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Soot
York, 1799. In August, an artist is found murdered in his home—stabbed with a pair of scissors. Matthew Harvey's death is much discussed in the city. The scissors are among the tools of his trade—for Harvey is a renowned cutter and painter of shades, or silhouettes, the latest fashion in portraiture. It soon becomes clear that the murderer must be one of the artist's last sitters, and the people depicted in the final six shades made by him become the key suspects. But who are they? And where are they to be found?
Later, in November, a clever but impoverished young gentleman called Fletcher Rigge languishes in the debtor's prison, until a letter arrives containing a bizarre proposition from the son of the murdered man. Rigge is to be released for one month, but in that time, he must find the killer. If he fails, he will be incarcerated again, possibly for life.
And so, with everything at stake, and equipped only with copies of the distinctive silhouettes, Fletcher Rigge begins his search across the snow-covered city, and enters a world of shadows...
Later, in November, a clever but impoverished young gentleman called Fletcher Rigge languishes in the debtor's prison, until a letter arrives containing a bizarre proposition from the son of the murdered man. Rigge is to be released for one month, but in that time, he must find the killer. If he fails, he will be incarcerated again, possibly for life.
And so, with everything at stake, and equipped only with copies of the distinctive silhouettes, Fletcher Rigge begins his search across the snow-covered city, and enters a world of shadows...
342 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2017
29 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Martin
191 books105 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Andrew Martin (born 6 July 1962) is an English novelist and journalist.
Martin was brought up in Yorkshire, studied at the University of Oxford and qualified as a barrister. He has since worked as a freelance journalist for a number of publications while writing novels, starting with Bilton, a comic novel about journalists, and The Bobby Dazzlers, a comic novel set in the North of England, for which he was named Spectator Young Writer of the Year. His series of detective novels about Jim Stringer, a railwayman reassigned to the North Eastern Railway Police in Edwardian England, includes The Necropolis Railway, The Blackpool Highflyer, The Lost Luggage Porter, Murder at Deviation Junction and Death on a Branch Line. He has also written the non-fiction book; How to Get Things Really Flat: A Man's Guide to Ironing, Dusting and Other Household Arts.
Andrew Martin (born 6 July 1962) is an English novelist and journalist.
Martin was brought up in Yorkshire, studied at the University of Oxford and qualified as a barrister. He has since worked as a freelance journalist for a number of publications while writing novels, starting with Bilton, a comic novel about journalists, and The Bobby Dazzlers, a comic novel set in the North of England, for which he was named Spectator Young Writer of the Year. His series of detective novels about Jim Stringer, a railwayman reassigned to the North Eastern Railway Police in Edwardian England, includes The Necropolis Railway, The Blackpool Highflyer, The Lost Luggage Porter, Murder at Deviation Junction and Death on a Branch Line. He has also written the non-fiction book; How to Get Things Really Flat: A Man's Guide to Ironing, Dusting and Other Household Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
June 19, 2017
This is a beautifully pieced together puzzle 0f historical fiction by Andrew Martin set in 1799 in York, a city of around twenty thousand people, in a period of flux where there is much movement from rural areas, where livelihoods are foundering, to the city. An artist, Matthew Harvey, has been discovered murdered by sharp scissors used to stab, tools of his profession as a cutter and painter of shade/silhouettes portraiture, which is currently in vogue. It becomes apparent that the murderer must have been one of the last six sitters for the artist, it is not immediately apparent who they are, there are only the shades left to identify them. The narrative is primarily delivered through the medium of letters, journal entries and memorandum.
A once distinguished gentleman, Fletcher Rigge, finds himself in debtors prison after his father gambled away the family estate and Fletcher, a good man, insisted on doing up the workers abodes. He is a literary man, much given to writing, who had worked at Skelton's book shop. He is rescued from his current predicament for a month by Captain Robin Harvey, the son of the artist, who wants him to find his father's six clients and the murderer. If he fails, he will return to the prison. Rigge immerses himself in the mystery and slowly the shade sitters are identified. One is a
volatile London writer, a member of the Black Diamonds, who despises Samuel Johnson. Rigge becomes a tutor to uncover a mother and her chaotic daughters. Another is a violent actor who takes umbrage on not being given leading roles. However, there is the issue of what Captain Harvey, a man with a nefarious history, wants to do with Rigge's information. Amidst the investigation, we become aware of the romantic feelings Rigge has for Miss Lucy Spink, an affair apparently doomed by Rigge's dire financial circumstances and the likelihood he will return to prison.
This is a sparkling novel with a diverse range of characters that captivate, often for their villainy as for their good qualities. Fletcher Rigge is a fascinating central character, a man who seems determined to act against his personal interests. He uncovers secrets, and takes on dangerous men without a thought to his own safety. I hope the author plans to write further on Fletcher Rigge. The author gives us a real feel of the period, the people and the city of York. An enjoyable and entertaining read which I highly recommend. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
A once distinguished gentleman, Fletcher Rigge, finds himself in debtors prison after his father gambled away the family estate and Fletcher, a good man, insisted on doing up the workers abodes. He is a literary man, much given to writing, who had worked at Skelton's book shop. He is rescued from his current predicament for a month by Captain Robin Harvey, the son of the artist, who wants him to find his father's six clients and the murderer. If he fails, he will return to the prison. Rigge immerses himself in the mystery and slowly the shade sitters are identified. One is a
volatile London writer, a member of the Black Diamonds, who despises Samuel Johnson. Rigge becomes a tutor to uncover a mother and her chaotic daughters. Another is a violent actor who takes umbrage on not being given leading roles. However, there is the issue of what Captain Harvey, a man with a nefarious history, wants to do with Rigge's information. Amidst the investigation, we become aware of the romantic feelings Rigge has for Miss Lucy Spink, an affair apparently doomed by Rigge's dire financial circumstances and the likelihood he will return to prison.
This is a sparkling novel with a diverse range of characters that captivate, often for their villainy as for their good qualities. Fletcher Rigge is a fascinating central character, a man who seems determined to act against his personal interests. He uncovers secrets, and takes on dangerous men without a thought to his own safety. I hope the author plans to write further on Fletcher Rigge. The author gives us a real feel of the period, the people and the city of York. An enjoyable and entertaining read which I highly recommend. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
August 19, 2019
What a surprising disappointment. There was so much potential with this story. I loved the idea of it - a man named Matthew Harvey who's occupation is 'cutter of shades' is murdered with a pair of scissors. There don't seem to be any suspects, but then Matthew's son decides to release a man from debtor's prison named Fletcher Rigge, and gives him a limited amount of time to find his father's murder. He must do so by tracing the last 6 sitters that interacted with him. His forfeit is that he will be sent back to the prison and not released.
What a great idea!! But in fact it's pretty dull, the characters all seem to merge into one, and the story goes on for (in my opinion) double the amount of time I think it should. When the end came I couldn't understand it, I didn't understand (even then) who had committed the crime - I must've been suffering with amnesia. The perks of the book however, were that the pages were smudged with (what was supposed to be) soot, and the cover is pretty cool.
What a great idea!! But in fact it's pretty dull, the characters all seem to merge into one, and the story goes on for (in my opinion) double the amount of time I think it should. When the end came I couldn't understand it, I didn't understand (even then) who had committed the crime - I must've been suffering with amnesia. The perks of the book however, were that the pages were smudged with (what was supposed to be) soot, and the cover is pretty cool.
