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Bryant & May: Peculiar Crimes Unit #14
Wild Chamber
Detectives Arthur Bryant and John May are back on the case in this whip-smart and wildly twisting mystery, in which a killer in London’s parks is proving to be a most elusive quarry. Helen Forester’s day starts like any Around seven in the morning, she takes her West Highland terrier for a walk in her street’s private garden. But by 7:20 she is dead, strangled yet peacefully laid out on the path, her dog nowhere to be found. The only other person in the locked space is the gardener, who finds the body and calls the police. He expects proper cops to arrive, but what he gets are Bryant, May, and the wily members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit. Before the detectives can make any headway on the case, a second woman is discovered in a public park, murdered in nearly identical fashion. Bryant, recovering from a health scare, delves into the arcane history of London’s cherished green spaces, rife with class drama, violence, and illicit passions. But as a devious killer continues to strike, Bryant and May struggle to connect the clues, not quite seeing the forest for the trees. Now they have to think and act fast to save innocent lives, the fate of the city’s parks, and the very existence of the PCU. An irresistibly witty, inventive blend of history and suspense, Bryant & Wild Chamber is Christopher Fowler in classic form.Praise for Bryant & Wild Chamber“Ingenious . . . Fowler brilliantly mixes humor into a fair-play whodunit with an unexpected solution.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “For fans of offbeat mysteries, Fowler’s long-running series continues to offer some of the best reading; the latest entry features an array of eccentric characters, a killer conclusion in a library setting, quirky humor, witty writing, interesting side trips and expositions, and a well-ordered, intricate plot.”—Library Journal (starred review)
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2017
235 people are currently reading
1211 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Fowler
264 books1,283 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
April 17, 2017
This is the latest installment of the offbeat, eccentric and quintessentially British series of the PCU, the Peculiar Crime Unit, with Bryant and May, which I absolutely adore, especially the old cantankerous codger who dresses as a tramp, Arthur Bryant. The central topic for the golden age detectives are London's necessary and essential parks, the wild chambers in the urban machine, we are destined to discover their arcane colourful history of class, public licentiousness, and efforts to improve public health. In a PCU operation to catch a killer, a bizarre accident occurs which results in the death of a child, Charlie Forester. A year later, Helen Forester, the mother, is found strangled in a locked private London garden. The PCU investigate with the return of Jack, and this time with an additional person, an exchange German policewoman, Steffi Vesta, from Cologne, seeking to learn from British policing methods. She finds the disarray, mayhem and the odd working practices a culture shock which she eventually warms to.
Raymond Land is his usual ineffectual self except this time he finds himself serving as a patsy for the self serving, venal and ambitious civil servant, Leslie Faraday, seeking to privatise all the parks whilst blaming the PCU's inability to apprehend a killer, and to close down the PCU for good. The team delve into the main suspects, Jeremy Forester, whose successful career has crashed and burned, leaving him homeless and a target for those who he owes money. The other suspect is Ricky Jackson, the gardener, who calls in the murder of Helen who turns out to be a truck driver present at the scene when Charlie was fatally injured. With further murders, Bryant calls on his usual alternative set of contentious experts and academics, not to mention the White Witch, Maggie Armitage whilst trying to deal with the side effects of his self medication. It becomes clear that the present day killings are connected with the death of Charlie Forester as the PCU race to discover the killer before the unit is closed down for good.
This is the usual complex, intelligent and impressively plotted comic and madcap story by the author. It is the character of pensioner Arthur Bryant that is central to the success of the series, although the rest of the PCU team serve as the perfect foil for him. Arthur is in scintillating form as he studies archaic slang to improve the strength of his invective, often deployed against the hapless Land. Fowler adeptly incorporates a pertinent commentary on contemporary social and political issues, particularly the agenda to privatise London's hallowed parks. Fantastic read. If you have never read Christopher Fowler, I highly recommend that you try him. Thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
Raymond Land is his usual ineffectual self except this time he finds himself serving as a patsy for the self serving, venal and ambitious civil servant, Leslie Faraday, seeking to privatise all the parks whilst blaming the PCU's inability to apprehend a killer, and to close down the PCU for good. The team delve into the main suspects, Jeremy Forester, whose successful career has crashed and burned, leaving him homeless and a target for those who he owes money. The other suspect is Ricky Jackson, the gardener, who calls in the murder of Helen who turns out to be a truck driver present at the scene when Charlie was fatally injured. With further murders, Bryant calls on his usual alternative set of contentious experts and academics, not to mention the White Witch, Maggie Armitage whilst trying to deal with the side effects of his self medication. It becomes clear that the present day killings are connected with the death of Charlie Forester as the PCU race to discover the killer before the unit is closed down for good.
This is the usual complex, intelligent and impressively plotted comic and madcap story by the author. It is the character of pensioner Arthur Bryant that is central to the success of the series, although the rest of the PCU team serve as the perfect foil for him. Arthur is in scintillating form as he studies archaic slang to improve the strength of his invective, often deployed against the hapless Land. Fowler adeptly incorporates a pertinent commentary on contemporary social and political issues, particularly the agenda to privatise London's hallowed parks. Fantastic read. If you have never read Christopher Fowler, I highly recommend that you try him. Thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
December 13, 2017
Not only does this series entertain, it also imparts so much historical information on various British locations. In this outing, the reader learns about the background, and changing faces of the London Parks. Bryant and May, have been a team for a long time, some of the mainstream police officers consider them dinosaurs, and think they should retire. The Peculiar Crime unit, a unit of unorthodox police personal, know just how valuable they are, this unit is like no other mainly because of Bryant.
A body is found in one of the parks, and our team of misfits is assigned to investigate. Bryant has his own way of investigating, using arcane knowledge he has picked up here and there, and sources from a witch to various other experts, people often on the fringe of society. Such an interesting series, so amazing to see the way Bryant pieces everything together. This series reads so quickly, something is always happening, and of an unusual sort.
So much humor, just adore all these characters. I actually learn so many things from this series, often parts and pieces of history I have not found elsewhere. This is one fantastic series, which I hope will continue on and on. Alas, Bryant and May are getting older, something I really don't want to think about.
ARC from Edelweiss.
A body is found in one of the parks, and our team of misfits is assigned to investigate. Bryant has his own way of investigating, using arcane knowledge he has picked up here and there, and sources from a witch to various other experts, people often on the fringe of society. Such an interesting series, so amazing to see the way Bryant pieces everything together. This series reads so quickly, something is always happening, and of an unusual sort.
