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Constance Piper Mystery #2
The Angel Makers: A gripping historical mystery with a supernatural twist
A deadly predator lurking in the shadows, more terrifying than Jack the Ripper himself …
In November 1888, options are few for unmarried mothers in Victorian England. To avoid stigma, many find lodging with “baby farmers”—women who agree to care for the infant, or find an adoptive family, in exchange for a fee.
Constance Piper, a flower seller gifted with clairvoyance, has become aware of one such baby farmer, Mother Delaney, who promises to help desperate young mothers and place their babies in loving homes. But she suspects the truth is infinitely darker.
Guided by the spirit of her late friend, Emily Tindall, Constance gathers evidence about what really goes on behind the walls of Mother Delaney’s Poplar house. But the horror is edging closer to home, and even the hangman’s noose may not be enough to put this evil to rest …
In November 1888, options are few for unmarried mothers in Victorian England. To avoid stigma, many find lodging with “baby farmers”—women who agree to care for the infant, or find an adoptive family, in exchange for a fee.
Constance Piper, a flower seller gifted with clairvoyance, has become aware of one such baby farmer, Mother Delaney, who promises to help desperate young mothers and place their babies in loving homes. But she suspects the truth is infinitely darker.
Guided by the spirit of her late friend, Emily Tindall, Constance gathers evidence about what really goes on behind the walls of Mother Delaney’s Poplar house. But the horror is edging closer to home, and even the hangman’s noose may not be enough to put this evil to rest …
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2018
56 people are currently reading
1042 people want to read
About the author
Tessa Harris
21 books525 followersFrom the author's website:After studying History at Oxford University, I began my journalistic career on a newspaper in my home town of Louth, in Lincolnshire. I progressed onto a London newspaper, where I became women's editor. From there I moved to become a feature writer on Best magazine. After two years I was made editor of a regional arts and listings publication. This was followed by another two years as deputy editor on Heritage magazine. Motherhood meant a spell as a freelance, contributing to several national magazines, such as Country Homes & Interiors, Perfect Home and Woman's Journal, as well as newspapers such as The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian. During this time I also worked as a literary publicist and for a documentary-making company. In 2005 I was made editor of Berkshire Life magazine.
In 2000 I won a European-wide screenplay writing competition run by the London Screenwriters' Workshop and the resulting screenplay was optioned by a film company. The script was set in 18th century London and my subsequent research led to the invention of Dr Thomas Silkstone, an American anatomist and the world's first forensic scientist.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_...
Author Tessa Harris[5] also made him one of the main characters in her book The Dead Shall Not Rest which uses a fictional character Thomas Silkstone to examine the beginnings of forensic science, anatomy and surgery. The book, which is well referenced, emphasises the difficulty and need of anatomists of the time gaining access to bodies to dissect, and the illegal trade in dead bodies that eventuated due to this.
In 2000 I won a European-wide screenplay writing competition run by the London Screenwriters' Workshop and the resulting screenplay was optioned by a film company. The script was set in 18th century London and my subsequent research led to the invention of Dr Thomas Silkstone, an American anatomist and the world's first forensic scientist.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_...
Author Tessa Harris[5] also made him one of the main characters in her book The Dead Shall Not Rest which uses a fictional character Thomas Silkstone to examine the beginnings of forensic science, anatomy and surgery. The book, which is well referenced, emphasises the difficulty and need of anatomists of the time gaining access to bodies to dissect, and the illegal trade in dead bodies that eventuated due to this.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 24, 2018
"A woman is most dangerous to herself when she is desperate to be loved." (Vanessa P.A. Evelyn)
And desperate times visit London in December of 1888. This is especially true if you are female, alone, and with child. The innocence that you carry within, under those circumstances, will be prey for the souless evil-doers who bear no thought to the babe or to the mother herself.
Mother Delaney stands on a darkened corner in the Poplar district near the East India Docks. She listens for the hurried footsteps of Louisa Fortune. Louisa's arms are wrapped around her infant son, Bertie, for the last time. Fate and a spineless man have necessitated this baby exchange in which Louisa will thrust five pound notes into Mother Delaney's outstretched hands. Mother Delaney, rosey-cheeked and grinning, will see to little Bertie being placed in a good home. For that is her calling......baby farmer.