June 6, 2018
crime mystery novel based in late 18th century York where an artist is murder and the young gentleman in the debtors gaol is employed to find the murderer in exchange for his debts to be paid off. enjoyed the novel but still feel that the stringers series are better though
February 14, 2018
Set in the Northern English city of York in 1799, this is a story that is just dripping in atmosphere.....
It’s quirky and fascinating, written as a series of letters, reports and journal entries, it dips into a dark world of murder, double dealing and gambling, where a diverse cast of characters from the worlds of art, literature and theatre, as well as several whose occupations are much less salubrious, play out this drama in a city which is in the grip of winter, with descriptions of snow and ice so palpable, I almost shivered reading it.
Fletcher Rigge finds himself in debtors prison, after his Fathers gambling has disastrous consequences, but he is given the chance of salvation if, on behalf of the victim’s son, he is able to discover who murdered an artist who’s speciality was producing the black, cut out silhouettes of his subjects....an art form also known as shades.
So begins his quest to find the culprit, not an easy task when it’s not clear who he can trust, and who’s true motives are hidden.
It’s quirky and fascinating, written as a series of letters, reports and journal entries, it dips into a dark world of murder, double dealing and gambling, where a diverse cast of characters from the worlds of art, literature and theatre, as well as several whose occupations are much less salubrious, play out this drama in a city which is in the grip of winter, with descriptions of snow and ice so palpable, I almost shivered reading it.
Fletcher Rigge finds himself in debtors prison, after his Fathers gambling has disastrous consequences, but he is given the chance of salvation if, on behalf of the victim’s son, he is able to discover who murdered an artist who’s speciality was producing the black, cut out silhouettes of his subjects....an art form also known as shades.
So begins his quest to find the culprit, not an easy task when it’s not clear who he can trust, and who’s true motives are hidden.
Read
November 27, 2017A historical novel entirely told in letters, diary snippets etc. MC is a young man who's lost his family estate and been arrested for debt, but is freed by the son of a murdered man if he investigates his father's death.
Mph. It's well written (doesn't try for a particularly Georgian feel to the rhythms or vocab) with lots of nice historical detail. I didn't really feel I got to know/care about the MC particularly, even though about half the book is his diary, which became problematic as the plot shifted towards his personal story arc separate to the murder narrative. (Also the epistolary form means that the other writers all spend a lot of time talking about how handsome, interesting, appealing, wronged etc the MC is, which I always find rather odd.)
Notable that all the women were on a spectrum of flaws (unfair, unreliable, unfaithful, unpleasant) and oh hey is that sole gay character , why of *course*.
The ending
I did finish it, which is something, but it left me unmoved. Not a success for me.
Mph. It's well written (doesn't try for a particularly Georgian feel to the rhythms or vocab) with lots of nice historical detail. I didn't really feel I got to know/care about the MC particularly, even though about half the book is his diary, which became problematic as the plot shifted towards his personal story arc separate to the murder narrative. (Also the epistolary form means that the other writers all spend a lot of time talking about how handsome, interesting, appealing, wronged etc the MC is, which I always find rather odd.)
Notable that all the women were on a spectrum of flaws (unfair, unreliable, unfaithful, unpleasant) and oh hey is that sole gay character , why of *course*.
The ending
I did finish it, which is something, but it left me unmoved. Not a success for me.
July 7, 2017
Set in York at the end of the eighteenth century, Soot features an unlikely amateur sleuth in Fletcher Rigge. Plucked from the debtor’s prison by a questionable benefactor from the wrong part of town, he’s given a month to investigate the murder of Captain Harvey’s father, one of York’s silhouette artists. The suspects are his last sitters, with only their duplicate shades to identify them. The art of the silhouette maker appears to capture the essence of each character and it’s illuminating how much Fletcher Rigge is able to take from these deceptively simple shades of people. They represent the impression we leave behind and it’s for Rigge to fill in the detail, as he attempts to identify each sitter inside a month. In this, Rigge is the happy beneficiary of coincidence while pursuing his investigations but I can forgive him that in a York of this period. He also shows scant regard for his own safety or wellbeing. Maybe he thinks he has little left to lose, despite being drawn into a dangerous game where a murderer is still at large. Will Rigge prove to be a willing pawn or more skilled and capable of outwitting practised confidence artists and other undesirables than we expect? And why does he seem set on undoing all the good work he and others are doing on his behalf?
Soot held my attention from its first page when Mr Erskine, a lawyer, sends the York magistrate a bundle of documents concerning the violent death of Matthew Harvey. I tumbled headlong into the (rather aptly) shadowy world of this city at the close of the eighteenth century. Reading this collection of letters, diary entries and witness statements (complete with the lawyer’s annotations), the lawyer in me loved trying to piece together this whodunit/whydunit from all the material provided. If you enjoy puzzles, you’ll love this literary jigsaw of a mystery with characters as fascinating and fluid as Rigge’s roaming over the snowy northern city. Just as ink and soot smudge and snow soon turns to sludge, part of the fun of Soot is how nothing is ever black or white: the lines between good and bad blur and fudge and its people are neither one thing nor the other. What they are throughout is darkly amusing and interesting companions. Here’s the grieving son on his father’s search for the right shade: “He was always looking for what he called a dead black,” said Captain Harvey, smiling sardonically. “I reckon he’s found it now.”
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the shadows, smudged in Soot; it’s historical crime with a difference, laced with dark humour and told with flair. I’ll miss its unusual and unlikely but likeable protagonist Fletcher Rigge and hope we meet again in the ink-tipped pages of another book. In the meantime, treat yourself to the gorgeous hardback of this beauty… before the lawyers get their hands on it, too.
Soot held my attention from its first page when Mr Erskine, a lawyer, sends the York magistrate a bundle of documents concerning the violent death of Matthew Harvey. I tumbled headlong into the (rather aptly) shadowy world of this city at the close of the eighteenth century. Reading this collection of letters, diary entries and witness statements (complete with the lawyer’s annotations), the lawyer in me loved trying to piece together this whodunit/whydunit from all the material provided. If you enjoy puzzles, you’ll love this literary jigsaw of a mystery with characters as fascinating and fluid as Rigge’s roaming over the snowy northern city. Just as ink and soot smudge and snow soon turns to sludge, part of the fun of Soot is how nothing is ever black or white: the lines between good and bad blur and fudge and its people are neither one thing nor the other. What they are throughout is darkly amusing and interesting companions. Here’s the grieving son on his father’s search for the right shade: “He was always looking for what he called a dead black,” said Captain Harvey, smiling sardonically. “I reckon he’s found it now.”
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the shadows, smudged in Soot; it’s historical crime with a difference, laced with dark humour and told with flair. I’ll miss its unusual and unlikely but likeable protagonist Fletcher Rigge and hope we meet again in the ink-tipped pages of another book. In the meantime, treat yourself to the gorgeous hardback of this beauty… before the lawyers get their hands on it, too.
May 20, 2018
This is a 3 1/2 stars for me I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. It is set in 1799, so it was intresting to read about that time, the clothing and the candles, so glad we live in a time that has electricity. It is set in the winter which sets a good tone for the book because it is a murder mystery.
The main character is Fletcher Riggs and he is in debtor's prison when he is set free for one month under the care of Captin Harvey, who wants him to try and solve the murder of his father. Captin Harvey had heard that Riggs had been involved in solving another issue. As you read through this story you will see that Riggs is very good at working things out.
The story is told in letters and diary entries, in fact because of the diary you get to read past the bedroom door at times, it is of couse the place you write your personal going on's. So you get little suprises along the way.
I found the ending Questionable.