So much humor, just adore all these characters. I actually learn so many things from this series, often parts and pieces of history I have not found elsewhere. This is one fantastic series, which I hope will continue on and on. Alas, Bryant and May are getting older, something I really don't want to think about.
ARC from Edelweiss.
December 29, 2017
Another great entry in a very enjoyable series. Solving unusual crimes using unusual methods is the Peculiar Crimes Unit's modus operandi. And esoterica of London itself is once again included in the story as part of the investigation process. Also, the future of the PCU itself is again in jeopardy as it is being challenged to meet "productivity" goals if it is to remain in operation.
This time the parks of London move front and center, as a seemingly pointless murder is committed in one of the many small private, locked parks the city's more prosperous residents enjoy. Slowly more crimes are committed and other parks are involved until a panic begins to rise (fanned by unscrupulous modern profit seekers with a scheme that seems all too real). Along the way, Fowler treats his readers to a history of London's parks and green spaces over the city's long history. As always these segments both enlighten and offer occasional moments of humor. In addition to providing this wide range of information on London's parks and the meaning of park lands in general, there is also a running "gag" of sorts on the multitude of craft beers available now. I didn't notice this til quite late in the book, but then, I'm not a beer drinker. Keep track as you read and you will have another piece of fun.
I enjoy the pieces of London lore I pick up while reading these books. In this book, it's mentioned that St. Pancras Old Church was the site of a Roman encampment. Their temple converted to Christian in the year 313. And the sons of Bach, Benjamin Franklin, John Polidori, Mary Wollstonecraft, Dickens, Hardy, Byron and Shelley are buried in the church's graveyard. Quite a haul for one site!
This is another recommended read for those who enjoy a mystery with the sense of eccentricity fostered by Bryant and May and the wonderful grasp of London past and present shown by Christopher Fowler. I continue to love this series.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This time the parks of London move front and center, as a seemingly pointless murder is committed in one of the many small private, locked parks the city's more prosperous residents enjoy. Slowly more crimes are committed and other parks are involved until a panic begins to rise (fanned by unscrupulous modern profit seekers with a scheme that seems all too real). Along the way, Fowler treats his readers to a history of London's parks and green spaces over the city's long history. As always these segments both enlighten and offer occasional moments of humor. In addition to providing this wide range of information on London's parks and the meaning of park lands in general, there is also a running "gag" of sorts on the multitude of craft beers available now. I didn't notice this til quite late in the book, but then, I'm not a beer drinker. Keep track as you read and you will have another piece of fun.
I enjoy the pieces of London lore I pick up while reading these books. In this book, it's mentioned that St. Pancras Old Church was the site of a Roman encampment. Their temple converted to Christian in the year 313. And the sons of Bach, Benjamin Franklin, John Polidori, Mary Wollstonecraft, Dickens, Hardy, Byron and Shelley are buried in the church's graveyard. Quite a haul for one site!
This is another recommended read for those who enjoy a mystery with the sense of eccentricity fostered by Bryant and May and the wonderful grasp of London past and present shown by Christopher Fowler. I continue to love this series.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 5, 2018
First Sentence: On a desolate rain-battered London midnight, the members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit went looking for a killer.
London has many private gardens, accessible only to the residents who live around them. The gardener also has a key but doesn’t expect to find the body of a woman who’d taken her dog for a walk. She has been strangled and neatly laid out on the path, her dog missing, and the garden locked before the gardener’s arrival. A second such body is found in a public park. At risk are more murders, the city’s parks being closed to the public, and the PUC disbanded. The clock is ticking.
An aerial chase, a traffic jam, a boy’s death and a man whose life implodes. This is an opening which captures one’s attention.
That Fowler uses a memo to provide a cast of characters is both helpful and clever. That the list includes “Crippen, staff cat,” and the subsequent memo brings readers up to date on the situation at the aptly-named Peculiar Crimes Unit truly sets the tone for what follows. Fowler’s books are not one’s normal police procedural, as the characters, particularly those of Arthur Bryant and John May, are anything but what one would normally find. Fowler gives us something unique with present-day crimes overlain with an education into obscure historical facts and writing which increases one’s vocabulary. But never fear; this book is anything but dry or boring.
Fowler is skilled at juxtaposing historic London over that of the present day in a way that contributes to the plot. Part of that is an explanation as to how Bryant became a detective. Fowler creates evocative descriptions—“The wind was high in the trees, breathing secrets through the branches.—and observations—“Looking down on King’s Cross you’d have noticed an odd phenomenon: Every other roof was covered in white frost, forming a patchwork quilt, an indicator of which properties were owned by overseas investors and which had warm families inside.” But yes, unfortunately, there are also quite a few completely unnecessarily portents.
It is hard to say which is more enjoyable; the cast of strange and fascinating characters of Bryant’s acquaintance, the vast abundance of arcane and historical information—who knew it was Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan, who wrote the music to “Onward Christian Soldiers--, the members of the PUC itself, or the plot which brings all these facets together into a perfect gem of a book with a well-done plot twist. We are even given a definition as to what is a murder mystery—“A murder mystery,’ she told Bryant…’is an intellectual exercise, a game between reader and writer in which a problem is precisely stated, elaborately described, and surprisingly solved.”—and Fowler does just that.
“Bryant & May: Wild Chamber” is a murder mystery in the best sense. All the clues are provided if we but see them. The best part of the book is the very last line, but that one will have to read for themselves.
BRYANT & MAY: WILD CHAMBER (Pol Proc-Bryant & May-London-Contemp) – VG+
Fowler, Christopher – 14th in series
Bantam – December 2017
London has many private gardens, accessible only to the residents who live around them. The gardener also has a key but doesn’t expect to find the body of a woman who’d taken her dog for a walk. She has been strangled and neatly laid out on the path, her dog missing, and the garden locked before the gardener’s arrival. A second such body is found in a public park. At risk are more murders, the city’s parks being closed to the public, and the PUC disbanded. The clock is ticking.
An aerial chase, a traffic jam, a boy’s death and a man whose life implodes. This is an opening which captures one’s attention.
That Fowler uses a memo to provide a cast of characters is both helpful and clever. That the list includes “Crippen, staff cat,” and the subsequent memo brings readers up to date on the situation at the aptly-named Peculiar Crimes Unit truly sets the tone for what follows. Fowler’s books are not one’s normal police procedural, as the characters, particularly those of Arthur Bryant and John May, are anything but what one would normally find. Fowler gives us something unique with present-day crimes overlain with an education into obscure historical facts and writing which increases one’s vocabulary. But never fear; this book is anything but dry or boring.
