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Dr. Thomas Silkstone #5
Shadow of the Raven
Ensconced in the woods of rural England, 1784, American anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone hunts for justice amid a maelstrom of madness, murder, and social upheaval. . .
In the notorious mental hospital known as Bedlam, Dr. Thomas Silkstone seeks out a patient with whom he is on intimate terms. But he is unprepared for the state in which he finds Lady Lydia Farrell. Shocked into action, Thomas vows to help free Lydia by appealing to the custodian of her affairs, Mr. Nicholas Lupton. But when Silkstone arrives at the Boughton Estate to speak to Lupton, he finds that another form of madness has taken over the village. . .
Sweeping changes to the Boughton Estate threaten to leave many villagers, who are rightfully angry, destitute. After a single shot rings out and a man dies in the woods, it appears that the desperate villagers have turned to murder to avenge their cause. But for Thomas, a post-mortem on the victim raises more questions than answers. Although he manages to save an innocent man from the gallows, a second murder warns him of his potentially fatal situation. Soon he discovers a conspiracy far more sinister than anything he has ever faced. But who it leads to is the last person he suspects. . .
In the notorious mental hospital known as Bedlam, Dr. Thomas Silkstone seeks out a patient with whom he is on intimate terms. But he is unprepared for the state in which he finds Lady Lydia Farrell. Shocked into action, Thomas vows to help free Lydia by appealing to the custodian of her affairs, Mr. Nicholas Lupton. But when Silkstone arrives at the Boughton Estate to speak to Lupton, he finds that another form of madness has taken over the village. . .
Sweeping changes to the Boughton Estate threaten to leave many villagers, who are rightfully angry, destitute. After a single shot rings out and a man dies in the woods, it appears that the desperate villagers have turned to murder to avenge their cause. But for Thomas, a post-mortem on the victim raises more questions than answers. Although he manages to save an innocent man from the gallows, a second murder warns him of his potentially fatal situation. Soon he discovers a conspiracy far more sinister than anything he has ever faced. But who it leads to is the last person he suspects. . .
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2015
97 people are currently reading
792 people want to read
About the author
Tessa Harris
21 books527 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 95 reviews
January 26, 2015
Shadow of the Raven has the makings of a good mystery. The central character, Thomas Silkstone, is an American living in England at the close of the American revolution. He is a doctor with training in pathology, one who is treated with suspicion by most of those around him because he is a colonist. This offers all sorts of possibilities in depicting both the medicine and the politics of the period. Unfortunately, Shadow of the Raven reads more like a historical romance than a historical mystery and suffers as a result.
This fifth book in the Thomas Silkstone series is as much about the relationship between Silkstone and his beloved Lady Lydia as it is a mystery novel. One of the mysteries here is the fate of Lydia, who has been consigned to a madhouse by her wicked, unknown-until-recently father (Lydia’s mother had an on-going affair with the man) who has forged Silkstone’s signature on the committal documents and who intends to enclose the lands of Lydia’s estate—something she would surely refuse to allow under normal circumstances. (You can see why the book reads as historical romance.)
There’s a lot of back story packed into the first part of this novel, which explains the Thomas-Lydia relationship, but also interrupts the narrative flow. Readers are told “how ordered and logical [Thomas’] life had been up until the day Lydia has walked into his laboratory. She had pleaded for his help to uncover how her brother, Edward, the sixth Earl Crick, had died, and [Thomas] had found himself incapable of resisting her entreaties.” Silkstone tries repeatedly to contact Lydia in the madhouse, but “there seemed no logical way of dealing with these Machiavellian charlatans who had so blighted his beloved Lydia’s life and, therefore, his own.”
The second mystery of the novel is the more interesting one: a surveyor hired to facilitate the enclosure is murdered, presumably by one of the villagers who will lose his livelihood once the estate is enclosed. Here we see the impact of enclosure on rural villagers and also the justice system of the time, which acts with swiftness and, often, brutality—and which serves as a form of public entertainment.
The second mystery is resolved shortly before the end of the novel, while the Thomas-Lydia relationship provides a cliff-hanger ending, which again emphasizes romance over mystery. So, if you enjoy romance, you’ll probably find this novel a good read, but for those of us who prefer a more complex mystery, this book may prove satisfactory, but not more.
This fifth book in the Thomas Silkstone series is as much about the relationship between Silkstone and his beloved Lady Lydia as it is a mystery novel. One of the mysteries here is the fate of Lydia, who has been consigned to a madhouse by her wicked, unknown-until-recently father (Lydia’s mother had an on-going affair with the man) who has forged Silkstone’s signature on the committal documents and who intends to enclose the lands of Lydia’s estate—something she would surely refuse to allow under normal circumstances. (You can see why the book reads as historical romance.)
There’s a lot of back story packed into the first part of this novel, which explains the Thomas-Lydia relationship, but also interrupts the narrative flow. Readers are told “how ordered and logical [Thomas’] life had been up until the day Lydia has walked into his laboratory. She had pleaded for his help to uncover how her brother, Edward, the sixth Earl Crick, had died, and [Thomas] had found himself incapable of resisting her entreaties.” Silkstone tries repeatedly to contact Lydia in the madhouse, but “there seemed no logical way of dealing with these Machiavellian charlatans who had so blighted his beloved Lydia’s life and, therefore, his own.”
The second mystery of the novel is the more interesting one: a surveyor hired to facilitate the enclosure is murdered, presumably by one of the villagers who will lose his livelihood once the estate is enclosed. Here we see the impact of enclosure on rural villagers and also the justice system of the time, which acts with swiftness and, often, brutality—and which serves as a form of public entertainment.
The second mystery is resolved shortly before the end of the novel, while the Thomas-Lydia relationship provides a cliff-hanger ending, which again emphasizes romance over mystery. So, if you enjoy romance, you’ll probably find this novel a good read, but for those of us who prefer a more complex mystery, this book may prove satisfactory, but not more.
January 15, 2015
This fifth book in the Dr. Thomas Silkstone series finds me caught between rating stars. I’ve decided to round up because there was a lot I liked about the story; however, there are also some major gripes. First gripe is about the cliffhanger ending. Yes, once again Tessa Harris leaves readers dangling with major questions unanswered regarding the welfare of her major characters. I’m getting pretty worn out with it. Second gripe is that Lady Lydia Farrell has become a different character from when these novels began. She started out clear-thinking, intelligent, resourceful, and an independent woman. Now she isn’t. I found myself skimming over the segments which included Lady Lydia and that surely can’t be good. My third gripe is with how much repetitious information is included in the book. There is a section of Author’s Notes and Acknowledgments at the start of the novel and then the longest Glossary I’ve ever encountered at the end of the novel. Both sections contain much of the same information along with reading a lot of it in the story itself. Many of the entries were self-explanatory simply from the context of the book. Believe me, by the time you finish this novel you will be able to tell all your friends about the Enclosure Act in the United Kingdom.
So now for what I did like that allows me to assign the star rating I settled on. I like the character of Thomas Silkstone and the skills the author has given him which allow the uncovering of clues to help solve these mysteries. Having a lead character with a scientific bent affords the author all sorts of evidence discovery and analysis advantages. I like that there were several different areas of investigation going on all throughout the book and they were actually interesting, not just filler pages. There were courtroom scenes which gave glimpses into how precarious a person’s freedom was and how unfair the class system was in regards to the legal profession, the law, and those who ran afoul of it. I enjoyed seeing what impact the Enclosure Act would have on the small farmers, villagers, and craftsmen by reading about their acts of rebellion and retribution against those trying to keep them off the land they had always considered their right to use. All of these things were good for me and held my attention.
As I said, I’m getting pretty tired of the cliffhanger endings and I don’t like the way Lady Lydia’s character has been changing. Will I read the next book to find out what happened? I’m not sure. However, I really did think in the etiquette of dueling that the person issuing the initial challenge was _not_ the same person who chose the weapon. Perhaps I’m wrong about that?
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley.
So now for what I did like that allows me to assign the star rating I settled on. I like the character of Thomas Silkstone and the skills the author has given him which allow the uncovering of clues to help solve these mysteries. Having a lead character with a scientific bent affords the author all sorts of evidence discovery and analysis advantages. I like that there were several different areas of investigation going on all throughout the book and they were actually interesting, not just filler pages. There were courtroom scenes which gave glimpses into how precarious a person’s freedom was and how unfair the class system was in regards to the legal profession, the law, and those who ran afoul of it. I enjoyed seeing what impact the Enclosure Act would have on the small farmers, villagers, and craftsmen by reading about their acts of rebellion and retribution against those trying to keep them off the land they had always considered their right to use. All of these things were good for me and held my attention.
As I said, I’m getting pretty tired of the cliffhanger endings and I don’t like the way Lady Lydia’s character has been changing. Will I read the next book to find out what happened? I’m not sure. However, I really did think in the etiquette of dueling that the person issuing the initial challenge was _not_ the same person who chose the weapon. Perhaps I’m wrong about that?
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley.
June 29, 2018
It's been some time since I read the last book in this series about Dr. Silkstone, an American who is in England to practice his craft. His love life with Lady Lydia has been stifled since she has been sent to Bedlam as insane while the men who put her there plot to take control of her estate. I enjoy how the Doctor is able to use the fledgling science of the day to uncover the truth. These are always a good read, and good mystery, though I am beginning to despair that Thomas and Lydia will ever be united in their love.
September 4, 2015
Shadow of the Raven by Tessa Harris is the fifth book in the Dr. Thomas Silkstone series. Silkstone is an eighteenth century anatomist and sleuth. He finds himself separated from the woman he loves as Lady Lydia Farrell has been committed to the notorious mental hospital, Bedlam. In her absence the appointed custodian Mr. Nicholas Lupton begins to institute changes to the estate that will effect all who live on the lands.
As a surveyor is murdered, the tenants are held to blame and Lupton moves to take control of the property, with Lady Farrell locked away, nothing seems to be able to keep Lupton from his schemes. Silkstone knows that the only way he will be able to free Lady Farrell and protect the villagers is to prove that the murder of the surveyor was not done by them and that there is a greater conspiracy afoot.
Shadow of the Raven, like all the Dr. Thomas Silkstone novels, is far more than a historical mystery or romance. They are instead time capsules into the era of politics and social injustices that their characters inhabit. The plight of the villagers as the land rights that they have always lived under change as the greed of the nobles increase. Silkstone uses limited anatomical forensics to solve his crimes and finds that proving his theories are difficult to a justice system that distrusts proof and knowledge in the stead of one man's word over another.
Shadow of the Raven moves quickly yet stays true to its period and its setting. A well researched and paced mystery novel.
A very good read.
