The Case of the Curious Client

Bow Street Society #1

by T.G. Campbell

WINNER OF FRESH LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE BOOK AWARD APRIL 2017

The Bow Street Society is a fictional group of amateur detectives operating in London in 1896. Each of its civilian members has been enlisted for their unique skill or exceptional knowledge in a particular field. This ensures the Society may work to solve cases on the behalf of their clients regardless of their client’s social class or wealth; cases that the police either can’t or won’t investigate. From an artist to an illusionist, from an architect to a veterinary surgeon, the Bow Street Society is justice by all and for all.


In The Case of The Curious Client, the Bow Street Society are hired by Mr Thaddeus Dorsey to locate a missing friend he knows only as ‘Palmer’ after he fails to keep a late night appointment with him. With their client’s own credibility cast into doubt mere minutes after they meet him though the Society are forced to consider whether they’ve been sent on a wild goose chase. That is, until events take a dark turn and the Society have to race against time not only to solve the case but also save the very life of their client…


NEW for the second edition:


Notes from the author
A detailed explanation by T.G. Campbell about her inspiration for The Case of The Curious Client, and the historical context of the book. The real-life arrangements for mental health patients in 1896 London, and the explanation by modern day science for Mr Dorsey's apparent madness are just two topics discussed in this extensive bonus feature.


Gaslight Gazette
Featured in the book as the fictional newspaper read by London's inhabitants, the Gaslight Gazette is now the real-life, FREE, monthly newsletter for Bow Street Society fans. Information about how to subscribe is now included in the book.


Extracts from the Bow Street Society Casebook
This is a sub-series of short mysteries to read on the go. Extracts from The Case of The Shrinking Shopkeeper, The Case of The Winchester Wife, and The Case of The Perilous Pet may all be found in the back of this second edition.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2016

About the author

Tahnee Georgina Campbell wrote her first crime fiction story at the age of sixteen as a gift for her best friend. At only 40 pages long it fell considerably short of a “novel” but it marked the beginning of a creative journey that would eventually spawn the first of the Bow Street Society mystery novels; The Case of the Curious Client. During that time she attended the University of Winchester where she acquired her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Studies and wrote a dissertation on the social and cultural importance of the works of Agatha Christie.

The Bow Street Society is a fictional group of amateur detectives, operating in Victorian London, that feature in the murder mystery writings of award winning crime author, T.G. Campbell. Each of its civilian members has been enlisted for their unique skill or exceptional knowledge in a particular field derived from their usual occupation. Members are assigned to cases, by the Society's clerk, Miss Trent, based upon these skills and fields of knowledge. This ensures the Society may work on the behalf of their clients regardless of their client’s social class or wealth; cases that the police either can’t or won’t investigate. From an artist to an illusionist, from an architect to a veterinarian, the Bow Street Society's aim is to provide justice by all and for all.

The Case of The Curious Client won a Book Award with Fresh Lifestyle Magazine, an achievement she is extremely proud of. She's written a monthly feature for the magazine ever since. Her features cover a range of topics from Hidden London to every day life in Victorian era London.

Other works in the Bow Street Society universe are:

The Case of The Lonesome Lushington (Bow Street Society mystery, #2)
The Case of The Shrinking Shopkeeper & Other Stories (Bow Street Society Casebook, volume 1)
The Case of The Spectral Shot (Bow Street Society mystery, #3)
The Case of The Peculiar Portrait & Other Stories (Bow Street Society Casebook, volume 2)

Subscribers to the free, monthly, Bow Street Society newsletter - the Gaslight Gazette - are first to read new Casebook short stories. Sneak peeks of upcoming releases, deleted scenes from published works, and news about upcoming book signing events are also included. You may subscribe to the newsletter by visiting the official Bow Street Society website at https://www.bowstreetsociety.com/

Follow the Bow Street Society on:

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Reviews

[M.P. Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly enjoyable and quirky read with a colourful cast of larger-than-life characters and an intricate and absorbing plot. The author has clearly done a huge amount of research which is put to good use in the descriptions of people and places in Victorian London. Looking forward to meeting the Bow Street Society members again and following their exploits in the next book.

[John Bainbridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

T.G. Campbell has come up with a refreshingly original premise in her first murder mystery featuring the ‘Bow Street Society.’ Set in 1890s London, its members are a secret group who pool their varied talents to solve crimes where the police cannot help. In ‘The Case of the Curious Client’ it’s fun to spot the nods to Conan Doyle. This is an intriguing puzzle, untangling the clever plot with its multiple twists would have appealed to Sherlock Holmes.
The setting of Victorian London is lovingly evoked, you’re transported to the crowded streets and cluttered parlours with fascinating, authentic detail. I especially liked the way the author used lesser-known places such as the cabmen’s shelters and the bars at Underground stations. The story is written with great liveliness and races along. The colourful Bow Streeters are well-rounded characters, likeable, fun and poignant. I look forward to meeting them on their next adventure and hope that won’t be long.

[Kaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the setting and the characterisation, finding it easy to visualise what was going on in the scenes. The plot is solid and interesting. Any who enjoy crime and/or the Victorian setting should give it a read.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Curious Client definitely reminds me of reading a good Sherlock Holmes story. Set in Victorian London, Campbell paints the setting with such detail and authenticity that it is very easy for the reader to be transported back in time. This book feels very well researched and you can tell the author has a good feel for navigating her chosen setting.

I know some people don’t like getting bogged down by a lot of extra details, but I’m one of those readers that love it. I feel like it’s the experience of reading historical fiction – you need all those small details describing the look of a building or the ingredients of a dish, to really make a story feel authentic and allow the reader to vividly imagine the whole story.

And just like Holmes, the detectives in this story are unique and memorable. The Bow Street Society is made up of a variety of characters – people from all different backgrounds and jobs, all with different skills and interests – but at least a few of them have skills relevant to the mystery at hand. Each time the Society is presented with a case, they decide if they’ll take it, and if they do, certain members are chosen to take the case on. Not everyone works on every case, and the members don’t even all know each other, which makes for a very interesting dynamic.

Speaking of the mystery, this one was a doozy. There were a lot of plot twists and red herrings, but overall, the mystery was really fun and enjoyable to read. There are actually two mysteries and how they’re related to each other isn’t quite so obvious at first. I had a tough time figuring out the link and “whodunnit” until most of the clues and reveals were handed to me.

Thaddeus Dorsey, who is the client at the heart of this case is a mystery himself. At first the Bow Street Society members don’t know whether or not they can even trust him. When Dorsey hires them to find his missing friend ‘Palmer’, he doesn’t give them a lot to go on. As the story progresses, Dorsey becomes the prime suspect in a murder when he’s found in a locked room with a dead body. Whew!

As I said, there were a lot of twists and turns and watching the mysteries unravel was an enjoyable ride.

I love the idea of a Society of detectives, all brought together to solve cases that the police refuse to take (or can’t solve). It’s almost like The Avengers or The Justice League – not every member is used in the story, but you just know that they’ll be taking the lead in a future adventure. I know that this is the first book in a series and I’m looking forward to reading future stories, and meeting other members of the Bow Street Society.

*** Thank you to the author, T.G. Campbell, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ***

[Edward Turbeville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating detail, highly evocative of the historic period. The Case of the Curious Client has a rich plot and characters, and is a good choice for those who like British crime fiction and novels set in Victorian times.

There are many interesting historic snippets, for example about hansom and hackney cabs. The author clearly knows her era very well! I loved the name of the fictitious publication, the "Gaslight Gazette". I look forward to future instalments of the Bow Street Society.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bow Street Society is a fictional group of amateur detectives in London in 1896. Each of its members has been enlisted for their unique skill or exceptional knowledge in a particular field. The Society consists of an artist, a magician, an architect, a journalist and a veterinary surgeon.

The Bow Street Society is hired by Mr Thaddeus Dorsey, a man prone to fits of complete blindness, to locate a missing friend he knows only as ‘Palmer’ after he fails to keep his regular nightly visit with him. The Society are forced to consider whether they’ve been sent on a wild goose chase when his truthfulness is challenged. That is, until a man is found murdered in Mr. Dorsey's flat. He had been stabbed with Mr. Dorsey's letter opener. The house was locked and Mr. Dorsey tied to the bed. How could have anyone entered, killed a man and then departed without his knowledge.

the members of the Society race against time to find the answers the need before an innocent man goes to the gallows.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s my review of The Case of the Curious Client by T.G. Campbell - I won these in the recent charity auction after very much enjoying the short story the author submitted to our charity anthology. I was excited to get started reading them and this novel hit nearly all the points for a perfect read for me, a relatively gentle pace but still plenty going on, interesting and unusual characters, a little quirkiness and a fascinating plot all wrapped up in a well written bundle. The bow street society is an excellent idea and the mysteries and back stories around the society members themselves unravel as we read. I loved this book and I love that in the charity events we’ve held I always discover a new shut up and take my money author, I will be reading everything this author writes from now on - luckily I already have 3 more paperbacks to be getting on with a massive 5* from me (definitely new discovery of the year material/top 10 reads candidate)

