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The Samuel Pepys Mysteries #2
The Plague Doctor Murders
A killer dressed as a plague doctor is terrorising London’s docks.
Able seaman Humphrey Wilkes is dead, shot between the eyes by the murderer known as the Plague Doctor. When Samuel Pepys’s naval colleague, Robert Drake, finds a black cross daubed on his door, it marks him out as the next victim.
Pepys dispatches his inquisitors, Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, to the docks. Can they unmask the killer and save Drake’s life before he strikes again?
Death is a way of life to hardened seafarers. The dockyard is theirs – a dangerous domain of secrets, lies and grudges dating back to the grim days of the plague. Anyone could be the Plague Doctor. But who lurks beneath that ghastly disguise?
When the Plague Doctor targets Jacob himself, the battle to save Drake becomes personal.
The Samuel Pepys Mysteries bring 17th century England vividly to life, in the company of the celebrated diarist himself, and his personal inquisitors, Abby and Jacob. If you love a murder mystery wrapped in history, this series is for you.
Click the Read Now or Buy Now button to enter a world of hidden secrets and whodunits you'll never want to leave...
The Plague Doctor Murders is Book 2 of The Samuel Pepys Mysteries. Book 3, The Coffee House Murders is published at the end of October. There will be more...
Able seaman Humphrey Wilkes is dead, shot between the eyes by the murderer known as the Plague Doctor. When Samuel Pepys’s naval colleague, Robert Drake, finds a black cross daubed on his door, it marks him out as the next victim.
Pepys dispatches his inquisitors, Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, to the docks. Can they unmask the killer and save Drake’s life before he strikes again?
Death is a way of life to hardened seafarers. The dockyard is theirs – a dangerous domain of secrets, lies and grudges dating back to the grim days of the plague. Anyone could be the Plague Doctor. But who lurks beneath that ghastly disguise?
When the Plague Doctor targets Jacob himself, the battle to save Drake becomes personal.
The Samuel Pepys Mysteries bring 17th century England vividly to life, in the company of the celebrated diarist himself, and his personal inquisitors, Abby and Jacob. If you love a murder mystery wrapped in history, this series is for you.
Click the Read Now or Buy Now button to enter a world of hidden secrets and whodunits you'll never want to leave...
The Plague Doctor Murders is Book 2 of The Samuel Pepys Mysteries. Book 3, The Coffee House Murders is published at the end of October. There will be more...
244 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2024
39 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Ellis Blackwood
19 books23 followersEllis Blackwood fell in love with the writings of Samuel Pepys, and the 17th-century England he inhabited, through the great man's published diaries. The Samuel Pepys Mysteries are the result of that literary love affair.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 8, 2025
Doing a reread of the series and very much in love with both the series and reread. The story and writing is so vivid and I have clear images in my brain of whats going on in the book. I love how much of a uniqe character each one is even if they aren't main ones. A series im sure im going to reread more then once
__
Already finished book 2 and have a great feeling I'm going to love the series
Good thing I bought 3 books at the same time but now I need to get the rest that is out so far. Slightly cozy, not very bloody or dark, humerus at parts and I already enjoy following Abby and Jacob. Samuel Pepeys is actually not the main character in the series. at least so far. But in a way he is very closely connected with the storyline
__
Already finished book 2 and have a great feeling I'm going to love the series
Good thing I bought 3 books at the same time but now I need to get the rest that is out so far. Slightly cozy, not very bloody or dark, humerus at parts and I already enjoy following Abby and Jacob. Samuel Pepeys is actually not the main character in the series. at least so far. But in a way he is very closely connected with the storyline
September 30, 2024
I have been really enjoying Ellis Blackwood's books!
There is plenty of research and details about the time period and topic of the book, which is elegantly woven into a gripping and fascinating read, with an exciting plot to keep the readers turning the pages.
It's a short book, and is perfect for curling up with on a rainy afternoon!
There is plenty of research and details about the time period and topic of the book, which is elegantly woven into a gripping and fascinating read, with an exciting plot to keep the readers turning the pages.
It's a short book, and is perfect for curling up with on a rainy afternoon!
October 4, 2024
What an absolutely fantastic, intriguing and fascinating historical crime fiction!!
A successful unputdownable cosy mystery by Ellis Blackwood. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Ellis has written this book. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.
i absolutely loved the cover and title of this book which captured my attention immediately. I have never read any books by Ellis prior to this one and this is the second book in 'The Samuel Pepys Mystery' series although it can be read as a standalone. It was an absolutely brilliant introduction for myself to this wonderful and promising series, never having read the first book in this series which is called 'The Brampton Witch Murders' and I am very much looking forward to reading it after I have finished typing up this review. I am also looking forward to reading the next book in this series which is called 'The Coffee House Murders' which is available to preorder on Amazon now and will be released on the 31st October and looks just as addictive as this book was!! In this gripping page turner we meet Samuel Pepys, Jacob Standish and Abigail Harcourt. Jacob is Pepys's personal inquisitor and Abby is his housemaid but after being successful on their previous investigation as been allowed to accompany Jacob on this one. Jacob and Abby are sent to London after Samuel Pepys was contacted by purser Robert Drake. Drake's friend and colleague had been found murdered after having the message 'Lord Have Mercy Upon Him' painted on his door and a figure had been spotted dressed as a Plague Doctor had been spotted leaving the murder scene and prowling the dockyard at night. When the same markings are left on Drake's door he fears for his life and begs Samuel to help. Can Jacob and Abby discover the identity of The Plague Doctor before they kill again? Will they be putting themselves at risk? Grab your copy of this gripping and intriguing historical crime to find out for yourselves and I can guarantee you will not regret it!!
The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Jacob and Abby go about their detective work and investigations while seeing historical London come to life before my eyes thanks to Ellis's fantastic vivid and evocative descriptions and writing skills. . There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, murder, history, suspense and so much more!! I was absolutely fascinated reading the historical facts and the fact that Ellis has clearly done his research shines through the pages and I love that he has included the names of the books he has used for research at the back of the book and I am definitely going to look into them more. I absolutely love hearing about history especially the history of the Fire Of London and The Plague so I was absolutely fascinated throughout this book by the historical elements. It is a huge annoyance for me when authors do very little or even no research into the topics they include in their books as minor errors can completely ruin what could be a very good storyline by littering it with mistakes but Ellis has absolutely no problems in this area so thank you and congratulations to Ellis for ensuring complacent research was done. Not only is this storyline historically fascinating but it is also ram packed with action, drama and Ellis has weaved everything together perfectly to create a fascinating and page turning crime book! It is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. Regardless of where you pick up this brilliant cosy crime book Ellis will transport you to London at the turn of a page! I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting as I just could not put it down and gave up on lying to myself saying just one more chapter as that never happened!! I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on, especially considering I have read so many crime and psychological books so well done again Ellis on managing to surprise me with that twist ending!!! I love the fact that this book takes us on an adventure to London and transports us into the past to the year 1666. Ellis's fantastic evocative writing skills and descriptions whisked me off to London and even with the murder and mayhem I was gutted when I came to the end and had to leave behind some amazing characters!!! However it leaves me looking forward to seeing what Samuel, Jacob and Abby get up to in the first book 'The Brampton Witch Murders' while I am waiting for 'The Coffee House Murders' to be released. This fantastic book sent me back to the past and I become so immersed that I felt a bit lost when I finally look up from my book and land back in 2024!!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without reading 'The Brampton Witch Murders' (book 1 ) first. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
The characters are all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Samuel, Jacob and Abby and they have very quickly come to feel like friends who I am looking forward to meeting again. Jacob and Abby work perfectly together and I love how Abby is continuously proving the males wrong especially in an era when women were looked down upon when it came to, well, anything really!! They worked fantastically as a team and I cannot wait to go back to the start of this series and see how it all began for them all!! Each of the main characters are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities, flaws, strengths and weaknesses and I loved meeting each and every one of them. Every single one of the characters play their parts perfectly and I cannot wait to meet them all again in the next book in this promising series which is called 'The Coffee House Murder' and is out on the 31st October but is available to preorder on Amazon now. Thanks to Ellis brilliant, vivid and evocative writing skills and descriptions each and every one of the characters came to life in front of my eyes and it felt like I was standing right next to them seeing, feeling and doing everything that they were.
A huge congratulations on a fantastic success Ellis !!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂 If you are looking for an absolutely fantastic historical mystery that has everything that you could ask for in a book and more then look no further!!! This is exactly why I would like to welcome you to my favourite historical crime authors list Ellis and here is to your next guaranteed successes'!
Overall an intriguing, addictive and action packed historical crime book that will keep you guessing and hooked throughout!!
A successful unputdownable cosy mystery by Ellis Blackwood. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Ellis has written this book. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.
i absolutely loved the cover and title of this book which captured my attention immediately. I have never read any books by Ellis prior to this one and this is the second book in 'The Samuel Pepys Mystery' series although it can be read as a standalone. It was an absolutely brilliant introduction for myself to this wonderful and promising series, never having read the first book in this series which is called 'The Brampton Witch Murders' and I am very much looking forward to reading it after I have finished typing up this review. I am also looking forward to reading the next book in this series which is called 'The Coffee House Murders' which is available to preorder on Amazon now and will be released on the 31st October and looks just as addictive as this book was!! In this gripping page turner we meet Samuel Pepys, Jacob Standish and Abigail Harcourt. Jacob is Pepys's personal inquisitor and Abby is his housemaid but after being successful on their previous investigation as been allowed to accompany Jacob on this one. Jacob and Abby are sent to London after Samuel Pepys was contacted by purser Robert Drake. Drake's friend and colleague had been found murdered after having the message 'Lord Have Mercy Upon Him' painted on his door and a figure had been spotted dressed as a Plague Doctor had been spotted leaving the murder scene and prowling the dockyard at night. When the same markings are left on Drake's door he fears for his life and begs Samuel to help. Can Jacob and Abby discover the identity of The Plague Doctor before they kill again? Will they be putting themselves at risk? Grab your copy of this gripping and intriguing historical crime to find out for yourselves and I can guarantee you will not regret it!!
