley to new investigations.
Grim and dark, a London on the eve of World War II. Nasty things are trying to be summoned by those who would.
A Titan Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Children being lured or stolen from the streets of Soho and subjected to the wiles of a crazed organisation called Ancient Order of the Unicursal based on an ancient occult order. A forbidding, gutsy novel noir complete with the gumshoe English equivalent and a host of shady characters.
The time frame is between the wars, 1929.
Private detective George Harley becomes involved as a consultant with Scotland Yard, supposedly to be kept quiet. Of course there’s the bent Detective who’s trying to take the glory, even if the case is more complicated than Inspector Detective Quigg could even dream. There’s always someone who’s been bribed, or pressured and closely guarded evidence is released by the newspapers.
Harley is ex MI5. His girlfriend Cynthia Masters is a gem, from an upper middle class, slightly bohemian family.
Harley’s acquainted and friendly with the various gangs around Soho. However the people in the Ancient Order circle are chilling psychopaths, including one German contender.
I was sympathetic with Harley as he tries to seperate fact from fiction.
The end is induces a chilling note and I’m left wondering. One case is closed but it seems another closely related is going to draw George Harley to new investigations.
Grim and dark, a London on the eve of World War II. Nasty things are trying to be summoned by those who would.
A Titan Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
November 7, 2025
Strange my paperback copy arrived today (11/3/2024) notwithstanding not being published until next week. The premise sounds interesting and this will be my next read.
The opening couple of chapters are quite good, in terms of premise. However, I haven't managed to get into the book. The first few chapters are perhaps too disconnected and I haven't got to know very much about the primary character.
I really like the late 1920s/early 1930's London created in this novel. The ploy is intricate and whilst I didnt like the two moments events at the end of the book (which I rather think leaves the main character's development rather open ended), its pretty satisfying end, with enough left open for the next in there series.
I'll have to read it again to get a real feel for the writers style. This book felt a little too broken up to read smoothly (I suspect too many drafts and editing given its the first in the series) and it could perhaps have a little more humour.
Second read
All of my problems getting into the start of the book have gone. It even reads and flowed better from the beginning than first time round. I enjoyed the read through more and look forward to the second book being published in 2026.
The opening couple of chapters are quite good, in terms of premise. However, I haven't managed to get into the book. The first few chapters are perhaps too disconnected and I haven't got to know very much about the primary character.
I really like the late 1920s/early 1930's London created in this novel. The ploy is intricate and whilst I didnt like the two moments events at the end of the book (which I rather think leaves the main character's development rather open ended), its pretty satisfying end, with enough left open for the next in there series.
I'll have to read it again to get a real feel for the writers style. This book felt a little too broken up to read smoothly (I suspect too many drafts and editing given its the first in the series) and it could perhaps have a little more humour.
Second read
All of my problems getting into the start of the book have gone. It even reads and flowed better from the beginning than first time round. I enjoyed the read through more and look forward to the second book being published in 2026.
August 20, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ (rounded up). I want more!!!
July 3, 2025
It’s clear right from page one that Phil Lecomber is a man with a real love for noir and the hard-boiled detective. From beginning to end, the prose of this book drips with enough relish to make me nostalgic for a golden age of noir I never even witnessed. Through cockney private detective George Harvey, the flawed yet likeable protagonist, we follow a series of gruesome murders with an apparent occult thread. The book draws several narrative threads towards a conclusion that kept me so invested that I was genuinely saddened when I noticed I was running out of book.
I especially appreciated the character of Cynthia, Harvey’s high-class girlfriend. Rather than being a pretty piece of set-dressing clearly destined to be a damsel in distress, she has her own distinct voice and her actions move the plot forward.
Overall, Midnight Streets provides a refreshing and enjoyable counterpoint to the bloated cosy crime genre, and I hope you give it a read!
I especially appreciated the character of Cynthia, Harvey’s high-class girlfriend. Rather than being a pretty piece of set-dressing clearly destined to be a damsel in distress, she has her own distinct voice and her actions move the plot forward.
Overall, Midnight Streets provides a refreshing and enjoyable counterpoint to the bloated cosy crime genre, and I hope you give it a read!
dnf
March 8, 2025DNF @ 30%.
Unfortunately not the genre for me but the writing was very descriptive. The historical setting left me having to overlook many contextual references which was taking away my interest from the characters and plot.
Thank you Titan Books for a physical copy in exchange for honest thoughts.
Unfortunately not the genre for me but the writing was very descriptive. The historical setting left me having to overlook many contextual references which was taking away my interest from the characters and plot.
Thank you Titan Books for a physical copy in exchange for honest thoughts.
May 22, 2025
A noir story more than anything else, this is one of the grittiest, harshest stories I’ve read recently, one that checks several triggers. Child abuse and killing, deviant sexual behaviours, underworld involvement, and more. There are indeed many disturbing episodes, yet the author manages to make them ‘affordable’, if you know what I mean. Maybe because they are always filtered through Harley’s personality, I could read through these tough episodes, managing to keep a distance as a reader, enough to be able to read. Which, if you ask me, is a testament to the author’s writing skills.
The characters are extremely strong, especially the main cast. Solidly built characters who always act according to their temperament and never bend to the necessity of the story. Harley is a very simpatetic lead. It’s very easy to root for him, who always tries to do the right thing, even in the midst of so many wrongs and is exceptionally resourceful. I like this kind of character. So, I wonder where the author will bring him, considering what happens at the end (which I’m not going to tell you!).
It’s a very strong, choral story, with the right amount of quirkiness: Harley lives in the house his uncle left him, a manor with an extensive library. This man, who was an accomplished amateur scholar, disappeared years ago without trace… and I won’t deny I do wonder whether he is going to appear again.
Not a story for everyone, I will say. But if you can get past the grusomeness, it’s well worth reading.
The characters are extremely strong, especially the main cast. Solidly built characters who always act according to their temperament and never bend to the necessity of the story. Harley is a very simpatetic lead. It’s very easy to root for him, who always tries to do the right thing, even in the midst of so many wrongs and is exceptionally resourceful. I like this kind of character. So, I wonder where the author will bring him, considering what happens at the end (which I’m not going to tell you!).
It’s a very strong, choral story, with the right amount of quirkiness: Harley lives in the house his uncle left him, a manor with an extensive library. This man, who was an accomplished amateur scholar, disappeared years ago without trace… and I won’t deny I do wonder whether he is going to appear again.
Not a story for everyone, I will say. But if you can get past the grusomeness, it’s well worth reading.
April 3, 2025
Incredible
April 10, 2025
Brilliant, taut, thrilling thriller with the best cast of characters. I was fully emerged in George Harley’s 1920s Soho and can’t wait to visit again.
March 2, 2025
MY GOSH! You know you wanna read something that gives you the chills but ends up playing on your mind when you have to put it down. Well that's an UNDERSTATEMENT for this read.
First off trigger warnings, the victims are unfortunately children - which it doesn't say on the blurb so I was NOT ready to read what I first encountered. Saying that though.. it gripped my very soul, its been a while since I read something that sent chills to my soul. I truly haven't been so darn invested within a story hoping and praying they find the evil monsters that are the villains.
The main character -Harley - is literally the bravest character I've ever read! Swear down the way he just walks into danger - maybe be is the one who's mad.. lol.. Solly is just awesome always there for his friend.. Bennie welks- I have a massive soft spot for him! Big old stuttering brut but kind at heart man..
I absolutely love this authors writing style as it's very descriptive and easy to follow flow, of the storyline. I did enjoy the darkness of this read, as I said shocked me to the core but that just made me all that more invested in catching the culprit!
Definitely want to read more from this author especially more of this story like so I hope to hell that this isn't a standalone.
First off trigger warnings, the victims are unfortunately children - which it doesn't say on the blurb so I was NOT ready to read what I first encountered. Saying that though.. it gripped my very soul, its been a while since I read something that sent chills to my soul. I truly haven't been so darn invested within a story hoping and praying they find the evil monsters that are the villains.
The main character -Harley - is literally the bravest character I've ever read! Swear down the way he just walks into danger - maybe be is the one who's mad.. lol.. Solly is just awesome always there for his friend.. Bennie welks- I have a massive soft spot for him! Big old stuttering brut but kind at heart man..
I absolutely love this authors writing style as it's very descriptive and easy to follow flow, of the storyline. I did enjoy the darkness of this read, as I said shocked me to the core but that just made me all that more invested in catching the culprit!
Definitely want to read more from this author especially more of this story like so I hope to hell that this isn't a standalone.
April 15, 2025
Flew through this one. Lecomber is a brilliant writer and the gritty historical setting was so vivid. The characters were also very real especially Harley. Loved the occult themes and can’t wait to the next book in the series!
March 20, 2025
The striking cover gives a good idea what to expect from this hard punching debut novel, a hardboiled Seamus private detective working the mean streets of London. This is Piccadilly Noir and if you visit the author’s website you will get an understanding of what he was aiming for. Taking the American Noir of Chandler and Hammett and supplanting it in the seedier streets of London, but with the deft flick of a cutthroat razor, shorn of all the West Coast glamour. It might be laid on a little thick at times, but he has absolutely nailed it, capturing all the spirit and vibe, but giving it a uniquely British flavour. It is much more than pastiche though; it reads like it is written by a man who is steeped in the genre.
George Harley is our hero, a Cockney private detective with a good reputation even with the police. At the start he is looking for a young girl who has been abducted. He tracks her down and discovers a whole lot more, the missing daughter of a diplomat and a disturbed man, who has been inspired by an incendiary book. This is the first step on what will prove to be a disturbingly dark investigation.
A gruesome murder of a child, that points to more, this murder is no run of the mill street one by the razor or cosh of a gang member. This sees Scotland Yard asking for Harley’s assistance, which is good work but somewhat problematic, he has a reputation on the streets to keep so the last thing he needs is to be marked as a copper’s nark. George is a man with his work cut out, which makes for an eventful storyline.
The story encompasses ritualistic murder, which leads the investigation into bizarre and uncomfortable worlds, with controlling individuals, a side order of decadence and a generous sprinkling of deviance. There is the explosive book, written by a toff, which seems to warp the minds of the vulnerable who read it. However, far more concerning is a secret sect of quasi-religious occultists, influenced by mesmerism and drugs, who are devotes to the principles of sex magick (sic) and disturbing rituals. The obvious inspiration here comes from Aleister Crowley, considered to be the most evil or enlightened man of the twentieth century depending on who is giving the opinion. Here the author riffs on all the mixed-up beliefs, capturing their essence but also giving a twist of his own. Fans of Dennis Wheatley’s occult novels are going to love this storyline, and he has even managed recreate some of the period feel to his writing.
This is very much a London novel, loud and proud with a fabulous feel for the late 1920s. The action takes us from the tenements and slums to the docks, from the world of jazz clubs to the all-night cafes, with tea and the ubiquitous egg and chips, and many stops in between. There are prostitutes of every description and cheeky street urchins willing to do errands for a few pence and always cadging a smoke (a Gold Flake). The author has made great effort to replicate the language, particularly the slang of the era (there is a glossary) that helps to give an authentic feel to the prose and at times you can forget it is a modern book. The depiction of the gangs also seems about right. This is the time when the Maltese ran the porn and prostitution and the Jewish the scams. These were brutal men in tough times, we are left in no doubt.
Its dark, its gory, evoking an earlier time of the penny dreadfuls, that traded on the ability to shock, added to which is a real feel for the macabre and the grotesque. There are some lovely little knowing touches, such as where it is suggested that an action was nicked from a gothic melodrama.
The central character George Harley is a complex and enigmatic character, there are glimpses behind the facade to the real man beneath, but I suspect there will be much more to come in subsequent novels. He is no stranger to brutality being a trench raider during the war, exposing him to the bloodiest of combat with the enemy, hand to hand, eyeball to eyeball, something that will never leave him. After that he worked for MI5, so he is a man who can hold secrets, which is handy for his line of work. He is also clearly intelligent, possessing his uncle’s eclectic library and honest. There is also great loyalty with his friends like Solly the one-time British Middleweight Champion, a man who looks out for his welfare.
The pacing is excellent, it buzzes along nicely but its not relentless, allowing space for wonderfully colourful descriptions of the sights and sounds along the way. The tension builds up nicely as does the jeopardy, with occasional releases so it doesn’t blow its top too early. The denouement is stunning, with a double dip ending that is simply jaw dropping and leaves the reader wanting more.
George Harley is our hero, a Cockney private detective with a good reputation even with the police. At the start he is looking for a young girl who has been abducted. He tracks her down and discovers a whole lot more, the missing daughter of a diplomat and a disturbed man, who has been inspired by an incendiary book. This is the first step on what will prove to be a disturbingly dark investigation.
A gruesome murder of a child, that points to more, this murder is no run of the mill street one by the razor or cosh of a gang member. This sees Scotland Yard asking for Harley’s assistance, which is good work but somewhat problematic, he has a reputation on the streets to keep so the last thing he needs is to be marked as a copper’s nark. George is a man with his work cut out, which makes for an eventful storyline.
The story encompasses ritualistic murder, which leads the investigation into bizarre and uncomfortable worlds, with controlling individuals, a side order of decadence and a generous sprinkling of deviance. There is the explosive book, written by a toff, which seems to warp the minds of the vulnerable who read it. However, far more concerning is a secret sect of quasi-religious occultists, influenced by mesmerism and drugs, who are devotes to the principles of sex magick (sic) and disturbing rituals. The obvious inspiration here comes from Aleister Crowley, considered to be the most evil or enlightened man of the twentieth century depending on who is giving the opinion. Here the author riffs on all the mixed-up beliefs, capturing their essence but also giving a twist of his own. Fans of Dennis Wheatley’s occult novels are going to love this storyline, and he has even managed recreate some of the period feel to his writing.
This is very much a London novel, loud and proud with a fabulous feel for the late 1920s. The action takes us from the tenements and slums to the docks, from the world of jazz clubs to the all-night cafes, with tea and the ubiquitous egg and chips, and many stops in between. There are prostitutes of every description and cheeky street urchins willing to do errands for a few pence and always cadging a smoke (a Gold Flake). The author has made great effort to replicate the language, particularly the slang of the era (there is a glossary) that helps to give an authentic feel to the prose and at times you can forget it is a modern book. The depiction of the gangs also seems about right. This is the time when the Maltese ran the porn and prostitution and the Jewish the scams. These were brutal men in tough times, we are left in no doubt.
Its dark, its gory, evoking an earlier time of the penny dreadfuls, that traded on the ability to shock, added to which is a real feel for the macabre and the grotesque. There are some lovely little knowing touches, such as where it is suggested that an action was nicked from a gothic melodrama.
The central character George Harley is a complex and enigmatic character, there are glimpses behind the facade to the real man beneath, but I suspect there will be much more to come in subsequent novels. He is no stranger to brutality being a trench raider during the war, exposing him to the bloodiest of combat with the enemy, hand to hand, eyeball to eyeball, something that will never leave him. After that he worked for MI5, so he is a man who can hold secrets, which is handy for his line of work. He is also clearly intelligent, possessing his uncle’s eclectic library and honest. There is also great loyalty with his friends like Solly the one-time British Middleweight Champion, a man who looks out for his welfare.