Fowler is skilled at juxtaposing historic London over that of the present day in a way that contributes to the plot. Part of that is an explanation as to how Bryant became a detective. Fowler creates evocative descriptions—“The wind was high in the trees, breathing secrets through the branches.—and observations—“Looking down on King’s Cross you’d have noticed an odd phenomenon: Every other roof was covered in white frost, forming a patchwork quilt, an indicator of which properties were owned by overseas investors and which had warm families inside.” But yes, unfortunately, there are also quite a few completely unnecessarily portents.
It is hard to say which is more enjoyable; the cast of strange and fascinating characters of Bryant’s acquaintance, the vast abundance of arcane and historical information—who knew it was Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan, who wrote the music to “Onward Christian Soldiers--, the members of the PUC itself, or the plot which brings all these facets together into a perfect gem of a book with a well-done plot twist. We are even given a definition as to what is a murder mystery—“A murder mystery,’ she told Bryant…’is an intellectual exercise, a game between reader and writer in which a problem is precisely stated, elaborately described, and surprisingly solved.”—and Fowler does just that.
“Bryant & May: Wild Chamber” is a murder mystery in the best sense. All the clues are provided if we but see them. The best part of the book is the very last line, but that one will have to read for themselves.
BRYANT & MAY: WILD CHAMBER (Pol Proc-Bryant & May-London-Contemp) – VG+
Fowler, Christopher – 14th in series
Bantam – December 2017
April 12, 2019
It's a real treat to take an intrepid journey through an investigation with the octogenarians Bryant and May of the Peculiar Crimes Unit. An example of their unusual methods of detection is revealed by their long-suffering boss when he says, "I know we are a hands on unit but I draw the line at aerodynamic experiments with flaming poultry." Further, here is a very apt description of Bryant's truly eccentric way of way of working on unravelling a peculiar crime according to May: "You flip through your address book of academics with no social skills and poor personal hygiene, select one at random, overshare the case details with them, then, sit back and listen while they rant about psychotic resonance imaging or Blakian land geometry or some such deranged tosh." In fact, each member of the Peculiar Crimes Unit is particularly endearing with their own unique set of characteristics, foibles and idiosyncratic way of detecting.
In addition to learning about the detectives and their team of unruly cohorts, I truly enjoy learning about the historic odd facts about London such as the annual payment of one red rose for rent, and subsequent rose celebration and where else would you expect to read intriguing phrases such as "over egged the pudding," which is a delightful term for over embellishing the facts. Further, we are all familiar with the idiom "not the sharpest knife in the drawer" but have you heard of "A few ducks short of a fun fair" which the author uses in this story? I hadn't and it tickled me.
Indeed, Christopher Fowler's descriptive language is just delightful. For example, the following is a colorful description of an article of clothing divested by Bryant: "a fisherman's jumper that looked like it had been partially devoured by a goat." Another description that just delighted me in wanting to hear it again: "the dream had become spider threads dissolving in watery sunlight."
I also enjoy Fowler's social commentary, such as the following: "We're all treated like babies. We're told that doors open outward and escalators stop moving at the end. Next, there'll be reminding us to breathe in and out."
In addition to learning about the detectives and their team of unruly cohorts, I truly enjoy learning about the historic odd facts about London such as the annual payment of one red rose for rent, and subsequent rose celebration and where else would you expect to read intriguing phrases such as "over egged the pudding," which is a delightful term for over embellishing the facts. Further, we are all familiar with the idiom "not the sharpest knife in the drawer" but have you heard of "A few ducks short of a fun fair" which the author uses in this story? I hadn't and it tickled me.
Indeed, Christopher Fowler's descriptive language is just delightful. For example, the following is a colorful description of an article of clothing divested by Bryant: "a fisherman's jumper that looked like it had been partially devoured by a goat." Another description that just delighted me in wanting to hear it again: "the dream had become spider threads dissolving in watery sunlight."
I also enjoy Fowler's social commentary, such as the following: "We're all treated like babies. We're told that doors open outward and escalators stop moving at the end. Next, there'll be reminding us to breathe in and out."
April 2, 2017
Another wonderful addition to Christopher Fowler's "Bryant & May" series. The opening harks back to a previous case when London's Peculiar Crimes Unit were hunting down the Mr Punch killer and a young boy died in a road accident, partly as a result of an area of London being sealed off as the police gave chase after the murderer.
Fast forward a year and the body of a young woman is found in one of London's small private parks - the keys to which are only given to residents of the street where the park is located. She's been strangled and the PCU's senior detectives - the unorthodox Arthur Bryant and suave man-about-town John May - are faced with another puzzle. There are two obvious suspects, but - as two more women are strangled to death in different London parks - both seem to have alibis for at least one of the murders.
As public panic mounts, Arthur Bryant is investigating the history of London's ‘wild chambers’ - its' amazing parks and gardens, which take up a huge part of the city. As usual in this series, Arthur consults various "colourful" London characters (both real and imaginary), sometimes being diverted down other cultural and even spiritual paths in his search for clues.
Meanwhile, one politician seizes the chance to shut down most of London's green places, putting the blame for their closure on the Peculiar Crimes Unit. And he moves forward his plan to allow big business to swallow up these precious areas of Britain's capital.
With the PCU confined to their offices, only Arthur Bryant remains at liberty to continue the hunt for the killer – but he's suffering hallucinations as a result of the Unit's previous peculiar crimes case. The fast-paced action takes place within the space of one week - and the PCU has until Sunday night/Monday morning before they have to admit failure and hand over the case to the Metropolitan Police.
Can Arthur solve the case before the Peculiar Crimes Unit is shut down for good?
Throughout the book, Christopher Fowler provides more fascinating glimpses of London life, past & present, with a dark humour and many pithy comments about modern London - and some of its inhabitants.
Bryant and May - and their team - are decent people grown used to dealing with some nasty characters whose crimes would baffle the greatest detective minds. The author of this book seems a decent person too and I wish there were more like him and the members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit in our modern world.
A great crime/mystery/thriller novel which will make you pause in places to think on life - and death - in big cities, while elsewhere it will cause you to smile and even laugh out loud. Recommended.
Fast forward a year and the body of a young woman is found in one of London's small private parks - the keys to which are only given to residents of the street where the park is located. She's been strangled and the PCU's senior detectives - the unorthodox Arthur Bryant and suave man-about-town John May - are faced with another puzzle. There are two obvious suspects, but - as two more women are strangled to death in different London parks - both seem to have alibis for at least one of the murders.