The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Jacob and Abby go about their detective work and investigations while seeing historical London come to life before my eyes thanks to Ellis's fantastic vivid and evocative descriptions and writing skills. . There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, murder, history, suspense and so much more!! I was absolutely fascinated reading the historical facts and the fact that Ellis has clearly done his research shines through the pages and I love that he has included the names of the books he has used for research at the back of the book and I am definitely going to look into them more. I absolutely love hearing about history especially the history of the Fire Of London and The Plague so I was absolutely fascinated throughout this book by the historical elements. It is a huge annoyance for me when authors do very little or even no research into the topics they include in their books as minor errors can completely ruin what could be a very good storyline by littering it with mistakes but Ellis has absolutely no problems in this area so thank you and congratulations to Ellis for ensuring complacent research was done. Not only is this storyline historically fascinating but it is also ram packed with action, drama and Ellis has weaved everything together perfectly to create a fascinating and page turning crime book! It is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. Regardless of where you pick up this brilliant cosy crime book Ellis will transport you to London at the turn of a page! I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting as I just could not put it down and gave up on lying to myself saying just one more chapter as that never happened!! I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on, especially considering I have read so many crime and psychological books so well done again Ellis on managing to surprise me with that twist ending!!! I love the fact that this book takes us on an adventure to London and transports us into the past to the year 1666. Ellis's fantastic evocative writing skills and descriptions whisked me off to London and even with the murder and mayhem I was gutted when I came to the end and had to leave behind some amazing characters!!! However it leaves me looking forward to seeing what Samuel, Jacob and Abby get up to in the first book 'The Brampton Witch Murders' while I am waiting for 'The Coffee House Murders' to be released. This fantastic book sent me back to the past and I become so immersed that I felt a bit lost when I finally look up from my book and land back in 2024!!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without reading 'The Brampton Witch Murders' (book 1 ) first. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
The characters are all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Samuel, Jacob and Abby and they have very quickly come to feel like friends who I am looking forward to meeting again. Jacob and Abby work perfectly together and I love how Abby is continuously proving the males wrong especially in an era when women were looked down upon when it came to, well, anything really!! They worked fantastically as a team and I cannot wait to go back to the start of this series and see how it all began for them all!! Each of the main characters are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities, flaws, strengths and weaknesses and I loved meeting each and every one of them. Every single one of the characters play their parts perfectly and I cannot wait to meet them all again in the next book in this promising series which is called 'The Coffee House Murder' and is out on the 31st October but is available to preorder on Amazon now. Thanks to Ellis brilliant, vivid and evocative writing skills and descriptions each and every one of the characters came to life in front of my eyes and it felt like I was standing right next to them seeing, feeling and doing everything that they were.
A huge congratulations on a fantastic success Ellis !!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂 If you are looking for an absolutely fantastic historical mystery that has everything that you could ask for in a book and more then look no further!!! This is exactly why I would like to welcome you to my favourite historical crime authors list Ellis and here is to your next guaranteed successes'!
Overall an intriguing, addictive and action packed historical crime book that will keep you guessing and hooked throughout!!
November 5, 2024
This is the second book in The Samuel Pepys Mystery series and having read the first book back in August, and loving it, I couldn't wait to dive into this next mystery.
I know this is fairly irrelevant, but I have a bit of a bird fear going on and this plague doctor image always gives me the creeps - so I was already on edge before starting to read, knowing that the murderer was disguised in this outfit and thinking about bejng faced with that alone!
It was great to be back in this world!
I'd said in my last review, that I'm not huge on historical fiction reads, but there something about this era that I really do find compelling.
The author clearly has a great knowledge about this era and the writing style and descriptions totally transport me into the book with everyone.
The sights, sounds and even smells created are so vivid in my mind, I feel as though I'm right there with them!
In this mystery, we see Abby and Jacob investigating the case again.
Abby certainly relaxing into this role now and really digging around which obviously for this era is a little out there, given that she's a woman. I love the way this comes across.
And for Jacob to be the unsure and shy one - although he gets the access for the pair, I like this role reversal of the time - but often feel a little sorry for Jacob.
This was a great case with logs of suspects - I had a few theories throughout, but was kept guessing until the end!
Another great read which has me excited to get hold of the third book which is coming soon.....
I know this is fairly irrelevant, but I have a bit of a bird fear going on and this plague doctor image always gives me the creeps - so I was already on edge before starting to read, knowing that the murderer was disguised in this outfit and thinking about bejng faced with that alone!
It was great to be back in this world!
I'd said in my last review, that I'm not huge on historical fiction reads, but there something about this era that I really do find compelling.
The author clearly has a great knowledge about this era and the writing style and descriptions totally transport me into the book with everyone.
The sights, sounds and even smells created are so vivid in my mind, I feel as though I'm right there with them!
In this mystery, we see Abby and Jacob investigating the case again.
Abby certainly relaxing into this role now and really digging around which obviously for this era is a little out there, given that she's a woman. I love the way this comes across.
And for Jacob to be the unsure and shy one - although he gets the access for the pair, I like this role reversal of the time - but often feel a little sorry for Jacob.
