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Dr. Thomas Bond #2
Murder
"few writers blend mystery and the supernatural as well as Sarah Pinborough, but there are none who do it better. Quite, quite brilliant." --John Connolly, bestselling author of the Charlie Parker series
In this gripping sequel to the acclaimed Mayhem , Sarah Pinborough continues the adventures of troubled Victorian forensics expert Dr. Thomas Bond. Haunted by the nerve-shattering events he endured during the Jack the Ripper and Thames Torso Killer investigations, Dr. Bond is trying to reestablish the normal routines of daily life. Aiding in his recovery is the growing possibility that his long-held affections for the recently widowed Juliana Harrington might finally be reciprocated. He begins to allow himself to dream of one day forming a family with her and her young boy.
Soon, however, a new suitor arrives in London, challenging the doctor's claims on Juliana's happiness. Worse, it seems the evil creature that Dr. Bond had wrestled with during the Ripper and Torso Killer investigations is back and stronger than ever.
As the corpses of murdered children begin to turn up in the Thames, the police surgeon finds himself once again in a life-and-death struggle with an uncanny, inexorable foe.
In this gripping sequel to the acclaimed Mayhem , Sarah Pinborough continues the adventures of troubled Victorian forensics expert Dr. Thomas Bond. Haunted by the nerve-shattering events he endured during the Jack the Ripper and Thames Torso Killer investigations, Dr. Bond is trying to reestablish the normal routines of daily life. Aiding in his recovery is the growing possibility that his long-held affections for the recently widowed Juliana Harrington might finally be reciprocated. He begins to allow himself to dream of one day forming a family with her and her young boy.
Soon, however, a new suitor arrives in London, challenging the doctor's claims on Juliana's happiness. Worse, it seems the evil creature that Dr. Bond had wrestled with during the Ripper and Torso Killer investigations is back and stronger than ever.
As the corpses of murdered children begin to turn up in the Thames, the police surgeon finds himself once again in a life-and-death struggle with an uncanny, inexorable foe.
319 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2013
30 people are currently reading
1660 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pinborough
81 books7,975 followersSarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in development with Compelling Pictures. Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted. Her next novel, Insomnia, is out in 2022. You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @sarahpinborough.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
November 27, 2017
Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon is back in Murder the sequel to Mayhem. It's been years since Jack the Ripper and The Torso Killer roamed, but now something evil is back in London. Dead bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames, could the Upir be back?
I like how Sarah Pinborough uses a combination of fantasy and real events and persons in her books Mayhem and Murder to tell a story. The Upir is an interesting creation and I like that it's a vampire, but still quite different. Vampires have become too popular in my opinion and that has made them quite boring to read about.
The story in this book takes place a couple of years after the first book and Dr. Thomas Bond is back, but he is still haunted by the memories of what happened years before when Jack the Ripper and the Torso Killer roamed the city. But now something is stirring in the city, there are dead children being pulled out of the river Themes is the evil back, didn't the priest manage to get rid of the Upir when they took care of the Torso Killer in Mayhem?
It was an interesting book to read, but not totally engrossing for me, I had some trouble getting really invested in the story and the love triangle made it not easier. The rivalry between men over a woman can be interesting, but, in this case, the outcome was not that surprising and even though it was a logical part of the story I just didn't care for it so much. The book did manage to make some surprisingly turns even though I did guess the outcome right in the end and it was a perfect ending to a setup for a third book!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
I like how Sarah Pinborough uses a combination of fantasy and real events and persons in her books Mayhem and Murder to tell a story. The Upir is an interesting creation and I like that it's a vampire, but still quite different. Vampires have become too popular in my opinion and that has made them quite boring to read about.
The story in this book takes place a couple of years after the first book and Dr. Thomas Bond is back, but he is still haunted by the memories of what happened years before when Jack the Ripper and the Torso Killer roamed the city. But now something is stirring in the city, there are dead children being pulled out of the river Themes is the evil back, didn't the priest manage to get rid of the Upir when they took care of the Torso Killer in Mayhem?
It was an interesting book to read, but not totally engrossing for me, I had some trouble getting really invested in the story and the love triangle made it not easier. The rivalry between men over a woman can be interesting, but, in this case, the outcome was not that surprising and even though it was a logical part of the story I just didn't care for it so much. The book did manage to make some surprisingly turns even though I did guess the outcome right in the end and it was a perfect ending to a setup for a third book!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
April 22, 2014
5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
One of the most common things you'll hear about books these days is that everything seems to be a series. I know I myself have talked about series burnout on more than a few occasions and expressed a desire to see more stand-alones. However! Every once in a while the news of an unexpected sequel will make me jump up and down for joy! And this is most definitely one of those times.
Murder can be seen as the follow-up to Mayhem, the chilling paranormal horror novel by Sarah Pinborough that was published last year from Jo Fletcher Books. Sort-of-but-not-really about Jack the Ripper, the book and its clever combination of historical fact and fiction intermixed with supernatural elements quickly vaulted it onto my list of all-time favorites.
I should probably mention too that Mayhem works perfectly well as a stand-alone, but that I was also thrilled when I found out about Murder for reasons beyond the fact I am such a fan of its forerunner. Sarah Pinborough clearly had a lot more in store for Dr. Thomas Bond, the protagonist in these books. It should be noted that the real Dr. Thomas Bond was a very important figure in British crime history, best known for his work as the police surgeon on a lot of the Whitechapel murder investigations between 1887-1891. I’ve always believed that the best horror stories are rooted in reality, and being aware of the shocking turns in Bond’s career and later years also made me really excited to see what the author would do next.
Once again, Sarah Pinborough succeeds in bringing life and depth to her characters, several of whom were figures from history. A lot of the gruesome events described in this novel also actually happened, even the line in the description about bodies of children being pulled from the Thames (see the Victorian England baby farm murders). Pinborough flawlessly weaves a thread of supernatural into the story, but even then things can sometimes get too real. I think that’s why historical horrors are often so effective at terrifying me!
So now I’ll try my best to explain why I simply adored this book without giving away any spoilers for Mayhem: First, I love how these books aren’t about any one killer or murder case. Rather, all that serves as a backdrop in order to focus on something a lot more otherworldly and evil. Malevolence has settled upon London, and Dr. Thomas Bond is inextricably linked to it. Try as he might, he can’t escape the pull of the past. Because of this, Bond becomes an increasingly unreliable narrator, and having been familiar with his steadfast pragmatism up until this point, his downward spiral only makes the situation even more disconcerting. Like in Mayhem, Bond’s chapters are the only ones written in the first person, while others are in the third person. This point-of-view switching allows us to see a fuller picture, and it works even better here since our main protagonist’s credibility has been severely compromised.
Ms. Pinborough doesn’t hold anything back. Despite the kind of person Bond becomes, I felt for him; I really did. But clearly the author knows what needs to happen, and she carries out the plot with a cold eye and sees it all through mercilessly. And honestly? It made for an amazing book. There were some truly unexpected turns in the plot. At times, I couldn’t even believe it. You’ll be appalled and filled with hatred. Your heart will break. And you’ll also marvel at the amazing things the author has accomplished here with character development.
This book was just so good. Dark, disturbing, and full of tension -- just the way I like my horror. It was not a fast-paced book, and yet...the story had this way of worming into my mind. This is definitely the kind of book you'll find yourself thinking about even when you’re not reading, and hoping that it won’t be long until you can pick it up again.
One of the most common things you'll hear about books these days is that everything seems to be a series. I know I myself have talked about series burnout on more than a few occasions and expressed a desire to see more stand-alones. However! Every once in a while the news of an unexpected sequel will make me jump up and down for joy! And this is most definitely one of those times.
Murder can be seen as the follow-up to Mayhem, the chilling paranormal horror novel by Sarah Pinborough that was published last year from Jo Fletcher Books. Sort-of-but-not-really about Jack the Ripper, the book and its clever combination of historical fact and fiction intermixed with supernatural elements quickly vaulted it onto my list of all-time favorites.
I should probably mention too that Mayhem works perfectly well as a stand-alone, but that I was also thrilled when I found out about Murder for reasons beyond the fact I am such a fan of its forerunner. Sarah Pinborough clearly had a lot more in store for Dr. Thomas Bond, the protagonist in these books. It should be noted that the real Dr. Thomas Bond was a very important figure in British crime history, best known for his work as the police surgeon on a lot of the Whitechapel murder investigations between 1887-1891. I’ve always believed that the best horror stories are rooted in reality, and being aware of the shocking turns in Bond’s career and later years also made me really excited to see what the author would do next.
Once again, Sarah Pinborough succeeds in bringing life and depth to her characters, several of whom were figures from history. A lot of the gruesome events described in this novel also actually happened, even the line in the description about bodies of children being pulled from the Thames (see the Victorian England baby farm murders). Pinborough flawlessly weaves a thread of supernatural into the story, but even then things can sometimes get too real. I think that’s why historical horrors are often so effective at terrifying me!