The main character is Fletcher Riggs and he is in debtor's prison when he is set free for one month under the care of Captin Harvey, who wants him to try and solve the murder of his father. Captin Harvey had heard that Riggs had been involved in solving another issue. As you read through this story you will see that Riggs is very good at working things out.
The story is told in letters and diary entries, in fact because of the diary you get to read past the bedroom door at times, it is of couse the place you write your personal going on's. So you get little suprises along the way.
I found the ending Questionable.
January 3, 2018
Loved this! A wonderful story told so well.
July 29, 2017
It's the late 1700s and Fletcher Rigge is in debtors' prison after his father's suicide left him in dire straits. He's given the opportunity to have his debts written off and his permanent release secured if he investigates the death of silhouette artist Matthew Harvey who was stabbed to death with a pair of scissors. This reminded me a little of Antonia Hodgson's recent books about a debtor investigating crime and there's a touch of Tristram Shandy; none of which is a bad thing. I like Martin's easy writing style and the characters of the novel. Most of all I loved that it's set in one of my favourite cities (York).
August 16, 2017
“Hey ho.”
1799. Young Fletcher Rigge is incarcerated in York’s Castle prison until he can repay his debts - an unlikely prospect. Rigge has fallen on hard times since his father lost his considerable farming estate in a card game and subsequently committed suicide. Captain Harvey, a dubious character of ill repute, arranges for Rigge’s release on the understanding that the young man will uncover the identity of his father’s murderer. The late Matthew Harvey was a portraitist and his last seven silhouettes could hold the clue to the identity of his killer.
Andrew Martin employs the complicated and now rather well-worn device of using letters, newspaper articles and diaries to unfold the story from myriad points of view (rather in the vein of ‘His Bloody Project’ but for me Martin’s construct lacks the apparent authenticity that Graeme Macrae Burnet’s novel conveyed so convincingly).
Nevertheless, Martin’s writing is sprinkled with subtle humour and in Fletcher Rigge, the author has created a terrific character, one whose often perplexing deeds and decisions mean that he can’t be neatly pigeon-holed.
Martin is at his most entertaining when he touches on the late 18th century book trade. Rigge ekes out a living by churning out potboilers and his utter disdain for the expression “hey ho” earns the author an extra point from me. Fletcher Rigge maintains his enigmatic appeal right up until the novel’s somewhat opaque conclusion and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we hear more of the travails of this particular protagonist. Hey ho.
1799. Young Fletcher Rigge is incarcerated in York’s Castle prison until he can repay his debts - an unlikely prospect. Rigge has fallen on hard times since his father lost his considerable farming estate in a card game and subsequently committed suicide. Captain Harvey, a dubious character of ill repute, arranges for Rigge’s release on the understanding that the young man will uncover the identity of his father’s murderer. The late Matthew Harvey was a portraitist and his last seven silhouettes could hold the clue to the identity of his killer.
Andrew Martin employs the complicated and now rather well-worn device of using letters, newspaper articles and diaries to unfold the story from myriad points of view (rather in the vein of ‘His Bloody Project’ but for me Martin’s construct lacks the apparent authenticity that Graeme Macrae Burnet’s novel conveyed so convincingly).
Nevertheless, Martin’s writing is sprinkled with subtle humour and in Fletcher Rigge, the author has created a terrific character, one whose often perplexing deeds and decisions mean that he can’t be neatly pigeon-holed.
Martin is at his most entertaining when he touches on the late 18th century book trade. Rigge ekes out a living by churning out potboilers and his utter disdain for the expression “hey ho” earns the author an extra point from me. Fletcher Rigge maintains his enigmatic appeal right up until the novel’s somewhat opaque conclusion and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we hear more of the travails of this particular protagonist. Hey ho.
September 18, 2018
Set in York 1799, the main protagonist Fletcher Rigge is in a debtor's jail after he inherited a debt through his late father's reckless gambling, a debt that will be impossible to pay off, until a letter arrives with a bizarre proposition that could set him free. Rigge is to be released for a month to investigate the murder of the artist Matthew Harvey, he must find the killer or he will be returned to prison.
The story is built up using letters and diary entries - which I don't mind, but I got lost for a bit at the beginning when it jumped about. Other than that I enjoyed it.
The story is built up using letters and diary entries - which I don't mind, but I got lost for a bit at the beginning when it jumped about. Other than that I enjoyed it.
February 10, 2019
Modernity and efficiency clash with tradition and nurture in this enjoyable murder mystery. Set in murky York in the 1700s, the characters are wonderfully drawn and often memorably diabolical. Its cast of characters from York to London are murkier than the cities' alleyways and roofless hovels. As is so often the case, the loaded narrative raises ideas that are only partially addressed in its denouement. There are few twists. And yet it's a perfect winter read: get the wine, stoke the fire and enjoy this rollicking tale of art and literature... and its dark underbelly.
April 30, 2020
Maria - per RFS
.
L’arte è da sempre stata foriera di bellezza, grazia e mistero. Alcune volte, però, questa può portare con sé significati ben più profondi e… macabri. Questo è ciò che accade all’interno del romanzo. La trama disegna, infatti, il ritratto di un assassino all’interno di un’opera d’arte che per i molti sarà solo tale ma per Fletcher Rigge sarà molto di più.
Ma andiamo ai fatti: l’efferato omicidio dell’artista Matthew Harvey getta i cittadini nel panico più totale; quelle forbici assassine conficcate nel corpo dell’uomo nascondono l’anima nera di un criminale la cui voce raggiunge il destino di Fletcher Rigge. Costui è in prigione a causa dei suoi debiti ma quel brutale assassinio sarà per lui un’ancora di salvezza. Proprio il figlio di Halvey, infatti, gli chiede di indagare e di scoprire per mano di chi è morto il padre.
In una York di fine ‘700, non solo la trapunta di neve che copre la città deve essere irrimediabilmente tolta affinchè venga scoperta la verità, ma molte saranno le insidie che arriveranno a bussare a ogni realtà che sembra essere celata.
Rigge rimpiangerà molte volte la prigionia durante la strada che lo porterà alla verità e il prezzo da pagare si rileva essere molto più gravoso del destino che gli era già stato scritto.
La vera bellezza di questa storia sta nel leggerla senza ricevere prima alcun tipo di spoiler e per questo non ne farò. Sicuramente ammetto che lo stile della penna di questo autore è fine e preciso; le ambientazioni sono descritte in modo così dettagliato da riuscire a ricreare nella mente, pezzo dopo pezzo, ogni singolo ambiente.
Il crescendo del mistero e della suspence che precede il finale danno il giusto impatto a quella che penso che sia una storia semplicemente ben fatta. Se vi piace l’arte e siete amanti del giallo questo è ciò che vi serve! Buona lettura!
.
L’arte è da sempre stata foriera di bellezza, grazia e mistero. Alcune volte, però, questa può portare con sé significati ben più profondi e… macabri. Questo è ciò che accade all’interno del romanzo. La trama disegna, infatti, il ritratto di un assassino all’interno di un’opera d’arte che per i molti sarà solo tale ma per Fletcher Rigge sarà molto di più.
Ma andiamo ai fatti: l’efferato omicidio dell’artista Matthew Harvey getta i cittadini nel panico più totale; quelle forbici assassine conficcate nel corpo dell’uomo nascondono l’anima nera di un criminale la cui voce raggiunge il destino di Fletcher Rigge. Costui è in prigione a causa dei suoi debiti ma quel brutale assassinio sarà per lui un’ancora di salvezza. Proprio il figlio di Halvey, infatti, gli chiede di indagare e di scoprire per mano di chi è morto il padre.
