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Charles Horton #4
The Detective and the Devil
London, 1815: Constable Charles Horton of the River Police Office is called to investigate the brutal murder of a clerk and his family in London's East End. Horton's investigation draws him into the secretive world of the East India Company, which will stop at nothing to protect the secrets of its vast empire. What is the Company hiding, and why are its employees disappearing - particularly those linked to the small island of St Helena? The trail takes Horton and his wife Abigail from the steps of John Dee's house in Mortlake to the lonely South Atlantic, on the trail of a killer who seems to be the very Devil.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2016
About the author
Lloyd Shepherd
11 books93 followersI'm the author of five books. The first four - The English Monster, The Poisoned Island, Savage Magic, and The Detective and the Devil - are historical thrillers. My latest book, After London, is a contemporary dystopian thriller.
You can find me at my website, or on BlueSky as lloydshep.
You can find me at my website, or on BlueSky as lloydshep.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 11, 2018
This is an intelligent, eerie and atmospheric historical mystery, the fourth in the series featuring River Constable Charles Horton set in 1815 in London and St Helena. It is the first one I have read, and whilst there are numerous references to other books, I found it fine as a standalone. It has elements of the fantastical and of horror, with a creepy air of menace that builds through the narrative. It begins with Dutchmen on the make, Amsterdam merchants hiring an unscrupulous mercenary, Jacobus Aakster, to steal the library of the most famous Magus in England, John Dee, and a secret Arabic manuscript from his home in Mortlake. Aackster with his wife, Mina, keep the manuscript, the Opera, containing a great secret, memorising it then destroying it and in 1588, get funds from the merchants, settling in St Helena, using their knowledge to benefit themselves, their family, and the merchants. In 1815 Horton is called to a scene of abject horror that echoes his previous experience of a monster, an East India Company clerk, Benjamin Johnson, his wife, Emma and their daughter are brutally murdered at their home, looking for all the world like the work of the devil.
Horton investigates, as the number of dead bodies begin to rise all around him. His wife, Abigail, is a highly intelligent and prolific reader who has had spent time in an asylum after suffering from terrible dreams, helps Horton in his dangerous work. Horton's magistrate, John Harriott, is suffering from declining health and influence, and the ambitious Edward Markland is looking to benefit from this as the two men clash through Horton's case. Horton finds the evidence taking him to the powerful and ruthless East India Company, with its unique position of assistant treasurer, applicable only to St Helena, and where every man that has held that position being hugely rewarded, but all are recently dead in separate incidents. With stories of ancient seers, hidden texts, prussic acid, an icehouse in Kent, and murders that come too close to home, Horton is forced to abandon his inquiries as powerful influences seek to protect the secrets of the East India Company. He and Abigail set sail in a whaler for St Helena, chasing a devil killer and hoping to learn what lies beneath the surface of an island with its very own immortal Caliban.
This is a beautifully written and compelling novel with a dark, heavy atmosphere of gloom and darkness that pervades through out the claustrophobic narrative. You get a real sense of what living in 19th century in London must have been like, the filth, stench, poverty, orphan street boys, and attitudes to women. The power and reach of the East India Company cannot be overestimated, not only in England but globally, like in St Helena. I particularly liked the mind and independent spirit of the resourceful and knowledgeable Abigail Horton, prepared to confound all expectations and norms of what a woman should be in that time. A terrifically entertaining read that grabs your attention and holds it right up until the end. Highly recommended historical fiction.
Horton investigates, as the number of dead bodies begin to rise all around him. His wife, Abigail, is a highly intelligent and prolific reader who has had spent time in an asylum after suffering from terrible dreams, helps Horton in his dangerous work. Horton's magistrate, John Harriott, is suffering from declining health and influence, and the ambitious Edward Markland is looking to benefit from this as the two men clash through Horton's case. Horton finds the evidence taking him to the powerful and ruthless East India Company, with its unique position of assistant treasurer, applicable only to St Helena, and where every man that has held that position being hugely rewarded, but all are recently dead in separate incidents. With stories of ancient seers, hidden texts, prussic acid, an icehouse in Kent, and murders that come too close to home, Horton is forced to abandon his inquiries as powerful influences seek to protect the secrets of the East India Company. He and Abigail set sail in a whaler for St Helena, chasing a devil killer and hoping to learn what lies beneath the surface of an island with its very own immortal Caliban.
This is a beautifully written and compelling novel with a dark, heavy atmosphere of gloom and darkness that pervades through out the claustrophobic narrative. You get a real sense of what living in 19th century in London must have been like, the filth, stench, poverty, orphan street boys, and attitudes to women. The power and reach of the East India Company cannot be overestimated, not only in England but globally, like in St Helena. I particularly liked the mind and independent spirit of the resourceful and knowledgeable Abigail Horton, prepared to confound all expectations and norms of what a woman should be in that time. A terrifically entertaining read that grabs your attention and holds it right up until the end. Highly recommended historical fiction.