So now I’ll try my best to explain why I simply adored this book without giving away any spoilers for Mayhem: First, I love how these books aren’t about any one killer or murder case. Rather, all that serves as a backdrop in order to focus on something a lot more otherworldly and evil. Malevolence has settled upon London, and Dr. Thomas Bond is inextricably linked to it. Try as he might, he can’t escape the pull of the past. Because of this, Bond becomes an increasingly unreliable narrator, and having been familiar with his steadfast pragmatism up until this point, his downward spiral only makes the situation even more disconcerting. Like in Mayhem, Bond’s chapters are the only ones written in the first person, while others are in the third person. This point-of-view switching allows us to see a fuller picture, and it works even better here since our main protagonist’s credibility has been severely compromised.
Ms. Pinborough doesn’t hold anything back. Despite the kind of person Bond becomes, I felt for him; I really did. But clearly the author knows what needs to happen, and she carries out the plot with a cold eye and sees it all through mercilessly. And honestly? It made for an amazing book. There were some truly unexpected turns in the plot. At times, I couldn’t even believe it. You’ll be appalled and filled with hatred. Your heart will break. And you’ll also marvel at the amazing things the author has accomplished here with character development.
This book was just so good. Dark, disturbing, and full of tension -- just the way I like my horror. It was not a fast-paced book, and yet...the story had this way of worming into my mind. This is definitely the kind of book you'll find yourself thinking about even when you’re not reading, and hoping that it won’t be long until you can pick it up again.
January 16, 2015
This book was a huge disappointment. I loved the first one but this one had so many errors in printing (wrong dates - at the end it says 2001 and it should say 1901). The writing seemed scattered and confusing. I almost put it down several times but I loved the first book and I thought it might get better. It didn't. With a heavy heart, I would not recommend this book series again.
May 28, 2015
I am disappointed; so much so I don't even know where to begin. I just can't shake the feeling that I've read this story somewhere before...
I had such a difficult time getting into the first book that I thought I may forgo reading this book altogether but alas I did not. I was able to get into this story more quickly but I found that the character development was flat, which is one of the things I enjoyed so much about the last book.
There were so many moments that I thought, where is this going? only to be lead down a very familiar or predictable path. Reading this felt like riding a roller coaster that has you slowly clicking up the steep hill anticipating the thrill of a drop on the other end, just to find out there isn't one.
If you haven't read Mayhem I think you may be lost because this book is definitely a continuation of the first novel. One of the biggest things I missed was the actual investigation of anything. What happened? Some of the previous character development in Mayhem seem to be contradictory in Murder. (I don't know if developments were rushed or not fully fleshed out but the way Dr Bond and his detective friends handled things just seemed to be farther off than in Mayhem.)
Bottom Line: This is the continuation of life with the Upir, which was a rather interesting connection of historic murders and supernatural creatures in Mayhem. But the story told was somewhat dull and flat with a very similar formula to the previous book. I was excited midway through because I thought I was going to get a creative turn that never came and I nearly DNF. I can say that I don't think I'll be reading anymore books in this series (if they turn up).
I had such a difficult time getting into the first book that I thought I may forgo reading this book altogether but alas I did not. I was able to get into this story more quickly but I found that the character development was flat, which is one of the things I enjoyed so much about the last book.
There were so many moments that I thought, where is this going? only to be lead down a very familiar or predictable path. Reading this felt like riding a roller coaster that has you slowly clicking up the steep hill anticipating the thrill of a drop on the other end, just to find out there isn't one.
If you haven't read Mayhem I think you may be lost because this book is definitely a continuation of the first novel. One of the biggest things I missed was the actual investigation of anything. What happened? Some of the previous character development in Mayhem seem to be contradictory in Murder. (I don't know if developments were rushed or not fully fleshed out but the way Dr Bond and his detective friends handled things just seemed to be farther off than in Mayhem.)
Bottom Line: This is the continuation of life with the Upir, which was a rather interesting connection of historic murders and supernatural creatures in Mayhem. But the story told was somewhat dull and flat with a very similar formula to the previous book. I was excited midway through because I thought I was going to get a creative turn that never came and I nearly DNF. I can say that I don't think I'll be reading anymore books in this series (if they turn up).
July 27, 2016
Some time after the events of 'Mayhem' we return to London. Many of the characters we met in that novel return, and we can see the impact of those events on their lives.
Juliana has become an over-protective mother to her young son James, a husk of her former self after the death of her husband, James. Dr Bond has kept quiet about his involvement in the clearing-up of these events, and he is hopeful that he will eventually marry Juliana.
Initially, everything seems rather dull. Everyone is going about their business and nothing particularly out of the ordinary happens. Then the battered body of a woman is found in a train carriage and it gets Bond thinking about the events of previous years.
In this novel we are introduced to Edward Kane, an old friend of James, and he asks Bond to look into some letters that James sent, in which he talks of the Upir and the awful things it made him do. Bond appeases Kane's curiosity with plausible explanations - but it opens up new questions for Bond.
Suddenly we are plunged into a horrific tale- where Bond learns of the extent to which those closest to him were caught up in the impact of the Upir's existence. Unable to let this go, Bond continues to seek answers to his questions - with devastating consequences.
This novel was more focused on the personl decline of Bond, and it had less interest in some ways. There were minor irritations because of poor editing, but the story was a fascinating example of horror.
Juliana has become an over-protective mother to her young son James, a husk of her former self after the death of her husband, James. Dr Bond has kept quiet about his involvement in the clearing-up of these events, and he is hopeful that he will eventually marry Juliana.
Initially, everything seems rather dull. Everyone is going about their business and nothing particularly out of the ordinary happens. Then the battered body of a woman is found in a train carriage and it gets Bond thinking about the events of previous years.
In this novel we are introduced to Edward Kane, an old friend of James, and he asks Bond to look into some letters that James sent, in which he talks of the Upir and the awful things it made him do. Bond appeases Kane's curiosity with plausible explanations - but it opens up new questions for Bond.
Suddenly we are plunged into a horrific tale- where Bond learns of the extent to which those closest to him were caught up in the impact of the Upir's existence. Unable to let this go, Bond continues to seek answers to his questions - with devastating consequences.
This novel was more focused on the personl decline of Bond, and it had less interest in some ways. There were minor irritations because of poor editing, but the story was a fascinating example of horror.
June 21, 2017
What a terrific two book series this is.
Beginning with Mayhem, Sarah Pinborough fictionalized the torso killings, which were occurring alongside Jack the Ripper's reign of terror.
Add in a bit of the supernatural, and this was a brilliant mix of historical fiction with dabs of horror.
Mayhem could easily have been a standalone novel, but Pinborough chose to continue the story of Dr Thomas Bond in this sequel that not only matched Mayhem's excellence, but completed the two novels as one complete and totally absorbing story.
Unsettling is the most apt description I can come up with for both novels. London in the 1880s/90s can be as dark as you want to imagine, and she does this very well. Her sense of place in these stories were very well done and suited for the story. Her use of prose and dialogue are perfectly balanced and the characters very believable.
It's tough to say anything about Murder without spoiling Mayhem, so there really is only one thing I can say:
Read these!
I really have to read more of this lady. Fantastic stuff. Outstanding, really.
Beginning with Mayhem, Sarah Pinborough fictionalized the torso killings, which were occurring alongside Jack the Ripper's reign of terror.
Add in a bit of the supernatural, and this was a brilliant mix of historical fiction with dabs of horror.
Mayhem could easily have been a standalone novel, but Pinborough chose to continue the story of Dr Thomas Bond in this sequel that not only matched Mayhem's excellence, but completed the two novels as one complete and totally absorbing story.
Unsettling is the most apt description I can come up with for both novels. London in the 1880s/90s can be as dark as you want to imagine, and she does this very well. Her sense of place in these stories were very well done and suited for the story. Her use of prose and dialogue are perfectly balanced and the characters very believable.
It's tough to say anything about Murder without spoiling Mayhem, so there really is only one thing I can say:
Read these!
I really have to read more of this lady. Fantastic stuff. Outstanding, really.
August 12, 2016
I am terribly disappointed. A sure sign of a bad book in an historic setting is when characters have ridiculously 21st century attitudes - the lovely Juliana gaily indulges in an absurd amount of pre and extra marital sex for the 1880s. Even pure practicality argues against behaving like that. Then there's the dashing American hero, the fact that the lovely Juliana is the only named woman in the book... I am so disappointed.
Overall, very disappointing. (It was mildly entertaining however.)
Overall, very disappointing. (It was mildly entertaining however.)
February 25, 2015
Murder by Sarah Pinborough is the sequel to the thrilling period piece Mayhem. Dr. Thomas Bond, having survived the horror of the Thames Torso Killer and the terror of Jack the Ripper, is piecing his life together again. He continues to aid the police with their investigations with his forensic knowledge but comforts himself with the belief that he would never have to face the evil he did when he faced the Demon Upir.
"...My grip tightened on my brandy glass. We rarely talked of the Torso murders. For Andrews they had always been secondary to Jack's, and I was glad of that. For the first few years after those terrible events, my sleep had suffered. I kept the memories locked away in my soul, and I weaned myself from the laudanum, but often my days were wrecked with tiredness. I had not seen either the priest or Aaron Kosminski since that fateful night in Harrington's warehouse. I had slowly managed to convince myself that the drugs had induced a kind of madness in us..."
With Harrington's death that night, Bond now finds himself drawn to his widow, Juliana and her son. He begins to believe that the feelings he has for her may be received and reciprocated now with her husband dead. But there is another suitor. An American, an old friend of Harrington's who knows some of what had happened. Of the evil and the madness that his friend had fallen under. In coming to London, Edward Kane expected to find his friend and to speak to him of the darkness Harrington had written to him about. But instead he finds him dead and his lovely widow alone.