The pacing is excellent, it buzzes along nicely but its not relentless, allowing space for wonderfully colourful descriptions of the sights and sounds along the way. The tension builds up nicely as does the jeopardy, with occasional releases so it doesn’t blow its top too early. The denouement is stunning, with a double dip ending that is simply jaw dropping and leaves the reader wanting more.
May 23, 2025
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.5 of 5
It is 1929 and the Cockney private detective George Harley saves a young girl's life. The act begins an investigation that brings Harley to such disturbing places he could never have imagined. A series of grisly murders against children are occurring in Harley's part of town. Scotland Yard has asked Harley to keep them informed and to be their eyes and ears on the ground. But palling up with the Dicks at the Yard puts George in a precarious spot as he doesn't want the locals, who have been willing to keep him informed, to think he's too deep in their pockets.
But ... children! Dismembering children! Even in this community "peopled with lowlife ponces, jaded streetwalkers, and ... a world of grubby bedsits, all-night cafés, egg and chips, and Gold Flake cigarettes" (according to Goodreads) there needs to be a reconciliation with morality. This is George's neighborhood and he's determined to get to the bottom of it. But it won't be easy. Anyone willing to do what they've already done is not afraid to get Harley out of their way.
As is evident by my recent reading list, I enjoy this period in literature and I especially like 'noir' mysteries. Everything about this sounded right up my dark and narrow alley!
But not every book, even those with exciting themes, is for every reader, and this book was definitely not for me.
I found the writing itself to be a hard slog for me. I'm tempted to say it is 'over-written' with odd conversations between people at times:
"You know, Reverend," said Morkens, hoping to diffuse the atmosphere a little. "Your question of whether man needs divine authority to set his moral code has a precedent in ancient history, of course. Polybius, in The Histories, says that a scrupulous fear of the gods was the very thing which kept the Roman commonwealth together."
Ruxton nodded in gratitude. "There you are, then."
I recognize that a lot of this is on me and my expectations. When I see 'noir' and I see the era of this story, I'm expecting something darker in tone, in narration, not just in the crime itself. And I'm also expecting shorter, snappier dialog that keeps the story moving at a brisker pace. Again ... me and my expectations.
Considering the crime(s) and George Harley's getting involved I did expect there to be more imminent danger for our hero, but was again disappointed. There's danger, for sure, but it never feels as though our hero was going to meet the same fate as the children.
Looking for a good book? Midnights Streets by Phil Lacomber is a slow-moving P.I. story set in the late 1920's London.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
It is 1929 and the Cockney private detective George Harley saves a young girl's life. The act begins an investigation that brings Harley to such disturbing places he could never have imagined. A series of grisly murders against children are occurring in Harley's part of town. Scotland Yard has asked Harley to keep them informed and to be their eyes and ears on the ground. But palling up with the Dicks at the Yard puts George in a precarious spot as he doesn't want the locals, who have been willing to keep him informed, to think he's too deep in their pockets.
But ... children! Dismembering children! Even in this community "peopled with lowlife ponces, jaded streetwalkers, and ... a world of grubby bedsits, all-night cafés, egg and chips, and Gold Flake cigarettes" (according to Goodreads) there needs to be a reconciliation with morality. This is George's neighborhood and he's determined to get to the bottom of it. But it won't be easy. Anyone willing to do what they've already done is not afraid to get Harley out of their way.
As is evident by my recent reading list, I enjoy this period in literature and I especially like 'noir' mysteries. Everything about this sounded right up my dark and narrow alley!
But not every book, even those with exciting themes, is for every reader, and this book was definitely not for me.
I found the writing itself to be a hard slog for me. I'm tempted to say it is 'over-written' with odd conversations between people at times:
"You know, Reverend," said Morkens, hoping to diffuse the atmosphere a little. "Your question of whether man needs divine authority to set his moral code has a precedent in ancient history, of course. Polybius, in The Histories, says that a scrupulous fear of the gods was the very thing which kept the Roman commonwealth together."
Ruxton nodded in gratitude. "There you are, then."
I recognize that a lot of this is on me and my expectations. When I see 'noir' and I see the era of this story, I'm expecting something darker in tone, in narration, not just in the crime itself. And I'm also expecting shorter, snappier dialog that keeps the story moving at a brisker pace. Again ... me and my expectations.
Considering the crime(s) and George Harley's getting involved I did expect there to be more imminent danger for our hero, but was again disappointed. There's danger, for sure, but it never feels as though our hero was going to meet the same fate as the children.
Looking for a good book? Midnights Streets by Phil Lacomber is a slow-moving P.I. story set in the late 1920's London.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2025
I've just turned the final page of this dark historical thriller and find myself still half-lost in the fog-shrouded streets of 1920s Soho. This book is nothing short of mesmerising - a brutal, compelling journey through London's underbelly that grips you from the very first action-packed scene.
What sets this novel apart is its unflinching portrayal of a London rarely seen in historical fiction. It subverts the traditional "Golden Age" crime fiction of country house mysteries with polite suspects, and offers instead a gritty, street-level view of crime and punishment in an era of extreme inequality. The author's ability to weave social commentary into a thrilling plot without ever becoming preachy deserves special mention.
George Harley himself is a revelation – a working-class detective with street smarts and connections to the city's underworld. His investigation into a series of grisly murders while navigating encounters with brutal gangsters creates tension that never lets up. The way his past intertwines with the present investigation adds emotional depth to the multilayered mystery.
The character range is truly Dickensian in scope, from street urchins to aristocrats, with a particular focus on the criminals, both organised and petty, that populate Soho, London. Each character feels authentic and fully realised, adding to the rich tapestry of this world. The author captures the atmosphere with such vivid detail that you inhale the smog and taste the porter beer.
The macabre elements are handled with skill, never gratuitous but unflinching in their portrayal of the darkness humans are capable of.
If you enjoy historical fiction with bite, characters that walk the moral tightrope, and mysteries that keep you guessing until the final pages, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Just be prepared to lose sleep - both from staying up to read "just one more chapter" and from the haunting images that will linger long after you've finished.
What sets this novel apart is its unflinching portrayal of a London rarely seen in historical fiction. It subverts the traditional "Golden Age" crime fiction of country house mysteries with polite suspects, and offers instead a gritty, street-level view of crime and punishment in an era of extreme inequality. The author's ability to weave social commentary into a thrilling plot without ever becoming preachy deserves special mention.
George Harley himself is a revelation – a working-class detective with street smarts and connections to the city's underworld. His investigation into a series of grisly murders while navigating encounters with brutal gangsters creates tension that never lets up. The way his past intertwines with the present investigation adds emotional depth to the multilayered mystery.
The character range is truly Dickensian in scope, from street urchins to aristocrats, with a particular focus on the criminals, both organised and petty, that populate Soho, London. Each character feels authentic and fully realised, adding to the rich tapestry of this world. The author captures the atmosphere with such vivid detail that you inhale the smog and taste the porter beer.
The macabre elements are handled with skill, never gratuitous but unflinching in their portrayal of the darkness humans are capable of.
If you enjoy historical fiction with bite, characters that walk the moral tightrope, and mysteries that keep you guessing until the final pages, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Just be prepared to lose sleep - both from staying up to read "just one more chapter" and from the haunting images that will linger long after you've finished.
February 6, 2025
The first in The Piccadilly Noir Series and this is a very dark tale centred around private detective George Harley set in London SoHo district in the late 1920’s. Working as a private detective Harley has previously been in the army and MI5 and still has flashbacks, verging on PTSD about some of the things he’s done and seen but that doesn’t stop him getting involved in the most horrendous of investigations. Brought up in the area Harley is well acquainted with the cities underbelly of gangsters, corrupt police, prostitution and sordid nightclubs, but this case is a step further. Written in the style of the Golden Age it was an immersive read.
Briefly, after saving a girl who was being abducted Harley finds the attempt appears to be related to a number of terrible murders, with the child victims horribly staged. Asked by a member of the police force to investigate, off the books, Harley agrees to help search for a missing boy and to investigate the murders.
There are a lot of characters so I did find it a bit of a slow burner and I must reiterate that there are some very disturbing scenes of child abuse so be aware. That said I really enjoyed the book and the main character. The red herrings were good, I didn’t guess the killer until it was revealed, or the sadistic and cruel motive. An atmospheric and emotional thriller with some loose end that are obviously leading to book two. An intriguing and entertaining read.
Briefly, after saving a girl who was being abducted Harley finds the attempt appears to be related to a number of terrible murders, with the child victims horribly staged. Asked by a member of the police force to investigate, off the books, Harley agrees to help search for a missing boy and to investigate the murders.
There are a lot of characters so I did find it a bit of a slow burner and I must reiterate that there are some very disturbing scenes of child abuse so be aware. That said I really enjoyed the book and the main character. The red herrings were good, I didn’t guess the killer until it was revealed, or the sadistic and cruel motive. An atmospheric and emotional thriller with some loose end that are obviously leading to book two. An intriguing and entertaining read.
April 10, 2025
Interwar London in all its gritty darkness
—
Occupying an unexpectedly open sweet spot between Golden Age crime from Britain and gritty American gumshoe noir, this first entry in the Piccadilly Noir series goes at it from the first page, with characters easily descended from Dickensian London into the city’s interwar milieu. Working class private detective George Harley is on one of his usual missing persons cases, but solving it leads him deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of arcane ritualists and macabre murders that hark back to the mystery around the Ripper. The truth that Harley uncovers is even weirder than he expects or has ever faced, and it’s only with the aid of friends and loved ones that he finds a resolution. Your usual crime novel this is not.
There’s almost a whiff of fantasy to it, a bit like the Glass Books of the Dream Eaters or The List of Seven, but it’s set firmly in the seedy bars and dives of the other London, the darker, sweatier, mustier London of streetwalkers and ponces, criminal gangs and cops on the take. And the book rocks along from the first word, introducing memorable characters with hidden connections to the strangenesses at hand, and in a world full of uncertain loyalties, the twisting plot is deliciously and deviously immersive and inventive. You can feel the cobbled streets beneath your feet, the scent of unwashed bodies around you, the blood that’s leaking from the curtain…
Four and a half stars.
—
Occupying an unexpectedly open sweet spot between Golden Age crime from Britain and gritty American gumshoe noir, this first entry in the Piccadilly Noir series goes at it from the first page, with characters easily descended from Dickensian London into the city’s interwar milieu. Working class private detective George Harley is on one of his usual missing persons cases, but solving it leads him deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of arcane ritualists and macabre murders that hark back to the mystery around the Ripper. The truth that Harley uncovers is even weirder than he expects or has ever faced, and it’s only with the aid of friends and loved ones that he finds a resolution. Your usual crime novel this is not.
There’s almost a whiff of fantasy to it, a bit like the Glass Books of the Dream Eaters or The List of Seven, but it’s set firmly in the seedy bars and dives of the other London, the darker, sweatier, mustier London of streetwalkers and ponces, criminal gangs and cops on the take. And the book rocks along from the first word, introducing memorable characters with hidden connections to the strangenesses at hand, and in a world full of uncertain loyalties, the twisting plot is deliciously and deviously immersive and inventive. You can feel the cobbled streets beneath your feet, the scent of unwashed bodies around you, the blood that’s leaking from the curtain…
Four and a half stars.
March 25, 2025
An immersive detective thriller.
George Harley is a 1930s (technically 1929) Cormoran Strike, back from the war with a toughened exterior, some nifty skills, and survivor's guilt.
Lecomber introduces a cast of colourful characters as Harley investigates a series of macabre, ritualistic killings in smog-bound London's underworld: gang wars, sex workers, street urchins separated by just a few streets from the glamorous, entitled London set at the end of the Roaring Twenties.