As a surveyor is murdered, the tenants are held to blame and Lupton moves to take control of the property, with Lady Farrell locked away, nothing seems to be able to keep Lupton from his schemes. Silkstone knows that the only way he will be able to free Lady Farrell and protect the villagers is to prove that the murder of the surveyor was not done by them and that there is a greater conspiracy afoot.
Shadow of the Raven, like all the Dr. Thomas Silkstone novels, is far more than a historical mystery or romance. They are instead time capsules into the era of politics and social injustices that their characters inhabit. The plight of the villagers as the land rights that they have always lived under change as the greed of the nobles increase. Silkstone uses limited anatomical forensics to solve his crimes and finds that proving his theories are difficult to a justice system that distrusts proof and knowledge in the stead of one man's word over another.
Shadow of the Raven moves quickly yet stays true to its period and its setting. A well researched and paced mystery novel.
A very good read.
May 6, 2016
Disclaimer: Received for free by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I just really like this series so far. I love the characters, the plot, just everything.
I just really like this series so far. I love the characters, the plot, just everything.
September 30, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Ensconced in the woods of rural England, 1784, American anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone hunts for justice amid a maelstrom of madness, murder, and social upheaval…
In the notorious mental hospital known as Bedlam, Dr. Thomas Silkstone seeks out a patient with whom he is on intimate terms. But he is unprepared for the state in which he finds Lady Lydia Farrell. Shocked into action, Thomas vows to help free Lydia by appealing to the custodian of her affairs, Mr. Nicholas Lupton. But when Silkstone arrives at the Boughton Estate to speak to Lupton, he finds that another form of madness has taken over the village…
Sweeping changes to the Boughton Estate threaten to leave many villagers, who are rightfully angry, destitute. After a single shot rings out and a man dies in the woods, it appears that the desperate villagers have turned to murder to avenge their cause. But for Thomas, a post-mortem on the victim raises more questions than answers. Although he manages to save an innocent man from the gallows, a second murder warns him of his potentially fatal situation. Soon he discovers a conspiracy far more sinister than anything he has ever faced…
Let me start by saying that I really should have read the previous four books in this series as it would have given me a better background to the characters. However, my rating is based solely on the story itself.
Historical mysteries are a bit of guilty pleasure for me - but also a genre that I am super critical of. It takes a VERY good book for me to rate highly. Sometimes it is a matter of the dialogue, sometimes the way the character behave are a put-off...there always seems to be something that brings down a historical novel quickly. However, this book didn't suffer from any of that...
From the get-go, I was drawn into the multiple mysteries that were weaved throughout this book. Murder, mystery, smuggling...all quite well plotted and captivating. These storylines tied together nicely and I did enjoy this aspect of the book. Added to this, the history and research in this story were greatly appreciated.
The characters, too, were a pleasure (for the most part) - Dr. Thomas Silkstone, an American anatomist studying in London, is one of the better characters I have come across in this genre. He is intuitive, smart and quite clearly a man to be reckoned with. I thought his character really brought this story to life and I am sure, just based on him, that I want to read more. The associated cast of characters were also very well done and I did enjoy the interactions between them all...except...
I wasn't keen on the story of Lady Lydia. Maybe it was just me but I felt that we did spend quite an amount of time with her and my interest started to wane after a while. It did get bogged down at times with details that could have been better left on the editing floor.
However, overall this is a very fine historical mystery and one that I would recommend - only after reading the previous four!
Paul
ARH
Ensconced in the woods of rural England, 1784, American anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone hunts for justice amid a maelstrom of madness, murder, and social upheaval…
In the notorious mental hospital known as Bedlam, Dr. Thomas Silkstone seeks out a patient with whom he is on intimate terms. But he is unprepared for the state in which he finds Lady Lydia Farrell. Shocked into action, Thomas vows to help free Lydia by appealing to the custodian of her affairs, Mr. Nicholas Lupton. But when Silkstone arrives at the Boughton Estate to speak to Lupton, he finds that another form of madness has taken over the village…
Sweeping changes to the Boughton Estate threaten to leave many villagers, who are rightfully angry, destitute. After a single shot rings out and a man dies in the woods, it appears that the desperate villagers have turned to murder to avenge their cause. But for Thomas, a post-mortem on the victim raises more questions than answers. Although he manages to save an innocent man from the gallows, a second murder warns him of his potentially fatal situation. Soon he discovers a conspiracy far more sinister than anything he has ever faced…
Let me start by saying that I really should have read the previous four books in this series as it would have given me a better background to the characters. However, my rating is based solely on the story itself.
Historical mysteries are a bit of guilty pleasure for me - but also a genre that I am super critical of. It takes a VERY good book for me to rate highly. Sometimes it is a matter of the dialogue, sometimes the way the character behave are a put-off...there always seems to be something that brings down a historical novel quickly. However, this book didn't suffer from any of that...
From the get-go, I was drawn into the multiple mysteries that were weaved throughout this book. Murder, mystery, smuggling...all quite well plotted and captivating. These storylines tied together nicely and I did enjoy this aspect of the book. Added to this, the history and research in this story were greatly appreciated.
The characters, too, were a pleasure (for the most part) - Dr. Thomas Silkstone, an American anatomist studying in London, is one of the better characters I have come across in this genre. He is intuitive, smart and quite clearly a man to be reckoned with. I thought his character really brought this story to life and I am sure, just based on him, that I want to read more. The associated cast of characters were also very well done and I did enjoy the interactions between them all...except...