This was a great case with logs of suspects - I had a few theories throughout, but was kept guessing until the end!
Another great read which has me excited to get hold of the third book which is coming soon.....
October 4, 2024
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Plague Doctor Murders' by Ellis Blackwood.
What an absolutely fantastic, intriguing and fascinating historical crime fiction!!
A successful unputdownable cosy mystery by Ellis Blackwood. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Ellis has written this book. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.
i absolutely loved the cover and title of this book which captured my attention immediately. I have never read any books by Ellis prior to this one and this is the second book in 'The Samuel Pepys Mystery' series although it can be read as a standalone. It was an absolutely brilliant introduction for myself to this wonderful and promising series, never having read the first book in this series which is called 'The Brampton Witch Murders' and I am very much looking forward to reading it after I have finished typing up this review. I am also looking forward to reading the next book in this series which is called 'The Coffee House Murders' which is available to preorder on Amazon now and will be released on the 31st October and looks just as addictive as this book was!! In this gripping page turner we meet Samuel Pepys, Jacob Standish and Abigail Harcourt. Jacob is Pepys's personal inquisitor and Abby is his housemaid but after being successful on their previous investigation as been allowed to accompany Jacob on this one. Jacob and Abby are sent to London after Samuel Pepys was contacted by purser Robert Drake. Drake's friend and colleague had been found murdered after having the message 'Lord Have Mercy Upon Him' painted on his door and a figure had been spotted dressed as a Plague Doctor had been spotted leaving the murder scene and prowling the dockyard at night. When the same markings are left on Drake's door he fears for his life and begs Samuel to help. Can Jacob and Abby discover the identity of The Plague Doctor before they kill again? Will they be putting themselves at risk? Grab your copy of this gripping and intriguing historical crime to find out for yourselves and I can guarantee you will not regret it!!
The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Jacob and Abby go about their detective work and investigations while seeing historical London come to life before my eyes thanks to Ellis's fantastic vivid and evocative descriptions and writing skills. . There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, murder, history, suspense and so much more!! I was absolutely fascinated reading the historical facts and the fact that Ellis has clearly done his research shines through the pages and I love that he has included the names of the books he has used for research at the back of the book and I am definitely going to look into them more. I absolutely love hearing about history especially the history of the Fire Of London and The Plague so I was absolutely fascinated throughout this book by the historical elements. It is a huge annoyance for me when authors do very little or even no research into the topics they include in their books as minor errors can completely ruin what could be a very good storyline by littering it with mistakes but Ellis has absolutely no problems in this area so thank you and congratulations to Ellis for ensuring complacent research was done. Not only is this storyline historically fascinating but it is also ram packed with action, drama and Ellis has weaved everything together perfectly to create a fascinating and page turning crime book! It is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. Regardless of where you pick up this brilliant cosy crime book Ellis will transport you to London at the turn of a page! I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting as I just could not put it down and gave up on lying to myself saying just one more chapter as that never happened!! I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on, especially considering I have read so many crime and psychological books so well done again Ellis on managing to surprise me with that twist ending!!! I love the fact that this book takes us on an adventure to London and transports us into the past to the year 1666. Ellis's fantastic evocative writing skills and descriptions whisked me off to London and even with the murder and mayhem I was gutted when I came to the end and had to leave behind some amazing characters!!! However it leaves me looking forward to seeing what Samuel, Jacob and Abby get up to in the first book 'The Brampton Witch Murders' while I am waiting for 'The Coffee House Murders' to be released. This fantastic book sent me back to the past and I become so immersed that I felt a bit lost when I finally look up from my book and land back in 2024!!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without reading 'The Brampton Witch Murders' (book 1 ) first. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
The characters are all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Samuel, Jacob and Abby and they have very quickly come to feel like friends who I am looking forward to meeting again. Jacob and Abby work perfectly together and I love how Abby is continuously proving the males wrong especially in an era when women were looked down upon when it came to, well, anything really!! They worked fantastically as a team and I cannot wait to go back to the start of this series and see how it all began for them all!! Each of the main characters are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities, flaws, strengths and weaknesses and I loved meeting each and every one of them. Every single one of the characters play their parts perfectly and I cannot wait to meet them all again in the next book in this promising series which is called 'The Coffee House Murder' and is out on the 31st October but is available to preorder on Amazon now. Thanks to Ellis brilliant, vivid and evocative writing skills and descriptions each and every one of the characters came to life in front of my eyes and it felt like I was standing right next to them seeing, feeling and doing everything that they were.
A huge congratulations on a fantastic success Ellis !!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂 If you are looking for an absolutely fantastic historical mystery that has everything that you could ask for in a book and more then look no further!!! This is exactly why I would like to welcome you to my favourite historical crime authors list Ellis and here is to your next guaranteed successes'!
Overall an intriguing, addictive and action packed historical crime book that will keep you guessing and hooked throughout!!
#ThePlagueDoctorMurders #TheSamuelPepysMystery #EllisBlackwood #VintageMysteryPress #ZooLoosBookTours
@EllisBlackwood @VintageMysteryPress @ZooLoosBT
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Review for 'The Plague Doctor Murders' by Ellis Blackwood.