The novel cracks along and, for such a dark plot, has a generous amount of humour, evocative descriptions, aurhentic dialogue and philophical musings.
This book is trailed as the first in the Piccadilly Noir series and it certainly lays the ground for more to come.
George Harley is a 1930s (technically 1929) Cormoran Strike, back from the war with a toughened exterior, some nifty skills, and survivor's guilt.
Lecomber introduces a cast of colourful characters as Harley investigates a series of macabre, ritualistic killings in smog-bound London's underworld: gang wars, sex workers, street urchins separated by just a few streets from the glamorous, entitled London set at the end of the Roaring Twenties.
The novel cracks along and, for such a dark plot, has a generous amount of humour, evocative descriptions, aurhentic dialogue and philophical musings.
This book is trailed as the first in the Piccadilly Noir series and it certainly lays the ground for more to come.
March 28, 2025
I couldn’t tear myself away from this book! Recommended by a friend, Midnight Streets has all the makings of a word-of-mouth sensation. George Harley navigates the murky worlds of organised crime leading us on a gripping and unsettling journey into a dark and depraved 1920s London. As his investigation unfolds we’re introduced to a richly drawn cast of characters—some captivating, others utterly despicable. The novel delves into questions of our own moral frameworks, questioning the nature of good and evil while drawing striking comparisons between the seedy underbelly of post-war Soho and modern-day Britain. Intelligent, masterfully written, and completely absorbing—let’s hope Lecomber is already working on the next instalment.
April 11, 2025
I would thoroughly recommend Midnight Streets, which is an imaginative, pacy thriller, that takes the reader straight back to the gritty, menacing Soho of the 1920s. The violence is never gratuitous and in addition to an enthralling storyline, I think the book also presented a great picture of the social, political and cultural city of the time.
The authentic use of London slang added to the character portraits, skillfully drawn by the author's colourful description (glossary provided for all the novices!) My favourite character was George Harley, the likeable, resourceful, working-class hero of the book. The final chapter left me wanting to find out more ... so I can't wait for the next Piccadilly Noir adventure.
The authentic use of London slang added to the character portraits, skillfully drawn by the author's colourful description (glossary provided for all the novices!) My favourite character was George Harley, the likeable, resourceful, working-class hero of the book. The final chapter left me wanting to find out more ... so I can't wait for the next Piccadilly Noir adventure.
May 6, 2025
Loved the story and intrigue. You get lost in the 1920s in London, going from pubs to basement, to parties, around the city. You get attached to the character, and can smell and feel the energy in the different scenes. A mix of Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, and maybe Peaky Blinders ? Would highly recommend !
April 9, 2025
I just cannot get into this one. I did not finish it.
May 20, 2025
Dark and grim tale of a child murderer. The mise-en-scene is effective, but it's basically a downer.
November 14, 2025
Lots to love but too gory for my taste and too many characters that I liked didn’t survive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2025
Midnight Streets is a remarkably accomplished debut. A taut, densely plotted thriller that lays traps and snares for its central protagonist George Harley, as indeed it does for us, the novel’s readers. The pace of the thing is immediately striking, straight out of the traps, yet quickening towards its unforgettable denouement.
The novel’s subject matter is dark and foreboding (no giveaways here) but surprisingly resonant as we look back to the interwar period. Lecomber offers no simple binaries in terms of good chasing evil. Rather, the tension in his writing sparks and catches fire between Harley’s curiosity and his drive to know, and the indifference of those who would simply prefer to look the other way. Same as it ever was. A stellar achievement.
The novel’s subject matter is dark and foreboding (no giveaways here) but surprisingly resonant as we look back to the interwar period. Lecomber offers no simple binaries in terms of good chasing evil. Rather, the tension in his writing sparks and catches fire between Harley’s curiosity and his drive to know, and the indifference of those who would simply prefer to look the other way. Same as it ever was. A stellar achievement.
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