In una York di fine ‘700, non solo la trapunta di neve che copre la città deve essere irrimediabilmente tolta affinchè venga scoperta la verità, ma molte saranno le insidie che arriveranno a bussare a ogni realtà che sembra essere celata.
Rigge rimpiangerà molte volte la prigionia durante la strada che lo porterà alla verità e il prezzo da pagare si rileva essere molto più gravoso del destino che gli era già stato scritto.
La vera bellezza di questa storia sta nel leggerla senza ricevere prima alcun tipo di spoiler e per questo non ne farò. Sicuramente ammetto che lo stile della penna di questo autore è fine e preciso; le ambientazioni sono descritte in modo così dettagliato da riuscire a ricreare nella mente, pezzo dopo pezzo, ogni singolo ambiente.
Il crescendo del mistero e della suspence che precede il finale danno il giusto impatto a quella che penso che sia una storia semplicemente ben fatta. Se vi piace l’arte e siete amanti del giallo questo è ciò che vi serve! Buona lettura!
April 11, 2025
Where do I even begin? This is set mainly in York about 1799, in essence it is a murder mystery told through a series of letters and diary extracts.
The author obviously knows his stuff and his research into York of that era seems very knowledgeable and detailed. However, it feels like he started with that and then tried to wrap a story around it. The story is that of a murder of an artist of “shades” and of Fletcher Rigge, pulled out of debtors prison to investigate. Much here about the educated society of the time with quite a look at the arts, dance, literature, plays and so on.
But Rigge is hard to warm to, the story not strong enough and it did become a chore to keep ploughing through to an underwhelming end.
The author obviously knows his stuff and his research into York of that era seems very knowledgeable and detailed. However, it feels like he started with that and then tried to wrap a story around it. The story is that of a murder of an artist of “shades” and of Fletcher Rigge, pulled out of debtors prison to investigate. Much here about the educated society of the time with quite a look at the arts, dance, literature, plays and so on.
But Rigge is hard to warm to, the story not strong enough and it did become a chore to keep ploughing through to an underwhelming end.
July 3, 2017
It had been a while since I’d read a historical mystery or crime novel, so when Andrew Martin’s Soot landed in my inbox, I was quick to accept. Soot was certainly a murder mystery, but it was as much a whydunnit as a whodunnit. Especially since the book’s protagonist, Fletcher Rigge, starts off his investigation with a very limited pool of suspects. The more motives are revealed, the more the reader is seduced into guessing the culprit’s identity, which makes for a very entertaining read.
The structure of the narrative is quite interesting. Soot isn’t a straight first-person narrative, but neither is it an epistolary novel. Instead, the book is a mixture of first person diary entries from two different narrators, letters, interviews by Messrs Bright and Erskine, and explanatory insertions by the latter, the composer of the whole. The reason for Erskine to collate the narrative and send it on is not truly explained, but then again, who needs a reason for a good story? The framing, however, keeps the fact that any first-person narrative is inherently unreliable very much front and centre. It isn’t clear though how unreliable the narration is, since Erskine often purposely omits duplicate scenes from the text, stating that they were covered in previous extracts. Thus Martin consciously plays with the reliability of the narrative, while through his framing ensuring that the resulting narrative can be considered ’true’ and objective.
Martin delves into the motivations of all of the unsavories on display, sparing no one in Fletcher’s observations of their character. I found it interesting that the sympathetic characters are ones usually driven to the margins, such as Fletcher himself, Esther, and Mrs Kendall, or depicted as less-than-sympathetic, such as the attorney Mr Erskine and his clerk Mr Bright. There was added social commentary in the form of the condemnation of not Captain Harvey’s being bisexual, but his using his knowledge of other men’s homosexual proclivities — and the rampant homophobia of the era — to blackmail them. Similarly, Esther isn’t judged for her previous profession of being a prostitute.
Fletcher is such a complicated young man. His has a very strict moral compass, that perhaps doesn’t always conform to societal norms or help his own interests. He is also prone to a sense of romanticised nostalgia, which makes it hard to accept the march and progress of time. On the points though, there is a lot of growth over the course of the narrative. At one point he even takes a decision that takes him a huge step away from his previous convictions in rather a dramatic way. On the one hand, it was clearly him growing up, but on the other it was also somewhat disturbing , as it uncovered a ruthless streak in him that was previously unsuspected. Besides Fletcher one of the more important narrators is Esther, Captain Harvey’s common-law wife. I really liked her and I would have loved to have seen more of her. The same goes for Mrs Sampson. I didn’t find her as sympathetic, but I found her absolutely intriguing.
I really enjoyed this book for it’s clever construction and the compelling voice of Fletcher Rigge. He was at times infuriating, but always painfully honest and he was hard not to like. Soot is a great story and an entertaining read. It’s a new direction for Andrew Martin, whose historical mysteries have hitherto focused more on the early twentieth century and one I hope he’ll explore more.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
The structure of the narrative is quite interesting. Soot isn’t a straight first-person narrative, but neither is it an epistolary novel. Instead, the book is a mixture of first person diary entries from two different narrators, letters, interviews by Messrs Bright and Erskine, and explanatory insertions by the latter, the composer of the whole. The reason for Erskine to collate the narrative and send it on is not truly explained, but then again, who needs a reason for a good story? The framing, however, keeps the fact that any first-person narrative is inherently unreliable very much front and centre. It isn’t clear though how unreliable the narration is, since Erskine often purposely omits duplicate scenes from the text, stating that they were covered in previous extracts. Thus Martin consciously plays with the reliability of the narrative, while through his framing ensuring that the resulting narrative can be considered ’true’ and objective.
Martin delves into the motivations of all of the unsavories on display, sparing no one in Fletcher’s observations of their character. I found it interesting that the sympathetic characters are ones usually driven to the margins, such as Fletcher himself, Esther, and Mrs Kendall, or depicted as less-than-sympathetic, such as the attorney Mr Erskine and his clerk Mr Bright. There was added social commentary in the form of the condemnation of not Captain Harvey’s being bisexual, but his using his knowledge of other men’s homosexual proclivities — and the rampant homophobia of the era — to blackmail them. Similarly, Esther isn’t judged for her previous profession of being a prostitute.
Fletcher is such a complicated young man. His has a very strict moral compass, that perhaps doesn’t always conform to societal norms or help his own interests. He is also prone to a sense of romanticised nostalgia, which makes it hard to accept the march and progress of time. On the points though, there is a lot of growth over the course of the narrative. At one point he even takes a decision that takes him a huge step away from his previous convictions in rather a dramatic way. On the one hand, it was clearly him growing up, but on the other it was also somewhat disturbing , as it uncovered a ruthless streak in him that was previously unsuspected. Besides Fletcher one of the more important narrators is Esther, Captain Harvey’s common-law wife. I really liked her and I would have loved to have seen more of her. The same goes for Mrs Sampson. I didn’t find her as sympathetic, but I found her absolutely intriguing.
I really enjoyed this book for it’s clever construction and the compelling voice of Fletcher Rigge. He was at times infuriating, but always painfully honest and he was hard not to like. Soot is a great story and an entertaining read. It’s a new direction for Andrew Martin, whose historical mysteries have hitherto focused more on the early twentieth century and one I hope he’ll explore more.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
July 11, 2017
You know when you can tell as soon as you start reading that you’re going to enjoy a book? That’s how I felt about Soot, Andrew Martin’s new historical mystery set in 18th century York. The plot, the characters, the atmosphere, the writing style…I loved them all!