As public panic mounts, Arthur Bryant is investigating the history of London's ‘wild chambers’ - its' amazing parks and gardens, which take up a huge part of the city. As usual in this series, Arthur consults various "colourful" London characters (both real and imaginary), sometimes being diverted down other cultural and even spiritual paths in his search for clues.
Meanwhile, one politician seizes the chance to shut down most of London's green places, putting the blame for their closure on the Peculiar Crimes Unit. And he moves forward his plan to allow big business to swallow up these precious areas of Britain's capital.
With the PCU confined to their offices, only Arthur Bryant remains at liberty to continue the hunt for the killer – but he's suffering hallucinations as a result of the Unit's previous peculiar crimes case. The fast-paced action takes place within the space of one week - and the PCU has until Sunday night/Monday morning before they have to admit failure and hand over the case to the Metropolitan Police.
Can Arthur solve the case before the Peculiar Crimes Unit is shut down for good?
Throughout the book, Christopher Fowler provides more fascinating glimpses of London life, past & present, with a dark humour and many pithy comments about modern London - and some of its inhabitants.
Bryant and May - and their team - are decent people grown used to dealing with some nasty characters whose crimes would baffle the greatest detective minds. The author of this book seems a decent person too and I wish there were more like him and the members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit in our modern world.
A great crime/mystery/thriller novel which will make you pause in places to think on life - and death - in big cities, while elsewhere it will cause you to smile and even laugh out loud. Recommended.
August 27, 2019
I enjoyed this latest installment in the long running series about the Peculiar Crimes Unit and their lead detectives, Bryant and May. This time, the crimes stem from the seemingly accidental death of a young boy due to a freak accident, and the unit is brought in to solve the death of his mother in a private London garden.
Following his recovery from the dementia-like condition which had beset him in the last couple or so books, but still having the odd hallucinatory lapse due to the medical treatment he continues to undergo, Bryant is on top form here, with his odd diving off into all sorts of seeming irrelevancies about the history of London, which yet enrich the story and contribute to his solution to the sequence of murders. Leg work also plays a part as put in by the other members of the unit. As with all books in this series, it is the journey that is the important thing, yet the eventual answer was also a surprise as the story kept me guessing. The only thing that held this back from a 5 star rating for me was that the continuing subplot of the unit continually being threatened with closure and having to solve a case to head that off, is getting a bit too much of a routine. But a well deserved 4 stars.
Following his recovery from the dementia-like condition which had beset him in the last couple or so books, but still having the odd hallucinatory lapse due to the medical treatment he continues to undergo, Bryant is on top form here, with his odd diving off into all sorts of seeming irrelevancies about the history of London, which yet enrich the story and contribute to his solution to the sequence of murders. Leg work also plays a part as put in by the other members of the unit. As with all books in this series, it is the journey that is the important thing, yet the eventual answer was also a surprise as the story kept me guessing. The only thing that held this back from a 5 star rating for me was that the continuing subplot of the unit continually being threatened with closure and having to solve a case to head that off, is getting a bit too much of a routine. But a well deserved 4 stars.
April 9, 2017
Unique and brilliant!
May 9, 2017
I’ve read and enjoyed all of Christopher Fowler’s Peculiar Crimes Unit books, and this was no exception. But I do have a couple of criticisms. First, I thought there weren’t enough clues for the problem-solving reader. Instead, the solution all came out in a big wad of exposition. Second, I’m getting weary of the schtick that the PCU will be shut down forever if they don’t solve the latest crime in the next day or two. It’s unnecessary and getting to be a bit Perils of Pauline.
Despite these criticisms, I had a great time listening to this book. For wittily cutting dialog and hilarious names for beers, it’s a standout, even for this series. Arthur Bryant decides he will call people (especially the querulously ineffectual chief, Raymond Land) insulting names in archaic language. I found myself taking notes of the names for future use.
Bryant is consistently the most entertaining member of the Peculiar Crimes Unit, especially as voiced by the wonderful Tim Goodman in the audiobook, but it’s delightful to read again about all the members of the PCU and other regular characters, like Mr. Bryant’s irregulars, his housekeeper Alma, and the coroner. The PCU’s temporary member, a young Cologne-based detective, provides the amusing perspective of an outsider who is dumbfounded by how the PCU works but can’t help but be caught up in their madness of their methods.
And, as with all the books in the series, this one illuminates current problems by looking at both the present and the past in London. This time around, it’s the city’s parks system, and Fowler’s coverage of the subject is entertaining and informative.
Despite these criticisms, I had a great time listening to this book. For wittily cutting dialog and hilarious names for beers, it’s a standout, even for this series. Arthur Bryant decides he will call people (especially the querulously ineffectual chief, Raymond Land) insulting names in archaic language. I found myself taking notes of the names for future use.
Bryant is consistently the most entertaining member of the Peculiar Crimes Unit, especially as voiced by the wonderful Tim Goodman in the audiobook, but it’s delightful to read again about all the members of the PCU and other regular characters, like Mr. Bryant’s irregulars, his housekeeper Alma, and the coroner. The PCU’s temporary member, a young Cologne-based detective, provides the amusing perspective of an outsider who is dumbfounded by how the PCU works but can’t help but be caught up in their madness of their methods.
And, as with all the books in the series, this one illuminates current problems by looking at both the present and the past in London. This time around, it’s the city’s parks system, and Fowler’s coverage of the subject is entertaining and informative.
March 31, 2018
Another simply delightful adventure in the continuing Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) series featuring the elderly detectives Bryant and May and their team of eccentric investigators. These books are like no other..........the stories are often so convoluted that the reader is not sure exactly what it going on. There are always several murders that take place under strange circumstances and the CID doesn't want to touch them so they are assigned to the PCU. And Bryant and May, using methods of detection which are, to say the least, unusual and often against the law, gleefully take up the challenge.
When one is reviewing any of these books it is almost impossible to give a synopsis of the plot since the beauty of the series is the characters of the PCU. The author gives them more attention than most writers give to their supporting cast and he fleshes them out to the delight of the reader. They are quite a diverse group with each having a particular talent that helps bring success to their efforts. In this tale, women are being strangled in the parks of central London and the killer is leaving no clues at all. Do we have a serial killer that strikes at random or is there a connection among these victims and why do the murders always happen in the green areas of London? Don't even try to guess who the killer is and why s/he is committing these crimes. Instead enjoy the machinations of the PCU as they move toward a conclusion that in any other series would be far-fetched. You just expect it to be off-the-wall because it is such fun getting there.