What an absolutely fantastic, intriguing and fascinating historical crime fiction!!
A successful unputdownable cosy mystery by Ellis Blackwood. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Ellis has written this book. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.
i absolutely loved the cover and title of this book which captured my attention immediately. I have never read any books by Ellis prior to this one and this is the second book in 'The Samuel Pepys Mystery' series although it can be read as a standalone. It was an absolutely brilliant introduction for myself to this wonderful and promising series, never having read the first book in this series which is called 'The Brampton Witch Murders' and I am very much looking forward to reading it after I have finished typing up this review. I am also looking forward to reading the next book in this series which is called 'The Coffee House Murders' which is available to preorder on Amazon now and will be released on the 31st October and looks just as addictive as this book was!! In this gripping page turner we meet Samuel Pepys, Jacob Standish and Abigail Harcourt. Jacob is Pepys's personal inquisitor and Abby is his housemaid but after being successful on their previous investigation as been allowed to accompany Jacob on this one. Jacob and Abby are sent to London after Samuel Pepys was contacted by purser Robert Drake. Drake's friend and colleague had been found murdered after having the message 'Lord Have Mercy Upon Him' painted on his door and a figure had been spotted dressed as a Plague Doctor had been spotted leaving the murder scene and prowling the dockyard at night. When the same markings are left on Drake's door he fears for his life and begs Samuel to help. Can Jacob and Abby discover the identity of The Plague Doctor before they kill again? Will they be putting themselves at risk? Grab your copy of this gripping and intriguing historical crime to find out for yourselves and I can guarantee you will not regret it!!
The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Jacob and Abby go about their detective work and investigations while seeing historical London come to life before my eyes thanks to Ellis's fantastic vivid and evocative descriptions and writing skills. . There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, murder, history, suspense and so much more!! I was absolutely fascinated reading the historical facts and the fact that Ellis has clearly done his research shines through the pages and I love that he has included the names of the books he has used for research at the back of the book and I am definitely going to look into them more. I absolutely love hearing about history especially the history of the Fire Of London and The Plague so I was absolutely fascinated throughout this book by the historical elements. It is a huge annoyance for me when authors do very little or even no research into the topics they include in their books as minor errors can completely ruin what could be a very good storyline by littering it with mistakes but Ellis has absolutely no problems in this area so thank you and congratulations to Ellis for ensuring complacent research was done. Not only is this storyline historically fascinating but it is also ram packed with action, drama and Ellis has weaved everything together perfectly to create a fascinating and page turning crime book! It is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. Regardless of where you pick up this brilliant cosy crime book Ellis will transport you to London at the turn of a page! I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting as I just could not put it down and gave up on lying to myself saying just one more chapter as that never happened!! I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on, especially considering I have read so many crime and psychological books so well done again Ellis on managing to surprise me with that twist ending!!! I love the fact that this book takes us on an adventure to London and transports us into the past to the year 1666. Ellis's fantastic evocative writing skills and descriptions whisked me off to London and even with the murder and mayhem I was gutted when I came to the end and had to leave behind some amazing characters!!! However it leaves me looking forward to seeing what Samuel, Jacob and Abby get up to in the first book 'The Brampton Witch Murders' while I am waiting for 'The Coffee House Murders' to be released. This fantastic book sent me back to the past and I become so immersed that I felt a bit lost when I finally look up from my book and land back in 2024!!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without reading 'The Brampton Witch Murders' (book 1 ) first. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
The characters are all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Samuel, Jacob and Abby and they have very quickly come to feel like friends who I am looking forward to meeting again. Jacob and Abby work perfectly together and I love how Abby is continuously proving the males wrong especially in an era when women were looked down upon when it came to, well, anything really!! They worked fantastically as a team and I cannot wait to go back to the start of this series and see how it all began for them all!! Each of the main characters are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities, flaws, strengths and weaknesses and I loved meeting each and every one of them. Every single one of the characters play their parts perfectly and I cannot wait to meet them all again in the next book in this promising series which is called 'The Coffee House Murder' and is out on the 31st October but is available to preorder on Amazon now. Thanks to Ellis brilliant, vivid and evocative writing skills and descriptions each and every one of the characters came to life in front of my eyes and it felt like I was standing right next to them seeing, feeling and doing everything that they were.
A huge congratulations on a fantastic success Ellis !!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂 If you are looking for an absolutely fantastic historical mystery that has everything that you could ask for in a book and more then look no further!!! This is exactly why I would like to welcome you to my favourite historical crime authors list Ellis and here is to your next guaranteed successes'!
Overall an intriguing, addictive and action packed historical crime book that will keep you guessing and hooked throughout!!
#ThePlagueDoctorMurders #TheSamuelPepysMystery #EllisBlackwood #VintageMysteryPress #ZooLoosBookTours
@EllisBlackwood @VintageMysteryPress @ZooLoosBT
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October 22, 2024
I found this book quite well written and researched. The plot was intriguing and I was totally engrossed.
Must read for historical mystery fans.
I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Must read for historical mystery fans.
I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 4, 2024
Blackwood has done it again. With an opening line of a book, years and love hate relationship with Pepys was destroyed. But more than that they have offered another fantastic historical crime and the very best bit, it involves plague doctors, or at least the outfit. Now, you ask anyone close to me and I adore plague doctors, well the aesthetic of them at least. So I was really excited after enjoying the Brampton Witch Murders what was next.
I am glad to say that The Plague Doctor Murders might even be that little bit better than the first book. Once again Samuel Pepys’ helpers Abby and Jacob are back on the case and hunting down who could possibly be wearing a plague doctor outfit to kill.
Once again the pace is perfect for this more cozy crime, we follow Abby and Jacob and the clues and start to piece together the picture with them. With a good serving of mystery and a brilliant historical setting this is the perfect series for those who love crime and history, well paced and plotted novels and interesting plots.
I am glad to say that The Plague Doctor Murders might even be that little bit better than the first book. Once again Samuel Pepys’ helpers Abby and Jacob are back on the case and hunting down who could possibly be wearing a plague doctor outfit to kill.
Once again the pace is perfect for this more cozy crime, we follow Abby and Jacob and the clues and start to piece together the picture with them. With a good serving of mystery and a brilliant historical setting this is the perfect series for those who love crime and history, well paced and plotted novels and interesting plots.
October 14, 2024
This is Book 2 in the series and follows the inquisitors as once again they are called to investigate a strange death.
I absolutely love how realistic Ellis makes the story. The sights, the sounds... the places... the amount of research that went into this book is fantastic!
I also adore the cover. It is incredibly unique and just perfect for the series! I'm intrigued to see what future covers look like.
Ellis always develops the characters fantastically well, and I enjoyed seeing Abby and Jacob again. Plus, coupled with all the new faces, it definitely kept you on your toes!
As always, Ellis has created a brilliant world based on history, so if you enjoy historical Mysteries, then this on absolutely is for you!
I absolutely love how realistic Ellis makes the story. The sights, the sounds... the places... the amount of research that went into this book is fantastic!
I also adore the cover. It is incredibly unique and just perfect for the series! I'm intrigued to see what future covers look like.
Ellis always develops the characters fantastically well, and I enjoyed seeing Abby and Jacob again. Plus, coupled with all the new faces, it definitely kept you on your toes!
As always, Ellis has created a brilliant world based on history, so if you enjoy historical Mysteries, then this on absolutely is for you!
October 1, 2024
I loved the first in this series so I was eagerly anticipating this book.
In this second instalment Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, the inquisitors of Samuel Pepys are dispatched to the docks to unmask the Plague Doctor, a killer who leaves his mark on each victim’s door. Abby and Jacob work so well together, with Abby not being afraid of asking difficult questions of people who think they are all above her station, and Jacob, for all his awkwardness, his station in life means they have access to people and places which would normally be off limits to a servant. I did find myself cringing in embarrassment for Jacob at times as well as thinking awww. There are plenty of suspects so I was kept guessing throughout the book and the fact that a plague doctor’s garb is terrifying anyway, there was one particular park which had me shivering. It’s obvious that Ellis has thoroughly researched the time period as the descriptions of the place, sights and smells made me feel as if I was there with the Inquisitors.
This is a fabulous second instalment of the Samuel Pepys Mystery series and I can wait to find out what Ellis has in store for our intrepid inquisitors.
In this second instalment Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, the inquisitors of Samuel Pepys are dispatched to the docks to unmask the Plague Doctor, a killer who leaves his mark on each victim’s door. Abby and Jacob work so well together, with Abby not being afraid of asking difficult questions of people who think they are all above her station, and Jacob, for all his awkwardness, his station in life means they have access to people and places which would normally be off limits to a servant. I did find myself cringing in embarrassment for Jacob at times as well as thinking awww. There are plenty of suspects so I was kept guessing throughout the book and the fact that a plague doctor’s garb is terrifying anyway, there was one particular park which had me shivering. It’s obvious that Ellis has thoroughly researched the time period as the descriptions of the place, sights and smells made me feel as if I was there with the Inquisitors.
This is a fabulous second instalment of the Samuel Pepys Mystery series and I can wait to find out what Ellis has in store for our intrepid inquisitors.
October 3, 2024
I couldn’t wait to travel back into the adventures of a Samuel Pepys mystery - coincidently in the same week I broke the news to a delighted bunch of small children that he buried his cheese! This book was a bit creepier than the first which was possibly due to my fear of the plague doctor masks (those things are terrifying!!) but enjoyable nonetheless. Abby is my absolute favourite and the way she is portrayed as a headstrong woman in this time period makes me smile. I cannot wait to read the next instalment to this amazing series!
October 4, 2024
I recently read the novella that starts off The Pepys series and loved the interspersions of facts and fiction. Whilst I'm yet to catch up with book one, I thoroughly enjoyed The Plague Doctor Murders.
This period of time has always fascinated me and I do have a mask of my own (purely for ornamental purposes).
Easily devoured across one sitting the book is engrossing, entertaining and for some may well be educational especially if they've never heard of Pepys and his diaries.
This period of time has always fascinated me and I do have a mask of my own (purely for ornamental purposes).
Easily devoured across one sitting the book is engrossing, entertaining and for some may well be educational especially if they've never heard of Pepys and his diaries.
October 4, 2024
Here is my review for The Plague Doctor Murders by Ellis Blackwood
I found this to be an interesting story and a great murder mystery with a few suspects to question. When a friend of Samuel Pepys’s is targeted by The Plague Doctor then it’s time for his inquisitors to investigate so he sends in Abigail Harcourt and Joseph Standish to find out who is behind it all. They start making enquiries and are soon well known around the area but they seem to have a few suspects with no real way of narrowing them down. They have found a Plague Doctor outfit complete with facemask and gloves with gunpowder residue on them. Someone is sleeping where they found the outfit but they don’t know who and the back door is open so anyone can get in. This is a great story and I really like this series. Abigail and Joseph work well together plus Joseph’s enquiring skills are improving, even Abigail is noticing. The story is a good one, with the Plague Doctor causing problems around the dock area and targeting people, even Joseph! Ellis Blackwood, the author, captures the history just right, talking about the plague, the deaths, then the Plague Doctor and the troubles at the dock and who might be behind it all. He’s a very charismatic writer and draws you in from the start of the book. The book is excellently written and extremely well plotted with good descriptions of the past life well described. I like Abigail and Joseph. I like how they work together and bounce off each other to work out the clues and the answers plus what questions to ask. Joseph is very protective towards Abigail whereas she can be quite forward about things. I’m now looking forward to the third book of the series.
Blurb :
A killer dressed as a plague doctor is terrorising London’s docks.
Able seaman Humphrey Wilkes is dead, shot between the eyes by the murderer known as the Plague Doctor. When Samuel Pepys’s naval colleague, Robert Drake, finds a black cross daubed on his door, it marks him out as the next victim.
Pepys dispatches his inquisitors, Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, to the docks. Can they unmask the killer and save Drake’s life before he strikes again?
Death is a way of life to hardened seafarers. The dockyard is theirs – a dangerous domain of secrets, lies and grudges dating back to the grim days of the plague. Anyone could be the Plague Doctor. But who lurks beneath that ghastly disguise?
When the Plague Doctor targets Jacob himself, the battle to save Drake becomes personal.
The Samuel Pepys Mysteries bring 17th century England vividly to life, in the company of the celebrated diarist himself, and his personal inquisitors, Abby and Jacob. If you love a murder mystery wrapped in history, this series is for you.
I found this to be an interesting story and a great murder mystery with a few suspects to question. When a friend of Samuel Pepys’s is targeted by The Plague Doctor then it’s time for his inquisitors to investigate so he sends in Abigail Harcourt and Joseph Standish to find out who is behind it all. They start making enquiries and are soon well known around the area but they seem to have a few suspects with no real way of narrowing them down. They have found a Plague Doctor outfit complete with facemask and gloves with gunpowder residue on them. Someone is sleeping where they found the outfit but they don’t know who and the back door is open so anyone can get in. This is a great story and I really like this series. Abigail and Joseph work well together plus Joseph’s enquiring skills are improving, even Abigail is noticing. The story is a good one, with the Plague Doctor causing problems around the dock area and targeting people, even Joseph! Ellis Blackwood, the author, captures the history just right, talking about the plague, the deaths, then the Plague Doctor and the troubles at the dock and who might be behind it all. He’s a very charismatic writer and draws you in from the start of the book. The book is excellently written and extremely well plotted with good descriptions of the past life well described. I like Abigail and Joseph. I like how they work together and bounce off each other to work out the clues and the answers plus what questions to ask. Joseph is very protective towards Abigail whereas she can be quite forward about things. I’m now looking forward to the third book of the series.
Blurb :
A killer dressed as a plague doctor is terrorising London’s docks.
Able seaman Humphrey Wilkes is dead, shot between the eyes by the murderer known as the Plague Doctor. When Samuel Pepys’s naval colleague, Robert Drake, finds a black cross daubed on his door, it marks him out as the next victim.
Pepys dispatches his inquisitors, Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, to the docks. Can they unmask the killer and save Drake’s life before he strikes again?
Death is a way of life to hardened seafarers. The dockyard is theirs – a dangerous domain of secrets, lies and grudges dating back to the grim days of the plague. Anyone could be the Plague Doctor. But who lurks beneath that ghastly disguise?
When the Plague Doctor targets Jacob himself, the battle to save Drake becomes personal.
The Samuel Pepys Mysteries bring 17th century England vividly to life, in the company of the celebrated diarist himself, and his personal inquisitors, Abby and Jacob. If you love a murder mystery wrapped in history, this series is for you.
September 23, 2024
Set against the backdrop of the immediate aftermath of the Great London Fire, Samuel Pepys`inquistors Jacob Standish and Abigail Harcourt,set out for Deptford to prevent their master`s friend, Robert Drake, from suffering grievous harm foretold by a murderous plague doctor, and to perhaps solve the death of Humphrey Wilkes, able seaman. Talk, however, is dangerous in Deptford – it costs lives and will make Jacob`s and Abby`s quest for justice a difficult and perilous undertaking, as more bodies begin to muddy the waters.