But what neither Bond or Kane realize is that the evil that took over Harrington is still alive and waiting. Alert for the opportunity to possess another and to begin the killings again. Is Bond strong enough to once again face the enemy. Without the priest or Kosminski available, Bond must face the demon Upir alone.
Pinborough once again, does a masterful job of creating setting and time. The London she paints is dark and suffocating. The class structure leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Bond himself is older and weakened by his battles with the Upir and his own addictions. The hope he is given by Juliana is tainted with the realization that she is in danger as well as her young son. Kane steps in as a brass and arrogant American, a much younger man to vie for Juliana's attention.
The demon is ever present. Getting stronger with each passing page. Its lust for blood only sated by murder.
The weakness to this tale is in its missing heroes. The Priest and Kosminski who played such pivotal roles in Mayhem are gone or regulated to minor roles. Bond is on his own and the story is less for that.
Overall Pinborough has put together another fine tale. Weaving murder mystery with the supernatural.
A very good read.
"...My grip tightened on my brandy glass. We rarely talked of the Torso murders. For Andrews they had always been secondary to Jack's, and I was glad of that. For the first few years after those terrible events, my sleep had suffered. I kept the memories locked away in my soul, and I weaned myself from the laudanum, but often my days were wrecked with tiredness. I had not seen either the priest or Aaron Kosminski since that fateful night in Harrington's warehouse. I had slowly managed to convince myself that the drugs had induced a kind of madness in us..."
With Harrington's death that night, Bond now finds himself drawn to his widow, Juliana and her son. He begins to believe that the feelings he has for her may be received and reciprocated now with her husband dead. But there is another suitor. An American, an old friend of Harrington's who knows some of what had happened. Of the evil and the madness that his friend had fallen under. In coming to London, Edward Kane expected to find his friend and to speak to him of the darkness Harrington had written to him about. But instead he finds him dead and his lovely widow alone.
But what neither Bond or Kane realize is that the evil that took over Harrington is still alive and waiting. Alert for the opportunity to possess another and to begin the killings again. Is Bond strong enough to once again face the enemy. Without the priest or Kosminski available, Bond must face the demon Upir alone.
Pinborough once again, does a masterful job of creating setting and time. The London she paints is dark and suffocating. The class structure leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Bond himself is older and weakened by his battles with the Upir and his own addictions. The hope he is given by Juliana is tainted with the realization that she is in danger as well as her young son. Kane steps in as a brass and arrogant American, a much younger man to vie for Juliana's attention.
The demon is ever present. Getting stronger with each passing page. Its lust for blood only sated by murder.
The weakness to this tale is in its missing heroes. The Priest and Kosminski who played such pivotal roles in Mayhem are gone or regulated to minor roles. Bond is on his own and the story is less for that.
Overall Pinborough has put together another fine tale. Weaving murder mystery with the supernatural.
A very good read.
July 14, 2017
*spoilers from Mayhem will follow*
‘I refused to allow my paranoias to root inside me; I knew I must allow them no room to grow during the long, dark nights.’
Six years have passed since James Harrington, the Thames Torso Murderer was finally caught and killed by Dr. Thomas Bond, a Police Surgeon in London. Bond is haunted with the knowledge behind the killings because Harrington was possessed by a violent parasite, the Upir, which drove him to violently murder all those women. Unfortunately, the death of Harrington did not kill the Upir, only left it temporarily without a host. Bond is seemingly moving past the nightmares of his past as he’s fallen in love with Juliana, Harrington’s widow, and plans to propose to her. His life is thrown into disarray when an old friend of Harrington comes to London with a packet of letters from Harrington which implicates him in crimes committed while in the throes of the parasite. In addition to the dredging up of these memories, Bond must also deal with new evidence which points to a new suspect being the famed ‘Jack the Ripper’.
Setting aside the horrific plot, the most amazing thing about both Mayhem and Murder is the vivid atmosphere deftly brought to life. Pinborough’s writing goes beyond creating a movie in our minds; it truly feels like you’re walking the streets of London, visualizing the slums and seedy individuals Bond encounters as he makes his way to the opium dens. The fact that she manages to blend historical fiction with the supernatural seamlessly is even more spectacular. The attention to detail only serves to make the horrors of this macabre story even more unnerving.
Mayhem stood alone as a solid story but Murder adds an extra facet to the tale that I wasn’t sure was necessary until I read it myself. The ending of Mayhem was, in retrospect, far too neatly completed; the mystery too cleanly wrapped up. Simply put, it was too good to be true. And Murder completely proves that to be true. If you thought Mayhem was terrifying and left your skin crawling, Murder completely outdoes its predecessor, ensnaring you in its grasp leaving you hopeless to stop reading until the undoubted heart stopping ending. This was one superb and truly impressive duology. Bravo Sarah Pinborough.
I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
‘I refused to allow my paranoias to root inside me; I knew I must allow them no room to grow during the long, dark nights.’
Six years have passed since James Harrington, the Thames Torso Murderer was finally caught and killed by Dr. Thomas Bond, a Police Surgeon in London. Bond is haunted with the knowledge behind the killings because Harrington was possessed by a violent parasite, the Upir, which drove him to violently murder all those women. Unfortunately, the death of Harrington did not kill the Upir, only left it temporarily without a host. Bond is seemingly moving past the nightmares of his past as he’s fallen in love with Juliana, Harrington’s widow, and plans to propose to her. His life is thrown into disarray when an old friend of Harrington comes to London with a packet of letters from Harrington which implicates him in crimes committed while in the throes of the parasite. In addition to the dredging up of these memories, Bond must also deal with new evidence which points to a new suspect being the famed ‘Jack the Ripper’.
Setting aside the horrific plot, the most amazing thing about both Mayhem and Murder is the vivid atmosphere deftly brought to life. Pinborough’s writing goes beyond creating a movie in our minds; it truly feels like you’re walking the streets of London, visualizing the slums and seedy individuals Bond encounters as he makes his way to the opium dens. The fact that she manages to blend historical fiction with the supernatural seamlessly is even more spectacular. The attention to detail only serves to make the horrors of this macabre story even more unnerving.
Mayhem stood alone as a solid story but Murder adds an extra facet to the tale that I wasn’t sure was necessary until I read it myself. The ending of Mayhem was, in retrospect, far too neatly completed; the mystery too cleanly wrapped up. Simply put, it was too good to be true. And Murder completely proves that to be true. If you thought Mayhem was terrifying and left your skin crawling, Murder completely outdoes its predecessor, ensnaring you in its grasp leaving you hopeless to stop reading until the undoubted heart stopping ending. This was one superb and truly impressive duology. Bravo Sarah Pinborough.
I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
February 1, 2017
I definitely didn't enjoy this as much as the first book.
This is a sequel, and as such, there is no new mystery. There is very little suspense as well; it's more like an extended epilogue to the first book. It did drag on at times, making me feel that there was nothing new to tell and what I was reading was just stalling.
On the positive side, the time-setting is quite well done, and Dr. Bond's descent into madness is subtle and well-written.
However, the whole romantic triangle with Juliana was, quite frankly, disgusting. That is one trope I hate with a passion, and this one was particularly distasteful. I had already thought, in the first book, that Bond's crush on his friend's daughter was creepy, especially considering how the book ended. In this one, a rival to his affections is introduced, and they proceed to compete for her. Edward is younger, handsome, rich, and presented as a much better option, but I found his attitude towards Juliana enraging: he is forceful, talks over her, tells her how she should feel, ignores her wishes, and stalks her. But, of course, that's exactly what she wants, and turns out she becomes a happy little wife to him. On top of that, we're constantly being treated to detailed descriptions of Edward's arousal at the thought of her, and some sex scenes. I'm not a prude, or adverse to sex scenes, but, really, this book isn't supposed to be smut, and those scenes don't add anything at all to the story. That, combined with his behavior towards Juliana, made my skin crawl.
The treatment of Juliana in this book is deplorable. It's extremely objectifying. She's nothing but a prop in the story, for men to fight over. I understand that the time being portrayed in the text was different, women didn't have much agency back then, blah, blah, blah; that doesn't excuse putting the only female character of the story as the prize to be fought over, the maiden to be protected, and the victim to be abused, and nothing more than those stereotypes. She's never given a voice: almost every character that has any importance to the story gets at least one chapter from their point of view, except for her; Juliana is talked about all the time, but she never gets to say anything for herself.
Overall, I'd stick with the first book and skip this one.
This is a sequel, and as such, there is no new mystery. There is very little suspense as well; it's more like an extended epilogue to the first book. It did drag on at times, making me feel that there was nothing new to tell and what I was reading was just stalling.
On the positive side, the time-setting is quite well done, and Dr. Bond's descent into madness is subtle and well-written.