[BooksBooksandmoreBooks69 · Rating 5 out of 5]

what an amazing read

A cast of characters that were just amazing.
Whodunit book that kept you guessing till almost the last page.
Sherlock Holmes would have been proud.
A few twists and turns.
The author researched this well, and it showed. The detail and descriptions were on point.
I’ll definitely be reading more of this series. 👍🏻

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my normal read, but I was curious after meeting the author at AATA in October.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, it made such a refreshing change to read a murder mystery, especially set in the 1800’s.
I will certainly read more in the series.

[Nancy Vanstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plotline in this book by T.G. Campbell is clear and to the point. I especially enjoyed the preface and the ending. It has the rigth no. of pages to make a fantastic read!!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

More, please

This is a good story if a bit convoluted. I would like to follow the characters ' development. So I will be on the lookout for the rest of the series.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I met the author at a writing group.
I have to say firstly that this is not a genre that I usually enjoy, so the fact that, once I got into it, I finished it relatively quickly, is testament to how well written it was and how engaging the characters are.
It did take a little while to get used to who was who, there are quite a few characters introduced at the outset. I like the idea that there are different people working within the Bow Street Society and that not everyone knows who the other members are, and as such I wonder if future books will concentrate on the same group of investigators or a different group? Either would be interesting.
The story is well paced and it was not obvious "whodunnit." I also liked the fact that there were actually two cases being investigated, and there was obviously a link between them. It was fun trying to figure out the link - which I did not do until it was revealed, I hasten to add.
Edgy, adult in places - almost certainly too adult to have been published at the time it is set - I enjoyed the characters, the tale, the reveals, the red herrings and the conclusion. I think I will be revisiting the Bow Street Society rather soon.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I don’t usually read historical books, I do read mysteries and thrillers, so the crime aspect of this one intrigued me and I decided to give it go. I’m glad I did!

The Bow Street Society comprises a mixed bag of members with different skills, from all walks of life and is overseen by Rebecca Trent.

We join some of those members in this book as they search for Thaddeus Dorsey’s missing friend, Palmer, which leads to them investigating a murder and trying to save their client from being convicted of the crime.

The Case of the Curious Client was a fascinating read with an intriguing plot and plenty of twists which kept me guessing ’til the end. The characters were well-rounded and I enjoyed getting to know them, their flaws, and their quirks.

The author’s patent love of the Victorian era shines through this book, and she has, without doubt, done an impressive amount of research, as the evocative and authentic descriptions transported me back in time to 1890’s London.

I will definitely be reading more of this series.

[Val Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Curious Client is the first novel in the series about The Bow Street Society. This is a fictional group of amateur detectives, operating in Victorian London. Its members are a secret group who pool their varied talents to solve crimes where the police cannot help. Each of its civilian members has been enlisted for their unique skill or exceptional knowledge in a particular field derived from their usual occupation. Members are assigned to cases, by the Society's clerk, Miss Trent, based upon these skills and fields of knowledge.

The first thing I noticed about this book was the descriptions of both the characters and their surroundings were so detailed I could easily see them in my mind's eye. The books are set in late nineteenth century London and the scenes are beautifully drawn.

The main victim in the story is disabled and this fascinated me. I was made to consider how difficult it must have been for him in that period and I did wonder how much progress society has made since then.

The Case of the Curious Client is an intriguing puzzle, untangling the clever plot with its multiple twists would have appealed to Sherlock Holmes.

The story is written with great liveliness and races along. The story is well paced and initially it was not an obvious "whodunnit." In fact, there were actually two cases being investigated, and it was fun trying to figure out the link between them. Although I read a lot in this genre, I did not work out the link until it was revealed.

The novel has adult themes, this surprised me but I enjoyed the characters, the tale, the reveals, the red herrings and the conclusion and will crtainly read more of T.G. Campbell's books in the future.

[Jean Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story started out interesting then became less interesting and I just didn't like it.

[Mary Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gave up at 20%. Beautiful writing but perplexing and still not making any sense. Sorry, not for me…. At least, not at the moment.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks like a promising series. The author has clearly done a lot of solid research (good) but includes too much too often, such that it can impede the narrative.