Let’s start with the plot, then. In August 1798, Matthew Harvey, a painter of silhouettes, is found dead – stabbed with his own scissors – in his house in Coney Street, York. Assuming that suicide can be ruled out, the only suspects are the six sitters who visited him during the previous week. The problem is, the page on which Harvey recorded their names has been torn out of his ledger, so that the only remaining clues are Harvey’s private duplicates of the silhouettes – or ‘shades’, as they are known.
Fletcher Rigge, a young gentleman who has found himself in financial difficulties, has spent three months in debtors’ prison in York Castle when he is approached by Captain Harvey, the silhouette-maker’s son. The Captain makes him an offer he can’t refuse: he will arrange Rigge’s release from prison, on the condition that Rigge can identify the people in the shades and help to track down the murderer. Rigge has previously used his detection skills to locate a missing book while working at Skelton’s Bookshop – this is what brought him to the Captain’s attention – but finding a killer could prove to be somewhat more difficult than finding a book…
As Rigge attempts to trace the people in the silhouettes, his search brings him into contact with a variety of colourful characters, including the clever and resourceful Maria Sampson, the temperamental young actor Jeremiah Smith – and my favourite, the London-based author Samuel Gowers, a proud, pompous man with an unfortunately large nose which lends itself to some comic scenes à la Cyrano de Bergerac. Rigge himself is another intriguing character, described at the beginning as having ‘a lowness of spirits, offset by a mordant wit and a prideful obstinacy’. Due to the structure of the book (more on that shortly) I was never quite sure exactly how reliable his narration was, but I did end up liking him and enjoyed accompanying him on his travels around York and beyond.
Georgian York provides a wonderfully atmospheric setting for the novel, particularly when covered in a blanket of snow (Rigge’s investigations take place in winter). From the slums of First Water Lane, home to Captain Harvey, to the Theatre Royal, the Black Swan coaching inn and the elegant townhouse belonging to one of the suspects, everything is vividly described. The language used in the book is appropriate for the 18th century too; I could tell the author had taken a lot of care to try to choose the right words and turns of phrase. This is particularly important because the book is presented as a collection of authentic documents gathered together by attorney-at-law Mr Erskine and sent to the Chief Magistrate of York.
Most of the novel is in the form of extracts taken from Fletcher Rigge’s own diary, but there are also diary entries written by Captain Harvey’s mistress Esther, newpaper reports, interviews with witnesses conducted by Erskine’s clerk, Mr Bright, and commentary from Erskine himself. Andrew Martin uses this structure very effectively to keep the reader guessing and wondering which accounts are reliable and which are not. The solution to the mystery is certainly not as black and white as Matthew Harvey’s shades!
Soot is a great book. At first Fletcher Rigge’s story reminded me of Thomas Hawkins’ in The Devil in the Marshalsea, but it quickly developed into something different and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Now I’m hoping for a sequel!
Let’s start with the plot, then. In August 1798, Matthew Harvey, a painter of silhouettes, is found dead – stabbed with his own scissors – in his house in Coney Street, York. Assuming that suicide can be ruled out, the only suspects are the six sitters who visited him during the previous week. The problem is, the page on which Harvey recorded their names has been torn out of his ledger, so that the only remaining clues are Harvey’s private duplicates of the silhouettes – or ‘shades’, as they are known.
Fletcher Rigge, a young gentleman who has found himself in financial difficulties, has spent three months in debtors’ prison in York Castle when he is approached by Captain Harvey, the silhouette-maker’s son. The Captain makes him an offer he can’t refuse: he will arrange Rigge’s release from prison, on the condition that Rigge can identify the people in the shades and help to track down the murderer. Rigge has previously used his detection skills to locate a missing book while working at Skelton’s Bookshop – this is what brought him to the Captain’s attention – but finding a killer could prove to be somewhat more difficult than finding a book…
As Rigge attempts to trace the people in the silhouettes, his search brings him into contact with a variety of colourful characters, including the clever and resourceful Maria Sampson, the temperamental young actor Jeremiah Smith – and my favourite, the London-based author Samuel Gowers, a proud, pompous man with an unfortunately large nose which lends itself to some comic scenes à la Cyrano de Bergerac. Rigge himself is another intriguing character, described at the beginning as having ‘a lowness of spirits, offset by a mordant wit and a prideful obstinacy’. Due to the structure of the book (more on that shortly) I was never quite sure exactly how reliable his narration was, but I did end up liking him and enjoyed accompanying him on his travels around York and beyond.
Georgian York provides a wonderfully atmospheric setting for the novel, particularly when covered in a blanket of snow (Rigge’s investigations take place in winter). From the slums of First Water Lane, home to Captain Harvey, to the Theatre Royal, the Black Swan coaching inn and the elegant townhouse belonging to one of the suspects, everything is vividly described. The language used in the book is appropriate for the 18th century too; I could tell the author had taken a lot of care to try to choose the right words and turns of phrase. This is particularly important because the book is presented as a collection of authentic documents gathered together by attorney-at-law Mr Erskine and sent to the Chief Magistrate of York.
Most of the novel is in the form of extracts taken from Fletcher Rigge’s own diary, but there are also diary entries written by Captain Harvey’s mistress Esther, newpaper reports, interviews with witnesses conducted by Erskine’s clerk, Mr Bright, and commentary from Erskine himself. Andrew Martin uses this structure very effectively to keep the reader guessing and wondering which accounts are reliable and which are not. The solution to the mystery is certainly not as black and white as Matthew Harvey’s shades!
Soot is a great book. At first Fletcher Rigge’s story reminded me of Thomas Hawkins’ in The Devil in the Marshalsea, but it quickly developed into something different and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Now I’m hoping for a sequel!
May 31, 2018
In terms of novels, I (almost) exclusively read SF and fantasy, so why did I pick this book up? Well, it first caught my eye because of the cover, which featured an instantly recognisable picture of York Minster.
York is my hometown and the place I have lived all my life (so far) and, being honest, I have yet to read a decent book set in the city, or its nearby environs. (Being honest I can only remember one book actually set in the city.)
"Literary" put me off - both when the bookseller mentioned the word, as I handed over my credit card, and the quote on the cover. I like my books to be relatively easy reads and that word, to me, suggests highbrow. However, I needn't have worried, this is am incredibly easy, and yet layered, read. It makes you think, you wonder what's going on. It made me laugh and it made me cringe. It also made me feel like in was in my city, two hundred years in the past. It's a fairly immersive novel, with a very acceptable ending.
And yes, it portrayed my city brilliantly, and even made me research (albeit briefly) some of the history. That other book had made a glaring error - to anybody who lives here - of street geography. This one seemed to have, until I checked whether there had in fact been a Black Swan inn that you could walk out of into Coney Street. (There indeed was, and not the one I'm more familiar with, which is in a slightly different part of the city.) I looked up other locations and worked out where they would have been or, indeed, still are. I still can't square Micklegate having a Spread Eagle pub but, you know what? I trust the author did his research more fully than I have done.
Finally! A book that pays its respect to York. Loved it.
York is my hometown and the place I have lived all my life (so far) and, being honest, I have yet to read a decent book set in the city, or its nearby environs. (Being honest I can only remember one book actually set in the city.)
"Literary" put me off - both when the bookseller mentioned the word, as I handed over my credit card, and the quote on the cover. I like my books to be relatively easy reads and that word, to me, suggests highbrow. However, I needn't have worried, this is am incredibly easy, and yet layered, read. It makes you think, you wonder what's going on. It made me laugh and it made me cringe. It also made me feel like in was in my city, two hundred years in the past. It's a fairly immersive novel, with a very acceptable ending.
And yes, it portrayed my city brilliantly, and even made me research (albeit briefly) some of the history. That other book had made a glaring error - to anybody who lives here - of street geography. This one seemed to have, until I checked whether there had in fact been a Black Swan inn that you could walk out of into Coney Street. (There indeed was, and not the one I'm more familiar with, which is in a slightly different part of the city.) I looked up other locations and worked out where they would have been or, indeed, still are. I still can't square Micklegate having a Spread Eagle pub but, you know what? I trust the author did his research more fully than I have done.
Finally! A book that pays its respect to York. Loved it.
June 12, 2024
Gosh, this was an absolute chore to the point where it felt like the author was of the same opinion and decided to just give up with any semblance of plot whatsoever.
Was there ever any potential here? To invest in an investigation, there have to be some stakes you actually care about and there just weren't any. I felt no connection to the case and I felt no connection to the man investigating it, Fletcher Rigg.
The structure of it reading like a dossier made very little sense given that those very same solicitors who were compiling the dossier had ended their professional relationship with Fletcher when the circumstances around his father's former lands were resolved. What really irked me though was that the author actually acknowledged at one point that it was pointless to recall a conversation verbatim, despite spending the other 99% of the book reproducing conversations verbatim in what was supposed to be a DIARY.
I'm relieved that it's over. I hope never to have to think of it again.
Was there ever any potential here? To invest in an investigation, there have to be some stakes you actually care about and there just weren't any. I felt no connection to the case and I felt no connection to the man investigating it, Fletcher Rigg.
The structure of it reading like a dossier made very little sense given that those very same solicitors who were compiling the dossier had ended their professional relationship with Fletcher when the circumstances around his father's former lands were resolved. What really irked me though was that the author actually acknowledged at one point that it was pointless to recall a conversation verbatim, despite spending the other 99% of the book reproducing conversations verbatim in what was supposed to be a DIARY.
I'm relieved that it's over. I hope never to have to think of it again.
February 25, 2021
The multiple forms intrigued me when picking up this book and they did not disappoint. Overall the story was interesting and undeniably reminiscent of 18th century England as was the intention. My only qualm, however, is that I found it difficult to pick up. I am not sure whether this is down to a lack of time management on my part or if the plot itself was persuading me against wanting to read. The ending seemed lack lustre for me as I was looking forward to a finale of great triumph and climax, where instead there was more of a slow droll and fizzle.
I would however recommend this book to someone looking to get into historical crime novels or even someone well versed in the genre.
I would however recommend this book to someone looking to get into historical crime novels or even someone well versed in the genre.
April 5, 2018
4.5* Thoroughly enjoyable read! Would highly recommend.
March 23, 2018
I enjoyed this book which was entertainingly written. I appreciated the method used whereby the story was told via a mixture of letters and diary entries. The main character was an engaging interesting character. However I feel a little underwhelmed by the ending.
November 12, 2020
"Soot" by Andrew Martin was an unexpectedly weird read. The book is published in 2017 by a modern-day author. However, it reads as it would actually be written way back in the days. For me, the writing style seemed very similar to Compton Mackenzie's "Sinister Street", Bram Stoker's "The Man" or E.W. Hornung's "Dead Men Tell No Tales". "Soot" is written as a correspondence between several people and as diary entries. English is not my native language and while modern English is quite easy for me to understand, old English is much harder. Therefore, this might be a reason why I suffered a bit with this book: some things were not very clear, and I am still not sure, if I understood the ending.
The premise is original and interesting: Fletcher Rigge is realised from prison to find a murderer of silhouettes painter. Rigge is in prison because of debt and that debt is because he wanted to be an honorable man. The painter's son thinks that Rigge is a perfect person to find a murderer because he was able to find a lost book (go figure). All Rigge has are several painted silhouettes. Of cause, his findings are mostly based on luck. It seems that most of the people could do the same. But maybe in 1798 people were not so bright.
--Prehistory--
In summer 2019 I was writing my PhD dissertation. It was a very stressful time and I had to promise myself something nice in order to keep carrying on. Since defending a dissertation is a lengthy process, I decided to order a books subscription at The Willoughby Book Club and open the piled-up packages after every milestone. "Soot" by Andrew Martin was in September package and the first one I received.
-----
2020-ųjų skaitymo iššūkis
I lygis
17. Knyga, kurios pagrindinis veikėjas yra įvaikintas arba našlaitis.
Nors žodis našlaitis nelabai vartojamas apibūdinti suaugusiam žmogui, nebeturinčiam tėvų, bet aš šiuo atveju pasilengvinsiu sau užduotį. Pagrindinis veikėjas Fletcher Rigge neteko tėvo, o apie motiną arba nieko nepaminėta, arba aš sugebėjau pražiopsoti.
II lygis
27. Knyga, išlipanti iš tavo komforto zonos rėmų (jei nemėgsti fantastikos - fantastika ir pan.).
Nu nelabai aš mėgstu istorinę grožinę literatūrą.
III lygis
20. Istorinis detektyvas.
Vėlyvas 18 amžius ir veikėjas bando išsiaiškinti žudiką.
The premise is original and interesting: Fletcher Rigge is realised from prison to find a murderer of silhouettes painter. Rigge is in prison because of debt and that debt is because he wanted to be an honorable man. The painter's son thinks that Rigge is a perfect person to find a murderer because he was able to find a lost book (go figure). All Rigge has are several painted silhouettes. Of cause, his findings are mostly based on luck. It seems that most of the people could do the same. But maybe in 1798 people were not so bright.
--Prehistory--
In summer 2019 I was writing my PhD dissertation. It was a very stressful time and I had to promise myself something nice in order to keep carrying on. Since defending a dissertation is a lengthy process, I decided to order a books subscription at The Willoughby Book Club and open the piled-up packages after every milestone. "Soot" by Andrew Martin was in September package and the first one I received.
-----
2020-ųjų skaitymo iššūkis
I lygis
17. Knyga, kurios pagrindinis veikėjas yra įvaikintas arba našlaitis.
Nors žodis našlaitis nelabai vartojamas apibūdinti suaugusiam žmogui, nebeturinčiam tėvų, bet aš šiuo atveju pasilengvinsiu sau užduotį. Pagrindinis veikėjas Fletcher Rigge neteko tėvo, o apie motiną arba nieko nepaminėta, arba aš sugebėjau pražiopsoti.
II lygis
27. Knyga, išlipanti iš tavo komforto zonos rėmų (jei nemėgsti fantastikos - fantastika ir pan.).
Nu nelabai aš mėgstu istorinę grožinę literatūrą.
III lygis
20. Istorinis detektyvas.
Vėlyvas 18 amžius ir veikėjas bando išsiaiškinti žudiką.
May 28, 2020
A murdered elderly artist, a son who seems intent on finding a culprit (not necessarily the culprit) and a young man in debtors prison who is enlisted to help merely because he managed to find a lost book a while ago. I have to say, this historical mystery started out feeling a bit... random.
I liked the setting and the historical details (although often they seemed rather superfluous) but there was no attempt at fitting the writing style, vocabulary or speech to the time period. That was rather disappointing and quite jarring, especially as it's written as a combination of letters, diaries and interviews - this technique made it quite confusing, in fact.
I suppose the plot was clever in its way, but it was excessively strung out - a few dead ends, and scenes which I skimmed through. By the ending I wasn't entirely sure I'd actually understood who the murderer was and why.
Sigh. This had more potential. The ending, and the introduction of a string of supporting characters, obviously sets it up as the first in a series - but based on this introduction I wouldn't continue with it.
I liked the setting and the historical details (although often they seemed rather superfluous) but there was no attempt at fitting the writing style, vocabulary or speech to the time period. That was rather disappointing and quite jarring, especially as it's written as a combination of letters, diaries and interviews - this technique made it quite confusing, in fact.
I suppose the plot was clever in its way, but it was excessively strung out - a few dead ends, and scenes which I skimmed through. By the ending I wasn't entirely sure I'd actually understood who the murderer was and why.
Sigh. This had more potential. The ending, and the introduction of a string of supporting characters, obviously sets it up as the first in a series - but based on this introduction I wouldn't continue with it.
January 4, 2018
It is York in 1799 and Captain Harvey enlists Fletcher Rigge to find his father, Matthew’s murderer. Matthew was a painter of shades or silhouettes. Rigge is incarcerated in a debtor’s prison for gambling debts and Harvey pays for his release for a period of a month. What isn’t clear, is why Harvey chooses Rigge for this role.
The real strength of Martin’s book is his research and writing about the city of York and it’s (then) just over 10,000 inhabitants. Also London features, as twice Rigge takes the stagecoach south for his investigations. The story takes place during a particularly cold winter which adds to the atmosphere.
It’s a whodunnit and written with some good humour and therefore ticks along at a good pace, but it’s finale doesn’t deliver in the same way the rest of the book has done.
“What do you think of conducting rain from house roofs by leaden pipes?”
“I’m against it; against them.”
She laughed. “But they keep the streets clear of puddles!”
“I like puddles, Mrs Sampson.”
“Probably because you can see your face in them.”
The real strength of Martin’s book is his research and writing about the city of York and it’s (then) just over 10,000 inhabitants. Also London features, as twice Rigge takes the stagecoach south for his investigations. The story takes place during a particularly cold winter which adds to the atmosphere.
It’s a whodunnit and written with some good humour and therefore ticks along at a good pace, but it’s finale doesn’t deliver in the same way the rest of the book has done.
“What do you think of conducting rain from house roofs by leaden pipes?”
“I’m against it; against them.”
She laughed. “But they keep the streets clear of puddles!”
“I like puddles, Mrs Sampson.”
“Probably because you can see your face in them.”
November 22, 2017
Andrew Martin has written a supremely readable historical thriller set in the snowy streets of Georgian York. Soot grips from the first page and does not relinquish its hold or the pace of its telling for all of its 340 pages. Beautifully plotted and intricately constructed, it's an absolute pleasure to read - one of those books that you want to pick up and read a bit more of whenever you have even the briefest of spare moments.
Martin is a native of York and his portrayal of the geography of the city is remarkably vivid. The action takes place in real space and time, and if you know the city well, reading Soot becomes an immersive experience. You are there with Fletcher Rigge in those snowy, icy streets, the dark chambers of the debtors wing of the Castle jail or the brightly lit splendour and warmth of the assembly rooms, while outside a blizzard rages and bad people do bad things.
Martin is a native of York and his portrayal of the geography of the city is remarkably vivid. The action takes place in real space and time, and if you know the city well, reading Soot becomes an immersive experience. You are there with Fletcher Rigge in those snowy, icy streets, the dark chambers of the debtors wing of the Castle jail or the brightly lit splendour and warmth of the assembly rooms, while outside a blizzard rages and bad people do bad things.
March 7, 2018
Impressive until the ending! And did that ending annoy me!
18th C and a murder, a nasty one. An artist who makes silhouettes is found stabbed with his large cutting scissors. No one is discovered as the murder so the artist's dissolute son, who had heard of Fletcher Rigge's ability to solve mysteries, makes him an offer. Rigge is stuck in the debtor's prison, but if he solves the crime he will be free. He is offered freedom for one month, but in that time, he must find the killer. If he fails, back into gaol he goes. With only the copies of the last 6 silhouettes, for one of them must be the murderer, Fletcher Rigge begins his search.
It's a well written well plotted book with 3D characters and a nasty twist. Written from several people's points of view it takes a bit of concentrated reading at first but the story will pull the reader on.
18th C and a murder, a nasty one. An artist who makes silhouettes is found stabbed with his large cutting scissors. No one is discovered as the murder so the artist's dissolute son, who had heard of Fletcher Rigge's ability to solve mysteries, makes him an offer. Rigge is stuck in the debtor's prison, but if he solves the crime he will be free. He is offered freedom for one month, but in that time, he must find the killer. If he fails, back into gaol he goes. With only the copies of the last 6 silhouettes, for one of them must be the murderer, Fletcher Rigge begins his search.
It's a well written well plotted book with 3D characters and a nasty twist. Written from several people's points of view it takes a bit of concentrated reading at first but the story will pull the reader on.
November 17, 2019
An unusual plot in that Fletcher Rigge in order to be released from a York debtor prison has a month to solve a murder.
Told from various view points through, letters, testimonials and diaries we follow the investigation that becomes tedious and with no real jeopardy involved.
There are some humorous moments which might have come from a Carry On film and the ending as we find the killer's identity was more like a shrug of the shoulders.
I liked the scenes within a York theatre, Martin managed to create some atmosphere, not enough however to increase my liking for this novel. Should have been so much better.
Told from various view points through, letters, testimonials and diaries we follow the investigation that becomes tedious and with no real jeopardy involved.
There are some humorous moments which might have come from a Carry On film and the ending as we find the killer's identity was more like a shrug of the shoulders.
I liked the scenes within a York theatre, Martin managed to create some atmosphere, not enough however to increase my liking for this novel. Should have been so much better.
October 4, 2020
3.5 historical crime novel set in Victorian York while the twists and turns are not massively surprising, the writing style and construction of the novel (a series of diary entries and letters) create enough interest to hold up the story. I really liked the main character and wound enjoy reading a follow up.
June 19, 2020
Soot is a historical and literary thriller set in eighteenth century York. Matthew Harvey is a painter and cutter of silhouettes, also known as shades, is found murdered at home, stabbed with a pair of his own cutting sicissors. With no suspect, the murdered man’s son Captain Harvey employs Fletcher Rigg to find his fathers killer. Rigg is a strange choice, languishing in a debtors prison after his father gambled away their lands, Captain Harvey offers to clear his debts if he is successful. With his chance of freedom at stake, and only one month in which to do so, Rigg starts with the last silhouettes the artist made, and finds himself chasing shadows against the snow of York.
Soot is an origional and fascinating read, with a huge nod to the great eighteenth century novel. What really stands out reading this book is the way Andrew Martin has written the book. There are many voices telling the story, from the Mr Erskine an attorney, to Rigg himself and Esther, who lives with Captain Harvey. These voices are heard through letters, diary enteries and interviews, so like Rigg, you see the investigation unfold and are privy to the evidence, making the reader part of the investigation. I absolutley loved this as a literary device, it kept my mind active and made Soot fascinating and compelling. The plot itself sees Fletcher Rigg chasing shadows, in relation to finding out who the silhouettes are of. The written record has been stolen, but each silhouette has a stand out feature, something that gives a clue to their identity. As a murder mystery there are so many suspects, any of whom had the opportunity to murder him. This is all set against the dark, cold and snow covered York, which mirrors the plot; the darkness of the deeds, but like the white of the snow there are lighter interventions. The theatre, minster, narrow streets and public houses are the perfect settings for Rigg’s investigations.