March 24, 2016
I wrote this. It's the best book you'll ever read, apart from the three other books I wrote, which are also the best book you'll ever read.
August 5, 2016
Constable Horton is back, accompanied by murder and supernatural shenanigans. Old frenemies from the Royal Society make appearances (hullo Sir Joseph Banks!), and new characters design devilish plans and cause death and discomfort. Poor old John Dee is frequently referenced, but I wish more had been made of him and his endearing wackadoodle beliefs.
Somehow this installement of the series didn't really come together for me as beautifully as the previous three. There's a slight feeling of déjà vu, as our characters battle the same dark forces / colonialist bad guys / stuffy higher-ups as before, but that said, it is still a highly entertaining story with an enchanting sense of time and place. There is a delicious, dry sense of humour as well as the occasional whiff of melancholy. I like the Hortons as a couple, and was glad to see Abigail get her hands dirty (I very much hope that the next book has her smoking cigars and discussing natural philosophy with Sir Banks, with Browning serving drinks).
This might be a little confusing as a stand-alone, I think, so I'd recommend starting with the wonderful first book, The English Monster . It is a terrific series that I'll be following as long as there is black magic in the colonies and the River Police have ritualistic murders to solve.
Somehow this installement of the series didn't really come together for me as beautifully as the previous three. There's a slight feeling of déjà vu, as our characters battle the same dark forces / colonialist bad guys / stuffy higher-ups as before, but that said, it is still a highly entertaining story with an enchanting sense of time and place. There is a delicious, dry sense of humour as well as the occasional whiff of melancholy. I like the Hortons as a couple, and was glad to see Abigail get her hands dirty (I very much hope that the next book has her smoking cigars and discussing natural philosophy with Sir Banks, with Browning serving drinks).
This might be a little confusing as a stand-alone, I think, so I'd recommend starting with the wonderful first book, The English Monster . It is a terrific series that I'll be following as long as there is black magic in the colonies and the River Police have ritualistic murders to solve.
March 29, 2018
This book has an excellent atmosphere all through - I really felt myself to be in 1815 London, and later Saint Helena. The description is not heavy, but by dropping passages here and there the author makes you aware of what is different from today, unlike some historical authors where you feel like you could be in your own house, just sans TV, sans microwave etc.
The characters are well-drawn, and I particularly like the constable, Horton, his magistrate, Harriott, and the rival magistrate Markland. The East India Company could be a character in its own right, it is so well-drawn, and so, in a way, could the island of Saint Helena, whose features, crags, caves and cottages really come alive.
There were a couple of odd typos, indicating that the author toyed with other names for some of his characters, one of which was Fernando, rendered on the last page as Francesco!
As for the plot *** SPOILERS ***
Right until the end, the mysteries and twists of the plot kept me reading. John Dee's library and the back-flicks to his time is especially well-done, and the mysteries of Saint Helena loom large. But I just felt that despite the excellent writing, characterisation, and period feel there was something of a let-down in the denouement of the revelation in the plot, hence 4 stars not 5
The characters are well-drawn, and I particularly like the constable, Horton, his magistrate, Harriott, and the rival magistrate Markland. The East India Company could be a character in its own right, it is so well-drawn, and so, in a way, could the island of Saint Helena, whose features, crags, caves and cottages really come alive.
There were a couple of odd typos, indicating that the author toyed with other names for some of his characters, one of which was Fernando, rendered on the last page as Francesco!
As for the plot *** SPOILERS ***
Right until the end, the mysteries and twists of the plot kept me reading. John Dee's library and the back-flicks to his time is especially well-done, and the mysteries of Saint Helena loom large. But I just felt that despite the excellent writing, characterisation, and period feel there was something of a let-down in the denouement of the revelation in the plot, hence 4 stars not 5
March 5, 2023
This was a Cover buy, in fact it was more a Title buy as that alone intrigued me enough to check it out. An author that I'd heard nothing about but I do like to give those kinda authors a go coz, well, you just never know! I'm glad that I did.
This is an historical thriller set in London, 1815. Constable Charles Horton is called to investigate a brutal murder in the East End, one that mirrors a case from three years prior and he, along with his wife Abigail, gets drawn into the secretive and dangerous world of the East India Company.I
I really enjoyed this but have since found out that it's the fourth book in a series! I'm hoping it doesn't spoil reading the first three, I'm sure it won't but this author is definitely worth checking out, especially if you like a good historical thriller.
This is an historical thriller set in London, 1815. Constable Charles Horton is called to investigate a brutal murder in the East End, one that mirrors a case from three years prior and he, along with his wife Abigail, gets drawn into the secretive and dangerous world of the East India Company.I
I really enjoyed this but have since found out that it's the fourth book in a series! I'm hoping it doesn't spoil reading the first three, I'm sure it won't but this author is definitely worth checking out, especially if you like a good historical thriller.