However, the whole romantic triangle with Juliana was, quite frankly, disgusting. That is one trope I hate with a passion, and this one was particularly distasteful. I had already thought, in the first book, that Bond's crush on his friend's daughter was creepy, especially considering how the book ended. In this one, a rival to his affections is introduced, and they proceed to compete for her. Edward is younger, handsome, rich, and presented as a much better option, but I found his attitude towards Juliana enraging: he is forceful, talks over her, tells her how she should feel, ignores her wishes, and stalks her. But, of course, that's exactly what she wants, and turns out she becomes a happy little wife to him. On top of that, we're constantly being treated to detailed descriptions of Edward's arousal at the thought of her, and some sex scenes. I'm not a prude, or adverse to sex scenes, but, really, this book isn't supposed to be smut, and those scenes don't add anything at all to the story. That, combined with his behavior towards Juliana, made my skin crawl.
The treatment of Juliana in this book is deplorable. It's extremely objectifying. She's nothing but a prop in the story, for men to fight over. I understand that the time being portrayed in the text was different, women didn't have much agency back then, blah, blah, blah; that doesn't excuse putting the only female character of the story as the prize to be fought over, the maiden to be protected, and the victim to be abused, and nothing more than those stereotypes. She's never given a voice: almost every character that has any importance to the story gets at least one chapter from their point of view, except for her; Juliana is talked about all the time, but she never gets to say anything for herself.
Overall, I'd stick with the first book and skip this one.
November 18, 2018
Han pasado varios años desde los acontecimientos del anterior libro “El segundo asesino” y voy a resumir los hechos en la medida de lo que pueda, sin contar ningún hecho importante.
He de decir que el libro retoma lo ocurrido en el libro mencionado anteriormente, así que recomiendo que no se lean de forma independiente, en este libro el Dr. Thomas Bond retoma la investigación de los crímenes de Jack el Destripador, de modo personal debido a una información fortuita y unas cartas que acaban en sus manos, esa información adquirida otra vez le vuelve a acarrear problemas de insomnio.
Además de esta investigación, el Dr. Thomas Bond comienza la investigación de niños encontrados en las aguas del río que previamente han sido estrangulados antes de ser arrojados a ellas.
En esta novela Sarah Pinborough ha conseguido una lectura más dinámica y ágil, la novela, en mi opinión, es mucho más interesante desde el inicio y el ritmo también es más constante.
Los personajes también han ganado en profundidad, sobre todo, por sus vivencias en el primer libro de la serie, tanto Juliana, como Charles Hebbert o el Dr. Thomas Bond son personajes que están mejor definidos en este libro.
También he de destacar a Edward Kane, un personaje que se menciona de pasada en el primer libro y que en éste tiene su importancia, es un personaje que realmente me ha gustado mucho.
En esta novela la trama también gira en torno a los hechos paranormales que es el sello de la autora y lo entremezcla con una novela policiaca ambientada en el Londres victoriano de manera brillante.
El final también me ha gustado mucho, muy bien argumentado y en consonancia con toda la trama del libro.
En resumen, es una novela policiaca con tintes paranormales, con buen ritmo y bien llevada, que te mantiene inmersa en la trama y con un buen final.
He de decir que el libro retoma lo ocurrido en el libro mencionado anteriormente, así que recomiendo que no se lean de forma independiente, en este libro el Dr. Thomas Bond retoma la investigación de los crímenes de Jack el Destripador, de modo personal debido a una información fortuita y unas cartas que acaban en sus manos, esa información adquirida otra vez le vuelve a acarrear problemas de insomnio.
Además de esta investigación, el Dr. Thomas Bond comienza la investigación de niños encontrados en las aguas del río que previamente han sido estrangulados antes de ser arrojados a ellas.
En esta novela Sarah Pinborough ha conseguido una lectura más dinámica y ágil, la novela, en mi opinión, es mucho más interesante desde el inicio y el ritmo también es más constante.
Los personajes también han ganado en profundidad, sobre todo, por sus vivencias en el primer libro de la serie, tanto Juliana, como Charles Hebbert o el Dr. Thomas Bond son personajes que están mejor definidos en este libro.
También he de destacar a Edward Kane, un personaje que se menciona de pasada en el primer libro y que en éste tiene su importancia, es un personaje que realmente me ha gustado mucho.
En esta novela la trama también gira en torno a los hechos paranormales que es el sello de la autora y lo entremezcla con una novela policiaca ambientada en el Londres victoriano de manera brillante.
El final también me ha gustado mucho, muy bien argumentado y en consonancia con toda la trama del libro.
En resumen, es una novela policiaca con tintes paranormales, con buen ritmo y bien llevada, que te mantiene inmersa en la trama y con un buen final.
November 19, 2014
Murder is the sequel to Mayhem and it is very much a sequel, so much so, if you haven't read Mayhem yet, I very much recommend that you plan on reading one book after the other (if you plan to at all) because with a long gap, as I had, it can take a good chunk of the beginning of Murder until you finally remember who is who. Murder very much continues the story of Mayhem more or less where it left off (with just a few years of people being miserable in between). Anyway, whereas Mayhem is about the Jack the Ripper murders and another group of murders that happen at the same time 'The Torso Murders', Murder is about what happens to the survivors in the aftermath. I'm desperately trying not to give away spoilers, particularly for people who haven't read Mayhem either but there is a supernatural element to the story but I like how you're always left wondering, as the story is told from different character viewpoints, whether the supernatural things they fear they are undergoing isn't actually the result of drug addiction and bad mental health. In Murder we see this fight with the supernatural and/or insanity again but this time I couldn't help feel that the character undergoing this battle should have known better, the author does try and tackle this and I guess even the most sensible men will do stupid things sometimes for pride, ego, love but it just somehow felt less 'believable'
All in all though it's a rather depressing book, particularly in that you can take it as an allegory on how evil always persists and how it ripples out and touches the lives around it. There was not a drop of redemption or hope in it at all.
All in all though it's a rather depressing book, particularly in that you can take it as an allegory on how evil always persists and how it ripples out and touches the lives around it. There was not a drop of redemption or hope in it at all.
September 15, 2019
Amazing.
And poor Thomas Bond.
RTC (at least I hope so. I kind of neglected writing reviews the past months)
And poor Thomas Bond.
RTC (at least I hope so. I kind of neglected writing reviews the past months)
January 15, 2020
The first half of this book was brillant. Same morbid and dark storyline; a continuation of the first story. Dr. Bond was living his best life and then shit hit the fan.
I love the way the story initially unraveled. Plus the love story sideline and the son’s tutor were great add in mini plots.
However the last quarter of the book dragged and dragged. I also felt the ending was fairly obvious although I feel there was little else to do at that point. I did smile at the 2001 chapters; they were a nice unexpected bonus.
If you read the first one, I would definitely recommend the second. It’s not necessary since the first story is quite complete on its own. However I think the second book adds so much more.
I love the way the story initially unraveled. Plus the love story sideline and the son’s tutor were great add in mini plots.
However the last quarter of the book dragged and dragged. I also felt the ending was fairly obvious although I feel there was little else to do at that point. I did smile at the 2001 chapters; they were a nice unexpected bonus.
If you read the first one, I would definitely recommend the second. It’s not necessary since the first story is quite complete on its own. However I think the second book adds so much more.
September 16, 2017
מאוכזבת.. לא ברור לי למה הספר הזה היה נחוץ. הראשון היה מצוין ופה השאירו אותי עם הרגשה רעה. חבל..
July 29, 2015
https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
Murder was one of my books that I’ve had for a while waiting to be read and I’m so pleased that I finally made the time to pick it up. It’s such a good book. Really, I don’t think I’ll be able to heap enough praise on it although i’ll certainly give it a good try. Let the gushing commence!
Murder is the second book in a series by Sarah Pinborough, a series that started with a creepy and dark first instalment called Mayhem. I think this could be read as a standalone to be honest although I would recommend reading the first in order to get the full measure of the characters involved. And, if you haven’t read Mayhem then this review will undoubtedly contain spoilers so be aware of that before continuing.
The story starts a few years after the conclusion of Mayhem. Dr Bond is finally beginning to recover from the events that saw the death of Harrington and has managed to convince himself that the strange monster that he thought he saw at the time was nothing more than a drug induced fantasy. He’s carved out a comfortable lifestyle for himself and managed to become a firm family favourite with Harrington’s widow and son, in fact he harbours strong hopes of making Juliana his wife (in spite of a rather significant age difference).
Unfortunately, however, the past has no intention of lying quietly to one side and past events are about to be raked over when an old friend of Harrington’s from the US (Kane) visits London to pay the good doctor a visit. He has a bundle of letters that seem almost crazy, written to him by Harrington, and he wants somebody to look them over and see what they make of the whole thing.
I’m actually not going to go into the plot at all other than the above. Once again Pinborough manages to write a work of fiction bringing to life real people and events from a period of the past that was particularly scary and once again she provides us with what appears to be two murderers.
What did I really like about this book. The writing. It’s simply so very good. Frankly, I’m a pushover for really good writing and so this was an easy win for me. Every time I opened the pages I sunk into them and became unaware of everything around me. I was literally like the fly on the wall watching everything happen – and some of it was damned scary enough for me to want to fly away. SP paints the scene expertly. She gives details but doesn’t dump, she captures the era perfectly without being a stickler to it and she absolutely succeeds in bringing her characters to life and giving them real emotions. You are definitely going to feel for these characters and Pinborough will put you through the emotional wringer along with them. I really didn’t foresee some of the events that took part and I’m not too proud to say that they left me gobsmacked. There’s also the perfect evocation of a dirty, smoggy, dark and despairing London where evil seems to lurk in the very mist and sink into the pores of the people travelling the streets.