When one is reviewing any of these books it is almost impossible to give a synopsis of the plot since the beauty of the series is the characters of the PCU. The author gives them more attention than most writers give to their supporting cast and he fleshes them out to the delight of the reader. They are quite a diverse group with each having a particular talent that helps bring success to their efforts. In this tale, women are being strangled in the parks of central London and the killer is leaving no clues at all. Do we have a serial killer that strikes at random or is there a connection among these victims and why do the murders always happen in the green areas of London? Don't even try to guess who the killer is and why s/he is committing these crimes. Instead enjoy the machinations of the PCU as they move toward a conclusion that in any other series would be far-fetched. You just expect it to be off-the-wall because it is such fun getting there.
July 10, 2021
I didn’t enjoy this mystery as much as I normally do, but despite this, still an entertaining and worthwhile read: like catching up with old friends!
May 30, 2017
British author Christopher Fowler is back with, "Wild Chamber", a new novel in his "Bryan & May" series. Set in what might be a slightly futuristic London, Fowler's "PCU" (Peculiar Crimes Unit) is charged with investigating crimes which fall out of the normal perview of the Metropolitan Police. And the cops in the PCU are almost as peculiar themselves as the crimes they're investigating. Chief among the unit are Arthur Bryant and John May, two old duffers, who have been with the police since after WW2. They - mostly Bryant - are interested in the arcane facts about London, and Arthur Bryant knows almost as much about London and its history as, say, a Professor of History at University College London.
"Wild Chamber" is set in various private and public parks of London. A young woman is found dead in a private park at her house, strangled as she walks her dog. The PCU is called in on a Monday to solve the crime and several further crimes occur the same week. These murders could refer to a strange accident the year before that killed a young boy, the son of the first murder victim a year later. Christopher Fowler seems not to be a sentimental sort in the writing of his plots and he often kills off otherwise nice, sympathetic characters. In this book, the plot is a bit farfetched but still within the realm of possibility.
One of the features of the "Bryan & May" books that I like a lot is the letter from Raymond Land, the chief of the PCU to his staff. There's usually one in each book and are just perfectly written notes from a seemingly sane - though long-term suffering and fed-up - chief to his staff. This staff, which include Arthur Bryant and John May and the other "peculiar" officers, also includes "Crippen", the "staff cat". (In one book, "Crippen", who had previously been thought to be a male cat, gave birth under a table, rendering "his" thought-of gender factually wrong.)
But the most important character of Christopher Fowler's books is the city of London. Fowler's breadth of knowledge of London history - as distilled through Arthur Bryant - is staggering. Fowler doesn't neglect his human characters; the two - human and city - come together in his books in as loving a manner as I'm sure he intended.
"Wild Chamber" is set in various private and public parks of London. A young woman is found dead in a private park at her house, strangled as she walks her dog. The PCU is called in on a Monday to solve the crime and several further crimes occur the same week. These murders could refer to a strange accident the year before that killed a young boy, the son of the first murder victim a year later. Christopher Fowler seems not to be a sentimental sort in the writing of his plots and he often kills off otherwise nice, sympathetic characters. In this book, the plot is a bit farfetched but still within the realm of possibility.
One of the features of the "Bryan & May" books that I like a lot is the letter from Raymond Land, the chief of the PCU to his staff. There's usually one in each book and are just perfectly written notes from a seemingly sane - though long-term suffering and fed-up - chief to his staff. This staff, which include Arthur Bryant and John May and the other "peculiar" officers, also includes "Crippen", the "staff cat". (In one book, "Crippen", who had previously been thought to be a male cat, gave birth under a table, rendering "his" thought-of gender factually wrong.)
But the most important character of Christopher Fowler's books is the city of London. Fowler's breadth of knowledge of London history - as distilled through Arthur Bryant - is staggering. Fowler doesn't neglect his human characters; the two - human and city - come together in his books in as loving a manner as I'm sure he intended.
November 21, 2017
I can't get enough of the Bryant and May series. I hate to put pressure on Christopher Fowler, but please get back to work writing more. No, seriously, put down that pie and get back to work. I make it a point to listen to this series because between the skillful writing and the talented narration, I'm set for a long trip to my latest vacation destination.
May 4, 2019
"That's not how it works with me," said Bryant. "I'm drawing a blank with traditional methods, and thought it might be helpful to look at the lessons we can draw from art." Summerfield had a scratch at his beard. "That's a bit like deciding what crops to plant by checking a bus timetable, but go on."
And like as always, Arthur Bryant solves a string of murders starting with a strangulation in Clement Crescent, by consulting an art historian, a white witch and a mystery novelist among others, as well as counting on his hallucinations of historical characters and his numerous stack of obscure books. From banking riots to rivers and now to parks, Christopher Fowler makes every bit of London history appealing with the cast of the Peculiar Crimes Unit in it.
And like as always, Arthur Bryant solves a string of murders starting with a strangulation in Clement Crescent, by consulting an art historian, a white witch and a mystery novelist among others, as well as counting on his hallucinations of historical characters and his numerous stack of obscure books. From banking riots to rivers and now to parks, Christopher Fowler makes every bit of London history appealing with the cast of the Peculiar Crimes Unit in it.
April 3, 2017
The Bryant & May series has long been a favourite, and this latest book didn't disappoint; in fact I'd say it was one of the best so far. Quirky and quintessentially British, the ongoing saga of two indeterminably old detectives and their eclectic team was gripping and funny in equal measure. With numerous quotable lines and some intelligent back stories underpinning a bizarre murder mystery centred around London's parks, this was entertaining from beginning to end. Long may the two protagonists remain unfeasibly ancient and carry on their good works!
May 24, 2017
Another triumphant outing for the unlikeliest crime fighting duo. If I had a grumble, it would be that the 'PCU threatened with closure' and the 'no leads with only hours before we close down, miraculously solved at the last minute' schtick is coming to seem a bit formulaic with it happening almost every book.
November 23, 2017
Another delightful outing with Bryant and May, senior detectives of London’s Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU).
As usual, the book opens with action - the PCU has had to divert London traffic on a miserable rainy night as they pursue a suspect, and a young boy is accidentally killed. Fast forward several months and his mother is found dead in a locked London park. The PCU is called in, and the book follows the following week of their fascinating but frustrating investigation.
Arthur Bryant consults his ancient library of arcane knowledge and visits several of his quirky academic sources that longtime fans of the series expect and enjoy, dropping gems of London history like so many bread crumbs along the way, but it’s not working - the PCU may truly get the chop this time - no spoilers, but I was sweating a little at the ending!
Best part is, Bryant and Maggie Armitage, my favorite white witch and recurring side character, come to the rescue, and also, Christopher Fowler says Bryant and May will be back! Yay! if Fowler follows through with the case mentioned by John May at the end, it could be the biggest case yet for the PCU - can’t wait to find out...please write fast, Mr. Fowler!
As usual, the book opens with action - the PCU has had to divert London traffic on a miserable rainy night as they pursue a suspect, and a young boy is accidentally killed. Fast forward several months and his mother is found dead in a locked London park. The PCU is called in, and the book follows the following week of their fascinating but frustrating investigation.
Arthur Bryant consults his ancient library of arcane knowledge and visits several of his quirky academic sources that longtime fans of the series expect and enjoy, dropping gems of London history like so many bread crumbs along the way, but it’s not working - the PCU may truly get the chop this time - no spoilers, but I was sweating a little at the ending!
Best part is, Bryant and Maggie Armitage, my favorite white witch and recurring side character, come to the rescue, and also, Christopher Fowler says Bryant and May will be back! Yay! if Fowler follows through with the case mentioned by John May at the end, it could be the biggest case yet for the PCU - can’t wait to find out...please write fast, Mr. Fowler!
October 12, 2019
Wild Chamber by Christopher Fowler is the 14th Bryant and May book, and the third or fourth I have read.
Octogenarian detectives Bryant and May are, as usual, back on the case in the PCU, that's Peculiar Crimes Unit to the unitiated. A murderer is at large in London's parks. As well as humour, social history and an enjoyable whodunnit, we also get reacquainted with a splendid bunch of eccentrics and oddballs.
These Bryant and May books are great fun, and contain some wonderful historical nuggets.
4/5
Octogenarian detectives Bryant and May are, as usual, back on the case in the PCU, that's Peculiar Crimes Unit to the unitiated. A murderer is at large in London's parks. As well as humour, social history and an enjoyable whodunnit, we also get reacquainted with a splendid bunch of eccentrics and oddballs.
These Bryant and May books are great fun, and contain some wonderful historical nuggets.
4/5
November 23, 2017
Another fine piece of story-telling. Not sure what else I can say about this series other than help… I’ve reached the end and must wait three months for the next.
Character development is second-to-none and after this many books I feel I know them. I hope they’ll be ok wondering aimlessly around in circles for a few months until they are dragged back into action!
Character development is second-to-none and after this many books I feel I know them. I hope they’ll be ok wondering aimlessly around in circles for a few months until they are dragged back into action!
April 11, 2018
Didn't See It Coming!
The mark of a good mystery is to not make the conclusion so obvious by page 52. Most TV mysteries follow a staid formula that point out the culprit within the first 15 minutes, leaving you with little else to do but yell at the protagonist for being a dolt not to see it.
Mr. Fowler had me here. After three rounds of "ah ha!" moments, old Mr. Bryant kept me going. I also learn a great deal about a city I, as an accursed American, love wholeheartedly through these stories which makes them interesting beyond belief. Never understood London's parks in the manner Bryant (Fowler) explains them. I now have something MORE to investigate. And how I do wish the Unit's building was real. There's more there than meets the eye. Oh, and thank you, Christopher, for opening Raymondo's eyes a bit. His knobbyheadedness was growing old. Even the dopiest of us know our loyalties. Good book, this one!
The mark of a good mystery is to not make the conclusion so obvious by page 52. Most TV mysteries follow a staid formula that point out the culprit within the first 15 minutes, leaving you with little else to do but yell at the protagonist for being a dolt not to see it.
Mr. Fowler had me here. After three rounds of "ah ha!" moments, old Mr. Bryant kept me going. I also learn a great deal about a city I, as an accursed American, love wholeheartedly through these stories which makes them interesting beyond belief. Never understood London's parks in the manner Bryant (Fowler) explains them. I now have something MORE to investigate. And how I do wish the Unit's building was real. There's more there than meets the eye. Oh, and thank you, Christopher, for opening Raymondo's eyes a bit. His knobbyheadedness was growing old. Even the dopiest of us know our loyalties. Good book, this one!
March 28, 2017
500 stars!
October 1, 2017
Thank you to the Amazon Vine Voices program and Bantam Books for an ARC of this novel.
This is book fourteen in this series. Would I recommend that someone begin reading the series at this point? Hmm......sure, why not. But you also need to know that I never worry about that kind of thing when picking a novel to read and don't follow the advice of most who advise against jumping into a series as well established as this. It all depends on how easily you find it to work out the relationships between established characters. With this novel, though, you also have to deal with a physical condition Arthur Bryant has confronted but has not totally conquered.
One of the features I look forward to in these books is the memo Unit Chief Raymond Land posts on the notice board as the story is beginning. This is where you will find a list of the characters who make up the Peculiar Crimes Unit (hereafter referred to as PCU) even down to including the office cat - Crippen. This time there is a new name to identify a policewoman from Cologne, Germany who wanted a temporary secondment to a world-class specialist unit and got the PCU instead. The classic Raymond Land "Private and Confidential" memo doesn't come at the first of the story so you will have to wait a little while for it. The crime being investigated by our intrepid group took place not in a locked room, but in a locked garden. When the garden can only be entered through the gate and only with a key, and the gate was locked, how did the murder happen? That is only the tip of the iceberg with this mystery. Naturally author Christopher Fowler couldn't have anything so mundane as only a locked garden mystery so get ready to be entertained. The members of the PCU are always fighting to keep their unit alive. This time they may be collateral damage in a bigger political battle.
I really did enjoy this one because it covers one of my favorite London joys, their incredible parks and gardens. The story did ramble on a bit - rambling is something of a requirement with Arthur Bryant - but this one rambled almost too much for me. However, thinking back over the story I don't exactly see what could (or should) have been left out so just read it all and pay attention. I never, ever knew who the killer was and was quite surprised. That's still a good thing. I absolutely loved Arthur's little side trips into arcane slang - that was lovely. I missed Crippen and the two Daves. If you remember the origination of the names Fowler chose for his lead characters (Bryant & May) be prepared for another joke from him along those same lines. You can read about that in the Acknowledgments at the back of the book and - do as I did - smack yourself on the head for not being more aware. I like reading an author who has enough regard for his readers that he likes to play little games with them.
This is book fourteen in this series. Would I recommend that someone begin reading the series at this point? Hmm......sure, why not. But you also need to know that I never worry about that kind of thing when picking a novel to read and don't follow the advice of most who advise against jumping into a series as well established as this. It all depends on how easily you find it to work out the relationships between established characters. With this novel, though, you also have to deal with a physical condition Arthur Bryant has confronted but has not totally conquered.
One of the features I look forward to in these books is the memo Unit Chief Raymond Land posts on the notice board as the story is beginning. This is where you will find a list of the characters who make up the Peculiar Crimes Unit (hereafter referred to as PCU) even down to including the office cat - Crippen. This time there is a new name to identify a policewoman from Cologne, Germany who wanted a temporary secondment to a world-class specialist unit and got the PCU instead. The classic Raymond Land "Private and Confidential" memo doesn't come at the first of the story so you will have to wait a little while for it. The crime being investigated by our intrepid group took place not in a locked room, but in a locked garden. When the garden can only be entered through the gate and only with a key, and the gate was locked, how did the murder happen? That is only the tip of the iceberg with this mystery. Naturally author Christopher Fowler couldn't have anything so mundane as only a locked garden mystery so get ready to be entertained. The members of the PCU are always fighting to keep their unit alive. This time they may be collateral damage in a bigger political battle.
I really did enjoy this one because it covers one of my favorite London joys, their incredible parks and gardens. The story did ramble on a bit - rambling is something of a requirement with Arthur Bryant - but this one rambled almost too much for me. However, thinking back over the story I don't exactly see what could (or should) have been left out so just read it all and pay attention. I never, ever knew who the killer was and was quite surprised. That's still a good thing. I absolutely loved Arthur's little side trips into arcane slang - that was lovely. I missed Crippen and the two Daves. If you remember the origination of the names Fowler chose for his lead characters (Bryant & May) be prepared for another joke from him along those same lines. You can read about that in the Acknowledgments at the back of the book and - do as I did - smack yourself on the head for not being more aware. I like reading an author who has enough regard for his readers that he likes to play little games with them.
May 17, 2020
These are gems. I keep waiting for the BBC series. Ideally, I'd cast Derek Jacobi and Jeremy Irons as the eponymous detectives. While certainly the novels are based on a formula---crimes take a whole week to solve, the Unit is always about to be closed down---the details are delightful, often laugh-out-loud funny, and the history of London included is priceless.
June 21, 2017
Another excellent Bryant & May adventure from Christopher Fowler, starring all the usual suspects, even Raymond Land's one-legged pigeon nemesis. It features an unbelievable and complex plot, featuring several murders, gradually unravelled by Bryant with the help of some of his continuing hallucinations (including a particularly amusing encounter with the Queen). The atmosphere of London's parks and gardens is vividly evoked, interspersed with some usefully didactic chunks of history. And Fowler excels himself with arcane vocabulary: I had to look up anatopism, aleatoric, flavescent, caliginous and anamorphic. The Peculiar Crimes Unit survives against all the odds, as do the very elderly detectives. Wonderful stuff, can't wait for the next one.
April 19, 2017
Not unlike Bryant and May themselves, Christopher Fowler is running out of steam. I have been a yuuuge fan of the duo and the series. But, dayyenu. Number 14 read as if assembled by a team, from prefab modules of text collected from the prior novels.
The central plot was clever and unpredictable. But cuteness can become terminal, and it has here.
The central plot was clever and unpredictable. But cuteness can become terminal, and it has here.
November 5, 2019
All book reviews are my personal thoughts and opinions. I try to be honest and open, and my aim is to help you to decide whether you want to read a book or not. I don’t get paid for reading & reviewing books. I consider it a necessity and a privilege to be able to read these stories and I share my thoughts simply to share this nurturance with others.
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This is a new author for me.
I rather like the front cover, the lush colours and almost cartoon feel to them.
The book itself, I found it to be an odd read. It was very difficult to get a sense of the separate characters who are either police personnel or murdered or incidentals.
The only character I could get a clear sense of was the lead, who goes by the name of Bryant, He is one half of the duo Bryant & May and their characters seemed a bit like Morse and Lewis where Bryant is the stronger-drawn character & May is, like Lewis, the quieter sidekick.
The other smaller characters came more into focus further into the story – quite a way into the story. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it was part of the tantalising factor that enticed me to continue reading.
Bryant reminded me of Columbo from the 1980’s American television series. Like Colombo, Bryant has his foibles; and like Columbo, he notices things and finds clues in places the rest of us have no idea of. Again, like Colombo and Morse, Bryant seems to have a very wide general knowledge with a few specialist areas that come in handy for solving crimes.
I found myself liking Bryant. He is clearly visible in the story. The other characters, all secondary, including his supposed partner May, felt absent from the plot. The minor characters are quite blurry, so much so that the names blended into one other, so I could not remember which name belonged to which character.
The author Christopher Fowler has either got a vast mind or he is very good at research. Either way, he is an impressive chap. He presents knowledge of London’s nooks and crannies in wonderfully clear descriptions that enabled me to visualise the places if I knew them, or else made me feel a strong urge to visit the specific landmarks he had touched with his pen.
The descriptions open up scenes and vistas not truly seen during our busy modern lives: Mr Fowler is perhaps an observer of the history laid within London parks and buildings for all to see. The descriptions incite a fervour in me the reader, to go and visit, to experience, via my imagination, on foot the painted scenes so that I may somehow become a voyeuristic part of the scene he paints.
Mr Fowler has a very British sense of humour, which did make me smile. Calling his primary character duo by the name of the infamous brand of matches is hilarious but very British. I can remember using the yellow-faced ones (below) when I was growing up. The 'peculiar crimes unit' name for the department that Bryant & May work within, conjured up an old-fashioned British film set for me which tickled me slightly.
Despite the lack of clarity of characters, and this may be because the books are so dense with events and descriptions, that the characters fade into the background for me, the plot moves apace in the same way as Columbo mysteries do on television.
As my first encounter with this author’s work, I see the tongue in cheek humour on the investigation methods and the police units. Yet they are also how I imagine the police to be like in England in real life.
The end is curious as I am left feeling like Bryant has used the same type of observation and analysis techniques that Colombo used in the 1980s yet reaches the correct conclusion and arrests the complete outsider; who is in fact the correct person to arrest. The management are shown to be bumbling fools. The clues that Bryant uses don’t feel clear enough for me to have reached the same conclusion. I am left semi-mystified with the ending because I was not able to keep up with Bryant’s thought pattern, but I feel replete as I might after a good meal, because the formula is familiar from the Colombo series of the 1980s.
I might well read another in the series ;)
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This is a new author for me.
I rather like the front cover, the lush colours and almost cartoon feel to them.
The book itself, I found it to be an odd read. It was very difficult to get a sense of the separate characters who are either police personnel or murdered or incidentals.
The only character I could get a clear sense of was the lead, who goes by the name of Bryant, He is one half of the duo Bryant & May and their characters seemed a bit like Morse and Lewis where Bryant is the stronger-drawn character & May is, like Lewis, the quieter sidekick.
The other smaller characters came more into focus further into the story – quite a way into the story. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it was part of the tantalising factor that enticed me to continue reading.
Bryant reminded me of Columbo from the 1980’s American television series. Like Colombo, Bryant has his foibles; and like Columbo, he notices things and finds clues in places the rest of us have no idea of. Again, like Colombo and Morse, Bryant seems to have a very wide general knowledge with a few specialist areas that come in handy for solving crimes.
I found myself liking Bryant. He is clearly visible in the story. The other characters, all secondary, including his supposed partner May, felt absent from the plot. The minor characters are quite blurry, so much so that the names blended into one other, so I could not remember which name belonged to which character.
The author Christopher Fowler has either got a vast mind or he is very good at research. Either way, he is an impressive chap. He presents knowledge of London’s nooks and crannies in wonderfully clear descriptions that enabled me to visualise the places if I knew them, or else made me feel a strong urge to visit the specific landmarks he had touched with his pen.
The descriptions open up scenes and vistas not truly seen during our busy modern lives: Mr Fowler is perhaps an observer of the history laid within London parks and buildings for all to see. The descriptions incite a fervour in me the reader, to go and visit, to experience, via my imagination, on foot the painted scenes so that I may somehow become a voyeuristic part of the scene he paints.
Mr Fowler has a very British sense of humour, which did make me smile. Calling his primary character duo by the name of the infamous brand of matches is hilarious but very British. I can remember using the yellow-faced ones (below) when I was growing up. The 'peculiar crimes unit' name for the department that Bryant & May work within, conjured up an old-fashioned British film set for me which tickled me slightly.
Despite the lack of clarity of characters, and this may be because the books are so dense with events and descriptions, that the characters fade into the background for me, the plot moves apace in the same way as Columbo mysteries do on television.
As my first encounter with this author’s work, I see the tongue in cheek humour on the investigation methods and the police units. Yet they are also how I imagine the police to be like in England in real life.
The end is curious as I am left feeling like Bryant has used the same type of observation and analysis techniques that Colombo used in the 1980s yet reaches the correct conclusion and arrests the complete outsider; who is in fact the correct person to arrest. The management are shown to be bumbling fools. The clues that Bryant uses don’t feel clear enough for me to have reached the same conclusion. I am left semi-mystified with the ending because I was not able to keep up with Bryant’s thought pattern, but I feel replete as I might after a good meal, because the formula is familiar from the Colombo series of the 1980s.
I might well read another in the series ;)
Read
October 5, 2017The usual maddening hotchpotch of fascinating characters, London arcana, clunky exposition and heavy-handed politics, this time with its focus on the eponymous wild chambers - London's green spaces. As with the unseasonal riots in The Burning Man, I'm sceptical that these parks and squares feel right for the book's ostensible December setting - where are the Winter Wonderlands, the fairy lights? And from the cover inwards, they feel far too leafy - perhaps October, but surely not the winter proper (and the strangest bit is, the skeletal trees and barer bushes of December would make a wonderfully atmospheric setting for a murder mystery - one only really evoked here in the final such scene). Similarly, while there are undoubtedly those in power who love the idea of monetising London's huge swathes of unprofitable open space, it's a stretch that two killings would be enough to get you the political momentum for that, at least not without some suitable media hysteria being whipped up (something we saw in previous Bryant & May books, but largely absent this time). It is, in other words, a bit of a mess. But interestingly, it seems to know that - the usual diatribes about how fings ain't what they used to be, shared among Bryant and several of his old contacts, are here pushed back against by May and others making valid points that some of the city's changes have been for the better. And for all the attempts at a scientific-psychological explanation for the moments when Bryant comes unstuck in time, they fit the character's anachronistic mode far better than realism ever could. Above all, it must be remembered that whatever my criticisms, this is the 15th book I've read in the series, and I wouldn't be doing that if I weren't enjoying them more than not, thanks largely to the strange, loveable old pair at their heart. Worth mentioning, too, that I read much of this volume in four of the City's green chambers, including two which feature here - though alas, I was never quite in the right location as I read either scene.
December 30, 2021
This story was an OK read for me. I gave it an extra star because of the quirky London history, places and people that were used in the resolution of the crime by Bryant. Once again the methods of him and May are the highlight of these stories, the murder resolution second for me.
This being said, I felt the murderer seemed to come out of the blue with a very non-specific reason for the murders. I understand why he did it but it just didn't seem to go with the rest of the story.
While I enjoy these books I think this is one of the weaker ones. There was alot of general stuff in the story and honestly it felt like it took me forever to finish. But I will continue on with the series, just taking a small break from it.
This being said, I felt the murderer seemed to come out of the blue with a very non-specific reason for the murders. I understand why he did it but it just didn't seem to go with the rest of the story.
While I enjoy these books I think this is one of the weaker ones. There was alot of general stuff in the story and honestly it felt like it took me forever to finish. But I will continue on with the series, just taking a small break from it.
January 26, 2018
I am actually giving it three and three quarters.
It wasn't one of my favourites I have to say. My very favourite was probably White Corridor with Water Room a close second. This one wasn't quite as 'magical' for me. I also admit that when they were told they were going to be closed down after the weekend I thought 'yeah yeah' - maybe that plot is a little old now
I enjoyed it, the writing as always was very good but I am looking forward to the next one now with fingers crossed rather than with confidence.
It wasn't one of my favourites I have to say. My very favourite was probably White Corridor with Water Room a close second. This one wasn't quite as 'magical' for me. I also admit that when they were told they were going to be closed down after the weekend I thought 'yeah yeah' - maybe that plot is a little old now
I enjoyed it, the writing as always was very good but I am looking forward to the next one now with fingers crossed rather than with confidence.
February 9, 2018
Latest in the Peculiar Crimes Unit series - hard to know at this point whether it's the Crimes that are Peculiar or the Unit. This one is loaded with interesting characters and a record haul of red herrings. Thinking about it afterwards, the solution was not the systematic logical denouement I prefer in murder mystery/police procedural fiction; but in this case I enjoyed the ride so much I didn't notice. I love these guys. Looking forward to the next one: Hall of Mirrors.
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