The cast of characters in Soot would be at home in a Dickens novel, memorable is an understatement, quirky and unique a perfect description. Fletcher Rigg is a character that I felt sympathy for, he is in a debtors prison after his father sold his lands and has no chance of getting out in the forseeable future until this offer comes along. He cared a lot about his childhood home, the land and those who worked it and the houses they lived in that he was responsible for. He also lost the woman he hoped to marry, Lucy Spink, whom he reaquaints himself with once out of the prison. Rigg says he is a man who has no time for dandies or fashion, yet he takes care in his appearance, and can dance. His employer Captain Harvey is a very dubious character, a touch of the illicit and debauched about his living arrangements , and certainly no gentleman and not anyone in polite society would want to associate with. Add to this a pompous author with a huge nose, a dapper and rakish actor and a woman whose daughters are out of control and you certainly have a unique and motley set of characters.
Soot is a cleverly constructed and compelling historical crime thriller, with murder, illicit relationships, corruption and plenty of secrets. The unique writing style, the chapter layout, attention to detail and the dry wit add to the enjoyment of reading this book. The cast of fascinating and unforgettable characters, are larger than life and wonderfully drawn. I found this a thrilling and intelligent read and loved the fact that it payed homage to the wonderful books of the eighteeth century. Highly recommended for those who like a literary touch to there historical crime; an amazing book.
Soot is an origional and fascinating read, with a huge nod to the great eighteenth century novel. What really stands out reading this book is the way Andrew Martin has written the book. There are many voices telling the story, from the Mr Erskine an attorney, to Rigg himself and Esther, who lives with Captain Harvey. These voices are heard through letters, diary enteries and interviews, so like Rigg, you see the investigation unfold and are privy to the evidence, making the reader part of the investigation. I absolutley loved this as a literary device, it kept my mind active and made Soot fascinating and compelling. The plot itself sees Fletcher Rigg chasing shadows, in relation to finding out who the silhouettes are of. The written record has been stolen, but each silhouette has a stand out feature, something that gives a clue to their identity. As a murder mystery there are so many suspects, any of whom had the opportunity to murder him. This is all set against the dark, cold and snow covered York, which mirrors the plot; the darkness of the deeds, but like the white of the snow there are lighter interventions. The theatre, minster, narrow streets and public houses are the perfect settings for Rigg’s investigations.
The cast of characters in Soot would be at home in a Dickens novel, memorable is an understatement, quirky and unique a perfect description. Fletcher Rigg is a character that I felt sympathy for, he is in a debtors prison after his father sold his lands and has no chance of getting out in the forseeable future until this offer comes along. He cared a lot about his childhood home, the land and those who worked it and the houses they lived in that he was responsible for. He also lost the woman he hoped to marry, Lucy Spink, whom he reaquaints himself with once out of the prison. Rigg says he is a man who has no time for dandies or fashion, yet he takes care in his appearance, and can dance. His employer Captain Harvey is a very dubious character, a touch of the illicit and debauched about his living arrangements , and certainly no gentleman and not anyone in polite society would want to associate with. Add to this a pompous author with a huge nose, a dapper and rakish actor and a woman whose daughters are out of control and you certainly have a unique and motley set of characters.
Soot is a cleverly constructed and compelling historical crime thriller, with murder, illicit relationships, corruption and plenty of secrets. The unique writing style, the chapter layout, attention to detail and the dry wit add to the enjoyment of reading this book. The cast of fascinating and unforgettable characters, are larger than life and wonderfully drawn. I found this a thrilling and intelligent read and loved the fact that it payed homage to the wonderful books of the eighteeth century. Highly recommended for those who like a literary touch to there historical crime; an amazing book.
July 25, 2017
Told entirely through written reports - diary entries, letters, memoranda and notes, Soot cleverly uses the epistolary form, utilising different voices and occasionally unreliable narration to explain how Fletcher Rigge finds himself charged with investigating the murder of Matthew Hardy, and what his investigation reveals.
There's a real authenticity about the proceedings, it felt less like a book set in 1799 than a collection of documents written at the time. From the colloquial, witty and occasionally bawdy diary entries through to the more formal exchange of letters, to the legal postscripts; the different voices of the chapters are distinctive and believable. The city of York, just starting to become industrialised is brought atmospherically to life; the almost constant snowfall a contrast to the grime of the early coal trade already resulting in a 'befoulment of the air.' The soot of the title refers not only to the coal sold by the deceased man's son, Captain Robin Harvey but also to the shades, or silhouettes the dead man was renowned for before his untimely demise. There are few clues as to the identity of his murderer but it seems the perpetrator must have been one of the last six people to sit for one of his shades.
Fletcher Rigge's diary entries, backed up by the reports of others, show him to be a serious, principled man, given to melancholy and guilty perhaps of a stubborn nostalgia. He is sent to debtor's prison following the suicide of his father who lost his entire estate through gambling. Determined to honour his father's commitments to his estate Rigge's sizeable debt was accrued due to the expense of repairing some of the labourer's cottages. He is freed from his debt by Captain Hardy but only if he can discover the identity of the killer within the month. A clever man, he is soon able to identify the six key suspects and it's here Andrew Martin really had fun with his characters, each vie for most colourful and while all have something of the grotesque about them - these are ordinary people with their flaws and idiosyncrasies writ large - each is written about with a certain affection, Andrew Martin is sharp but not cruel about his cast.
Although the droll characterisation and black humour are the most memorable features, it is also an intriguing and cleverly plotted mystery, the truth is gradually revealed and the blackness of the silhouettes is matched by the souls of certain participants. What a pleasure it was to read Soot with its fresh take on the classic murder mystery tale, I really enjoyed this intelligent and spirited book and recommend it to both crime and historical fiction lovers.
My thanks to the publishers for my copy, received through Netgalley in return for my honest review.
There's a real authenticity about the proceedings, it felt less like a book set in 1799 than a collection of documents written at the time. From the colloquial, witty and occasionally bawdy diary entries through to the more formal exchange of letters, to the legal postscripts; the different voices of the chapters are distinctive and believable. The city of York, just starting to become industrialised is brought atmospherically to life; the almost constant snowfall a contrast to the grime of the early coal trade already resulting in a 'befoulment of the air.' The soot of the title refers not only to the coal sold by the deceased man's son, Captain Robin Harvey but also to the shades, or silhouettes the dead man was renowned for before his untimely demise. There are few clues as to the identity of his murderer but it seems the perpetrator must have been one of the last six people to sit for one of his shades.
Fletcher Rigge's diary entries, backed up by the reports of others, show him to be a serious, principled man, given to melancholy and guilty perhaps of a stubborn nostalgia. He is sent to debtor's prison following the suicide of his father who lost his entire estate through gambling. Determined to honour his father's commitments to his estate Rigge's sizeable debt was accrued due to the expense of repairing some of the labourer's cottages. He is freed from his debt by Captain Hardy but only if he can discover the identity of the killer within the month. A clever man, he is soon able to identify the six key suspects and it's here Andrew Martin really had fun with his characters, each vie for most colourful and while all have something of the grotesque about them - these are ordinary people with their flaws and idiosyncrasies writ large - each is written about with a certain affection, Andrew Martin is sharp but not cruel about his cast.
Although the droll characterisation and black humour are the most memorable features, it is also an intriguing and cleverly plotted mystery, the truth is gradually revealed and the blackness of the silhouettes is matched by the souls of certain participants. What a pleasure it was to read Soot with its fresh take on the classic murder mystery tale, I really enjoyed this intelligent and spirited book and recommend it to both crime and historical fiction lovers.
My thanks to the publishers for my copy, received through Netgalley in return for my honest review.
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