Constance Piper, flower seller in the Whitechapel district, must be alert to the shadows in these streets that hide the likes of Jack the Ripper. But she and her sister, Flo, are celebrating Christmas cheer in a local pub with their friend Cath. Cath darts into the night excusing herself to run some late errands. One member of this trio will later be found dead in a back alley. Was it Jack or was it someone with a vengeance that she already knew?
Tessa Harris revisits the streets of Whitechapel once again in this second book of the series. The Angel Makers can be read as a standalone. Harris creates a multi-pronged storyline with short, action-packed chapters in the voice of alternating characters. Constance has the gift of clairvoyance and Harris uses this without over-kill throughout this story. It adds just the right amount of eerie and creepiness to those already mysterious streets in which a killer is on the loose and babies are at the mercy of a relentless grandmother.
Harris reveals her inspiration for The Angel Makers. Mother Delaney's character is based on the real-life Amelia Dyer who ran a baby farm with her daughter and son-in-law. Such reality makes the little hairs stand up on your neck.
The lively character of Constance Piper was front and center in the first book, The Sixth Victim. She remains so in this offering as well. Constance, bright and analytical, uses her gift to work with the police and with Louisa Fortune to uncover many dastardly deeds. The historically correct dialogue adds to the Victorian flavor and Tessa Harris presents another fine one, indeed.
I received a copy of The Angel Makers through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to the talented Tessa Harris for the opportunity.
And desperate times visit London in December of 1888. This is especially true if you are female, alone, and with child. The innocence that you carry within, under those circumstances, will be prey for the souless evil-doers who bear no thought to the babe or to the mother herself.
Mother Delaney stands on a darkened corner in the Poplar district near the East India Docks. She listens for the hurried footsteps of Louisa Fortune. Louisa's arms are wrapped around her infant son, Bertie, for the last time. Fate and a spineless man have necessitated this baby exchange in which Louisa will thrust five pound notes into Mother Delaney's outstretched hands. Mother Delaney, rosey-cheeked and grinning, will see to little Bertie being placed in a good home. For that is her calling......baby farmer.
Constance Piper, flower seller in the Whitechapel district, must be alert to the shadows in these streets that hide the likes of Jack the Ripper. But she and her sister, Flo, are celebrating Christmas cheer in a local pub with their friend Cath. Cath darts into the night excusing herself to run some late errands. One member of this trio will later be found dead in a back alley. Was it Jack or was it someone with a vengeance that she already knew?
Tessa Harris revisits the streets of Whitechapel once again in this second book of the series. The Angel Makers can be read as a standalone. Harris creates a multi-pronged storyline with short, action-packed chapters in the voice of alternating characters. Constance has the gift of clairvoyance and Harris uses this without over-kill throughout this story. It adds just the right amount of eerie and creepiness to those already mysterious streets in which a killer is on the loose and babies are at the mercy of a relentless grandmother.
Harris reveals her inspiration for The Angel Makers. Mother Delaney's character is based on the real-life Amelia Dyer who ran a baby farm with her daughter and son-in-law. Such reality makes the little hairs stand up on your neck.
The lively character of Constance Piper was front and center in the first book, The Sixth Victim. She remains so in this offering as well. Constance, bright and analytical, uses her gift to work with the police and with Louisa Fortune to uncover many dastardly deeds. The historically correct dialogue adds to the Victorian flavor and Tessa Harris presents another fine one, indeed.
I received a copy of The Angel Makers through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to the talented Tessa Harris for the opportunity.
April 11, 2018
Tessa Harris is skilled with the narrative that switches POV between Constance Piper and Emily Tindall. Constance is a a lowly flower girl in 1889 London. Jack the Ripper is stalking the street but he is not responsible for all the deaths that are being found. Most tragic is the infant deaths that are being discovered wrapped with twine in packages. Emily is the paranormal force that leads Constance to aid the police in solving these crimes. It would be best to read the first in this series "The Sixth Victim" to achieve all the necessary background. "A copy of this book was provided by Kennsington Books via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Crime drama fans wanting a strong female lead will not want to miss this.
February 5, 2022
An historical mystery based on 19th century "baby farmer" and serial killer Amelia Dyer (if you ever see photos of her, they will give you the creeps), I thought this was well-written and well-researched.
Reading this was as if I had stepped back into 1888 Whitechapel. Though Jack the Ripper and several of his victims are mentioned throughout the book, an insidious killer was amongst them in the form of Mother Delaney.
I thought the author switched well between the two POVs of Constance Piper and spirit Emily Tindall, which isn't the easiest thing to do.
Reading this was as if I had stepped back into 1888 Whitechapel. Though Jack the Ripper and several of his victims are mentioned throughout the book, an insidious killer was amongst them in the form of Mother Delaney.
I thought the author switched well between the two POVs of Constance Piper and spirit Emily Tindall, which isn't the easiest thing to do.
April 9, 2018
This is the second book in “A Constance Piper Mystery” series. It’s set in Victorian England (1888). Jack the Ripper continues to send fear throughout London. However, he’s not the only concern for the women of the city.
Constance Piper is a flower seller who happens to be clairvoyant. She suspects something is going on with the “baby farmers,” and she sets out to discover just what that is. With her late friend Emily as her spirit guide, Constance will work with Detective Constable Hawkins to uncover what horrors are taking place in the city.
The premise of the book intrigued me, but it didn’t quite live up to its potential. The pace was on the slow side, and it was hard to stay engaged. The story is told in alternating POV’s (Constance and Emily), which muddied things a bit, as well. I never really developed much of a connection with either woman. There is more of a paranormal angle than I was expecting, but that wasn’t necessarily a problem. I didn’t read the first book in the series, so perhaps that would have made a difference. There are a lot of historical details, which was nice.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
Constance Piper is a flower seller who happens to be clairvoyant. She suspects something is going on with the “baby farmers,” and she sets out to discover just what that is. With her late friend Emily as her spirit guide, Constance will work with Detective Constable Hawkins to uncover what horrors are taking place in the city.
The premise of the book intrigued me, but it didn’t quite live up to its potential. The pace was on the slow side, and it was hard to stay engaged. The story is told in alternating POV’s (Constance and Emily), which muddied things a bit, as well. I never really developed much of a connection with either woman. There is more of a paranormal angle than I was expecting, but that wasn’t necessarily a problem. I didn’t read the first book in the series, so perhaps that would have made a difference. There are a lot of historical details, which was nice.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
May 2, 2019
I can't get enough of historical mysteries especially if well written and researched. I have always been fascinated by the East End of London circa 1888. Combine that with an interest in the mystery of Jack the Ripper and I am literally in Heaven.
I really love the Constance Piper mysteries. The author has a way of bringing this time period to life and is able to develop characters who you can picture in your mind vividly plus actually like and care for them as well.
This time around, the psychic Constance becomes aware of a baby farmer's crimes. With the help of her ghostly advisor and former teacher, Emily Tindall, Constance is hot on the trail of this new mystery.
Don't miss this one if you like historical mysteries with likable characters and accurate descriptions of certain time periods.
I really love the Constance Piper mysteries. The author has a way of bringing this time period to life and is able to develop characters who you can picture in your mind vividly plus actually like and care for them as well.
This time around, the psychic Constance becomes aware of a baby farmer's crimes. With the help of her ghostly advisor and former teacher, Emily Tindall, Constance is hot on the trail of this new mystery.
Don't miss this one if you like historical mysteries with likable characters and accurate descriptions of certain time periods.
May 7, 2018
In this second book of the series, Jack the Ripper continues to terrorise London but the women still have other problems to contend with. Constance Piper, a clairboyant and flower seller, becomes suspicious via a friend of 'baby farmers'. Here we have the story told from Constance's point of view and also her dead friend, Emily Tindall.
Unfortunately I didn't really get interested in the story or engaged with the characters.
A NetGalley Book
Unfortunately I didn't really get interested in the story or engaged with the characters.
A NetGalley Book
July 7, 2018
The Angel Makers by Tessa Harris is the second A Constance Piper Mystery. Constance Piper is a flower seller in 1888 London where Jack the Ripper is making his presence known. Constance is out with her sister, Florence and their friend, Cath. Cath is still reeling from the death of her daughter, Evie a year earlier. She left her with baby farmer who promised to find Evie a good home. Cath changed her mind the next day only to be told that Evie died overnight. The next morning Cath is found dead in Clark’s Yard from strangulation. Constance with the aid of her ghostly friend, Emily Tinsdall sets out to find who harmed her friend. The police are not going to look to deeply into a prostitute’s murder. Constance begins her investigation by gathering intel on the woman who took in Cath’s daughter, Mother Delaney. There seems to be something sinister going on in that Poplar household. As the evidence mounts up, Detective Sargeant Hawkins joins Constance on the search for truth and justice.
The Angel Makers has an intriguing premise. I had not heard about baby farmers prior to this book. These poor women trusted an individual to watch their child (for a fee) or to find a loving and caring family to adopt their child. Unfortunately, it was a different era without the proper protections in place for the mothers and their children. The Angel Makers is based on an actual case. The author provides details at the end of the novel on Ameila Dyer and her misdeeds. While the mystery was interesting, I had a hard time wading through The Angel Makers. Tessa Harris’ descriptions of the area, the clothing, and their speech were accurate for the time period. The descriptions allowed me to visualize the scenes. The author included historical details that enhanced the book. You can tell that Ms. Harris did her research for this series. I found it difficult, though, to get into the story. The POV switches between Constance and Emily Tindall which leads to a disjointed book. I would get involved in Constance’s story and it then switches to Emily. So I switch gears and find out what Emily is up to. Just as you get involved in the scenario, it switches again. I found the writing awkward, formal and stilted. The pace of the book was slow (I think snails move faster than the storyline). I believe The Angel Makers would have been better if it had been written from the third person. While the mystery is complicated, I found it a simple matter to pinpoint the guilty person. The Angel Makers can be read alone. Details from The Sixth Victim are included. My rating for The Angel Makers is 2 out of 5 stars. While The Angels Makers was not a hit with me, that is not true for other readers. I suggest you obtain a sample to see if this The Angel Makers is the right fit for you.
The Angel Makers has an intriguing premise. I had not heard about baby farmers prior to this book. These poor women trusted an individual to watch their child (for a fee) or to find a loving and caring family to adopt their child. Unfortunately, it was a different era without the proper protections in place for the mothers and their children. The Angel Makers is based on an actual case. The author provides details at the end of the novel on Ameila Dyer and her misdeeds. While the mystery was interesting, I had a hard time wading through The Angel Makers. Tessa Harris’ descriptions of the area, the clothing, and their speech were accurate for the time period. The descriptions allowed me to visualize the scenes. The author included historical details that enhanced the book. You can tell that Ms. Harris did her research for this series. I found it difficult, though, to get into the story. The POV switches between Constance and Emily Tindall which leads to a disjointed book. I would get involved in Constance’s story and it then switches to Emily. So I switch gears and find out what Emily is up to. Just as you get involved in the scenario, it switches again. I found the writing awkward, formal and stilted. The pace of the book was slow (I think snails move faster than the storyline). I believe The Angel Makers would have been better if it had been written from the third person. While the mystery is complicated, I found it a simple matter to pinpoint the guilty person. The Angel Makers can be read alone. Details from The Sixth Victim are included. My rating for The Angel Makers is 2 out of 5 stars. While The Angels Makers was not a hit with me, that is not true for other readers. I suggest you obtain a sample to see if this The Angel Makers is the right fit for you.
May 29, 2018
This is a chilling, intriguing and atmospheric tale – and all the more so when you consider that baby farming really did go on and this story was inspired by real baby farmer, Amelia Dyer. As you would expect from Tessa Harris, it's very well researched and captures the tension in Victorian London at the time of Jack the Ripper.
The story’s told in two narrative viewpoints: Constance’s and Emily’s, a murder victim who guides her from beyond the grave, which given the strong interest among Victorians in clairvoyance makes perfect sense.
It captures the desperation many women must have felt at a time when no assistance was given to unmarried mothers and a terrible social stigma attached to them, and the double standards that existed.
Although I’d recommend reading the first book which introduces Constance and Emily, this story works fine as a standalone.
I was gripped to the end – where there’s a twist I bet you won’t see coming!
July 11, 2019
I love this historical mystery series! This read centered on the practice of baby farming in the 1888 in London. These mysteries have a solid main character in Constance Piper, a restless spirit guiding her investigations and an intriguing mystery to solve.
June 13, 2018
The Angel Makers is a pretty good mystery. I enjoyed it and give it 4 1/2 stars.
mystery-thrillers
December 22, 2018Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught.
October 15, 2018
There is more evil lurking in the streets of London than Jack the Ripper. Clairvoyant flower seller Constance uses her unique gift, guided by the spirit of her friend Emily, to find a killer and unmask a dark, devastating scheme. In THE ANGEL MAKERS, Tessa Harris takes readers on a tour of the more unseemly side of the Victorian Era where life for the unfortunate is dismal, often hopeless, and dangerous.
The premise of this series is good and the idea of a mystery based on a real life “baby farmer” intriguing and terrifying, but I had a terrible time getting into THE ANGEL MAKERS. Harris has obviously done her period research, and the details enhance the story, but I never felt invested in the characters or mystery. The tale is told from two points of view, which should propel the story forward, but instead the switching back and forth is often jarring and disrupts the flow.
The mystery is sufficiently complex with plenty of misdirection, but it was still far too easy to figure out who killed Constance’s friend. There is no mystery about the baby farmer’s identity or activities.
I received a copy of this title through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
The premise of this series is good and the idea of a mystery based on a real life “baby farmer” intriguing and terrifying, but I had a terrible time getting into THE ANGEL MAKERS. Harris has obviously done her period research, and the details enhance the story, but I never felt invested in the characters or mystery. The tale is told from two points of view, which should propel the story forward, but instead the switching back and forth is often jarring and disrupts the flow.
The mystery is sufficiently complex with plenty of misdirection, but it was still far too easy to figure out who killed Constance’s friend. There is no mystery about the baby farmer’s identity or activities.
I received a copy of this title through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
August 25, 2020
Suspenseful mystery with infanticide, romance, and a happy ending…except for the killer who swings.
Tessa Harris has transformed the horrible facts of a Victorian infanticide killer into a page-turning murder mystery. She writes masterly prose, depicting for twenty-first century readers the ambiance of London in the late Victorian period. The chapters read quickly because Harris knows how to create suspense. Moreover, her descriptive powers are fine; see, for example, chapter 38, especially pages 270-271, wherein the bodies of the killed infants are discovered, buried in a garden.
Best of all, unlike some modern writers who justify abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, Harris’ novel rightfully disdains the murders of infants at the hands of the “baby farmer” Mother Delaney. Thus, like a good Cops or The First 48 television episode, readers will enjoy the denouement, where a sense of justice prevails.
And, yeah, even guys will appreciate the light romance (no stupid sex scenes here, thank God) between Detective Constable Hawkins and Constance Piper, especially as depicted on pages 84-5. Male readers will want to scream, “Just ask her out already”; female readers will sniffle and mutter, “Aw, how cute!” Nothing saccharine, though; Harris uses the light romance between these characters to illustrate the rigid social structure of late Victorian Britain.
There are many other heartwarming, life-affirming episodes in the novel. Louisa Fortune, a governess, becomes pregnant out of wedlock, but, instead of aborting the child, she chooses adoption. This same unborn child saves Louisa from committing suicide; she is wise enough to understand that it is not right to kill the innocent unborn child because of her own mental and moral anguish. Constance’s sister, who also becomes pregnant out of wedlock, eventually accepts the unborn child, even after trying to self-abort and without the father’s support.
I read many life-denying novels from authors who are themselves pro-abortion, pro-infanticide, or pro-euthanasia. While I don’t know her political views on the life issues, Tessa Harris is one of those gifted writers who not only entertain us with a fictionalized account of a horrible episode in British crime history, but also renew in us the sense that we must protect the lives of newborn babies.
Tessa Harris has transformed the horrible facts of a Victorian infanticide killer into a page-turning murder mystery. She writes masterly prose, depicting for twenty-first century readers the ambiance of London in the late Victorian period. The chapters read quickly because Harris knows how to create suspense. Moreover, her descriptive powers are fine; see, for example, chapter 38, especially pages 270-271, wherein the bodies of the killed infants are discovered, buried in a garden.
Best of all, unlike some modern writers who justify abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, Harris’ novel rightfully disdains the murders of infants at the hands of the “baby farmer” Mother Delaney. Thus, like a good Cops or The First 48 television episode, readers will enjoy the denouement, where a sense of justice prevails.
And, yeah, even guys will appreciate the light romance (no stupid sex scenes here, thank God) between Detective Constable Hawkins and Constance Piper, especially as depicted on pages 84-5. Male readers will want to scream, “Just ask her out already”; female readers will sniffle and mutter, “Aw, how cute!” Nothing saccharine, though; Harris uses the light romance between these characters to illustrate the rigid social structure of late Victorian Britain.
There are many other heartwarming, life-affirming episodes in the novel. Louisa Fortune, a governess, becomes pregnant out of wedlock, but, instead of aborting the child, she chooses adoption. This same unborn child saves Louisa from committing suicide; she is wise enough to understand that it is not right to kill the innocent unborn child because of her own mental and moral anguish. Constance’s sister, who also becomes pregnant out of wedlock, eventually accepts the unborn child, even after trying to self-abort and without the father’s support.
I read many life-denying novels from authors who are themselves pro-abortion, pro-infanticide, or pro-euthanasia. While I don’t know her political views on the life issues, Tessa Harris is one of those gifted writers who not only entertain us with a fictionalized account of a horrible episode in British crime history, but also renew in us the sense that we must protect the lives of newborn babies.
May 8, 2018
The Angel Makers by Tessa Harris is a story with a dark and most intriguing plot. Women who are helpless, desperate, and single with children...are being picked off. Until, the main protagonist, Constance Piper, works with the police to discover how, who, and why. The danger escalates and the intensity of the situation feels so real. It was like I was actually there in Constance's shoes.
The characterization was well-done. I immediately took to both Constance Piper and her friend Detective Constable Hawkins. They made a great team in unraveling the clues. However, it is due to Constance's special gift that the investigations get solved.
There was plenty of action and mystery to enjoy. Tessa Harris swept me into her book and caught my full attention. I did not read the previous novel, in this series, and I was able to follow along just fine. The time period was fun and realistic. I love historical reads with some dark and hidden thing to unravel. In this case, the death of the women and the mastermind behind it all. Overall, I loved reading this mystery and recommend it to other readers.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
The characterization was well-done. I immediately took to both Constance Piper and her friend Detective Constable Hawkins. They made a great team in unraveling the clues. However, it is due to Constance's special gift that the investigations get solved.
There was plenty of action and mystery to enjoy. Tessa Harris swept me into her book and caught my full attention. I did not read the previous novel, in this series, and I was able to follow along just fine. The time period was fun and realistic. I love historical reads with some dark and hidden thing to unravel. In this case, the death of the women and the mastermind behind it all. Overall, I loved reading this mystery and recommend it to other readers.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
June 1, 2018
This one was a disturbing read for me because of the subject matter involved: a Victorian baby selling ring that is headed by a viperous woman (based on the very real Amelia Dyer) who has no concern for, and, indeed, causes the deaths of, the infants she deals in.
Ms. Harris is a talented writer who spins a unique tale, bringing together plot, characters, and historical fact in a fascinating, if dark story, set against the backdrop of the Jack the Ripper murders. The twist in this series is compelling. Constance is a flower girl who has developed a psychic connection with the spirit of Miss Emily, a murder victim Constance had known in life. Miss Emily is integral to solving these despicable murders.
Constance is a winning heroine who works to rise above her poverty and lack of education, and her sleuthing brings her into contact with all layers of Victorian society and especially into the orbit of young Detective Sargeant Hawkins.
I will look forward to Constance's third outing.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
Ms. Harris is a talented writer who spins a unique tale, bringing together plot, characters, and historical fact in a fascinating, if dark story, set against the backdrop of the Jack the Ripper murders. The twist in this series is compelling. Constance is a flower girl who has developed a psychic connection with the spirit of Miss Emily, a murder victim Constance had known in life. Miss Emily is integral to solving these despicable murders.
Constance is a winning heroine who works to rise above her poverty and lack of education, and her sleuthing brings her into contact with all layers of Victorian society and especially into the orbit of young Detective Sargeant Hawkins.
I will look forward to Constance's third outing.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
May 26, 2018
This is a Victorian murder mystery loosely based in part on the infamous baby farmer Amelia Dyer. It took me a few chapters to become accustomed to the style of writing, as the author writes in the present tense swapping between the voices of our heroine Constance Piper and the spirit of her former teacher Emily Tindall who comes to her aid at times of crisis. Not such an odd concept for the Victorians, a lot of whom were quite at ease with mediums and the spirit world. Although the book is perfectly enjoyable on its own, I personally would have much preferred to have read the previous book first as quite a lot of references are made to events which have happened previously and I think this would have given a better background to the story. There is a good plot and lots of action, making this a book I very much enjoyed and am happy to recommend.
April 24, 2018
I got very emotionally invested in this story. I mean how can you not when you’re up against BABY FARMERS?! It’s also inspired by real life events, look up Amelia Dyer & her mug shots will give you the willies!
I love how THarris layered the mystery, I thought the culprits were all revealed until that little twist in the end. A small one but it sure made a big difference in the story & on my impression on the author as a whole (this is my first book of hers that I read). And though I missed the first book in the series (I don’t recommend it), the absence of an overarching arc helped me acclimate to Constance Piper’s world without a hitch.
I love how THarris layered the mystery, I thought the culprits were all revealed until that little twist in the end. A small one but it sure made a big difference in the story & on my impression on the author as a whole (this is my first book of hers that I read). And though I missed the first book in the series (I don’t recommend it), the absence of an overarching arc helped me acclimate to Constance Piper’s world without a hitch.
May 21, 2018
Jack the Ripper casts a gloom over this novel but it's not about him- it's about women and babies who were exploited. The story is told in alternating chapters by Constance and her dead friend Emily. There's a paranormal element to this (Constance is clairvoyant and Emily is, well, dead) but it's in keeping with the Victorian era where this was a big thing. Good characters and atmospherics but this is less a mystery than it is about how the evil Mother Delany (she so doesn't deserve that title) is uncovered. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is the second in a series but can easily be read as a standalone. For fans of historical fiction.
July 18, 2018
Vacation means more time to read; for Constance Piper, Victorian flower peddler, there is never vacation, never rest, and things are even worse with Jack the Ripper lurking about. Guided by both her own intuition and the guidance (and visions) provided by Miss Tisdale, her late teacher, Constance helps solve both a murder of a friend (not Jack's handiwork) and shuts down a baby farm (taking infants from mothers in trouble and selling them --but usually killing them -- to couples seeking to adopt). London may be grim and gritty in the industrial realm, but Connie shines through with her ingenuity, native intelligence, and steadfastness of purpose.
July 8, 2021
This second in the series takes place during the terror of Jack the Ripper's spree and while the fear on the streets is referenced, it's not a Ripper story. A flower seller in London gets involved in solving the mystery of her friend's murder and the disappearance of a number of babies. The mystery is good and the historical atmosphere encompassing. The somewhat unusual literary device used may be off putting or confusing to some. Constance, the protagonist, receives messages from her dead teacher to solve the mystery. More than that, the reader receives messages from the beyond as well. Chapters alternate between Constance's viewpoint and the deceased Miss. Tindall's viewpoint.
August 7, 2022
I picked this up when my library didn't have the similarly-titled book I was looking for. The description was attractive- who doesn't like Jack the Ripper stories? Turns out this is an intriguing concept for a series. Street urchin turned "clairvoyant" (thanks to the visiting spirit of her dead mentor) assists the police in solving the murder of a friend, as well as that of several infant babies, all while dodging the Ripper in late 1880s London.
The author's note regarding the true story of the baby farmer that this book is based on was chilling.
I'm happy to read the others in the series.
The author's note regarding the true story of the baby farmer that this book is based on was chilling.
I'm happy to read the others in the series.
November 13, 2018
Tessa Harris has quickly become one of my favorite authors. She paints a brilliant picture of a time in London that has been well documented in literature mostly because of Jack the Ripper. I admittedly read the books because I love her writing first but I love a good Ripper story and I am a little disappointed with #2 in this series because of the limited Ripper lore. The book ties together nicely at the end but there were several spots where I didn’t feel engaged and really wanted something more. I will read the coming books in the series and hopefully they will be a bit more “Rippery”.
May 13, 2018
Tessa Harris’s newest Constance Piper mystery will send you deep into the darkest corners of Victorian London. Jack the Ripper is killing women, baby farmers are killing infants, and poverty and disease are killing everyone else. The story is told by two characters, one alive, and one dead. The clairvoyant aspect of this novel wasn’t as appealing to me as the atmospheric mystery, but I was intrigued and connected with Constance’s life and story.
July 12, 2019
Excellent historical mystery. I liked the way the narration switched between Emily and Constance, giving the reader different insights to various aspects of the plot. Also nice balance between characters and a delightfully twisty plot. I'm looking forward to more in this series.
October 4, 2019
Constance is again led into a mystery by the spirit of Emily Tindall
This time it is in order to rescue babies from the clutches of a woman who claims to find adoptive parents for unwanted children but in actuality starves or outright murders the babies.
This time it is in order to rescue babies from the clutches of a woman who claims to find adoptive parents for unwanted children but in actuality starves or outright murders the babies.
June 15, 2019
Brilliant writing turns a gruesome story into an enthralling detective drama! The two points of view give an all-round share of the action.
December 11, 2019
Blah!!! Still too gory. 😒
August 4, 2025
Another good Constance Piper mystery. Love the time period and locale. Love the characters. Love the paranormal aspect, too.
August 25, 2020
It's a well written story, with a great pace, good mix of paranormal and thriller. The atmosphere was great it gave the novel a gothic, eerie feeling.. It's not 5 star review because I knew who the murderer was early on.
May 15, 2018
London, 1888. In the middle of the hunt for Jack the Ripper, a new series of murders arises. A series of infants are being found choked to death and disposed of. At the same time, a woman is found dead with markings of string around her neck. The police is not so keen to investigate ; however, Constance Piper is not going to let her friend's murder go down unpunished.
Between searching for her friend's murderer and investigating for a mother whose baby was mysteriously lost after being put up for adoption in a strange family, Constance will find herself, guided by the spirit of a lost friend, in the middle of a dark baby farming scheme. Will she be able to uncover the truth on her own? Are the police going to believe her? And is she in danger herself?
The Angel Makers is a mystery story, blended very well with historical fiction. Based on real events of the Victorian era, the setting is well researched and the story is very interesting. Even though it is part of a mystery series, the book stands perfectly well on its own, and all characters have a sufficient background story. Its descriptive scenes could probably have been a little shorter, but it was an interesting read nonetheless. Recommended for the fans of mysteries and historical fiction.
Between searching for her friend's murderer and investigating for a mother whose baby was mysteriously lost after being put up for adoption in a strange family, Constance will find herself, guided by the spirit of a lost friend, in the middle of a dark baby farming scheme. Will she be able to uncover the truth on her own? Are the police going to believe her? And is she in danger herself?
The Angel Makers is a mystery story, blended very well with historical fiction. Based on real events of the Victorian era, the setting is well researched and the story is very interesting. Even though it is part of a mystery series, the book stands perfectly well on its own, and all characters have a sufficient background story. Its descriptive scenes could probably have been a little shorter, but it was an interesting read nonetheless. Recommended for the fans of mysteries and historical fiction.
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