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Kathryn Ardleigh #10
Death in Hyde Park
Coronation Day, 1902. Charles and Kate Sheridan are pleased to be at the crowning of their king. But when an anarchist accidentally blows himself up with a bomb meant for their monarch, Charles and Kate turn up a number of intriguing--and disturbing--questions. For example, what is mysterious, beautiful Charlotte Conway--editor of the anarchist newspaper where the dead man was employed--doing in the arms of expatriate author Jack London?
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
42 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Robin Paige
43 books188 followersRobin Paige is the pen-name of husband and wife team Bill and Susan Wittig Albert.
The Robin Paige Victorian/Edwardian mystery series was written by Bill and Susan Albert from 1994-2006. There are a dozen books in the series (now completed), beginning in the mid 1890s and continuing through 1903.
The series, beginning with Death at Bishop's Keep, features two amateur sleuths: Kate Ardleigh Sheridan and Sir Charles Sheridan, later Lord Sheridan , Baron of Somersworth. Kate is an Irish-American woman who writes under the pseudonym of Beryl Bardwell.
She comes to England and inherits a small fortune and the estate of Bishops Keep, located in East Anglia, near the village of Dedham, Essex. Sir Charles is a landed peer and amateur scientist with a special interest in new forensic techniques, such as fingerprinting, ballistics, toxicology, and photography.
In each of the 12 books in the series, Kate and Charles meet notable figures of their time as they set about solving the relevant mystery.
The Robin Paige Victorian/Edwardian mystery series was written by Bill and Susan Albert from 1994-2006. There are a dozen books in the series (now completed), beginning in the mid 1890s and continuing through 1903.
The series, beginning with Death at Bishop's Keep, features two amateur sleuths: Kate Ardleigh Sheridan and Sir Charles Sheridan, later Lord Sheridan , Baron of Somersworth. Kate is an Irish-American woman who writes under the pseudonym of Beryl Bardwell.
She comes to England and inherits a small fortune and the estate of Bishops Keep, located in East Anglia, near the village of Dedham, Essex. Sir Charles is a landed peer and amateur scientist with a special interest in new forensic techniques, such as fingerprinting, ballistics, toxicology, and photography.
In each of the 12 books in the series, Kate and Charles meet notable figures of their time as they set about solving the relevant mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 77 reviews
December 31, 2014
This is the tenth book in the Victorian/Edwardian mystery series starring Kate and Charles Sheridan. I generally enjoy these books and I like both main characters very much. However, this time, the husband-wife author team "Robin Paige" produced a novel that had, in my view, too many viewpoint characters and lacked focus. The novel starts with a young anarchist trying to bomb the royal family and blowing himself up, but nobody bothers to investigate his death. Rather, his anarchist friends are rounded up and framed, and the focus of the investigation is to free them.
Along the way, the authors keep shifting the narrative focus among a string of characters, including three anarchists, one of their friends, a dirty Scotland Yard cop, Jack London, Charles, Kate, and Kate's actress friend Nellie. This is simply too many characters, and it fractures the narrative. Additionally, all this viewpoint shifting dramatically reduces Kate's and Charles's roles in the story to the status of side characters. I would have much rather seen more of Kate and Charles.
Indeed, the main character seems to be anarchist writer Lottie, who I found to be annoying rather than sympathetic. I found the fact that every major male character in the story had a crush on Lottie to be unbelievable and harmful to the narrative. Too many of the men did stupid things for a woman who the authors kept telling me was "remarkable" but who did nothing in the story to live up to that reputation.
I did enjoy the trial at the end, and the presentation of the evidence. That part was well done. But overall, there were too many characters about whom I cared nothing, and there was not enough focus on Kate and Charles. This was a book about terrorism and social upheaval rather than a murder mystery, and since I read these books to read murder mysteries, I found this one to be rather disappointing.
Along the way, the authors keep shifting the narrative focus among a string of characters, including three anarchists, one of their friends, a dirty Scotland Yard cop, Jack London, Charles, Kate, and Kate's actress friend Nellie. This is simply too many characters, and it fractures the narrative. Additionally, all this viewpoint shifting dramatically reduces Kate's and Charles's roles in the story to the status of side characters. I would have much rather seen more of Kate and Charles.
Indeed, the main character seems to be anarchist writer Lottie, who I found to be annoying rather than sympathetic. I found the fact that every major male character in the story had a crush on Lottie to be unbelievable and harmful to the narrative. Too many of the men did stupid things for a woman who the authors kept telling me was "remarkable" but who did nothing in the story to live up to that reputation.
I did enjoy the trial at the end, and the presentation of the evidence. That part was well done. But overall, there were too many characters about whom I cared nothing, and there was not enough focus on Kate and Charles. This was a book about terrorism and social upheaval rather than a murder mystery, and since I read these books to read murder mysteries, I found this one to be rather disappointing.
September 13, 2020
2020 bk 303. When Charles is called in to find out if the explosion of a bomb that kills an anarchist is part of a royal plot, Kate finds herself helping the female editor of an anarchist newspaper. This was possibly the most complicated of the Paige plots in that it required educating the 1990's readers as to what was anarchy, how deeply the Russian secret police reached into all areas of Europe, and how much struggle there was to keep a free and open press in Great Britain at the turn of the century. This plot gives us another and more sordid side to author, Jack London, the struggles of the poor, and the plight of the rural women left on the land when their husbands and men left for factory work. A fascinating study for the sociologist and an excellent mystery for the cozy reader.
February 19, 2015
Charles and Kate Sheridan become involved when there is an assassination attempt on the newly crowned King Edward VII and his wife. When a bomb is set off on the king's coronation day in 1902, blowing up the bomber in the process, Charles is commissioned to investigate a group of local anarchists to determine whether or not they are a threat to the crown. Charles, aided by wife, Kathryn, investigates and soon find that justice can be blindsided by corruption and greed. The American author, Jack London, appears and becomes part the plot.
Those who enjoy the historical cozy mystery genre will definitely love this series and this is an excellent installment.
Those who enjoy the historical cozy mystery genre will definitely love this series and this is an excellent installment.
May 23, 2018
Not my cup of tea, but it was well-written and well researched.
August 14, 2018
(WARNING! This is not a cozy murder mystery. I repeat: This is NOT a cozy murder mystery!)
Do you remember when a local policeman taught Kate how to ride a bicycle? Oh, those were the days! Mist gets in my eyes just thinking about it, when the series was young and there was humour and warmth and a divided skirt was all the anarchy you needed to get by. But this, the tenth installment...
It's as sad and sordid as only a "political" story can be, filled with suicide bombers, bent coppers and miscarriage of justice. I readily confess; this is way out of my comfort zone. The coziness all drained out or blown sky high or whatever... And Jack London turning out to be a big time bastard doesn't help much either, let me tell you.
And where is Kate in all of this? What does she do? She does... nothing. Well alright. She might have patted someone's hand, sympathetically, I don't really remember. (The "heroine" is a younger woman, a left wing escape artist with the shining personality of a knitted sock. I can't say I warmed to her.) While Charles on the other hand finally got somewhere in court with his darling fingerprints. And I'm glad for him, don't think I'm not, but this obsession with greasy smudges and the obeying to royal commands is getting a bit old. Not much excitement there. No, as a pair the Sheridans are by now exaggeratedly goody two shoes, exceedingly 21st century correct and very staid and bloody boring.
I've been thinking that this might have been the authors plan all along; to start off with a young couple full of life and fun and then slowly letting them sink into a rot of complacent predictability, more onlookers than doers, moving up in the world and getting caught up in a sticky web of social acceptability. And okay, I guess that's realistic enough. BUT...
At the end of the book, when our old friend Bradford Marsden comes to dinner, the man who used to be so full of energy, dashing about the countryside in his beloved cars, charming and irresponsible, clashing with his father's old man ways, flirting with the modern and the new... When he sits there, opens his mouth and voices the opinions worthy of a fascist pig?!
Oh, it's too depressing for words! The bicycling days are truly over! Two more installments to go and I dread them, I tell you! I DREAD THEM!
Do you remember when a local policeman taught Kate how to ride a bicycle? Oh, those were the days! Mist gets in my eyes just thinking about it, when the series was young and there was humour and warmth and a divided skirt was all the anarchy you needed to get by. But this, the tenth installment...
It's as sad and sordid as only a "political" story can be, filled with suicide bombers, bent coppers and miscarriage of justice. I readily confess; this is way out of my comfort zone. The coziness all drained out or blown sky high or whatever... And Jack London turning out to be a big time bastard doesn't help much either, let me tell you.
And where is Kate in all of this? What does she do? She does... nothing. Well alright. She might have patted someone's hand, sympathetically, I don't really remember. (The "heroine" is a younger woman, a left wing escape artist with the shining personality of a knitted sock. I can't say I warmed to her.) While Charles on the other hand finally got somewhere in court with his darling fingerprints. And I'm glad for him, don't think I'm not, but this obsession with greasy smudges and the obeying to royal commands is getting a bit old. Not much excitement there. No, as a pair the Sheridans are by now exaggeratedly goody two shoes, exceedingly 21st century correct and very staid and bloody boring.
I've been thinking that this might have been the authors plan all along; to start off with a young couple full of life and fun and then slowly letting them sink into a rot of complacent predictability, more onlookers than doers, moving up in the world and getting caught up in a sticky web of social acceptability. And okay, I guess that's realistic enough. BUT...
At the end of the book, when our old friend Bradford Marsden comes to dinner, the man who used to be so full of energy, dashing about the countryside in his beloved cars, charming and irresponsible, clashing with his father's old man ways, flirting with the modern and the new... When he sits there, opens his mouth and voices the opinions worthy of a fascist pig?!
Oh, it's too depressing for words! The bicycling days are truly over! Two more installments to go and I dread them, I tell you! I DREAD THEM!
May 28, 2021
I picked this up thinking it would be a murder mystery but here I am learning about the history of anarchism in the uk 😀😀😀
tbh I can’t be asked reading on like it’s all confusing me and I’m really struggling to see where the plots gonna end up
If my future self ever tries to finish it I was on page 112
i didn’t give it one star because I picked up a few interesting things and also they were hating on capatalism and that’s honestly amazing
lol
tbh I can’t be asked reading on like it’s all confusing me and I’m really struggling to see where the plots gonna end up
If my future self ever tries to finish it I was on page 112
i didn’t give it one star because I picked up a few interesting things and also they were hating on capatalism and that’s honestly amazing
lol
February 4, 2020
I particularly enjoyed this one in the series. I think the history was pretty accurate — the publics’ fear of the chaos caused by Anarchists, Socialists, etc, and the willingness of the police to fight this potential chaos by breaking the law. I also like the portrayal of Jack London — they seemed to capture his complex personality pretty well. My only quibble is that our hero and heroine are so damn liberal and, frankly, modern, that its hard to believe anyone like that really existed. However, I really did like the idea that Charles, Baron Somersworth, donated his property to the nascent National Trust. I’ve visited many National Trust properties and they are fantastic.
February 14, 2026
In general, I have enjoyed all the Robin Paige Victorian Mystery series, partly for the setting in various English locations, and partly for the historical characters who populate the stories. This one begins with the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Edward VII, when he was still the Prince of Wales and affectionately referred to as "Bertie," had appeared several times in previous books of this series. Kate Ardleigh and her husband, Charles, investigate a failed bombing attempt, and become entangled in the politics of the day, and in the lives of some of the anarchists suspected in the bombing. As usual, Charles is challenging the investigation methods of the police and questioning their findings.
And Kate is showing her "progressive" attitudes and actions, helping the poor and especially the young women who were struggling to find their place in society, particularly those without husbands. I very much appreciated the portrayals of the social and economical challenges of young women, and Kate's innovative methods to help them. Her own childhood growing up in poverty in New York is shown to have been influential to her attitudes.
At one point, I felt that the narrative had become a bit tiresome. There were long stretches in which the text provided background on the times, the politics, the rise of anarchists and so on. Even though I like historical fiction, I began to feel as if I were being lectured. This was probably particularly because I was listening to the audio version of the book, not reading it. (And I mean no offense to the narrator, Helen Johns, who is quite good.) But I got past that, and the pace picked up, and the remainder of the book became more enjoyable.
Another factor may be that I listened to these books one after the other, with little other reading between. It might have been better to have more separation between the stories.
All in all, quite satisfactory, with good character development, interesting historical aspects woven in, and interesting descriptions of how police technology was evolving. But perhaps not quite as enjoyable as some others in the series.
And Kate is showing her "progressive" attitudes and actions, helping the poor and especially the young women who were struggling to find their place in society, particularly those without husbands. I very much appreciated the portrayals of the social and economical challenges of young women, and Kate's innovative methods to help them. Her own childhood growing up in poverty in New York is shown to have been influential to her attitudes.
At one point, I felt that the narrative had become a bit tiresome. There were long stretches in which the text provided background on the times, the politics, the rise of anarchists and so on. Even though I like historical fiction, I began to feel as if I were being lectured. This was probably particularly because I was listening to the audio version of the book, not reading it. (And I mean no offense to the narrator, Helen Johns, who is quite good.) But I got past that, and the pace picked up, and the remainder of the book became more enjoyable.
Another factor may be that I listened to these books one after the other, with little other reading between. It might have been better to have more separation between the stories.
All in all, quite satisfactory, with good character development, interesting historical aspects woven in, and interesting descriptions of how police technology was evolving. But perhaps not quite as enjoyable as some others in the series.
February 12, 2018
Death in Hyde Park by Robin Paige (Susan Wittig Albert and Bill Albert) is an interesting historical, half cozy, Victorian (Edwardian) mystery. At the coronation of Edward VII, an anarchist blows himself, rather than the new king up. Charles and Kate Sheridan (protagonists of the series) attempt to help Charlotte Conway, who is the editor of the Clarion, an anarchist newspaper, solve what really happened (the man who blew himself up is too stupid to have built a bomb) and to save some of the workers at her newspaper who were uninvolved in the terrorist attempt. The police of the era were more concerned with putting people behind bars or up on ropes, than learning what was really happening with the masses. Also on hand is the American author Jack London, who is researching the East End for his book, The People of the Abyss. It is an intricate situation with an exciting plot, several interesting characters and a lot of historical detail. Who knew Jack London was such a rake?
It may not be the fastest or most grabbing (I was able to put it down as I went through my tasks for the day, but then I did always pick it back up when I had time) mystery ever, but it makes up for that in the accurate historical setting and well developed reasoning concerning the events. I will read another Robin Paige novel.
It may not be the fastest or most grabbing (I was able to put it down as I went through my tasks for the day, but then I did always pick it back up when I had time) mystery ever, but it makes up for that in the accurate historical setting and well developed reasoning concerning the events. I will read another Robin Paige novel.
January 30, 2023
I have really enjoyed reading this Victorian Mystery series written by the husband and wife team of Susan & Bill Albert under the pseudonym of Robin Paige. This is the tenth in the series of what is twelve books but I fear that they are now beginning to run out of steam a little.
Death in Hyde Park really isn't much of a mystery - we know who died, we know how and why. The remainder of the book revolves around an anarchist group in London and a court case involving those members. As usual Charles and his wife are involved from the beginning and a couple of characters from previous books reappear. One of the interesting aspects of this series is the interweaving of a real person from history into the fictitious story and in the past I have found this quite enjoyable. On this occasion however it did not sit well with me. The 'real' person in this story is Jack London a well known writer of his day and author of Call of the Wild. I don't want to add any spoilers to this review but suffice to say that the interactions between Mr. London and the fictitious characters and his treatment of them - one in particular - was concerning since of course this is a work of fiction. I realise that Robin Paige does quite a bit of research and always adds a comprehensive research list at the end of the book but I felt that the authors took liberties with the reputation of Jack London with this work
That criticism aside it was still a good read and I look forward to the remainder of the series.
Death in Hyde Park really isn't much of a mystery - we know who died, we know how and why. The remainder of the book revolves around an anarchist group in London and a court case involving those members. As usual Charles and his wife are involved from the beginning and a couple of characters from previous books reappear. One of the interesting aspects of this series is the interweaving of a real person from history into the fictitious story and in the past I have found this quite enjoyable. On this occasion however it did not sit well with me. The 'real' person in this story is Jack London a well known writer of his day and author of Call of the Wild. I don't want to add any spoilers to this review but suffice to say that the interactions between Mr. London and the fictitious characters and his treatment of them - one in particular - was concerning since of course this is a work of fiction. I realise that Robin Paige does quite a bit of research and always adds a comprehensive research list at the end of the book but I felt that the authors took liberties with the reputation of Jack London with this work
That criticism aside it was still a good read and I look forward to the remainder of the series.
August 11, 2017
Wow! I love this series for many reasons, but this one was the best so far. Bombs, anarchists, spies, it's action packed.
I love that I learn about historical characters. This time around it's Jack London. What a piece of work. Fairly certain I am glad I've never read his books. I know this is a work of fiction, but Susan and Bill Albert [aka Robin Paige] do such meticulous research that I am fairly certain this was a good representation of the man.
What I liked the most is how Kate Sheridan works so hard. She writes her books, she takes care of her family and her farm. She has a successful school for women to teach them how to run their own farms one day. I love how much she cares and worries and takes care of people.
The investigation and the story is told via several voices. It's not disruptive at all. It's pretty necessary as the main character, Kate, really can't be everywhere. I like how the story is handled.
I've not read this series in order and I am not sure it's absolutely necessary. There are footnotes at the bottom of the pages when someone is mentioned that give information of which book to read for these characters.
Definitely recommend
I love that I learn about historical characters. This time around it's Jack London. What a piece of work. Fairly certain I am glad I've never read his books. I know this is a work of fiction, but Susan and Bill Albert [aka Robin Paige] do such meticulous research that I am fairly certain this was a good representation of the man.
What I liked the most is how Kate Sheridan works so hard. She writes her books, she takes care of her family and her farm. She has a successful school for women to teach them how to run their own farms one day. I love how much she cares and worries and takes care of people.
The investigation and the story is told via several voices. It's not disruptive at all. It's pretty necessary as the main character, Kate, really can't be everywhere. I like how the story is handled.
I've not read this series in order and I am not sure it's absolutely necessary. There are footnotes at the bottom of the pages when someone is mentioned that give information of which book to read for these characters.
Definitely recommend
November 3, 2017
Death in Hyde Park by Robin Paige is the 10th book of the Kathryn Ardleigh & Charles Sheridan mystery series, set in 1902 London. As in the rest of the series, the story both teaches us history and cameos a famous person. We learn that anarchist groups in London, since they were treated more leniently by the English government than elsewhere in the world, were infiltrated by foreign spies with alternate agendas, including royal assassination.
Jack London appears in a side plot, as a callous opportunist who used then abruptly discarded women to satisfy selfish whims, while leaving his wife and child 'out of sight, out of mind' in California.
Kate and Charles befriend the courageous editor of an anarchist press who narrowly escaped a police raid. Charlotte needs to remain in hiding, but she also needs to rescue her newspaper colleagues: all framed for crimes they did not commit, jailed, tried and sentenced. In an interesting court scene, Charles, with his knowledge of forensics, helps the defense reveal the false evidence and the paid false witnesses. A clever rescue is followed by a startling betrayal, with swift justice.
Jack London appears in a side plot, as a callous opportunist who used then abruptly discarded women to satisfy selfish whims, while leaving his wife and child 'out of sight, out of mind' in California.
Kate and Charles befriend the courageous editor of an anarchist press who narrowly escaped a police raid. Charlotte needs to remain in hiding, but she also needs to rescue her newspaper colleagues: all framed for crimes they did not commit, jailed, tried and sentenced. In an interesting court scene, Charles, with his knowledge of forensics, helps the defense reveal the false evidence and the paid false witnesses. A clever rescue is followed by a startling betrayal, with swift justice.
July 30, 2017
I actually liked the mystery is this book a great deal, and was fascinated by the characters. I would have given it 3 stars if it were not for one thing...
A young woman character is date-raped, and the man gets away with it. He is never confronted with his crime. This made me so angry I could spit!!! The whole subject was handled very badly, and it made me sick to read about it. It also served no purpose whatsoever in the plot. It was just added for extra drama, and was completely unnecessary.
UGH!!! Hateful nasty book!!
A young woman character is date-raped, and the man gets away with it. He is never confronted with his crime. This made me so angry I could spit!!! The whole subject was handled very badly, and it made me sick to read about it. It also served no purpose whatsoever in the plot. It was just added for extra drama, and was completely unnecessary.
UGH!!! Hateful nasty book!!
March 9, 2019
This was an impulse buy at booksale, a discard on a box near the check out. It looked interesting and it was only fifty cents.
Robin Paige is a pen name for Susan Wittig Albert, a prolific mystery writer I haven't read before.
This is a good read, full of descriptions of Edwardian England, the uneasy period before WWI, foreshadowing the Russian revolution. There are real people in the mix, Jack London especially, and locations, some that no longer exist, in London. Jack London is not the hero, but an opportunist jerk.
All that said, as a mystery it falls short. There is one death, technically a suicide, and the murderer is revealed at the end when it really doesn't matter. It isn't much of a surprise either. This is more of an espionage or suspense story. However the details and description make it entertaining.
Robin Paige is a pen name for Susan Wittig Albert, a prolific mystery writer I haven't read before.
This is a good read, full of descriptions of Edwardian England, the uneasy period before WWI, foreshadowing the Russian revolution. There are real people in the mix, Jack London especially, and locations, some that no longer exist, in London. Jack London is not the hero, but an opportunist jerk.
All that said, as a mystery it falls short. There is one death, technically a suicide, and the murderer is revealed at the end when it really doesn't matter. It isn't much of a surprise either. This is more of an espionage or suspense story. However the details and description make it entertaining.
May 30, 2025
This was a captivating tale set during England's revisionism in the beginning of the 20th century just after the coronation of King Edward VII. An undercurrent of disfavor about the landed elite, the House of Lords, and other such aristocracy was underway, and an assortment of reformist groups were covertly attempting to change the way things worked. British law enforcement was both actively and clandestinely striving to shut down these groups.
This mystery revolved around the fringe group, Anarchists, who had a number of affinity groups. In London, the Anarchist Clarion newspaper was run by editor Charlotte Conway who had taken it over when her mother was no longer able. And a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Ashcraft, became obsessed with both Charlotte and shutting down her small group by whatever means he could find.
This mystery revolved around the fringe group, Anarchists, who had a number of affinity groups. In London, the Anarchist Clarion newspaper was run by editor Charlotte Conway who had taken it over when her mother was no longer able. And a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Ashcraft, became obsessed with both Charlotte and shutting down her small group by whatever means he could find.
March 17, 2018
Review - I enjoyed this installment, but it's definitely not my favourite in the series. I thought that the character of Charlotte Conway was particularly interesting and demonstrates the changing status of women and the problems that were a part of late Victorian / early Edwardian society at the accession of Edward VII. Kate and Charles seemed to just be vessels for the mystery rather than major characters, which seems a shame as I loved them in earlier novels.
Genre? - Historical / Crime / Mystery
Characters? - Kathryn Ardleigh Sheridan / Charles Sheridan / Nellie Lovelace / Charlotte Conway / Jack London / Edward VII
Setting? - London & Bishop's Keep (England)
Series? - Kathryn Ardleigh #10
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 18/20
Genre? - Historical / Crime / Mystery
Characters? - Kathryn Ardleigh Sheridan / Charles Sheridan / Nellie Lovelace / Charlotte Conway / Jack London / Edward VII
Setting? - London & Bishop's Keep (England)
Series? - Kathryn Ardleigh #10
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 18/20
August 2, 2018
Another Kate Sheridan mystery in which we are taken into the events of Edward VII coronation and the anarchists who tried to disrupt it, and also the actions of a Scotland Yard Inspector determined to make specific arrests at any cost.
I have read several in this series and they are usually quite fun - but I have to admit to giving up on this one. I am all for historical accuracy but in this book it has become obsessive, at one point even going into details about places and events that have yet to happen. The random inclusion of the author Jack London and his unresolved rape of an actress is another matter - one assumes (hopes) that part is fictitious.
All of these info dumps were, for me at least, a real distraction and spoiled what could have been a fascinating read.
I have read several in this series and they are usually quite fun - but I have to admit to giving up on this one. I am all for historical accuracy but in this book it has become obsessive, at one point even going into details about places and events that have yet to happen. The random inclusion of the author Jack London and his unresolved rape of an actress is another matter - one assumes (hopes) that part is fictitious.
All of these info dumps were, for me at least, a real distraction and spoiled what could have been a fascinating read.
March 22, 2025
This book started out looking like it might be a 5 star read, but by the middle I was a bit bored. There just wasn’t much involved with the mystery and the authors were filling the narrative with constant historical details about nearly everything. Usually I like the details, but not when it takes up a whole page. I do think it was inventive to add Jack London into the story, but his character did not add to the mystery at all. He was also a bad character, which reflected how he was reported to be when he was alive.
The most I am taking away from this book is that I now know what anarchy means.
The most I am taking away from this book is that I now know what anarchy means.
August 15, 2022
First couple of chapters started slow for me but still I was intrigued; then it took off and I couldn't put it down after a few chapters. So detailed, interwoven, great period piece with reality threads [like Jack London] woven in. This husband/wife duo {Susan Wittig Albert & Bill Albert} are incredible. It was a page turner indeed, great court drama, Kate & Charlotte, two very strong females. Charles and Kate support/encourage each other's strengths, utilize them, compliment them.
I loved it and immediately handed it to my husband and said you have to read this!
ENJOY!
I loved it and immediately handed it to my husband and said you have to read this!
ENJOY!
May 27, 2025
Another interesting book in the series but I found the beginning a bit slow going. I knew very little of the anarchists movement in the early 1900's and so I found this book interesting. I love the way that the authors weave a tale around real people and I had never heard of Jack London previously. The plot gets quite a pace in come the middle of the book and it's interesting to read about fingerprints becoming recognised in law. This has been on the back burner now for two or three books in this series. It's interesting, informative and educational.
December 11, 2018
This is a weird little mystery. It ranges all over the place, not really keeping on track but giving us the viewpoints of many different characters. There is a rape scene, by real person Jack London, which I found pretty appalling. I thought the book was well-researched and I liked that Kate and Charles were sympathetic to the Anarchists. But this is more historical fiction with a hint of mystery than a mystery.
November 10, 2024
This is my first read in the Victorian mysteries series, but I have read and enjoyed Albert's Darling Dahlia and Beatrix Potter series. This book, coauthored with her husband, had the wonderful historical details I adore in her work.
It also has technical details, particularly in the trial scenes, that aren't present in her other works. These were well crafted and held my attention- no small feat as these scene types often drag on!
It also has technical details, particularly in the trial scenes, that aren't present in her other works. These were well crafted and held my attention- no small feat as these scene types often drag on!
April 5, 2021
I've not read any of this series before but I needn't have worried as it does work as a stand alone and when a character from a previous novel is referred to, footnotes tell you which novel they appear in if you want to get involved in their story. I've not seen this done before and think it's a good idea as it helps you out without detracting from the current read.
May 22, 2017
This is the first of the Edwardin series that I have read. It lumped all immigrants into the category of anarchists. The part about the use of fingerprinting in court was fascinating. I am looking forward to reading another in the series to see if the characters are better developed.
March 31, 2020
I enjoy these cozies, although they aren't really thrilling or anything. This one had a bomber, a terrorist cell, anarchists, etc. Jack London was featured as a guest character. I like that about this series; someone famous always shows up in the book as a side note.
October 11, 2020
It's been a long time since I read the first half of this series. I don't love their need to throw real people into each of the plots and they have some historical anachronisms, but they do write a compelling, quick read kind of story.
March 30, 2021
Beat the backlist reading challenge 2021: purple cover.
A secondary benefit to these super Victorian mysteries is the subliminal history lesson you get from fiction that is so seamlessly combined with real events and characters from the time. Who knew Jack London (author) was such a scoundrel!
A secondary benefit to these super Victorian mysteries is the subliminal history lesson you get from fiction that is so seamlessly combined with real events and characters from the time. Who knew Jack London (author) was such a scoundrel!
July 25, 2022
This is what historic, easy crime is meant to be. Very enjoyable. Not trying to be more than it is. Engaging characters with interesting cultural aspects and very well written. I appreciate the cadence matches my preference. Love this series.
May 6, 2023
Another interesting read, dealing with the anarchists, Jack London and the coronation day in 1902.
The writers really learn the history of the time period they are writing about and include interesting information about real people in their fictional mysteries.
The writers really learn the history of the time period they are writing about and include interesting information about real people in their fictional mysteries.
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