October 25, 2021
I hadn't read any of the previous books in this series, but must have been drawn to it by a review. However, there were too many nod-and-wink references to past plots and characters for my taste. Some series can be read in no particular order, but this isn't one of them. Apart from that obstacle, I found some of the characters, such as Abigail, not convincing. The plot was fanciful. and generally I like to come across unexpected tangents. But I got the sense that the writer started with a list of facts he wanted to include and rammed them in wherever he could, whether they supported the theme or not. When I soldiered on to the end, I found I'd already skimmed it and put on my 'abandoned' shelf. Grrr - wish I'd noted that earlier.
June 20, 2017
Not what I expected going into it as a classic historical crime novel (I haven't read the others in the series yet), but surprisingly good! I even liked the female main character, even though she's so, so clearly written by a man.
March 23, 2017
Another outstanding installment in this excellent series - I think the best yet. Very well written and a joy to read - enthralling from start to finish!
April 12, 2016
Absorbing historical whodunit:
In the year 1815, River Constable Charles Horton is summoned to the scene of the gruesome murder of a London family. The body of the husband and father (a clerk in the East India Company) is sprawled out on the kitchen floor, its faced smashed beyond recognition. His wife’s body is in the parlour, face down in the ashy grate, the daughter’s body seated in a nearby chair, a red wound across the throat – and a stench of bitter almonds hangs in the air.
The macabre murders echo similar slayings from the past, and London is soon panicking that the “Monster” has returned. But how far into the past does the investigation need to delve? Can the ransacking of alchemist, John Dee’s library by a Dutch mercenary in 1815, be linked to the macabre crimes, and why do a long line of Company assistant treasurers to the Island of St Helena, not only lead lives way beyond their apparent means, but also come to untimely deaths?
And what, after all, were the alchemists of old searching for – the ability to turn all to gold, or something far more sinister?
Horton’s investigation draws him into the dark world of the Company, an organization so large and powerful that its tendrils appear to reach into the highest levels of Government, where mere policemen, and even magistrates, soon find themselves out of their depth.
In pursuit of the monstrous killer (could it be the Devil himself?) Horton and his intrepid wife, Abigail, find themselves drawn to the island of St Helena, where this intriguing historical drama finally unfolds. The writing is dark and atmospheric, the march towards the truth incremental and brooding.
While devourers of fast-paced thrillers with cardboard cut-out characters may find this tale a trifle slow, I enjoyed the array of memorable characters, the careful plotting, and the hints of magic, madness and the supernatural.
This novel is well-crafted and beautifully written, and will thrill patient readers who enjoy being gradually immersed in, and mesmerised by, a complex and magical whodunit.
Four stars
John
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to read.
In the year 1815, River Constable Charles Horton is summoned to the scene of the gruesome murder of a London family. The body of the husband and father (a clerk in the East India Company) is sprawled out on the kitchen floor, its faced smashed beyond recognition. His wife’s body is in the parlour, face down in the ashy grate, the daughter’s body seated in a nearby chair, a red wound across the throat – and a stench of bitter almonds hangs in the air.
The macabre murders echo similar slayings from the past, and London is soon panicking that the “Monster” has returned. But how far into the past does the investigation need to delve? Can the ransacking of alchemist, John Dee’s library by a Dutch mercenary in 1815, be linked to the macabre crimes, and why do a long line of Company assistant treasurers to the Island of St Helena, not only lead lives way beyond their apparent means, but also come to untimely deaths?
And what, after all, were the alchemists of old searching for – the ability to turn all to gold, or something far more sinister?
Horton’s investigation draws him into the dark world of the Company, an organization so large and powerful that its tendrils appear to reach into the highest levels of Government, where mere policemen, and even magistrates, soon find themselves out of their depth.
In pursuit of the monstrous killer (could it be the Devil himself?) Horton and his intrepid wife, Abigail, find themselves drawn to the island of St Helena, where this intriguing historical drama finally unfolds. The writing is dark and atmospheric, the march towards the truth incremental and brooding.
While devourers of fast-paced thrillers with cardboard cut-out characters may find this tale a trifle slow, I enjoyed the array of memorable characters, the careful plotting, and the hints of magic, madness and the supernatural.
This novel is well-crafted and beautifully written, and will thrill patient readers who enjoy being gradually immersed in, and mesmerised by, a complex and magical whodunit.
Four stars
John
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2016
The best one yet! If you haven't read the previous 3 in this wonderful series, what are you waiting for?
January 3, 2018
Beautifully written, richly evocative - as if a novel written by Lloyd Shepherd could be anything other than that...
April 25, 2016
The fourth in a very enjoyable series. I very much enjoy the way Lloyd Shepherd mixes the factual and the fantastical. I really liked it. I suspect you will too.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews