What do you think?
Rate this book
DI Tom Harper #4
The Iron Water
Two macabre discoveries in a single morning present an intriguing challenge for Detective Inspector Tom Harper.
Leeds, England. July, 1893. D.I. Tom Harper is witnessing the demonstration of a devastating new naval weapon, the torpedo, at Roundhay Park. The explosion brings up a body in the lake, a rope lashed tightly around its waist.
At the same time, dredging operations in the River Aire are disrupted when a woman s severed leg floats to the water s surface, still clad in its stocking and boot. Could the two macabre discoveries be connected?
Harper's investigations will lead him right to the heart of the criminal underworld that underpins the city and into the path of a merciless killer.
Leeds, England. July, 1893. D.I. Tom Harper is witnessing the demonstration of a devastating new naval weapon, the torpedo, at Roundhay Park. The explosion brings up a body in the lake, a rope lashed tightly around its waist.
At the same time, dredging operations in the River Aire are disrupted when a woman s severed leg floats to the water s surface, still clad in its stocking and boot. Could the two macabre discoveries be connected?
Harper's investigations will lead him right to the heart of the criminal underworld that underpins the city and into the path of a merciless killer.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2016
17 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Chris Nickson
69 books181 followersI'm a novelist and music journalist, the author of many books set between the 1730s and 1950s in Leeds, as well as others in medieval Chesterfield and 1980s Seattle.
Above all, though, its Leeds I love, the people, the sense of the place changing with time. Yes, I write mysteries, but ultmiateoly they're books about people and their relationships, and the crime becomes a moral framework for the story.
Above all, though, its Leeds I love, the people, the sense of the place changing with time. Yes, I write mysteries, but ultmiateoly they're books about people and their relationships, and the crime becomes a moral framework for the story.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 24, 2016
This is a thrilling historical crime procedural with DI Tom Harper set in Leeds in 1893. This is the first in the series that I have read, and it works just fine as a standalone. It took me a little while before I really got into the novel, but once I did, I just loved it. It begins with a secret testing of torpedos on Waterloo Lake by the government and Tom is there to ensure that nothing goes wrong. However, the torpedos bring up the body of the recently murdered Leonard Tench from the watery depths. To add to the mystery, in the Aire river, a woman's leg is recovered. The entire police team have a pressurised and complex investigation that tests them to their limits.
Personally, Tom is in a very good place. His marriage to Annabelle is in a good place and he is enthralled with his infant daughter. There are further murders that take place, including a close friend of Tench who is found when a building is set on fire. Both men were close to a up and coming boxer, Eustace Morley. This suggests he might be murdered to the police. Fortunately, Morley is being protected by both crime bosses, George Archer and Charlie Gilmour. Tom, Superintendent Kendall, and DS Ash look into Archer and Gilmour as murders within the two crime gangs take place. Added stress comes in the form of threats that Scotland Yard are going to be brought in to take over this twisted and complicated case. The poverty experienced by the working people and the lack of choices for women are highlighted, particularly with Annabelle taking up the position of Secretary of the Leeds Womens' Suffrage Society which she is committed to. Additionally, there is coverage of the Independent Labour party's activities on addressing the appalling conditions faced by people in Leeds. There is a thrilling finale that takes us back to Waterloo Lake. The woman's leg and body is identified and the case laid to rest.
This is a well written and compelling novel with so many twists. The suspense and tension keep the reader hooked to the story. I like the characters of Tom, Annabelle, Ash and Kendall. The sense of the time and location in Leeds is captured well by the author. I can recommend this series for those who like historical crime series. Thanks to Severn House for an ARC.
Personally, Tom is in a very good place. His marriage to Annabelle is in a good place and he is enthralled with his infant daughter. There are further murders that take place, including a close friend of Tench who is found when a building is set on fire. Both men were close to a up and coming boxer, Eustace Morley. This suggests he might be murdered to the police. Fortunately, Morley is being protected by both crime bosses, George Archer and Charlie Gilmour. Tom, Superintendent Kendall, and DS Ash look into Archer and Gilmour as murders within the two crime gangs take place. Added stress comes in the form of threats that Scotland Yard are going to be brought in to take over this twisted and complicated case. The poverty experienced by the working people and the lack of choices for women are highlighted, particularly with Annabelle taking up the position of Secretary of the Leeds Womens' Suffrage Society which she is committed to. Additionally, there is coverage of the Independent Labour party's activities on addressing the appalling conditions faced by people in Leeds. There is a thrilling finale that takes us back to Waterloo Lake. The woman's leg and body is identified and the case laid to rest.
This is a well written and compelling novel with so many twists. The suspense and tension keep the reader hooked to the story. I like the characters of Tom, Annabelle, Ash and Kendall. The sense of the time and location in Leeds is captured well by the author. I can recommend this series for those who like historical crime series. Thanks to Severn House for an ARC.
December 26, 2016
1893 Leeds just received "city" status. The newly minted city hosted an underwater weaponry exhibition, testing a torpedo at Waterloo Lake with Detective Inspector Harper as one of the attendants. The torpedo exploded causing a naked, bloated body, weighted down and tied with a rope around the belly, to rise to the water's surface. Another man died in a paraffin fire. These men, Leonard Tench and Ted Bradley, respectively, died as a result of blunt force trauma with attempts by the perpetrator(s) to conceal the bodies. These gentlemen, both petty thieves, were running scams......threats and kidnapping for monetary enrichment. Rounding out the trio was Eustace Morley, however, he was under the protection of rival gangs.
DI Harper and Detective Ash's efforts to solve the crimes were continually thwarted. Informant information was not forthcoming for fear of gang related repercussions. Scotland Yard had clearly indicated that it would take over the investigation unless the crimes were swiftly solved. Harper wanted to prove his worth as a DI and the new city of Leeds needed a successful criminal investigation and remand of those responsible. Annabelle Harper, bakery entrepreneur and woman's suffragette unofficially aided her husband and the police as Scotland Yard interference threatened to upset the slim leads and inroads blazed by the Leeds police dept.
Many criminal investigations proceed very slowly and meticulously. DI Harper and Detective Ash were tireless in their attempts for justice. Elizabeth Harper was a force to be reckoned with. A separate tome about her work with the Women's Suffrage Society as well as a study of her business acumen would make for interesting reading.
"The Iron Water" by Chris Nickson is an enjoyable read for fans of Victorian police procedurals.
Thank you Severn House and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Iron Water".
DI Harper and Detective Ash's efforts to solve the crimes were continually thwarted. Informant information was not forthcoming for fear of gang related repercussions. Scotland Yard had clearly indicated that it would take over the investigation unless the crimes were swiftly solved. Harper wanted to prove his worth as a DI and the new city of Leeds needed a successful criminal investigation and remand of those responsible. Annabelle Harper, bakery entrepreneur and woman's suffragette unofficially aided her husband and the police as Scotland Yard interference threatened to upset the slim leads and inroads blazed by the Leeds police dept.
Many criminal investigations proceed very slowly and meticulously. DI Harper and Detective Ash were tireless in their attempts for justice. Elizabeth Harper was a force to be reckoned with. A separate tome about her work with the Women's Suffrage Society as well as a study of her business acumen would make for interesting reading.
"The Iron Water" by Chris Nickson is an enjoyable read for fans of Victorian police procedurals.
Thank you Severn House and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Iron Water".
October 8, 2016
When you're spending 3 weeks working away in the middle of nowhere it's nice to have a book based in your home town to keep the home-sickness away. Even if it is set over 100 years ago.
I've read a few of Nickson's books now and I love the attention to detail; he really brings the old cities to life. You can see so easily how much he loves his subject and timelines. It's a fast paced story that kept me entertained and even awake when I started it at 6am on my way to my temporary home. Very easy to get sucked into the story-line despite the sleep deprivation.
The story starts with the controlled explosion of a torpedo which raises a body from the pond of Roundhay Park and the body count rises at speed as the days pass. One thing I enjoy with historical crime is the lack of CSI. The books hows good old fashioned police work; working the streets, relying on informants and lots of running around with notes for each other. I also liked the Victorian gang story element.
The author always has strong female characters. Harpers' wife has turned her life around becoming a bakery owner and landlady and in this book has joined the Suffrage movement and is working with the New Labour movement. It's great to see women actually do more than take their hats off and sit around having afternoon tea (although that is quite fun - the afternoon tea not the hats). One of my favourite parts of the book is Annabelle Harper discussing how you should never underestimate a woman
It has an excellent twist at the end which I can't really comment on without giving the end away but I loved the final reveal. I wasn't expecting it and that's the way of the best crime stories. A must read
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House Publishing.
I've read a few of Nickson's books now and I love the attention to detail; he really brings the old cities to life. You can see so easily how much he loves his subject and timelines. It's a fast paced story that kept me entertained and even awake when I started it at 6am on my way to my temporary home. Very easy to get sucked into the story-line despite the sleep deprivation.
The story starts with the controlled explosion of a torpedo which raises a body from the pond of Roundhay Park and the body count rises at speed as the days pass. One thing I enjoy with historical crime is the lack of CSI. The books hows good old fashioned police work; working the streets, relying on informants and lots of running around with notes for each other. I also liked the Victorian gang story element.
The author always has strong female characters. Harpers' wife has turned her life around becoming a bakery owner and landlady and in this book has joined the Suffrage movement and is working with the New Labour movement. It's great to see women actually do more than take their hats off and sit around having afternoon tea (although that is quite fun - the afternoon tea not the hats). One of my favourite parts of the book is Annabelle Harper discussing how you should never underestimate a woman
It has an excellent twist at the end which I can't really comment on without giving the end away but I loved the final reveal. I wasn't expecting it and that's the way of the best crime stories. A must read
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House Publishing.
November 9, 2016
In The Iron Water, 19th-century Detective Inspector Ted Harper and his crew embark on a race against time to track down the clever instigator trying to incite a gang war in Leeds in July 1893. The historical part of this historical mystery never rose to the level of, say, Maureen Jennings’ series featuring Canadian Detective William Murdoch in 19th-century Toronto, Lindsey Davis’ first-century Roman sleuth Marcus Didius Falco, nor the gold standard set by Laurie R. King with her Sherlock Holmes-Mary Russell series. But the mystery was pretty compelling, even if the denouement didn’t really hang together and the perpetrator was implausible.
I had not read any book by author, Chris Nickson, and, even though The Iron Water is the fourth book in the series, I was able to follow it without a problem; however, I suspect that those who have been with Inspector Harper from the beginning would enjoy it more.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.
I had not read any book by author, Chris Nickson, and, even though The Iron Water is the fourth book in the series, I was able to follow it without a problem; however, I suspect that those who have been with Inspector Harper from the beginning would enjoy it more.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2016
A body is discovered in a lake in Roundhay Park when a torpedo is tested but it wasn't killed by the torpedo. Inspector Tom Harper happens to be at the spectacle representing the police so he is on the spot when the body discovered.
On the same day a severed leg is dredged up by barges working in the River Aire in the centre of Leeds. The trail to discover what happened to both bodies will lead Harper into ever more dangerous and murky corners of Victorian Leeds. Meanwhile his wife, Annabelle is becoming more involved with the women's suffrage movement and their small daughter, Mary, is walking and into everything.
This is the fourth book in this well written historical crime series. Tom Harper is an interesting characters who feels as though he has fallen on his feet in marrying the efficient Annabelle who manages a business empire as well as taking an active part in politics. He is valued by his superior and liked and respected by his colleagues. I love the historical background. I lived in Leeds for a time and have visited it on many occasions since and I can imagine the city as the author describes it at the end of the nineteenth century.
If you enjoy historical crime series then I can recommend this one. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
On the same day a severed leg is dredged up by barges working in the River Aire in the centre of Leeds. The trail to discover what happened to both bodies will lead Harper into ever more dangerous and murky corners of Victorian Leeds. Meanwhile his wife, Annabelle is becoming more involved with the women's suffrage movement and their small daughter, Mary, is walking and into everything.
This is the fourth book in this well written historical crime series. Tom Harper is an interesting characters who feels as though he has fallen on his feet in marrying the efficient Annabelle who manages a business empire as well as taking an active part in politics. He is valued by his superior and liked and respected by his colleagues. I love the historical background. I lived in Leeds for a time and have visited it on many occasions since and I can imagine the city as the author describes it at the end of the nineteenth century.
If you enjoy historical crime series then I can recommend this one. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
July 25, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House Publishing.
This is the fourth title in the Inspector Tom Harper mystery series and I have to admit to being a little surprised when I saw it offered on NetGalley since I had just read Skin Like Silver: A Victorian Police Procedural in March of this year. However, I was pleased to be allowed to read this one since I had liked the other so much.
All of the favorite characters are back and there is even a newly promoted detective working on Detective Inspector Tom Harper's team. In 1893 Leeds has just been given its designation as a city so everyone is trying to become accustomed to reacting to problems as large cities do instead of just a town. It makes a difference to the police department because they have a lot to prove to other cities and nobody wants to tarnish the newly minted city's reputation. Inspector Harper happens to be on the scene when a body comes floating to the top of Waterloo Lake in Roundhay Park. This corpse had been tied to a weight and would likely have remained hidden if it hadn't been for the torpedoe practice. (Yes, I know, but that's how the word was spelled at first.) Fortunately the nude body was identified very quickly, but the same could not be said for the dismembered leg of a woman which was found later.
This story has the central theme of someone trying to force warfare between two rival criminal bosses, but there is also the plot line of Harper's wife deciding to sell her business, the growing suffragette movement in Leeds, and the specter of Scotland Yard taking over what turns into a multiple murder case. My personal preference in mystery novels is to have only a small amount of personal involvement outside the crimes and this novel stepped way, way over that boundary line for me. It actually felt as if the main mystery almost became of slightly less importance under all the other activities taking place in the personal life of Harper and his wife. That isn't true, but now that I look back on the book after several days, that's the feeling that floats to the top of my memory. I will give this series another chance since I was still able to assign a four star designation to the book, but I'm starting to feel like I'm on thin ice with this series. I'm afraid the suffragettes are only going to take up more and more space in the upcoming novel. Especially with DI Harper's wife playing such a leading role in the organization. I'll have to wait and see.
By the way, just in case you are wondering, The Iron Water refers to the color of the water in Waterloo Lake.
This is the fourth title in the Inspector Tom Harper mystery series and I have to admit to being a little surprised when I saw it offered on NetGalley since I had just read Skin Like Silver: A Victorian Police Procedural in March of this year. However, I was pleased to be allowed to read this one since I had liked the other so much.
All of the favorite characters are back and there is even a newly promoted detective working on Detective Inspector Tom Harper's team. In 1893 Leeds has just been given its designation as a city so everyone is trying to become accustomed to reacting to problems as large cities do instead of just a town. It makes a difference to the police department because they have a lot to prove to other cities and nobody wants to tarnish the newly minted city's reputation. Inspector Harper happens to be on the scene when a body comes floating to the top of Waterloo Lake in Roundhay Park. This corpse had been tied to a weight and would likely have remained hidden if it hadn't been for the torpedoe practice. (Yes, I know, but that's how the word was spelled at first.) Fortunately the nude body was identified very quickly, but the same could not be said for the dismembered leg of a woman which was found later.
This story has the central theme of someone trying to force warfare between two rival criminal bosses, but there is also the plot line of Harper's wife deciding to sell her business, the growing suffragette movement in Leeds, and the specter of Scotland Yard taking over what turns into a multiple murder case. My personal preference in mystery novels is to have only a small amount of personal involvement outside the crimes and this novel stepped way, way over that boundary line for me. It actually felt as if the main mystery almost became of slightly less importance under all the other activities taking place in the personal life of Harper and his wife. That isn't true, but now that I look back on the book after several days, that's the feeling that floats to the top of my memory. I will give this series another chance since I was still able to assign a four star designation to the book, but I'm starting to feel like I'm on thin ice with this series. I'm afraid the suffragettes are only going to take up more and more space in the upcoming novel. Especially with DI Harper's wife playing such a leading role in the organization. I'll have to wait and see.
By the way, just in case you are wondering, The Iron Water refers to the color of the water in Waterloo Lake.
April 5, 2025
Another strong entry in this excellent series. Once again, the characters are engaging, the setting is vivid, the mystery is gripping and the social history is intriguing. While this series is set in the time of Sherlock Holmes, the writing is more reminiscent of Simenon or Hammett. The prose is staccato and largely unsentimental. The crimes are based largely on motives grounded in the realities of the time and are not overly elaborate. Harper reminds me more of Maigret than Holmes, as he uses his knowledge of human nature and the social realities of Leeds to solve crimes, rather than strictly deductive or abductive reasoning. He is more moral than any of Hammett's characters and the novels are genuinely moving when they describe his love for his family and his sympathy for the poor and disenfranchised. Despite this he has little patience for those who commit crimes.
I confess to not liking this one as much as previous entries in the series. I think this is because the mystery was not really connected to a social issue in 1893 Leeds. Instead it was about a gang war. I also missed having longer sections featuring the perspective of Billy Reed. I always appreciate getting multiple perspectives in a novel. While these are the Tom Harper mysteries, it would be great to have Anabelle's perspective, as she works with the Women's Suffragist Society. This may be more a matter of my personal taste though. This is still a great entry in the series and well worth reading.
I confess to not liking this one as much as previous entries in the series. I think this is because the mystery was not really connected to a social issue in 1893 Leeds. Instead it was about a gang war. I also missed having longer sections featuring the perspective of Billy Reed. I always appreciate getting multiple perspectives in a novel. While these are the Tom Harper mysteries, it would be great to have Anabelle's perspective, as she works with the Women's Suffragist Society. This may be more a matter of my personal taste though. This is still a great entry in the series and well worth reading.
March 15, 2018
What a great mystery! Starting with a submerged body bobbing to the surface after a torpedo demonstration it winds its way through 1890s Leeds, with two dead men, rival gangs, and bent coppers, all leading up to a surprising and exciting ending. A taut and well-crafted plot handily kept the tension and suspense going through the whole story and I read most of it in one evening, I just couldn't put it down! The colorful and descriptive Victorian world created by the author drew me in easily, and the wonderful characters, from the gangsters to the dedicated coppers to Harper's Suffragette wife, Annabelle, they really brought the book to life. And the ending! Whooo, never saw that coming! An excellent historical mystery from start to finish
November 22, 2016
I received this free copy in exchange for an honest review
It was a very interesting read and well written. I had a good time reading it, although I don't think I'll remember it after a few days. It was my first book of the series, but that didn't cause me any problems. I believe the fans of the series will love it. It was short and rich so it's very much enjoyable.
The historical setting and the research about it were accurate and the crime gets your attention from the first paragraph. The plot develops well and it is interesting to follow around DI Tom Harper -although I found him a bit boring. Some characters are also a bit stiff but that's ok. The dialogues, I do realise that they should be written according to the era, but they were a bit slow.
I am sure that many people will find it interesting and the fans of the series will love it.
It was a very interesting read and well written. I had a good time reading it, although I don't think I'll remember it after a few days. It was my first book of the series, but that didn't cause me any problems. I believe the fans of the series will love it. It was short and rich so it's very much enjoyable.
The historical setting and the research about it were accurate and the crime gets your attention from the first paragraph. The plot develops well and it is interesting to follow around DI Tom Harper -although I found him a bit boring. Some characters are also a bit stiff but that's ok. The dialogues, I do realise that they should be written according to the era, but they were a bit slow.
I am sure that many people will find it interesting and the fans of the series will love it.
July 27, 2016
The Iron Water is a mystery wrapped in a detective story. Set in 1893 Leeds, it has the sensibilities of its time. Detective Inspector Harper is a family man, married to a business owner and suffragette, he is a patient and tolerant man grateful for his job and his family. When a body surfaces after a torpedo demonstration, Harper is determined to find the killer. As more bodies are found, and two rival crime bosses are implicated, the police are hard pressed to find the mastermind. This is a gently told story with a leisurely pace. Although I normally figure out who the killer is, this story had me fooled. I look forward to reading more of DI Harper’s cases.
September 16, 2016
Rating & review will be updated on the book's release day.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC copy.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC copy.
December 2, 2023
Another brilliant read by Chris Nickson! Leeds has just been made a City and the Leeds City Police are under close scrutiny as bodies start to multiply in Leeds. First a body floats to the top of the lake in Roundhay Park, followed by a further body of a man in Leeds - are they connected? A foot is then found by a dredger, later the body of a young woman is found on the water- another connection or a separate crime/accident/suicide? As the investigations continue it seems to be gang "warfare" or is it? Under further pressure and the threat of Scotland Yard taking over the investigation, Tom Harper and his men are on a time limit to catch the killer(s) quickly. Watch for a twist in this tale?
August 1, 2016
" Two macabre discoveries in a single morning present an intriguing challenge for Detective Inspector Tom Harper Leeds, England. July, 1893"
Thanks to NetGalley I am privileged to have gotten an ARC for this terrific book but a favorite author.Leeds and vicinity is a favorite reading destination for me as long as Chris Nickson takes me there. The 1360s, 1730s and the Victorian era have equal fascination- is it the author or the origins of the population? I am not sure but all Nickson's books have that effect on me, Leeds or Chesterfield area equally.
This one was very exciting and seemed to be wrapping up some of the criminal elements and exiting them from the narrative. Where are we going now I am wondering, but wherever the plot takes us I will follow.
Detective Inspector Tom Harper is sent to represent the new "City" of Leeds at a "torpedo" as weapon exhibition, all of which begin to introduce a changed political climate for this area. He is, therefore, an eyewitness to a murder and concealment of that crime. In rapid succession, murder are committed which implicate two warring crime factions and possibly introduce a third. It s a mystery however so all is not as it seems.
Also spotlighted is Annabelle Harper who is a suffragist, hotel and bakery proprietor and beginning a new career associated with women's suffrage as a political entity Societal changes weave in and out of these murders, which have our characters growing and changing with Leeds as it takes it's place a a major city.
Visiting characters like Billy Reed and his wife provide interest and back up for some of this societal change, upward mobility being spotlighted. The specter of Scotland Yard as "Big Brother" was introduced but that bullet was dodged, for now!
I am very much looking forward to the next installment in Spring 2017 where we may see the Leeds City political climate continue to change. Pre Order links are up now at Amazon, add this to your wish list! Recommended for all mystery lovers of any era.
Thanks to NetGalley I am privileged to have gotten an ARC for this terrific book but a favorite author.Leeds and vicinity is a favorite reading destination for me as long as Chris Nickson takes me there. The 1360s, 1730s and the Victorian era have equal fascination- is it the author or the origins of the population? I am not sure but all Nickson's books have that effect on me, Leeds or Chesterfield area equally.
This one was very exciting and seemed to be wrapping up some of the criminal elements and exiting them from the narrative. Where are we going now I am wondering, but wherever the plot takes us I will follow.
Detective Inspector Tom Harper is sent to represent the new "City" of Leeds at a "torpedo" as weapon exhibition, all of which begin to introduce a changed political climate for this area. He is, therefore, an eyewitness to a murder and concealment of that crime. In rapid succession, murder are committed which implicate two warring crime factions and possibly introduce a third. It s a mystery however so all is not as it seems.
Also spotlighted is Annabelle Harper who is a suffragist, hotel and bakery proprietor and beginning a new career associated with women's suffrage as a political entity Societal changes weave in and out of these murders, which have our characters growing and changing with Leeds as it takes it's place a a major city.
Visiting characters like Billy Reed and his wife provide interest and back up for some of this societal change, upward mobility being spotlighted. The specter of Scotland Yard as "Big Brother" was introduced but that bullet was dodged, for now!
I am very much looking forward to the next installment in Spring 2017 where we may see the Leeds City political climate continue to change. Pre Order links are up now at Amazon, add this to your wish list! Recommended for all mystery lovers of any era.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for an advance copy of The Iron Water, the fourth in Mr Nickson's series of police procedurals set in late Victorian Leeds.
DI Tom Harper is sent to represent the police at the trial of a new weapon, the torpedo. The trial is successful but it also dislodges a weighted down male body. A few hours later a dredger uncovers a young woman's arm. It seems like a bit of a coincidence that two bodies or parts thereof are found in the water on the same day.
What a great read as it is a straightforward whodunnit. Initially the police are baffled but through a mixture of shoe leather and bringing pressure to bear on suspected associates they start to get the information they need to form a case. It is well paced and well written and held my attention throughout.
The novel also has some social background. Harper's wife, Annabelle, is a suffragetist and holds a prominent position in the Leeds Society. The society has close links with the fledging Labour Party as they have some shared interests, notably not sexual equality! Annabelle's can do attitude and status as a businesswoman allow her to help the less fortunate, including her husband when she activates her female contacts to get information for him.
The Iron Water is an interesting read and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who likes historical fiction.
DI Tom Harper is sent to represent the police at the trial of a new weapon, the torpedo. The trial is successful but it also dislodges a weighted down male body. A few hours later a dredger uncovers a young woman's arm. It seems like a bit of a coincidence that two bodies or parts thereof are found in the water on the same day.
What a great read as it is a straightforward whodunnit. Initially the police are baffled but through a mixture of shoe leather and bringing pressure to bear on suspected associates they start to get the information they need to form a case. It is well paced and well written and held my attention throughout.
The novel also has some social background. Harper's wife, Annabelle, is a suffragetist and holds a prominent position in the Leeds Society. The society has close links with the fledging Labour Party as they have some shared interests, notably not sexual equality! Annabelle's can do attitude and status as a businesswoman allow her to help the less fortunate, including her husband when she activates her female contacts to get information for him.
The Iron Water is an interesting read and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who likes historical fiction.
August 3, 2016
It is the July of 1893, and the new 'city' of Leeds is playing host to a demonstration of a new naval weapon, the torpedo, in the city's Roundhay Park. The ensuing explosion brings a dead body to the lake's surface, beginning an investigation for DI Tom Harper, who is present at the demonstration. Shortly following this event, a woman's leg, still clad in stocking and boot, is dredged from the River Aire. Are the two deaths related? Who are the perpetrators?
In this Victorian police procedural, the fourth in the DI Tom Harper series by Chris Nickson, investigation comes to naught, and the body count continues to rise. The failure to apprehend a suspect places the force in danger of being humiliated by having a Scotland Yard detective imported to solve the crime.
The Iron Water is well written and well paced. The inclusion of Harper's wife, a suffragist, brings interesting social commentary to the novel. Will the force solve the mystery in time to prevent Scotland Yard arriving on the scene? and how much help will Harper receive from his family and friends?
I hadn't read any of Chris Nickson's novels before reading this one, but I'll certainly be seeking out more. Highly recommended. Five stars.
With thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing an ARC of this book.
In this Victorian police procedural, the fourth in the DI Tom Harper series by Chris Nickson, investigation comes to naught, and the body count continues to rise. The failure to apprehend a suspect places the force in danger of being humiliated by having a Scotland Yard detective imported to solve the crime.
The Iron Water is well written and well paced. The inclusion of Harper's wife, a suffragist, brings interesting social commentary to the novel. Will the force solve the mystery in time to prevent Scotland Yard arriving on the scene? and how much help will Harper receive from his family and friends?
I hadn't read any of Chris Nickson's novels before reading this one, but I'll certainly be seeking out more. Highly recommended. Five stars.
With thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing an ARC of this book.
September 20, 2016
This was my first time reading a book by Chris Nickson and his DI Tom Harper. I found the book enjoyable, well paced, and with a plot line that I thought was original and creative. Tom Harper witnesses a body rising to the surface when a new invention, the torpedo is test fired in the lake. But to whom does the leg belong and why did they have a rope tied around their waist? Tom sifts thru the clues and walks a very fine line between two rival gangs who may be plotting against each other to start a gang war...or is someone just trying to stir up trouble to gain territory? There are many twists and turns until the final resolution and the culprit revealed. Tom and his assistants and chiefs all have their reasons for wanting this one solved, not least of all to give the city of Leeds a bad name. Nickson includes some interesting subplots to round out his characters and his city, a wife who is a successful business woman in the Victorian era, and a city struggling to be recognized. Overall, and interesting read, and I will look to pick up others in the series.
I received this book in return for an unbiased review from NetGalley.
I received this book in return for an unbiased review from NetGalley.
September 19, 2017
In my humble opinion, this was rather a forgettable Victorian murder/cop/crime mystery. It is set in Victorian Leeds and is #4 in a series, written from the point of view of police Inspector Tom Harper, who is married to Annabelle (a suffragette and social reformer) and together they have baby daughter Mary. The relationship between Tom and Annabelle seemed too modern to me, but maybe it is just me. Anyway, Harper is called upon to solve the mystery behind a series of murders which have been occurring in Leeds. First, a body is discovered in a lake when they are testing a torpedo there (a new invention at this time – some historical details like this were included and appreciated). Then, a woman’s leg turns up in the river. Are they connected? Harper and his assistant Ash comb the streets of Leeds, and the seedy underbelly of the ethnic neighborhood rival Irish and English gangs to see who is involved. Or could it be a new criminal in town, trying to pit the two sides against one another so he or she can come out as the new powerful crime master in town?
The review called it a “police procedural” and that is exactly what it felt like: too much of a “process.” It was very much like, “Today Harper woke up, had this conversation with Annabelle, kissed Mary, who was such a cute delight, and then he went to work, and then this happened while they were investigating the mystery, and then he came home and Annabelle was working on her suffragette secretary business – isn’t she a peach, that one; he’s so lucky – and he played with Mary a little bit and gave her her bath and then put her down to bed, being the modern ‘hands-on’ dad that he was. The next day, he did the same thing. And the next day, and the next day, and the next day, until they solved the mystery.” Also, I wondered if fathers really were this hands-on in Victorian times. And did Victorian mothers run a bakery business with three locations, as well as the pub downstairs, speak in public for suffragette causes, act as secretary in the local reform council, and do full-time mothering as well, “because she thought it would not look good for the police inspector’s family to have live-in help”? I just don’t know. Maybe? Also, sometimes, the husband-wife bantering and innuendo seemed too modern and out of place to me, for a book set in Victorian times. But, silly me, what do I know? Maybe those Victorians were bantering it up all darn time, who really knows.
The review called it a “police procedural” and that is exactly what it felt like: too much of a “process.” It was very much like, “Today Harper woke up, had this conversation with Annabelle, kissed Mary, who was such a cute delight, and then he went to work, and then this happened while they were investigating the mystery, and then he came home and Annabelle was working on her suffragette secretary business – isn’t she a peach, that one; he’s so lucky – and he played with Mary a little bit and gave her her bath and then put her down to bed, being the modern ‘hands-on’ dad that he was. The next day, he did the same thing. And the next day, and the next day, and the next day, until they solved the mystery.” Also, I wondered if fathers really were this hands-on in Victorian times. And did Victorian mothers run a bakery business with three locations, as well as the pub downstairs, speak in public for suffragette causes, act as secretary in the local reform council, and do full-time mothering as well, “because she thought it would not look good for the police inspector’s family to have live-in help”? I just don’t know. Maybe? Also, sometimes, the husband-wife bantering and innuendo seemed too modern and out of place to me, for a book set in Victorian times. But, silly me, what do I know? Maybe those Victorians were bantering it up all darn time, who really knows.
January 29, 2026
I have not read this author before and this is the fourth in the series but there is enough detail to fill in the gaps. Set in the late 1800's in Leeds, this is a dark and sometimes violent look at crime in the city at that time. DI Tom Harper investigates when a body surfaces in the lake at Roundhay Park whilst he is observing a demonstration of a new naval weapon - a torpedo. But before long the body count increases and DI Harper faces the possibility of a gang war on the streets of his city.
This is a very well researched detective mystery/police procedural, set against a period of change and upheaval, touching on the suffragette movement and the newly emerging Labour party. There was a real twist in the end that I didn't see coming. The story is full of interesting and colourful characters and whilst it was quite dark in places it is lightened by the descriptions of home life with Tom and his wife and young daughter.
I will look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
This is a very well researched detective mystery/police procedural, set against a period of change and upheaval, touching on the suffragette movement and the newly emerging Labour party. There was a real twist in the end that I didn't see coming. The story is full of interesting and colourful characters and whilst it was quite dark in places it is lightened by the descriptions of home life with Tom and his wife and young daughter.
I will look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
July 18, 2017
In 1893, Leeds, DI Tom Harper has just seen a new weapon called a torpedo demonstrated. The explosion is huge and brings up a body that was sunk in the lake. As he starts to investigate, a woman’s severed leg is found in the River Aire and Tom wonders if these two events could be connected. 4th in the series.
September 17, 2018
Enjoying this series set in Victorian Leeds, even though the Victorian period is one of my least favorite times to visit historically. The author is able to transport you to the place and time and as with all his historical series, has a wonderful set of ever-developing characters that keep you interested and engaged in their personal lives as well as the mysteries that unfold.
August 10, 2022
I was tempted because the recommendation to Anne Perry readers and the description on the back. The mystery started off well enough but as an avid Anne Perry and Victoria Thompson reader, I felt let down by the characters and the mystery itself. The conclusion was not very much to my taste and felt a bit ridiculous.
August 20, 2018
One more to go ("On Copper Street"), and I will have read all six of Chris Nickson's Tom Harper mysteries. They continue to be uniformly well written with wonderful period detail, characters, and plots. I've yet to figure out "who did it" in each one, but the getting there is highly engaging.
April 20, 2023
an interesting police procedural set in the 1890s in Leeds again under pressure Tom Harper must solve a series of killings. This is a good addition to the series and we see the further development of the characters in the story.
May 8, 2023
This book was not for me. I typically love a historical fiction mystery, but I found the plot and characters to be bland. Lots of jumping around. Every other paragraph you are in a new location with new characters. The dialogue is not engaging!
February 20, 2026
A murder mystery set in Leeds in 1893. I really enjoyed the slower pace of life and policing, and the period touches, but overall I found the story lacked tension. Throughout the team was looking for a red haired man who they eventually found.
March 26, 2017
Nicely done. Good characters and good plot.
July 1, 2019
Another good entry.
The characters keep growing and changing, so it stays interesting. Good solid plots.
The characters keep growing and changing, so it stays interesting. Good solid plots.
December 21, 2020
I read this book to explore the lives of my ancestors, who were iron workers in London in the 1880-1900s. I am happy to say, I learned a lot on this journey.
February 28, 2025
Really like these books about old Leeds. Very evocative of the time.
December 14, 2016
Title: Iron Water (A Victorian Police Procedural) by Chris NicksonPublisher: Severn House 224pp November 2016
Genre: mystery, thriller fiction, historical, English mystery 4.5+ stars
Author: Chris Nickson (b 1954) is a British novelist, music journalist, and biographer who lived in the United States for 30 years before returning home. As a music journalist, he specialized in world and roots music, writing a regular column for Global Rhythm magazine. He wrote The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to World Music. He has written biographies of celebrities including Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Reeve and the late singer-songwriter John Martyn, Solid Air (ebook in June 2011). His first novel, The Broken Token (2010), was set in Leeds in 1731 followed by Cold Cruel Winter, then The Constant Lovers, The Cruel Fear, At the Dying of the Year and Fair and Tender Ladies: these are The Richard Nottingham novels. Then there are the Laura Benton series which take place in Seattle, the Detective Harper late Victorian (1890s) series also in Leeds, and other one-off novels and non-fiction. The audiobook of The Broken Token was named as one of the Audiobooks of the Year for 2012 by The Independent on Sunday.
Story line: I was very excited to discover a new author! This book looked interesting and is a genre I enjoy, but after the first 25 pages I settled in for a wonderful read. And then I discovered this is actually the fourth in a series, which I now must read in order. Gods of Gold is the first volume, followed by Two Bronze Pennies and Skin Like silver. All of his books have been added to my list. I love discovering a new (to me) author and enjoy sharing. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read Nickson. What a pleasure to enjoy an intricate plot, wonderful detailed characters, accurate interesting historical detail for an enjoyable afternoon read. These days stories often set your teeth on edge, you encounter graphic sex or violence when you're not expecting it, editing leaves something to be desired, or.... this didn't disappoint on any level.
We catch up with Detective Tom Harper witnessing a demonstration of a new naval weapon, the torpedo, in Waterloo Lake (aka Iron Water). Unfortunately a body is dislodged and then dredging operations unearth a women's leg in the River Aire. Every era and town seems to have a violent criminal underworld. His wife Annabelle is also a suffragist and we see many societal changes including class structure, women's issues, children. Leeds is a grim dirty industrial city (newly designated) and it's obvious I have to read his other historical novels of this city. What a pleasure to add him to my winter reading. I eagerly await the next installment 2017, after I finish the rest of the series!