I wasn't keen on the story of Lady Lydia. Maybe it was just me but I felt that we did spend quite an amount of time with her and my interest started to wane after a while. It did get bogged down at times with details that could have been better left on the editing floor.
However, overall this is a very fine historical mystery and one that I would recommend - only after reading the previous four!
Paul
ARH
March 24, 2017
In book five of the Thomas Silkstone Mysteries series, we find Lady Lydia Farrell confined to a mental institution. Dr. Silkstone is frantically trying to get in to see her. Unbeknownst to him Sir Montagu has forged his names to the papers confining Lydia and she believes Thomas has betrayed her. Sirs Montagu and Lupton are trying to take over her estate to combine it with Montagus' and enclose it for profit for themselves and their investors. We deal here in this book with the English Enclousure Acts of the period between 1750 and 1850. A surveyor who is a friend of Thomas's mentor Dr. Carruthers is hired by Lupton and Montagu to survey the properties. When he is killed in the woods, the villagers are suspected and a few are wrongly arrested for the deed. The postmortem of the dead man raises more questions than answers for Thomas. After a second murder occurs, Thomas is overwhelmed trying to prove the villagers innocent and free Lady Lydia from bedlam. As always the stories in this series are engrossing, enlightening and exciting. Very well written story line with bits of historical facts and medical knowledge thrown in. Characters you can delve into and like. I would have given this book five stars except for one thing. I expected Thomas to storm the asylum and rescue Lydia but the author took her release in a whole new direction, just as engrossing but not what I had built my hopes up for. A very good addition to this series.
December 6, 2020
Non proprio un giallo classico quanto un romanzo "storico", ambientato ai tempi della grande Nebbia. Gradevole e nulla più.
June 2, 2015
My rating on this book is 3.5...I love Dr. Silkstone, and his ability to put pieces together to solve crimes. He is a skilled anatomist, and physician. The story part of him helping out the village, and the man being held for murder was good. Note the 3.5 stars. The continuing melodrama of Lydia though, weighs this book down. I really liked Lydia at the beginning of this series, but her undecided nature, and foolish behavior is wearing thin. The last book has her arch enemy revealing a secret to her, and then she asks Thomas to save him. I knew at that point exactly where this book would go. Bedlam was a convenient way to loose a wife,or someone you wished hidden away, for some money, and papers were forged. The fact that she treated the good doctor poorly, in the last book, and the fact that she will not listen to him, over the advice of the same man who has caused heartache, since book one was ridiculous. The ending was another cliff hanger..No big shock there...enough..The author needs to stop the heart rendering cliff hangers, and give the book a beginning, middle, and end. I am not sure anyone cares enough for Lady Lydia, or her son, or plight at this junction, to wait another year for the answer. It is lucky that we care about the good doctor though. The little bit of English history learned, does not make up for her fickle leading lady..It is like the Perils of Pauline..that I used to laugh at..Will she be tied to the railway next, as the evil doer takes all she owns.????
February 23, 2015
A very satisfying read although, perhaps, a bit too dry. I enjoyed the relationship between Dr. Thomas Silkstone and Lady Lydia Farrell in the previous books. As such, their separation and her mistrust, in this particular episode, did nothing to enhance the story in any way. In addition to which, the travelling between London and Oxford, Oxford and Boughten Hall...is getting a little tedious. While interesting as a whole I found myself a little bored. This, however, will not stop me from reading Tessa Harris's next instalment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2015
If this was a straightforward mystery without all of the romantic melodrama, 4 stars. Since there was romantic melodrama and the leading lady was, frankly, ridiculous (to the point of skipping entire chapters because I wanted to reach into the book and choke her), I've deducted 2 stars. For sheer frustration.
I agree with other reviewers who have asked "what happened to the strong, independent lady Lydia?" If this is the lady Lydia we are stuck with, I'm done with this series. Which makes me sad, since Dr. Silkstone is a wonderful character (when he isn't caught up in romantic melodrama).
I agree with other reviewers who have asked "what happened to the strong, independent lady Lydia?" If this is the lady Lydia we are stuck with, I'm done with this series. Which makes me sad, since Dr. Silkstone is a wonderful character (when he isn't caught up in romantic melodrama).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2017
5th entry in the Dr. Thomas Silkstone series--the plot is as torturous as ever, and the reader needs a scorecard to keep up. The forensic mystery itself is interesting, but dense, but stereotypical damsel-in-distress Lady Lydia's plight has become a bit too much to believe. If set a few decades in the future, I am sure the author would have had her tied to a railroad track by a villain twirling his mustaches.
April 7, 2021
judder: verb; (especially of something mechanical) shake and vibrate rapidly and with force.
"the steering wheel juddered in his hand"
judder: noun; an instance of rapid and forceful shaking and vibration.
"the car gave a judder"
You will need this definition if you are going to read the Doctor Thomas Silkstone series. I’m an English major and had to look it up when I first encountered it. No problem. It is always interesting to learn a new word. But it seems like the author, Tessa Harris, discovered this word while writing the first book and liked it so much, she wanted to play with it even more. She used it 25 times in her first six books. In Book 4 alone, she used it 11 times. It got to the point where each time I encountered it, it distracted me from the story. May I suggest occasional alternatives such as quiver, waver, shudder, shake, tremble, or quake?
I had just finished reading a series of books about the Civil War and I needed a break from an overload of war, death, scholarship, and military tactics. So, I turned to Harris’s Dr. Silkstone series to cleanse my reading palate.
I enjoyed the main character, Dr. Silkstone, very much. He is engaging, intelligent, and ahead of his time in terms of this profession. As an American in England towards of the end of the Revolutionary War, he is a fish out of water. The side characters are well drawn and interesting.
However, by the end of the fourth book, I had had enough of Silkstone’s love interest, Lady Lydia. She is tiny and frail, always in peril and needing rescue from the handsome and incredibly patient Silkstone. She falls apart, her emotions never in check, to any problem or threat. People could be dying on every side and Silkstone still has to choose his words carefully lest he upset her brittle equilibrium. Lydia certainly faces formidable challenges and dangers, but she never rises to meet them, always needing Silkstone to save her. Too many pages are devoted to Silkstone’s attempts to comfort and cosset her always shattered emotional state. I would have loved to see her grow from a fragile flower to a woman discovering her power. Six books into the series, this has yet to happen.
I enjoyed the mysteries, medical elements, history, and most of the characters. These books provided what I needed: light reading. But when I finish the sixth book, I won't get anymore in the series, mostly because I just don’t understand the practical and inexplicably devoted Silkstone’s attraction to such a fragile, clinging, distraught, high maintenance, damsel in perpetual distress.
"the steering wheel juddered in his hand"
judder: noun; an instance of rapid and forceful shaking and vibration.
"the car gave a judder"
You will need this definition if you are going to read the Doctor Thomas Silkstone series. I’m an English major and had to look it up when I first encountered it. No problem. It is always interesting to learn a new word. But it seems like the author, Tessa Harris, discovered this word while writing the first book and liked it so much, she wanted to play with it even more. She used it 25 times in her first six books. In Book 4 alone, she used it 11 times. It got to the point where each time I encountered it, it distracted me from the story. May I suggest occasional alternatives such as quiver, waver, shudder, shake, tremble, or quake?
I had just finished reading a series of books about the Civil War and I needed a break from an overload of war, death, scholarship, and military tactics. So, I turned to Harris’s Dr. Silkstone series to cleanse my reading palate.
I enjoyed the main character, Dr. Silkstone, very much. He is engaging, intelligent, and ahead of his time in terms of this profession. As an American in England towards of the end of the Revolutionary War, he is a fish out of water. The side characters are well drawn and interesting.
However, by the end of the fourth book, I had had enough of Silkstone’s love interest, Lady Lydia. She is tiny and frail, always in peril and needing rescue from the handsome and incredibly patient Silkstone. She falls apart, her emotions never in check, to any problem or threat. People could be dying on every side and Silkstone still has to choose his words carefully lest he upset her brittle equilibrium. Lydia certainly faces formidable challenges and dangers, but she never rises to meet them, always needing Silkstone to save her. Too many pages are devoted to Silkstone’s attempts to comfort and cosset her always shattered emotional state. I would have loved to see her grow from a fragile flower to a woman discovering her power. Six books into the series, this has yet to happen.
I enjoyed the mysteries, medical elements, history, and most of the characters. These books provided what I needed: light reading. But when I finish the sixth book, I won't get anymore in the series, mostly because I just don’t understand the practical and inexplicably devoted Silkstone’s attraction to such a fragile, clinging, distraught, high maintenance, damsel in perpetual distress.
April 24, 2022
Life in the 18th century was grim, man. No holds barred from this storyteller. Things go from bad to awful to horrendous to wtf-did-these-people-have-to-live-for-anyway? The thin thread of romance these stories have running through them is fraying. While the actual historical events references are fascinating, the relationship between Lydia and Thomas is becoming a bit over-tried. I get the ideas, but the execution lacks the je ne sait quoi that makes such clandestine forbidden loves of the mid-1700s so appealing. They’ve faced trial after trial piled on something that was perhaps a bit flighty to start off with. I kept waiting for Lydia to have reason to believe the one man and not the other when Thomas was the one who had the trustworthy character throughout—and yet... it makes her look fickle and unintelligent, which is maybe what the author was aiming for here, but definitely not the picture we had of her in the first novels. Though, she has proven to make rash and hasty decisions in the past. I wanted increased backbone from her, not a disintegration. She was showing it before, and then it all collapsed like a flimsy card house. I suppose getting thrown in Bedlam didn’t help…
I like following Thomas around as he stumbles on dead bodies and helps people with his doctor’s expertise and cuts up and dissects body parts. His blind mentor is a dang good character, too. So is the Oxford Coroner, who’s the original father-figure to Lady Farrell (honest, don’t know why she didn’t stick with this one when she knew the other was a sneaky bastard already—silly woman). There are some real grandpa-gems in these stories. And in the context of the medical knowledge of the day, all these doctor-types are such captivating speakers throughout the stories. The way Dr Silkstone assists in solving the crimes with forensic evidence is interesting and I like the addition of court procedurals. I almost want to say if this was what we were following, and if Lydia was only a good friend with future potential up to now (not yet explored and consummated) —well, I don’t know, but it might have been a better foundation for their interest and commitment. The stories would be just as good (maybe better) without the restrained ‘romance’ on the side.
Still, the cases presented are interesting and as they’re based on actual events from history, even more appealing.
I’m heading to the last (as far as I know) in this series, and it better not end the same way the last few have ended abruptly on cliffhanger heart-stoppers.
I like following Thomas around as he stumbles on dead bodies and helps people with his doctor’s expertise and cuts up and dissects body parts. His blind mentor is a dang good character, too. So is the Oxford Coroner, who’s the original father-figure to Lady Farrell (honest, don’t know why she didn’t stick with this one when she knew the other was a sneaky bastard already—silly woman). There are some real grandpa-gems in these stories. And in the context of the medical knowledge of the day, all these doctor-types are such captivating speakers throughout the stories. The way Dr Silkstone assists in solving the crimes with forensic evidence is interesting and I like the addition of court procedurals. I almost want to say if this was what we were following, and if Lydia was only a good friend with future potential up to now (not yet explored and consummated) —well, I don’t know, but it might have been a better foundation for their interest and commitment. The stories would be just as good (maybe better) without the restrained ‘romance’ on the side.
Still, the cases presented are interesting and as they’re based on actual events from history, even more appealing.
I’m heading to the last (as far as I know) in this series, and it better not end the same way the last few have ended abruptly on cliffhanger heart-stoppers.
April 9, 2022
When I bought this book I had no idea it was fifth in the Dr Silkstone series, so I was a bit confused at certain references to previous novels. Nevertheless, I continued to read it and was soon invested in this American doctor that solved murders in 1700s England. The character, Dr Thomas Silkstone, can be described as if Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were one person. Except, it isn't exceptional, but rather boring. Unfortunately, Dr Silkstone's character is quite bland for a suspense thriller.
The plot deals with him trying to get a meeting with Lydia Farell, a woman that seems important to him (how or why are questions that were probably answered in the previous books). She has been wrongfully committed to the asylum by terrible men and Silkstone aims to free and give her the justice she deserves. However, a mysterious murder takes place very close to her property and through a friend, Dr Silkstone is asked to solve the crime. There are many plot twists and character build up involved but it all falls flat due to the slow pace.
The way Silkstone deduced evidence through autopsies of corpses was the most interesting parts of the novel, which sadly was very minimal. I'm not sure if I would've enjoyed it more if I started reading from book 1, but I am sure that this novel failed to entice me to read more of Dr Silkstone. I started the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo at random as well, and that alone made me devour every book in the series. So I guess Shadow of the Raven is a miss for me.
The plot deals with him trying to get a meeting with Lydia Farell, a woman that seems important to him (how or why are questions that were probably answered in the previous books). She has been wrongfully committed to the asylum by terrible men and Silkstone aims to free and give her the justice she deserves. However, a mysterious murder takes place very close to her property and through a friend, Dr Silkstone is asked to solve the crime. There are many plot twists and character build up involved but it all falls flat due to the slow pace.
The way Silkstone deduced evidence through autopsies of corpses was the most interesting parts of the novel, which sadly was very minimal. I'm not sure if I would've enjoyed it more if I started reading from book 1, but I am sure that this novel failed to entice me to read more of Dr Silkstone. I started the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo at random as well, and that alone made me devour every book in the series. So I guess Shadow of the Raven is a miss for me.
Read
October 12, 2023TW: murder with a small amount of detail, use of guns in the commission of a crime, short description of an autopsy, abuse of a minor by a guardian, gaslighting, misdiagnosis of mental illness for material gain, descriptions of 18th century insane asylums and prisons, woman in peril trope.
The wonderful thing about libraries is that it you can try out a new author without investing more than your time. This book interested me because I like mysteries and I am not overly familiar with the historical time period.
The book was well plotted and written, the characters were interesting. The villagers were described with compassion and dignity. My problem was that the plot was too melodramatic for my taste and the baddies were so very very bad (I think I missed the part where they sat with their brandies and cigars and twirled their moustaches). And of course I prefer my mysteries with no romance.
I got to page 66 (Chapter 11) and decided there are too many books I want to read.
On a historical note there is a handy vocabulary guide in the back of the book for those, like me, who have no idea what coppicing in the coupe is. However the definition of a fulling mill was incomplete and I believe the author may have meant schnaps not schnapps. The last one may have been the American translators fault and not the authors. The fulling incompleteness does not make any difference at all.
The wonderful thing about libraries is that it you can try out a new author without investing more than your time. This book interested me because I like mysteries and I am not overly familiar with the historical time period.
The book was well plotted and written, the characters were interesting. The villagers were described with compassion and dignity. My problem was that the plot was too melodramatic for my taste and the baddies were so very very bad (I think I missed the part where they sat with their brandies and cigars and twirled their moustaches). And of course I prefer my mysteries with no romance.
I got to page 66 (Chapter 11) and decided there are too many books I want to read.
On a historical note there is a handy vocabulary guide in the back of the book for those, like me, who have no idea what coppicing in the coupe is. However the definition of a fulling mill was incomplete and I believe the author may have meant schnaps not schnapps. The last one may have been the American translators fault and not the authors. The fulling incompleteness does not make any difference at all.
January 4, 2024
I'm going to be honest, I did not finish this book. Normally I don't write reviews for books I don't finish but this one was so thoroughly frustrating I couldn't make it through. It was very upsetting to me as I truly enjoyed the first bike of the series.
In this book, Lydia, previously such a strong character has lost any of the spunk, nerve and fortitude that I enjoyed. Thomas Silkstone seems helpless and pitiful compared to the dashing character he started out as. He was all bluster about the unfairness of the situation and his intent to do something that he simply never seemed to take any action on.
This is one of those books where the misfortunes continue to hit you over the head like waves craving against the rocks. I made it about 3/4 of the way through certain that it would get better but realized I wasn't enjoying a single page. The murder plot, more a side story in this book than the actual point, was very interesting and I will likely read a full summary just to understand how that resolves but even my curiosity wasn't enough to find me to finish it.