I`m a huge history buff and Blackwood`s books, this one in particular, with its heavy emphasis on history, provide me with the fix I need, leaving me with the feeling I am experiencing things quite literally, firsthand, albeit, thankfully, from the safety and comfort of my cushy armchair..
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from Booksprout or free, and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I`m a huge history buff and Blackwood`s books, this one in particular, with its heavy emphasis on history, provide me with the fix I need, leaving me with the feeling I am experiencing things quite literally, firsthand, albeit, thankfully, from the safety and comfort of my cushy armchair..
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from Booksprout or free, and am leaving a review voluntarily.
November 20, 2024
A Fun Read!
Blackwood delivers a delightful mystery sprinkled with historical characters and events to give it context to its time and color to the atmosphere. Actually, it wasn't a colorful delightful time to live but someone had to live it and often those characters were colorful.
Pepys, Standish and Abby are a fearsome trio to battle the mysteries of the day and Blackwood has his readers engaged in a good plot that had me wondering about the certainty of my conclusion until the last couple chapters.
I can recommend this as a clean read for teens and adults. If you like historical settings that ring true to facts and a few lively characters thrown in to enliven the plot, this is a wonderful way to be entertained! Enjoy!
Blackwood delivers a delightful mystery sprinkled with historical characters and events to give it context to its time and color to the atmosphere. Actually, it wasn't a colorful delightful time to live but someone had to live it and often those characters were colorful.
Pepys, Standish and Abby are a fearsome trio to battle the mysteries of the day and Blackwood has his readers engaged in a good plot that had me wondering about the certainty of my conclusion until the last couple chapters.
I can recommend this as a clean read for teens and adults. If you like historical settings that ring true to facts and a few lively characters thrown in to enliven the plot, this is a wonderful way to be entertained! Enjoy!
October 22, 2024
This is a good historical mystery featuring a mix of fictional and historical characters. It's a fascinating read because the historical background is vivid and rich in details, you note there was plenty of research behind the story.
I appreciated the length of this novel as it's the right one for a whodunit: not too long and not a long novella.
Good storytelling and character development, I hope to read other books in this series soon.
It worked well with my COVID fogged brain and it's a good way to tell it's gripping and entertaining
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I appreciated the length of this novel as it's the right one for a whodunit: not too long and not a long novella.
Good storytelling and character development, I hope to read other books in this series soon.
It worked well with my COVID fogged brain and it's a good way to tell it's gripping and entertaining
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
October 23, 2024
History comes alive in this mystery story. You almost feel as if you have somehow traveled in time back to 1666 England where London has just burned and now a mystery is afoot. A plague doctor is walking amidst the docks killing and Samual Pepys fears for a friend. He takes his personal inquisitors with him to sort this problem out. Intriguing mystery. The world building is superb and once you get used to the speech patterns the story moves along. Part of a series but stands alone well. Definitely interested in more of this series and these characters!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 8, 2024
A fantastic and wonderful book, huge thank you to ZoeLoosBook tours and to the author for allowing me to read and review this book. You can find a much more in depth review on my blog. But what I will say here is that this story is marvellous, intriguing and depicts the time of Charles II’s reign with the fire of London being incredibly recent and still affecting our characters thoughts and feelings. I loved Abi and Jacob’s relationship that of a clever and resourceful woman and her rather somewhat dim witted side kick (though at times can come out with a gem or two) some of the slapstick comedy was a bit much at times but on the whole this is really good and gripping novel.
October 11, 2024
This is the second book in 'The Samuel Pepys Mystery' series although it can be read as a standalone. It's a fascinating read with an eye pleasing cover. The next book in the series 'The Coffee House Murders' is available for order too. Suspense and mystery make for solid page turners, and you won't want to put it down. Samuel, Jacob and Abby are just regular people in the year 1666. And you feel like you are there, in the year 1666. Watching, waiting, trying to figure it all out right along with them.
November 3, 2024
Pepys and his team have returned to London after the great fire but are immediately immersed in another murder mystery in the docks area. There's a murderer loose dressed like a plague doctor who's threatening a friend and it's up to them to find out who it is and stop him. This is an interesting, 17th century-based, historical mystery which holds the reader's attention till the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 1, 2024
I truly love this series of books. I read the first book and enjoyed it very much. The book was very well thought out and you can see the time and effort put into the work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 23, 2025
In this story, Mr Pepys Inquisitors are sent to Deptford docks to try and find out who wants to kill a friend of Mr Pepys. The killer is hiding behind the identity of a plague doctor and wearing his outfit.
February 12, 2025
Good historical whodunit
I enjoyed this book as it serves up a sense of the period it is set in whilst ensuring the crime being investigated is suitably complex.
I enjoyed this book as it serves up a sense of the period it is set in whilst ensuring the crime being investigated is suitably complex.
May 7, 2025
I really liked the first book where the woman was the clever one. This book is just coddling the idiot man and putting down the woman all the time.
July 12, 2025
No very good
November 4, 2025
I do enjoy these Samuel Pepys books just the right size for a quick read.
August 5, 2025
Read in one day!
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