The Angel

A Grand & Batchelor Victorian Mystery #3

by M.J. Trow

Nineteenth century private investigators American Matthew Grand and Englishman James Batchelor investigate the murder of Charles Dickens.
June, 1870. The world-famous author Charles Dickens has been found dead in his summerhouse where he had been hard at work on his final, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Did he die of natural causes - or is there something more sinister behind his sudden demise? George Sala, Dickens' biographer, is convinced his friend was murdered - and he has hired Grand and Batchelor to prove it.
Could Dickens' death have something to do with his unconventional private life? Who is the mysterious woman who appears at his funeral?
If they are to uncover the truth, Grand and Batchelor must leave no stone unturned. But are they prepared for the shocking secrets some of those unturned stones will reveal . . .?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Crime, 19th Century, British Literature, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Meirion James Trow is a full-time teacher of history who has been doubling as a crime writer for seventeen years. Originally from Ferndale, Rhondda in South Wales he now lives on the Isle of Wight. His interests include collecting militaria, film, the supernatural and true crime.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was delighted to have the opportunity to read another book in this series. I had previously read the first installment, The Blue and the Grey, when private detectives Grand & Batchelor started out.
In this book, they are called in to investigate the death of Charles Dickens.
Mixing fact and fiction the author, with a great sense of history, a time and place, weaves a credible tale of intrigue and mystery into the life and death of the great author.
M.J.Trow was able to call on some of the uncertainties in Dickens death and play on some of the more
salacious gossip surrounding his terms of research and women.
I loved the idea of joy and disappointment about being 'named' in a Dickens novel and the fact that characters in his household perpetuated certain names found in those books.
The investigation is difficult in that everyone 'loved' the author and no-one wanted to speak ill of him or betray some of his secrets.
This book is enriched by further plot directions as others come to the private enquiry agents for help.
However, Trow has a steady hand and a clever plot development as he draws so much out of this death/murder that has been deemed a simple stroke. So we have police corruption, internal disputes with Dickens publishers, drugs, opium dens and improper acts between men to conjur with all tied up neatly in Victorian England.
A clever and entertaining read whether you care for a Christmas Carol or any Dickensian work.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third investigation for Grand & Batchelor takes place in Victorian London, England. The author, Charles Dickens, has been found dead and one of his friends thinks it may have been murder.

Another perfectly adequate book, but the long-winded plot stops it from receiving a higher rating. There seems to be a lot of time that the duo spend not actually finding anything out. It allows the reader's attention to wander and that is never a good thing.

[Therese · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is much good writing and background research in this novel, but I felt that the story lacked focus and drive. For one thing, despite the plot being about an alleged murder of Charles Dickens, we learn very little about Dickens and his life in the course of the novel. One did not have any sense of what made the death suspicious, and what might have been going on in CD's life which might motivate someone to wipe him out. This is a pity, because in fact, Charles Dickens did have a very tangled existence, with several women on close terms with him, an embittered cast off wife, and many relatives and friends vying for a share of his wealth. He was also fascinated by crime and the history of London. So - there are some motives there for a crime story.

Most of this novel is taken up with a narrative about the immediate experiences of the two detectives. One has come over from the USA. It is reasonably witty, but no more than that. They have a series of encounters with different people, none of whom relate much to each other. There are some reflections on being an American in 19th century London.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grand and Batchelor are 19th century enquiry agents, or private detectives in modern parlance. When the illustrious writer Charles Dickens is found dead in 1870, his biographer is convinced that it wasn't a simple stroke and that something underhanded has occurred. The two men set out to investigate and discover more than they expected to. I loved all the real figures from history who appeared in this novel and it showed how much research Trow did in the writing of this novel. It's a gentle sort of mystery tale rather than a gritty page turner but still an enjoyable read.

[Roger Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another library book from the crime fiction section. Not bad but not as good as expected.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could Charles Dickens have been murdered? That's what George Sala believes, when he hires Matthew Grand and James Bachelor to investigate. The story provides an interesting view of literary London and its surrounds in 1870 as the two follow the very few clues they can uncover. Recommended.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good - meant for the more than casual Dickens fan; any reader could follow the plot, but only the Dickens fans would catch the allusions to his work.

[David Allen White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but keep telling yourself that it's a work of fiction.

[Nick Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not without its flaws, but an enjoyable Victorian page-turner all the same.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Sentence: It wasn’t often James Batchelor had the house to himself, but just sometimes he could persuade Matthew Grand that the Muse must take precedence over finding lost dogs and other footling pursuits.

Private enquiry agents, Matthew Grand, a former Union Calvary officer, and former British journalist James Batchelor, are approached by well-known journalist George Sala who wishes to employ them. Author Charles Dickens has died of an alleged stroke. Sala believes he was murdered. Is he right?

It is not often one finds oneself chuckling through the beginning of an historical mystery. Yet the housekeeper of Batchelor, whose recent weight gain is expressed in stones, and Grand, with his added weight conveyed in pounds, prompts just that reaction—‘He’s a bit…Blobby.’ ‘Mrs Rackstraw! That’s not a polite way to describe our guests.’ ‘No, but you wanted to know…’

Trow’s use of language is such a pleasure to read—“…Frederick Chapman came in. No one knew of Emmeline Jone’s passion, except perhaps the post boy; all of the editors, sub- and copy-; the woman who ‘did’ and brought their tea; and Mrs. Chapman, who found it all rather hilarious.”—as well as his inclusion of historic individuals in realistic roles. And, again, this use of humor makes this delightful to read.

The plot continually builds with the addition of other deaths, and social issues of the period. Very Dickens.

“The Angel” is an unexpected and delightful tale with twists, turns and intriguing suppositions.

THE ANGEL (Hist Mys-Grant/Batchelor-England-1870) – G+
Trow, M.J. – 4th in series
Severn House, Nov 2016

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book I'very read by this author. Has managed to re-create the slightly pompous prose often found in nineteenth century novels. Interesting pairing of the investigative duo.

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly found this book not as good as I'd have hoped!. it was a tad dry