Perhaps one day I'll make it through.
In this book, Lydia, previously such a strong character has lost any of the spunk, nerve and fortitude that I enjoyed. Thomas Silkstone seems helpless and pitiful compared to the dashing character he started out as. He was all bluster about the unfairness of the situation and his intent to do something that he simply never seemed to take any action on.
This is one of those books where the misfortunes continue to hit you over the head like waves craving against the rocks. I made it about 3/4 of the way through certain that it would get better but realized I wasn't enjoying a single page. The murder plot, more a side story in this book than the actual point, was very interesting and I will likely read a full summary just to understand how that resolves but even my curiosity wasn't enough to find me to finish it.
Perhaps one day I'll make it through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
I’m still committed to this series as I’m 5 books in BUT seriously unhappy about this personality transformation in Lydia who is now in Bedlam (yes, we all that one coming didn’t we?) Lydia has been put the ringer as a character, love interest, and mother. She went from a strong, independent, intelligent woman to well BEDLAM. That would be bad enough but the personality transplant is just too much for me. As with every book in the series we are faced with a moral quandary of Victorian England—in this case, the ability of men to “put away” an inconvenient women. Inconvenient would be all the traits I LOVED about Lydia- intelligent, independent and strong willed. We get an education on the Court/Legal system and the enclosure act of Victorian England.
A star was lost because of this too radical of a personality change in an important character.
TBH it almost lost another star because it’s ends in a total cliffhanger AGAIN. But 5 books in—it’s more my bad for expecting anything different. I’m still invested in Thomas Silkstone…so onto book 6!
Narration is excellent.
A star was lost because of this too radical of a personality change in an important character.
TBH it almost lost another star because it’s ends in a total cliffhanger AGAIN. But 5 books in—it’s more my bad for expecting anything different. I’m still invested in Thomas Silkstone…so onto book 6!
Narration is excellent.
October 5, 2019
Ottima lettura, anche se il "giallo" riguarda più la sorte di Lady Lidia che gli omicidi commessi. Il colpevole del primo è chiaro fin dall'inizio e quindi tutto il resto viene di conseguenza.
Molta importanza viene data anche alle vicende 'sociali', le rivolte dei contadini e l'Enclosure Act, le nuove leggi sulle recinzioni delle terre fino ad allora coltivate dalla comunità. Questo appesantisce un po' la narrazione, ma è indispensabile per capire il filo logico che guida le azioni di Lord Montagu, l'antagonista dell'anatomista Thomas Silkstone.
Il finale è a suspense come sempre: stavolta , anche se io non ho resistito e ho letto la trama dell'edizione inglese del libro successivo. Mi auguro venga tradotto e pubblicato al più presto.
Molta importanza viene data anche alle vicende 'sociali', le rivolte dei contadini e l'Enclosure Act, le nuove leggi sulle recinzioni delle terre fino ad allora coltivate dalla comunità. Questo appesantisce un po' la narrazione, ma è indispensabile per capire il filo logico che guida le azioni di Lord Montagu, l'antagonista dell'anatomista Thomas Silkstone.
Il finale è a suspense come sempre: stavolta , anche se io non ho resistito e ho letto la trama dell'edizione inglese del libro successivo. Mi auguro venga tradotto e pubblicato al più presto.
February 4, 2021
I found several elements in this story disappointing. It starts with Lydia having been in Bedlam for months. But then she's out. Then she's dead. Or maybe not.
Plus Lydia has been convinced by the family friend/dude who has recently claimed to be her biological father that Thomas was the one who got her committed and not himself. Even though he's the one who is there with his henchmen to drag her off - all with the goal of controlling her land. Why she believes him makes no sense - other than she's been worn down by the atrocities of Bedlam.
But we only get a tiny slice of Bedlam instead of maximizing it. But then that would mean a large chunk from Lydia's point of view, which Harris seldom does.
Plus Lydia has been convinced by the family friend/dude who has recently claimed to be her biological father that Thomas was the one who got her committed and not himself. Even though he's the one who is there with his henchmen to drag her off - all with the goal of controlling her land. Why she believes him makes no sense - other than she's been worn down by the atrocities of Bedlam.
But we only get a tiny slice of Bedlam instead of maximizing it. But then that would mean a large chunk from Lydia's point of view, which Harris seldom does.
August 11, 2020
I was surprised to find myself skimming along through most of this book since the previous two were absolutely wonderful. This one was overly wordy, went into details for things that made no sense other than to add to word count.
Also Lady Lydia needs to pull her head out of her arse. I keep hoping that women were not that stupid back in those days.
Not much in the way of a murder mystery and more Lady Lydia in peril and Dr Silkstone to the rescue.
Hoping next one is betterLady Lydia needs to pull her head out of her arse, she is getting more annoying by the book and I am hoping Thomas dumps her. I doubt it since it seems she is his first romantic encounter so he is basically screwed.
Also Lady Lydia needs to pull her head out of her arse. I keep hoping that women were not that stupid back in those days.
Not much in the way of a murder mystery and more Lady Lydia in peril and Dr Silkstone to the rescue.
Hoping next one is betterLady Lydia needs to pull her head out of her arse, she is getting more annoying by the book and I am hoping Thomas dumps her. I doubt it since it seems she is his first romantic encounter so he is basically screwed.
November 16, 2021
This novel addresses a period of English history that I didn't know much about; but, with her usual attention to detail, Ms. Harris develops it in order to enlighten her readers. Once again, Lady Lydia has her problems and has been placed in Bedlam, an institution for the insane. Thomas is trying to find a way to see and free her while also trying to find out who has killed an esteemed land surveyor. I appreciate and enjoy Ms. Harris' work which combines the history of a period with the solving of a challenging mystery. She has done her research on the times in which her stories are set, and it shows.
January 21, 2021
Am I the only person who mentally chanted ‘Lies! Lies! Lies and deceit!’ over and over again? How could Lydia have believed so much bull crap?!? After all the years her ‘real’ father kept his secret! After he insisted she was crazy because she announced to Dr. Fairweather ‘the secret’! Lady Lydia still believes that old bastard when he told her it was all Thomas’s doing that she was committed! Lydia seriously irked me in the book. I felt like I was listening to a soap opera instead of a ‘murder mystery’. On to the final book I go just so I can put an end to this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2019
My only regret with this book is that I did't realize until I had gotten involved in the story that it was the 5th book in the series! I think I will definitely go back and read the earlier book. Tessa Harris done a beautiful job of relating historical time and the Dr's medical terms and knowledge seemed very adequate for the time period. I'm guessing there is a #6 in the series because this left off with a pretty big cliff hanger!!
September 4, 2021
Social implications of the Enclosure Acts provide the background for the continuing saga of Silkstone's struggle to survive in a British society that seems to be entirely against him, despite the end of the colonial war in the (now) US (though the Confederation isn't explored). There were a few too many improbable events (Silkstone waltzed out of prison entirely too easily and is never accosted for it). Still, there were plenty of interesting forensic scenes.
December 10, 2022
You know, I love certain aspects of this book. The writing is masterful and the author paints vivid scenes that spring to life in the reader’s imagination, but something strange happened to Lady Lydia after book 3.
Those of us who’ve stayed for the long haul fell in love with Lydia’s character. She is an elegant, spirited, strong-willed free thinker who does what she wants and runs an entire estate in an era when women were not known for their independence. But in books 4 and 5 she suddenly becomes a vacuous, obsequious automaton easily besotted by a pretty face, lying by omission to the one person who has always been true to her, ultimately turning on him like a snake based on the say-so of a pathological liar and control freak simply because he claims to be her biological father.
I found myself rolling my eyes whenever Lydia stepped on scene. She went from a lovable, sympathetic character in books 1-3 to a mindless moron who is easily manipulated and controlled in books 4 & 5.
I’ll read the 6th book simply because I already have it, but it’s hard for an author to recover from something like this. Just look at the final season of “Game of Thrones.” I haven’t seen that many pissed off nerds (🙋🏼♀️) since “The X-Files” was canceled.
Those of us who’ve stayed for the long haul fell in love with Lydia’s character. She is an elegant, spirited, strong-willed free thinker who does what she wants and runs an entire estate in an era when women were not known for their independence. But in books 4 and 5 she suddenly becomes a vacuous, obsequious automaton easily besotted by a pretty face, lying by omission to the one person who has always been true to her, ultimately turning on him like a snake based on the say-so of a pathological liar and control freak simply because he claims to be her biological father.
I found myself rolling my eyes whenever Lydia stepped on scene. She went from a lovable, sympathetic character in books 1-3 to a mindless moron who is easily manipulated and controlled in books 4 & 5.
I’ll read the 6th book simply because I already have it, but it’s hard for an author to recover from something like this. Just look at the final season of “Game of Thrones.” I haven’t seen that many pissed off nerds (🙋🏼♀️) since “The X-Files” was canceled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2023
Social Justice?
This series seems to be turning into 18th Century Social Justice. Which is horribly ironic, because Lydia seems to have become the stereotype of how many men saw women in that era--weak, easily fooled, and lacking in reason.
Although this was an interesting approach to a mystery--with the "culprit" known to the reader from the beginning--I have become frustrated enough with the characters that I can't rate this higher than 3 and a half stars.
This series seems to be turning into 18th Century Social Justice. Which is horribly ironic, because Lydia seems to have become the stereotype of how many men saw women in that era--weak, easily fooled, and lacking in reason.
Although this was an interesting approach to a mystery--with the "culprit" known to the reader from the beginning--I have become frustrated enough with the characters that I can't rate this higher than 3 and a half stars.
August 12, 2018
I have never been a huge fan of this series. Although some of the mysteries were worthwhile, I was unimpressed with Silkstone, and his love life, finding it over melodramatic. I had a feeling that things were going to deteriorate, at the end of the previous book, and I was correct. Half way through this book, it turned into a ridiculous soap opera. I think I will give up on this author.
April 3, 2021
Another great read about our beloved Dr. Silkstone. Ended on quite the cliffhanger so going immediately on to #6. If you like historical and mystery this is a great series. I love learning about the inception of forensic anatomy. I highly recommend this series. Recommend reading in order as the story flows from on book to the next.
July 9, 2023
While I know that television series give us "cliff hangers" at the end of the season, this book ended with a very unsettling cliffhanger, which encourages the reader to order the next book.
Until then, I truly enjoyed the story, set in 18th Century England, about a doctor from the "colonies" who uses his medical skills to solve mysteries.
Until then, I truly enjoyed the story, set in 18th Century England, about a doctor from the "colonies" who uses his medical skills to solve mysteries.
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