On top of that the characters. I think Dr Bond is one of the most compelling characters I’ve read for an age and one that I’ve had the most torn feelings over. His journey into madness and despair is perfectly riveting. The other characters are equally good and written in a way that builds them up slowly. Kane for example, I started off mistrusting him and his thoughts in general and in fact finding him a little offensive at first and I think this was really clever because at the back of your mind you start to assign the character other secrets or see something more sinister about them.
I’m going to stop there as I don’t really want to give anything away other than the fact that I really enjoyed this book. In fact, for me personally, it surpassed Mayhem.
A totally gripping, horrible, nasty, dark and grimy, chill inducing book with twists and turns aplenty and an excellent finish – which even gives me a tiny hope for something more. Pretty please.
Read it. That is all.
I’m submitting this for my Backlist Burndown book over at Tenacious Reader and also I’m adding it as one of my completed series (although secretly I am hoping for more!)
Murder was one of my books that I’ve had for a while waiting to be read and I’m so pleased that I finally made the time to pick it up. It’s such a good book. Really, I don’t think I’ll be able to heap enough praise on it although i’ll certainly give it a good try. Let the gushing commence!
Murder is the second book in a series by Sarah Pinborough, a series that started with a creepy and dark first instalment called Mayhem. I think this could be read as a standalone to be honest although I would recommend reading the first in order to get the full measure of the characters involved. And, if you haven’t read Mayhem then this review will undoubtedly contain spoilers so be aware of that before continuing.
The story starts a few years after the conclusion of Mayhem. Dr Bond is finally beginning to recover from the events that saw the death of Harrington and has managed to convince himself that the strange monster that he thought he saw at the time was nothing more than a drug induced fantasy. He’s carved out a comfortable lifestyle for himself and managed to become a firm family favourite with Harrington’s widow and son, in fact he harbours strong hopes of making Juliana his wife (in spite of a rather significant age difference).
Unfortunately, however, the past has no intention of lying quietly to one side and past events are about to be raked over when an old friend of Harrington’s from the US (Kane) visits London to pay the good doctor a visit. He has a bundle of letters that seem almost crazy, written to him by Harrington, and he wants somebody to look them over and see what they make of the whole thing.
I’m actually not going to go into the plot at all other than the above. Once again Pinborough manages to write a work of fiction bringing to life real people and events from a period of the past that was particularly scary and once again she provides us with what appears to be two murderers.
What did I really like about this book. The writing. It’s simply so very good. Frankly, I’m a pushover for really good writing and so this was an easy win for me. Every time I opened the pages I sunk into them and became unaware of everything around me. I was literally like the fly on the wall watching everything happen – and some of it was damned scary enough for me to want to fly away. SP paints the scene expertly. She gives details but doesn’t dump, she captures the era perfectly without being a stickler to it and she absolutely succeeds in bringing her characters to life and giving them real emotions. You are definitely going to feel for these characters and Pinborough will put you through the emotional wringer along with them. I really didn’t foresee some of the events that took part and I’m not too proud to say that they left me gobsmacked. There’s also the perfect evocation of a dirty, smoggy, dark and despairing London where evil seems to lurk in the very mist and sink into the pores of the people travelling the streets.
On top of that the characters. I think Dr Bond is one of the most compelling characters I’ve read for an age and one that I’ve had the most torn feelings over. His journey into madness and despair is perfectly riveting. The other characters are equally good and written in a way that builds them up slowly. Kane for example, I started off mistrusting him and his thoughts in general and in fact finding him a little offensive at first and I think this was really clever because at the back of your mind you start to assign the character other secrets or see something more sinister about them.
I’m going to stop there as I don’t really want to give anything away other than the fact that I really enjoyed this book. In fact, for me personally, it surpassed Mayhem.
A totally gripping, horrible, nasty, dark and grimy, chill inducing book with twists and turns aplenty and an excellent finish – which even gives me a tiny hope for something more. Pretty please.
Read it. That is all.
I’m submitting this for my Backlist Burndown book over at Tenacious Reader and also I’m adding it as one of my completed series (although secretly I am hoping for more!)
April 7, 2014
Publication Date: May 1st 2014 from Jo Fletcher Books.
Thank you SO much to all concerned for the advance reading copy. It meant I didnt have to commit murder myself…
Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, is still recovering from the event of the previous year when Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London – and a more malign enemy hid in his shadow. Bond and the others who worked on the gruesome case are still stalked by its legacies, both psychological and tangible.
But now the bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames… and Bond is about to become inextricably linked with an uncanny, undying enemy.
So after Mayhem there was Murder and as Ms Pinborough wove her unique brand of literary magic around me again I was immediately transported back to Victorian London and the weird and wonderful world of Dr Thomas Bond.
Here we find him recovering from the events of “Mayhem” and finally finding some form of equilibrium again – his life back on track, love in his future and much to be grateful for. But the darkness has not been completely banished and life is about to take an unexpected turn.
In “Mayhem” life and soul was given to some real life characters from History, here that mythology deepens and expands in the most delightful way. I was engrossed, addicted, often sitting WAY too close to the edge of my seat and the sheer genius of the tale was absolutely compelling. And frankly, often scaring the bejesus out of me. Which is not easy to achieve.
The writing is sublime. The storytelling is intelligent and engaging. The descriptive prose and creeping sense of menace is beyond any words I have to describe it - add to that probably the best scene setting I’ve seen for a while with the ability to put you right on the streets of London as it was and you have a heady mix of reading mayhem. Yep that was intentional.
Sarah Pinborough is absolutely one of my favourite authors. Definitely the best lady on the block. And coming close to kicking the ass of Stephen King who has had my No 1 spot forever. What else is there to say?
Read it. Live it. Love it.
Thank you SO much to all concerned for the advance reading copy. It meant I didnt have to commit murder myself…
Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, is still recovering from the event of the previous year when Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London – and a more malign enemy hid in his shadow. Bond and the others who worked on the gruesome case are still stalked by its legacies, both psychological and tangible.
But now the bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames… and Bond is about to become inextricably linked with an uncanny, undying enemy.
So after Mayhem there was Murder and as Ms Pinborough wove her unique brand of literary magic around me again I was immediately transported back to Victorian London and the weird and wonderful world of Dr Thomas Bond.
Here we find him recovering from the events of “Mayhem” and finally finding some form of equilibrium again – his life back on track, love in his future and much to be grateful for. But the darkness has not been completely banished and life is about to take an unexpected turn.
In “Mayhem” life and soul was given to some real life characters from History, here that mythology deepens and expands in the most delightful way. I was engrossed, addicted, often sitting WAY too close to the edge of my seat and the sheer genius of the tale was absolutely compelling. And frankly, often scaring the bejesus out of me. Which is not easy to achieve.
The writing is sublime. The storytelling is intelligent and engaging. The descriptive prose and creeping sense of menace is beyond any words I have to describe it - add to that probably the best scene setting I’ve seen for a while with the ability to put you right on the streets of London as it was and you have a heady mix of reading mayhem. Yep that was intentional.
Sarah Pinborough is absolutely one of my favourite authors. Definitely the best lady on the block. And coming close to kicking the ass of Stephen King who has had my No 1 spot forever. What else is there to say?
Read it. Live it. Love it.
December 14, 2024
A gripping follow-up to Pinborough's previous novel, "Mayhem", featuring the real-life Dr. Thomas Bond, considered to be the father of criminal profiling (and who, during the Ripper murders in London, wrote what is considered to be the first criminal profile on Jack), "Murder" finds Dr. Bond recovering from the shocks suffered during the Ripper murders and those of the Thames Torso Killer. He's still hopelessly in love with Juliana Harrington, the widow of the late James Harrington, who had been possessed by a demonic creature that drove him to sickness and insanity in the previous book.
Now an American fellow, Edward Kane, an old friend of James Harrington's, has arrived in London with a pack of strange letters Harrington had written to him years before, within which were what Kane considers lunatic ravings. Still, he wants to find out the truth behind the letters, and he entrusts them to Dr. Bond, as a close friend of the family and the man Juliana loves and cares for, to see if Bond can make head or tail of them.
But those letters carry shreds of a past Bond is trying passionately to put behind him, one involving supernatural possession, madness and unspeakable violence and horror. They become the catalyst of the past as it raises his nightmarish head and, this time, threatens to directly harm those Bond loves most in the world.
"Murder" is more than a worthy successor to "Mayhem". Using the facts of the real Dr. Bond's life, and her great talent as a storyteller, Ms. Pinborough makes the reader devour page after page. You care deeply about these sympathetic characters. They are so well-drawn and lifelike, their emotions so akin to yours and mine, that the final, jaw-dropping climax is an emotional punch in the gut.
But read "Mayhem" first. It's absolutely essential, because the events in that book lead directly to this.
Highly recommended!
Now an American fellow, Edward Kane, an old friend of James Harrington's, has arrived in London with a pack of strange letters Harrington had written to him years before, within which were what Kane considers lunatic ravings. Still, he wants to find out the truth behind the letters, and he entrusts them to Dr. Bond, as a close friend of the family and the man Juliana loves and cares for, to see if Bond can make head or tail of them.
But those letters carry shreds of a past Bond is trying passionately to put behind him, one involving supernatural possession, madness and unspeakable violence and horror. They become the catalyst of the past as it raises his nightmarish head and, this time, threatens to directly harm those Bond loves most in the world.
"Murder" is more than a worthy successor to "Mayhem". Using the facts of the real Dr. Bond's life, and her great talent as a storyteller, Ms. Pinborough makes the reader devour page after page. You care deeply about these sympathetic characters. They are so well-drawn and lifelike, their emotions so akin to yours and mine, that the final, jaw-dropping climax is an emotional punch in the gut.
But read "Mayhem" first. It's absolutely essential, because the events in that book lead directly to this.
Highly recommended!
September 12, 2017
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
Over a year has passed since the Jack the Ripper murders and Dr. Thomas Bond finds himself still trying to recover from the events. Though life in London continues on; Bond, as well as the other investigators on the case continue to grapple with the dark legacies left behind – those seen and unseen.
While Bond tries to make some kind of sense of the events of that horrible time, he finds himself tied to a nightmare inducing enemy.
Murder is the sequel to Sarah Pinborough’s tale of Jack the Ripper Mayhem, which I reviewed earlier on this site. It picks up slightly over a year since the original murders and shows us how the characters continue to try to pick up the pieces of their lives. Some are successful and some…not so much.
The characters in Murder are all based on real people, Dr. Bond included. He was a real gentleman who did assist with the original Ripper case. Reading his story, as well as the story of the other characters, it is quite obvious Ms. Pinborough did her research. Each one comes to life on the page, each one just one small part of a tightly woven web.
The way Ms. Pinborough writes Dr. Bond’s slow descent in to madness is both brilliant and heartbreaking. How he justifies his actions is handles in a quite believable manner, as well as the eventual realization of what his actions have done.
It is advisable that readers read the first book before digging in to this second tale. Characters and events overlap and one needs to know the back story to enjoy the eventual ending – sad as it may be.
I personally enjoyed reading Murder and look forward to new stories from Ms. Pinborough in the future.
Over a year has passed since the Jack the Ripper murders and Dr. Thomas Bond finds himself still trying to recover from the events. Though life in London continues on; Bond, as well as the other investigators on the case continue to grapple with the dark legacies left behind – those seen and unseen.
While Bond tries to make some kind of sense of the events of that horrible time, he finds himself tied to a nightmare inducing enemy.
Murder is the sequel to Sarah Pinborough’s tale of Jack the Ripper Mayhem, which I reviewed earlier on this site. It picks up slightly over a year since the original murders and shows us how the characters continue to try to pick up the pieces of their lives. Some are successful and some…not so much.
The characters in Murder are all based on real people, Dr. Bond included. He was a real gentleman who did assist with the original Ripper case. Reading his story, as well as the story of the other characters, it is quite obvious Ms. Pinborough did her research. Each one comes to life on the page, each one just one small part of a tightly woven web.
The way Ms. Pinborough writes Dr. Bond’s slow descent in to madness is both brilliant and heartbreaking. How he justifies his actions is handles in a quite believable manner, as well as the eventual realization of what his actions have done.
It is advisable that readers read the first book before digging in to this second tale. Characters and events overlap and one needs to know the back story to enjoy the eventual ending – sad as it may be.
I personally enjoyed reading Murder and look forward to new stories from Ms. Pinborough in the future.
September 21, 2015
I was going to give this book three stars, in spite of the terrible editing, but one mistake was so egregious that I ended up going with two.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Mayhem. It also suffered from poor editing but the story, writing and characters were good enough to overcome that and I enjoyed the book and gave it four stars.
Murder was very suspenseful, and I did like it, although not quite as much as Mayhem. The mistake that I can't seem to let go of is this: on page 95 of Mayhem, Dr. Bond says that Juliana is nearly twenty years his junior; on page 21 of Murder, he states that he is nearly thirty years older than Juliana. Really? REALLY? How does a mistake like that happen? Did editing change it accidentally and no one noticed? Did the author forget how old her characters were? Did she decide the readers weren't supposed to want the doctor and Juliana to get together, and that adding another decade between them would help?
Maybe I am being incredibly nit-picky, but that really impacted my enjoyment of the book.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Mayhem. It also suffered from poor editing but the story, writing and characters were good enough to overcome that and I enjoyed the book and gave it four stars.
Murder was very suspenseful, and I did like it, although not quite as much as Mayhem. The mistake that I can't seem to let go of is this: on page 95 of Mayhem, Dr. Bond says that Juliana is nearly twenty years his junior; on page 21 of Murder, he states that he is nearly thirty years older than Juliana. Really? REALLY? How does a mistake like that happen? Did editing change it accidentally and no one noticed? Did the author forget how old her characters were? Did she decide the readers weren't supposed to want the doctor and Juliana to get together, and that adding another decade between them would help?
Maybe I am being incredibly nit-picky, but that really impacted my enjoyment of the book.
April 28, 2014
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
One of the first titles that I received for reviewing last year from Jo Fletcher was Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough. Before this I had read a few detectives, most of them Sherlock Holmes, I find the detective books set in victorian London a real treat to read. But when I picked up Mayhem I was in for quite a surprise (meaning it in a very positive way!), the type of story that Sarah Pinborough managed to write was dark, darker than your average detective story. This along with the elegant and engaging writing really made this one true horror. At the back of Mayhem it was already mentioned that the second book was to be released in 2015! It has finally arrived and Sarah Pinborough again managed to on one part freak me out with her vision of dark horror but also keeping me glued to the pages dying to find out what would happen next!
In Mayhem, you were introduced to the protagonist of the story, Dr. Thomas Bond working as a surgeon for the London Police Department in the era of Jack the Ripper. Thomas worked the case of the Whitechapel murders, during his investigation Thomas stumbled upon a much grander and darker plot than he had dared to imagine. Being a man of science he tried to relate as much to facts as possible, but the thing that actually caused the murders, the parasite known as the Upir was something that Thomas had a hard to time to accept. I have to say that this supernatural theme, the Upir, was introduced seemlessly in the plot and really created a certain horrific sense surrounding the story. When the Upir hungers there is only one thing it can do... The ending of Mayhem was a done deal as Thomas solved the case... well if only...
Murder picks up a while after the events of Mayhem and shows Thomas steadily enjoying more and more of the returned peace on the London streets. But this peace and quite isn't of a long last as Thomas is soon confronted with another set of murder cases. The bodies of children are being pulled out of the river Thames. Besides the new murder, there is also a continuation with several characters to whom you were introduced to in Mayhem: James Harrington, Aaron Kosminski, the wife of James Harrington; Juliana who has caught the heart of our Thomas Bond. Thomas discovers that all the evidence that pointed to James Harrington might have been falsely processed and that he perhaps wasn't the Whitechapel Murder... As Thomas dives into a several leads, he uncovers much more than he wanted to have found, as he becomes a victim himself.
I really have to give a hand to Sarah Pinborough to the inventive story that she has produced in Murder, it again was utterly absorbing and riddled with a lot of twists and turns along the way keeping you glued to the pages. Though it is based on real world events, she cleverly gives it her own delicate twist, especially the return of the Upir was done in a superb way. I do think the flow and great pacing of the story are owed to how Sarah Pinborough used the layout of the book. To begin with her writing style, its clear and to the point, she doesn't drone on and on with words to describe something but also doesn't haste scenes to exclude details. It just spot on. Secondly was the type of narration that was used to tell the story of Murder, this switches from first person to third person narration. The first person narration is only used when the focus is on Thomas and the third person for the rest of the characters. I haven't encountered this very often but did really help to bolster the character of Thomas along the way, especially nearing the ending when he has something watching over his shoulder. His personal grievances and trying to woo Juliana only come over much stronger with his first person narration. And as a third, the newspaper clipping on the Thames baby murder really stand out and partly we for me a sort of interludes letting me recapture all that happened before but also helped creating that dreaded sense surround the story of Murder.
As I mentioned above, in Mayhem the main protagonist, Dr. Thomas Bond was introduced. He again makes the forefront of Murder. He is one of the most interesting detectives that I have read about. It is impossible not to relate to his character. He hasn't had an easy life and in Murder it all takes a turn for the worse again. There are a set of events that happen in Murder that made me say out loud "no way", I am not going to say what happens to Thomas but it sure was something that I hadn't dared to think about. By this plot twist I only got to feel more and more for Thomas' character. I think it comes down to this: he only wants to be left alone and deeply wishes that it all just never happened. For the secondary characters, Sarah Pinborough, also manages to capture them in the perfect manner. Even though the focus isn't neccesarily based on them and you only read about them when Thomas has an personal opinion of them in his parts or read about them in general, they were all nicely fleshed out. Some of them you got to learn about in Mayhem, but there are also a few new introductions. All in all the characterization was just spot on and when taken together with the dark idea of the story it comes together and forms one powerful story.
With Murder, Sarah Pinborough has really stepped up her game. I thoroughly enjoyed Mayhem, and had high hopes for Murder. Sarah Pinborough went above and beyond my expectations. If I look back on the first story it was great stuff but looking over the whole duology and the twist in the plot of Murder surrounding Thomas was just perfect. The follow-up of this twist spun another few layers of darkness over her story. The Mayhem series (Mayhem and Murder) is a must read for everyone who likes to read something very, very good in the genre. It's a non-stop, quite disturbing ride through one of London's darkest parts of history, with an amazing cast and brilliant storyteller! I will be keeping an eye out to what Sarah Pinborough will write next, and so should you, this is the stuff that will keep you up at night, sleeping with a light on.
One of the first titles that I received for reviewing last year from Jo Fletcher was Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough. Before this I had read a few detectives, most of them Sherlock Holmes, I find the detective books set in victorian London a real treat to read. But when I picked up Mayhem I was in for quite a surprise (meaning it in a very positive way!), the type of story that Sarah Pinborough managed to write was dark, darker than your average detective story. This along with the elegant and engaging writing really made this one true horror. At the back of Mayhem it was already mentioned that the second book was to be released in 2015! It has finally arrived and Sarah Pinborough again managed to on one part freak me out with her vision of dark horror but also keeping me glued to the pages dying to find out what would happen next!
In Mayhem, you were introduced to the protagonist of the story, Dr. Thomas Bond working as a surgeon for the London Police Department in the era of Jack the Ripper. Thomas worked the case of the Whitechapel murders, during his investigation Thomas stumbled upon a much grander and darker plot than he had dared to imagine. Being a man of science he tried to relate as much to facts as possible, but the thing that actually caused the murders, the parasite known as the Upir was something that Thomas had a hard to time to accept. I have to say that this supernatural theme, the Upir, was introduced seemlessly in the plot and really created a certain horrific sense surrounding the story. When the Upir hungers there is only one thing it can do... The ending of Mayhem was a done deal as Thomas solved the case... well if only...
Murder picks up a while after the events of Mayhem and shows Thomas steadily enjoying more and more of the returned peace on the London streets. But this peace and quite isn't of a long last as Thomas is soon confronted with another set of murder cases. The bodies of children are being pulled out of the river Thames. Besides the new murder, there is also a continuation with several characters to whom you were introduced to in Mayhem: James Harrington, Aaron Kosminski, the wife of James Harrington; Juliana who has caught the heart of our Thomas Bond. Thomas discovers that all the evidence that pointed to James Harrington might have been falsely processed and that he perhaps wasn't the Whitechapel Murder... As Thomas dives into a several leads, he uncovers much more than he wanted to have found, as he becomes a victim himself.
I really have to give a hand to Sarah Pinborough to the inventive story that she has produced in Murder, it again was utterly absorbing and riddled with a lot of twists and turns along the way keeping you glued to the pages. Though it is based on real world events, she cleverly gives it her own delicate twist, especially the return of the Upir was done in a superb way. I do think the flow and great pacing of the story are owed to how Sarah Pinborough used the layout of the book. To begin with her writing style, its clear and to the point, she doesn't drone on and on with words to describe something but also doesn't haste scenes to exclude details. It just spot on. Secondly was the type of narration that was used to tell the story of Murder, this switches from first person to third person narration. The first person narration is only used when the focus is on Thomas and the third person for the rest of the characters. I haven't encountered this very often but did really help to bolster the character of Thomas along the way, especially nearing the ending when he has something watching over his shoulder. His personal grievances and trying to woo Juliana only come over much stronger with his first person narration. And as a third, the newspaper clipping on the Thames baby murder really stand out and partly we for me a sort of interludes letting me recapture all that happened before but also helped creating that dreaded sense surround the story of Murder.
As I mentioned above, in Mayhem the main protagonist, Dr. Thomas Bond was introduced. He again makes the forefront of Murder. He is one of the most interesting detectives that I have read about. It is impossible not to relate to his character. He hasn't had an easy life and in Murder it all takes a turn for the worse again. There are a set of events that happen in Murder that made me say out loud "no way", I am not going to say what happens to Thomas but it sure was something that I hadn't dared to think about. By this plot twist I only got to feel more and more for Thomas' character. I think it comes down to this: he only wants to be left alone and deeply wishes that it all just never happened. For the secondary characters, Sarah Pinborough, also manages to capture them in the perfect manner. Even though the focus isn't neccesarily based on them and you only read about them when Thomas has an personal opinion of them in his parts or read about them in general, they were all nicely fleshed out. Some of them you got to learn about in Mayhem, but there are also a few new introductions. All in all the characterization was just spot on and when taken together with the dark idea of the story it comes together and forms one powerful story.
With Murder, Sarah Pinborough has really stepped up her game. I thoroughly enjoyed Mayhem, and had high hopes for Murder. Sarah Pinborough went above and beyond my expectations. If I look back on the first story it was great stuff but looking over the whole duology and the twist in the plot of Murder surrounding Thomas was just perfect. The follow-up of this twist spun another few layers of darkness over her story. The Mayhem series (Mayhem and Murder) is a must read for everyone who likes to read something very, very good in the genre. It's a non-stop, quite disturbing ride through one of London's darkest parts of history, with an amazing cast and brilliant storyteller! I will be keeping an eye out to what Sarah Pinborough will write next, and so should you, this is the stuff that will keep you up at night, sleeping with a light on.
November 7, 2020
I didn't find out until I was already well into this book that it is a sequel to a book called Mayhem. I was hoping for more of the Jack the Ripper plotline than what I got in this book, perhaps it is in the previous one? Anyway, it was fine. Nothing earth-shattering or anything like that. Interesting, but not gripping. 3 stars seems fair.
March 26, 2017
I wanted to read these books for so long, but they were both a big disappointment...
First it should have been only one book... While the first one had a story line, this one doesn't.. It picks up a few years after the first.. And then babies start to appear dead in the Thames (where's the police work on this case?)
Everything just seems a mess.. The love triangle (really?); the sex (what did it bring the story?), the characters (I didn't really care for them); and the 1st person narrative, the way it was written annoyed me, it seemed like a corny fanfiction...
The only thing I enjoyed in this one was the descent into madness of Dr. Bond (that is why I give it 2*)
And the ending? The Upir escapes! Who would have guessed?!
Meh..
First it should have been only one book... While the first one had a story line, this one doesn't.. It picks up a few years after the first.. And then babies start to appear dead in the Thames (where's the police work on this case?)
Everything just seems a mess.. The love triangle (really?); the sex (what did it bring the story?), the characters (I didn't really care for them); and the 1st person narrative, the way it was written annoyed me, it seemed like a corny fanfiction...
The only thing I enjoyed in this one was the descent into madness of Dr. Bond (that is why I give it 2*)
And the ending? The Upir escapes! Who would have guessed?!
Meh..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2017
Grisly tale of murders during the time of Jack the Ripper, with a couple of the characters suspected of being Jack. I liked the inclusion of newspaper clippings. Gave it a Victorian feel. But the casual sexual liaisons were not plausible. I don't believe the characters could have gotten together without someone noticing and reputations ruined. It was sad and dark and depressing throughout. Still, it did hold my interest to the end, though the ending was a disappointment.
February 12, 2018
Pinborough's plot has a somber tone and shifts back and forth in time.
It also changes first person narration.
Doctor Thomas Bond is having a difficult time after being involved with
the Jack the Ripper case.
Pinborough uses the term: Upir, which references Vampires. From my impression
of the story, the term is used incorrectly.
This is not a traditional mystery. Rather it is a gruesome portrait of one
man's decent into criminal insanity.
It also changes first person narration.
Doctor Thomas Bond is having a difficult time after being involved with
the Jack the Ripper case.
Pinborough uses the term: Upir, which references Vampires. From my impression
of the story, the term is used incorrectly.
This is not a traditional mystery. Rather it is a gruesome portrait of one
man's decent into criminal insanity.
February 18, 2018
Warning: cruelty to animals
April 27, 2019
The sequel of Mayhem is more a horror story than a murder mystery. The difference between the two novels is visible since the first chapters but Pinborough skilfully weaves them into a single and intense story.
London, 1896. Police surgeon Thomas Bond has left behind the traumatic experience of the Torso Murders and he's starting to dream of a happy future with Juliana, the daughter of his old friend Charles Hebbert. But the sudden arrival of Edward Kane, an old friend of Juliana's dead husband, puts in jeopardy the doctor's quiet life: Kane becomes in fact a dangerous rival for Juliana's affection and he carries with him a bundle of chilling letters that reopens old wounds in Bond's mind. Moreover, an unexpected revelation on Hebbert's involvement in the Jack the Ripper case tears apart the relationship of Bond with his old friend, nurturing fears and suspicions. Soon things spiral out of control and Bond will have to face alone the bloody ghosts of his past and the return of an ancient evil he thought gone forever...
Dark and psychological, Murder takes the reader by the gut and it leads him/her without rest to a shocking conclusion. But is it really so? After all, Pinborough uses the old technique of the unreliable narrator and disseminates doubts throughout the story, questioning the reality presented on the page. Is Bond's written confession really believable? Or is the delirious product of a man gone insane by the horrors of his profession and the cruel shattering of his private dreams? Should we believe the visions of the psychologically disturbed Aaron Kosminsky? Or are they also the product of a madman's imagination? In the end, it's hard to tell and the reader can't entirely dismiss the sceptic conclusion of policeman Henry Moore, Bond's old friend and a key character of the first novel. Or maybe Moore is just a fool and the monstrous tale narrated by Bond is true. You can't really be sure and that's Pinborough's great achievement as a storyteller.
A final note of warning: if you're expecting a happy ending, maybe after some dramatic tribulations of the main characters, you're badly mistaken. Murder is a cruel and twisted story of crime, desperation, and psychological horror. It's a story of old detectives tormented by their past cases and their bad deeds. It's a story of young folks looking for new opportunities but constantly tied down by the cruelty of life. There are few happy moments and the shadow of evil is never too far away from them. It's great entertainment but gut-wrenching and emotionally disturbing. Hence be prepared for a wild and thrilling run from the first to the last page.
London, 1896. Police surgeon Thomas Bond has left behind the traumatic experience of the Torso Murders and he's starting to dream of a happy future with Juliana, the daughter of his old friend Charles Hebbert. But the sudden arrival of Edward Kane, an old friend of Juliana's dead husband, puts in jeopardy the doctor's quiet life: Kane becomes in fact a dangerous rival for Juliana's affection and he carries with him a bundle of chilling letters that reopens old wounds in Bond's mind. Moreover, an unexpected revelation on Hebbert's involvement in the Jack the Ripper case tears apart the relationship of Bond with his old friend, nurturing fears and suspicions. Soon things spiral out of control and Bond will have to face alone the bloody ghosts of his past and the return of an ancient evil he thought gone forever...
Dark and psychological, Murder takes the reader by the gut and it leads him/her without rest to a shocking conclusion. But is it really so? After all, Pinborough uses the old technique of the unreliable narrator and disseminates doubts throughout the story, questioning the reality presented on the page. Is Bond's written confession really believable? Or is the delirious product of a man gone insane by the horrors of his profession and the cruel shattering of his private dreams? Should we believe the visions of the psychologically disturbed Aaron Kosminsky? Or are they also the product of a madman's imagination? In the end, it's hard to tell and the reader can't entirely dismiss the sceptic conclusion of policeman Henry Moore, Bond's old friend and a key character of the first novel. Or maybe Moore is just a fool and the monstrous tale narrated by Bond is true. You can't really be sure and that's Pinborough's great achievement as a storyteller.
A final note of warning: if you're expecting a happy ending, maybe after some dramatic tribulations of the main characters, you're badly mistaken. Murder is a cruel and twisted story of crime, desperation, and psychological horror. It's a story of old detectives tormented by their past cases and their bad deeds. It's a story of young folks looking for new opportunities but constantly tied down by the cruelty of life. There are few happy moments and the shadow of evil is never too far away from them. It's great entertainment but gut-wrenching and emotionally disturbing. Hence be prepared for a wild and thrilling run from the first to the last page.
January 7, 2018
I read Mayhem a few years ago – I have been searching for my review but it must have been the one that got away – and so I was excited to start catching up on what had happened to police surgeon Thomas Bond since the dreadful events of 1888. I liked the multiple points of view, the illumination provided by extracts from letters and newspaper articles and the thought of a different kind of evil which operated alongside but eclipsed Jack the Ripper stalking Whitechapel. Sarah Pinborough expertly captures the atmosphere of cold, dark and foggy London and manages to make even bright and sunny days oppressive and laden with fear. The literary yet straightforward writing style draws you in making you not want to put the book down. In Mayhem, though, she created one of my storybook heroes in Thomas Bond and this is what makes it challenging for me to review Murder objectively.
It’s 1896 and Thomas has overcome his addiction to opium and is content, settled and positive. He’s enjoying spending time with Juliana and her young son James and feels the future holds promise. That is, until a woman is found battered to death on a train and the past comes back to haunt him, bringing fresh ambiguity about the identity of Jack and leaving Thomas to question his own decisions and views about his closest friend.
As much as a murder and supernatural mystery, this is a character study of one man. It’s about the capacity of a person to fool themselves, absolve responsibility for their actions and excuse insanity. Horror at its core is embodied in this tale with the most disturbing aspect being the contents of the Bond journals. There were four pages I refused to read because of the content. It’s almost delicious to not know whether his activities are down to drug addiction or are genuine; he is the best kind of unreliable narrator. Enmeshed with true crime, it’s impossible for the reader to work out the truth about anyone. But it still remains immensely readable.
I would have liked to have had a first person point of view from Juliana, though I think the story was still effectively told. It is one of those stories that stays with you and is impossible to continue with a sequel – and impossible to end, as the 21st century newspaper clippings tell us, and I was sorry to have to say goodbye to Thomas in this way.
4.75
It’s 1896 and Thomas has overcome his addiction to opium and is content, settled and positive. He’s enjoying spending time with Juliana and her young son James and feels the future holds promise. That is, until a woman is found battered to death on a train and the past comes back to haunt him, bringing fresh ambiguity about the identity of Jack and leaving Thomas to question his own decisions and views about his closest friend.
As much as a murder and supernatural mystery, this is a character study of one man. It’s about the capacity of a person to fool themselves, absolve responsibility for their actions and excuse insanity. Horror at its core is embodied in this tale with the most disturbing aspect being the contents of the Bond journals. There were four pages I refused to read because of the content. It’s almost delicious to not know whether his activities are down to drug addiction or are genuine; he is the best kind of unreliable narrator. Enmeshed with true crime, it’s impossible for the reader to work out the truth about anyone. But it still remains immensely readable.
I would have liked to have had a first person point of view from Juliana, though I think the story was still effectively told. It is one of those stories that stays with you and is impossible to continue with a sequel – and impossible to end, as the 21st century newspaper clippings tell us, and I was sorry to have to say goodbye to Thomas in this way.
4.75
June 28, 2024
⚠️Spoiler alert ⚠️
⚠️⚠️Extreme animal cruelty⚠️⚠️
I was enjoying this book. Until I got nearly halfway through.
Ok, so this demon is now attached to Dr. Bond. Well, he decides to satisfy its bloodlust by killing cats and dogs, as he doesn't want to be a "murder" (which only refers to people). I tried to remember this just fiction, but how she describes his first murder of a dog just made my stomach freeze. He goes and gets an injured fighting dog, making an arrangement with the fight boss to have a dog delivered every 10 days to him. He leads the poor dog home, in which the dog is forced to drag his broken leg behind him as he follows Bond. The dog seems to follow easily, thinking that his luck in life may have changed. Instead, Bond goes on to say about how he cuts the dog's throat. There is more detail, but I do not wish to think about it and thus continue the influence of the horrific description here.
I couldn't take any more at this point. And even now, while writing this, my stomach is turning, and, quite honestly, I'm near to tears. The vivid description of this heinous act is just beyond justification. And, as this part is being told in the first person, the complete absence of any sympathy for the cats or dogs from Bond is pathetic and shocking. I do know in that and previous eras the lack of care or concern for animals as we have now was fact, but I certainly do not feel it should be so flippantly used for entertainment, even in a fictional manner. At the very least, this book should come with a warning of extreme and highly descriptive animal cruelty and death.
It is such a shame not to finish this book as I was enjoying the story. But I just can't listen to any more. I will not read any other books by this author as I don't want to be subject to the possibility of ever coming across such disturbing mental images ever again.
⚠️⚠️Extreme animal cruelty⚠️⚠️
I was enjoying this book. Until I got nearly halfway through.
Ok, so this demon is now attached to Dr. Bond. Well, he decides to satisfy its bloodlust by killing cats and dogs, as he doesn't want to be a "murder" (which only refers to people). I tried to remember this just fiction, but how she describes his first murder of a dog just made my stomach freeze. He goes and gets an injured fighting dog, making an arrangement with the fight boss to have a dog delivered every 10 days to him. He leads the poor dog home, in which the dog is forced to drag his broken leg behind him as he follows Bond. The dog seems to follow easily, thinking that his luck in life may have changed. Instead, Bond goes on to say about how he cuts the dog's throat. There is more detail, but I do not wish to think about it and thus continue the influence of the horrific description here.
I couldn't take any more at this point. And even now, while writing this, my stomach is turning, and, quite honestly, I'm near to tears. The vivid description of this heinous act is just beyond justification. And, as this part is being told in the first person, the complete absence of any sympathy for the cats or dogs from Bond is pathetic and shocking. I do know in that and previous eras the lack of care or concern for animals as we have now was fact, but I certainly do not feel it should be so flippantly used for entertainment, even in a fictional manner. At the very least, this book should come with a warning of extreme and highly descriptive animal cruelty and death.
It is such a shame not to finish this book as I was enjoying the story. But I just can't listen to any more. I will not read any other books by this author as I don't want to be subject to the possibility of ever coming across such disturbing mental images ever again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
Audio- I’m still thinking about this,it was a hard read as I really liked Dr Bond in the last book. Dr Bond was already unlikable at the start of this book,he was sanctimonious and his attitude towards James was yet again awful. I liked Kane and thought he was much better suited to Juliana,there is a live triangle and romance at the start but it soon turns dark and gory. The menacing Victorian atmosphere was back,there is something really chilling and unpleasant about Victorian London. I was surprised and disappointed what happened between Kominsky and Bond and once the cats and dogs came in to it which I really struggled listening to,there was no way back for Bond in my eyes and that was before James! What happened to James shocked me and I found it upsetting. I know the Upir was responsible for a lot but Dr Bond turned quite nasty and made excuses for his actions. I was shocked about who was responsible for the babies and it was evil what they did. I started to see where the end was going but I really didn’t want it to happen and I was disappointed it did,I really wanted Kane and Juliana to be happy. I would definitely like to see a third book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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