Www.chrisnickson.co.uk
Read on:
Late Victorian detectives: Canadian Det Murdoch (Maureen Jennings), Mary Russell (Laurie King)
Quotes:
But until Mary was born he hadn’t known how loudly his heart could sing.
Detective Sergeant Ash he was now, promoted the year before and worth his weight in diamonds. He was a natural detective, a man who made connections well, who could think on his feet. Harper had pushed for him to be given his stripes; he deserved them.
He’d been a copper for fourteen years and never had a corpse emerge from the water before. Now there were two in a single morning.
‘Detective Inspector Harper, Leeds City Police.’ He still wasn’t used to the new name of the force.
The file on Archer was almost six inches thick, years of papers piled one on top of the other. The rumour was that he’d committed his first murder when he was just ten; a shopkeeper who clipped him round the ear when he came in and demanded money. No one had ever appeared in court for the death. He’d been arrested and questioned more often than Harper had enjoyed hot dinners.
‘You work out what the truth is,’ Harper told him. ‘That’s what the job is all about.’
‘Ready?’ Harper asked. ‘As I’ll ever be, sir,’ Ash answered. ‘I made out my will a few months ago.’
The sergeant smiled under his moustache. ‘I doubt Charlie Gilmore’s come within shouting distance of the truth since he learned how to talk. But there might have been a few places where he wasn’t lying too much.’
Six dead now. He couldn’t remember another case with so many murdered. And now? There was still one man out there. Morley’s killer. The last man standing. And he didn’t know who that might be.
Received as an Arc from netgalley. Thanks!!
Genre: mystery, thriller fiction, historical, English mystery 4.5+ stars
Author: Chris Nickson (b 1954) is a British novelist, music journalist, and biographer who lived in the United States for 30 years before returning home. As a music journalist, he specialized in world and roots music, writing a regular column for Global Rhythm magazine. He wrote The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to World Music. He has written biographies of celebrities including Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Reeve and the late singer-songwriter John Martyn, Solid Air (ebook in June 2011). His first novel, The Broken Token (2010), was set in Leeds in 1731 followed by Cold Cruel Winter, then The Constant Lovers, The Cruel Fear, At the Dying of the Year and Fair and Tender Ladies: these are The Richard Nottingham novels. Then there are the Laura Benton series which take place in Seattle, the Detective Harper late Victorian (1890s) series also in Leeds, and other one-off novels and non-fiction. The audiobook of The Broken Token was named as one of the Audiobooks of the Year for 2012 by The Independent on Sunday.
Story line: I was very excited to discover a new author! This book looked interesting and is a genre I enjoy, but after the first 25 pages I settled in for a wonderful read. And then I discovered this is actually the fourth in a series, which I now must read in order. Gods of Gold is the first volume, followed by Two Bronze Pennies and Skin Like silver. All of his books have been added to my list. I love discovering a new (to me) author and enjoy sharing. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read Nickson. What a pleasure to enjoy an intricate plot, wonderful detailed characters, accurate interesting historical detail for an enjoyable afternoon read. These days stories often set your teeth on edge, you encounter graphic sex or violence when you're not expecting it, editing leaves something to be desired, or.... this didn't disappoint on any level.
We catch up with Detective Tom Harper witnessing a demonstration of a new naval weapon, the torpedo, in Waterloo Lake (aka Iron Water). Unfortunately a body is dislodged and then dredging operations unearth a women's leg in the River Aire. Every era and town seems to have a violent criminal underworld. His wife Annabelle is also a suffragist and we see many societal changes including class structure, women's issues, children. Leeds is a grim dirty industrial city (newly designated) and it's obvious I have to read his other historical novels of this city. What a pleasure to add him to my winter reading. I eagerly await the next installment 2017, after I finish the rest of the series!
Www.chrisnickson.co.uk
Read on:
Late Victorian detectives: Canadian Det Murdoch (Maureen Jennings), Mary Russell (Laurie King)
Quotes:
But until Mary was born he hadn’t known how loudly his heart could sing.
Detective Sergeant Ash he was now, promoted the year before and worth his weight in diamonds. He was a natural detective, a man who made connections well, who could think on his feet. Harper had pushed for him to be given his stripes; he deserved them.
He’d been a copper for fourteen years and never had a corpse emerge from the water before. Now there were two in a single morning.
‘Detective Inspector Harper, Leeds City Police.’ He still wasn’t used to the new name of the force.
The file on Archer was almost six inches thick, years of papers piled one on top of the other. The rumour was that he’d committed his first murder when he was just ten; a shopkeeper who clipped him round the ear when he came in and demanded money. No one had ever appeared in court for the death. He’d been arrested and questioned more often than Harper had enjoyed hot dinners.
‘You work out what the truth is,’ Harper told him. ‘That’s what the job is all about.’
‘Ready?’ Harper asked. ‘As I’ll ever be, sir,’ Ash answered. ‘I made out my will a few months ago.’
The sergeant smiled under his moustache. ‘I doubt Charlie Gilmore’s come within shouting distance of the truth since he learned how to talk. But there might have been a few places where he wasn’t lying too much.’
Six dead now. He couldn’t remember another case with so many murdered. And now? There was still one man out there. Morley’s killer. The last man standing. And he didn’t know who that might be.
Received as an Arc from netgalley. Thanks!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews