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The White Angel
Vancouver is in an uproar over the death by gunshot of a Scottish nanny, Janet Stewart. An almost deliberately ham-handed police investigation has Constable Hook suspecting a cover-up. The powerful United Council of Scottish Societies is demanding an inquiry. The killing has become a political issue with an election not far away.
The city is buzzing with rumours. Miss Stewart's fellow nannies have accused the Chinese houseboy of murder, capitalizing on a wave of anti-Chinese propaganda led by the Asian Exclusion League and enthusiastically supported by the sensational press--not to mention the Ku Klux Klan, which has taken up residence in upperclass Shaughnessy.
The White Angel is a work of fiction inspired by the cold case of Janet Smith, who, on July 26, 1924, was found dead in her employer's posh Shaughnessy Heights mansion. A dubious investigation led to the even more dubious conclusion that Smith died by suicide. After a public outcry, the case was re-examined and it was decided that Smith was in fact murdered; but no one was ever convicted, though suspects abounded--from an infatuated Chinese houseboy to a drug-smuggling ring, devil-worshippers from the United States, or perhaps even the Prince of Wales. For Vancouver, the killing created a situation analogous to lifting a large flat rock to expose the creatures hiding underneath.
An exploration of true crime through a literary lens, The White Angel draws an artful portrait of Vancouver in 1924 in all its opium-hazed, smog-choked, rain-soaked glory--accurate, insightful and darkly droll.
The city is buzzing with rumours. Miss Stewart's fellow nannies have accused the Chinese houseboy of murder, capitalizing on a wave of anti-Chinese propaganda led by the Asian Exclusion League and enthusiastically supported by the sensational press--not to mention the Ku Klux Klan, which has taken up residence in upperclass Shaughnessy.
The White Angel is a work of fiction inspired by the cold case of Janet Smith, who, on July 26, 1924, was found dead in her employer's posh Shaughnessy Heights mansion. A dubious investigation led to the even more dubious conclusion that Smith died by suicide. After a public outcry, the case was re-examined and it was decided that Smith was in fact murdered; but no one was ever convicted, though suspects abounded--from an infatuated Chinese houseboy to a drug-smuggling ring, devil-worshippers from the United States, or perhaps even the Prince of Wales. For Vancouver, the killing created a situation analogous to lifting a large flat rock to expose the creatures hiding underneath.
An exploration of true crime through a literary lens, The White Angel draws an artful portrait of Vancouver in 1924 in all its opium-hazed, smog-choked, rain-soaked glory--accurate, insightful and darkly droll.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 26, 2022
3.5. rounded down.
Up until the final pages I was thinking this MIGHT have been a 4.5, but the last few pages were woefully disappointing. Yes, I KNOW this is based on a still unresolved real murder case that took place in Vancouver in 1924, but when you can't figure out WHAT the author is intending and it is so muddled you can't figure out what is actually inferred - Houston, we have a problem.
I read this mainly as the sequel, Vile Spirits, made a few year-end 'best of' lists and that sounded intriguing - so I thought I would start with volume one. The story is very interesting, the characters unusual and fascinating, the prose much better than normal for a thriller -but I have no clue what the author was actually trying to say here. I'm not even sure if the title refers to the murder victim or cocaine, which also figures prominently in the plot.
Be that as it may, I have the second volume out from the library, and this was sufficiently engrossing for me to try again...
Up until the final pages I was thinking this MIGHT have been a 4.5, but the last few pages were woefully disappointing. Yes, I KNOW this is based on a still unresolved real murder case that took place in Vancouver in 1924, but when you can't figure out WHAT the author is intending and it is so muddled you can't figure out what is actually inferred - Houston, we have a problem.
I read this mainly as the sequel, Vile Spirits, made a few year-end 'best of' lists and that sounded intriguing - so I thought I would start with volume one. The story is very interesting, the characters unusual and fascinating, the prose much better than normal for a thriller -but I have no clue what the author was actually trying to say here. I'm not even sure if the title refers to the murder victim or cocaine, which also figures prominently in the plot.
Be that as it may, I have the second volume out from the library, and this was sufficiently engrossing for me to try again...
June 17, 2021
A time machine to 1930s Vancouver with classism, racism, and post-war trauma to go along with your dirty murder mystery. Really enjoyed it.
March 18, 2018
In 1924 the dead body of a maid was discovered in the basement of a mansion in the prestigious Vancouver neighbourhood of Shaughnessy, home to many of the young city's powerful barons of industry and wealthy politicians. The death was initially brushed aside as suicide, but thanks to a newspaper reporter with a lively curiosity and nose for the truth, this finding was thrown out and the case became one of high importance to every Vancouverite.
I enjoyed the author's skillful storytelling, and felt myself immersed in the city's "opium-hazed, smog-choked, rain-soaked glory." The novel was full of city street names, references to restaurants and other markers familiar to those who live in Vancouver. Unfortunately, the pace of the story was too languid to keep me enthralled; nevertheless, I found the book quite enjoyable.
I enjoyed the author's skillful storytelling, and felt myself immersed in the city's "opium-hazed, smog-choked, rain-soaked glory." The novel was full of city street names, references to restaurants and other markers familiar to those who live in Vancouver. Unfortunately, the pace of the story was too languid to keep me enthralled; nevertheless, I found the book quite enjoyable.
September 22, 2021
I have lived in the greater Vancouver area, the setting for this book, since 1971 and I can't believe I had not heard of this story before now. The basic premise is an unsolved murder (or was it a suicide) from 1924 where a Scottish nursemaid's dead body is found at a home in the very posh area of Shaughnessy. An illuminating look at a probable police coverup and the vast array of collateral damage it caused. I was so engaged, that after some research I was able to find her gravestone, the original house where she worked as a nursemaid, The Crescent where the neighborhood nursemaids walked the children in their prams, the deceased's father's mansion and the mansion that the Ku Klux Klan were renting in their looking to establish a chapter in Vancouver. A compelling read for both the plot and the descriptions of life in Vancouver in 1924.
November 19, 2021
It jumped all over the place and isn't very well written, in my opinion. I couldn't finish it.
November 15, 2023
This was an interesting read for me. I'm not the biggest fan of historical fiction or mysteries, and, to be honest, *SEMI SPOILER* the mystery was, in a way never really solved.
The book was based on the actual murder of Janet Smith (renamed Janet Stewart in the book) in the 1920s. She was a Scottish nanny who was found dead in the home of her charges.
It's focused around the Point Gray Constabulary and a writer, McCurdy, trying to find out who may have been involved in the death of Janet, and why. Initially, all signs point to the Chinese housekeeper. But there wasn't really any evidence to support it, just the fact that he was the one that found the body.
It felt like a lot of elements weren't necessary. Yes, indeed, it was more of a racially-charged time, however, the brief inclusion of the Ku Klux Klan truly didn't make any difference to the story. Neither did the relationship of Howard Sparrow, the mortuary driver - he had a fiancé who essentially fed information to McCurdy, but, truly, that was her only function. It felt like she wasn't even a character in her own right.
To that point, the men were manly, smart, in control, and the women were just meant to be pretty set pieces with no real thoughts or feelings. Perhaps it was due to the time in which it was written, but the female characters truly felt extremely flat and empty.
There are a TON of characters in here - Ed McCurdy, poet gone journalist and terrible friend; the stuffy and rich Faulkners (who have things to hide); their housekeeper the "Chinaman" Wong Sing Chi; the incompetent Officer Gorman; and so on. It almost felt like there were too many character to keep track of. And, even then, one character who seemed extremely important at the end was barely mentioned at all.
Was it a red herring? Was it real? Did the ending actually express the truth of what happened? We'll never know. And, sadly, neither will Janet's family.
The book was based on the actual murder of Janet Smith (renamed Janet Stewart in the book) in the 1920s. She was a Scottish nanny who was found dead in the home of her charges.
It's focused around the Point Gray Constabulary and a writer, McCurdy, trying to find out who may have been involved in the death of Janet, and why. Initially, all signs point to the Chinese housekeeper. But there wasn't really any evidence to support it, just the fact that he was the one that found the body.
It felt like a lot of elements weren't necessary. Yes, indeed, it was more of a racially-charged time, however, the brief inclusion of the Ku Klux Klan truly didn't make any difference to the story. Neither did the relationship of Howard Sparrow, the mortuary driver - he had a fiancé who essentially fed information to McCurdy, but, truly, that was her only function. It felt like she wasn't even a character in her own right.
To that point, the men were manly, smart, in control, and the women were just meant to be pretty set pieces with no real thoughts or feelings. Perhaps it was due to the time in which it was written, but the female characters truly felt extremely flat and empty.
There are a TON of characters in here - Ed McCurdy, poet gone journalist and terrible friend; the stuffy and rich Faulkners (who have things to hide); their housekeeper the "Chinaman" Wong Sing Chi; the incompetent Officer Gorman; and so on. It almost felt like there were too many character to keep track of. And, even then, one character who seemed extremely important at the end was barely mentioned at all.
Was it a red herring? Was it real? Did the ending actually express the truth of what happened? We'll never know. And, sadly, neither will Janet's family.
January 31, 2018
A very unusual read; between its cast of dozens and its multiple plots and character arcs, there is a great deal to keep track of...to say nothing of the core mystery at the heart of the story. It's less of a straightforward novel, and more of a kaleidoscope of people in 1924 Vancouver. It's full of fascinating characters and delicious historical atmosphere, but the plot lines themselves seem to just peter out by the novel's conclusion. There is definitely a satisfying & engaging atmosphere while reading the book, but the end of the journey feels far too unresolved.
November 26, 2017
An excellent novel that looks at an unsolved Vancouver murder case from 1924, fleshing out characters and creating a vivid picture of the atmosphere in the city at that time. John MacLachlan Gray is a talented writer who uses words with such skill that I found myself stopping to reread and appreciate his choices more than a few times.
Want to read
November 4, 2019Synopsis: a fictionalized version of the cold case of Janet Smith who, on July 26, 1924, was found dead in her employer's posh Vancouver mansion.
September 19, 2022
I gave this book one star less because I didn't like it, I am actually quite indifferent to it as a story, but because it was such a disappointment.
Supposedly based on a true story, the book did not do its source material any credit. In fact, it feels a bit like Janet Smith, the real nanny killed under suspicious circumstances, was used and then discarded yet again.
I expect, if a book is based on a true-life event, it will follow the events of the real murder and put forth a viable, more or less, possible reason and means for the murder. While the book did do this, it was more of an afterthought, an "Oh yay. We forgot about Janet" moment.
The book really wasn't about anything and resolved nothing. The characters were boring and uninspiring, certainly not likable. The women were stereotypically the rich bitch, the social maverick with an attitude, or sweet girls who were loose when out of the public eye. Definitely nothing original in any of them.
The men were pretty much the same. Anyone with a bank account over a certain amount were narcissistic bullies who were actually being manipulated by others. The Chinese men were all sly and cunning, knowing more about everything than everyone else. And anyone with any power, such as the police, were corrupt and inept. And you had your required socialist/communist spouting his rhetoric.
The story touched on corruption, but never fully explored it. Social change, without committing itself to that story line and bigotry by casually being racist but excusing itself by saying it was the times and not the author that thought that way. (There are ways to write about the horrible discrimination of the past without actually participating in it, but not in this book).
Overall, the book was just a huge let-down.
Supposedly based on a true story, the book did not do its source material any credit. In fact, it feels a bit like Janet Smith, the real nanny killed under suspicious circumstances, was used and then discarded yet again.
I expect, if a book is based on a true-life event, it will follow the events of the real murder and put forth a viable, more or less, possible reason and means for the murder. While the book did do this, it was more of an afterthought, an "Oh yay. We forgot about Janet" moment.
The book really wasn't about anything and resolved nothing. The characters were boring and uninspiring, certainly not likable. The women were stereotypically the rich bitch, the social maverick with an attitude, or sweet girls who were loose when out of the public eye. Definitely nothing original in any of them.
The men were pretty much the same. Anyone with a bank account over a certain amount were narcissistic bullies who were actually being manipulated by others. The Chinese men were all sly and cunning, knowing more about everything than everyone else. And anyone with any power, such as the police, were corrupt and inept. And you had your required socialist/communist spouting his rhetoric.
The story touched on corruption, but never fully explored it. Social change, without committing itself to that story line and bigotry by casually being racist but excusing itself by saying it was the times and not the author that thought that way. (There are ways to write about the horrible discrimination of the past without actually participating in it, but not in this book).
Overall, the book was just a huge let-down.
December 7, 2021
This is an odd book. On the whole, I enjoyed it - the writer has a style that keeps you interested - and will probably read another from this series.
It appears to be set in some alternative universe, or possibly is chock-full of anachronisms. Not sure which. This is a book where Joyce Kilmer is a woman, where Bren gun carriers exist during the First World War, where people can hear the newsreels during the silent movie era, and more. In some cases, it is evident that the author has done a fair bit of research of the time, but he also appears to wing it on other points. After I while, I decided to read it with the "alternate universe" attitude so that the anachronisms would cease to bug me.
The book has a couple more serious flaws, though. One is that the author has found some rendition of the dialogue used by operators making telephone calls. I have no way of knowing whether it is accurate, but it strikes me as something arising from research, so I will give him credit for this. The credit is removed, though, after the umpteenth he goes through ritual when a call is placed. Once is interesting, but my interest in the dialogue diminished by at least 50% on each repetition.
Structurally, the really big weakness is the denouement. A suspect leaves the country, and sends a letter to the police revealing all. It is as if the author decided he had written enough and wanted it over, or had written himself into a corner and couldn't work out a solution. Either way, it was a most unsatisfactory ending.
It appears to be set in some alternative universe, or possibly is chock-full of anachronisms. Not sure which. This is a book where Joyce Kilmer is a woman, where Bren gun carriers exist during the First World War, where people can hear the newsreels during the silent movie era, and more. In some cases, it is evident that the author has done a fair bit of research of the time, but he also appears to wing it on other points. After I while, I decided to read it with the "alternate universe" attitude so that the anachronisms would cease to bug me.
The book has a couple more serious flaws, though. One is that the author has found some rendition of the dialogue used by operators making telephone calls. I have no way of knowing whether it is accurate, but it strikes me as something arising from research, so I will give him credit for this. The credit is removed, though, after the umpteenth he goes through ritual when a call is placed. Once is interesting, but my interest in the dialogue diminished by at least 50% on each repetition.
Structurally, the really big weakness is the denouement. A suspect leaves the country, and sends a letter to the police revealing all. It is as if the author decided he had written enough and wanted it over, or had written himself into a corner and couldn't work out a solution. Either way, it was a most unsatisfactory ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2024
Written in about 2017, but set in 1924, this book is part Murder Mystery, part Historical Fiction, telling the story of Vancouver's oldest unsolved murders. When Janet Stewart (in real life Janet Smith), a young Scottish nanny is found dead in the basement of the rich white family she works for, blame falls on Wong Sing Chi, the Chinese housekeeper. The author's note explains that the book was written with the racist terms and beliefs of this time period and location, which was horrifically racist towards Asian people, and while the use of terms like "chinaman" and the way Wong Sing Chi was treated were super offensive, it did show a fairly authentic view of societal norms at the time.
Overall I didn't mind the story, but that the writing was just ok. I felt that there wasn't enough depth when it came to the inner thoughts of the main characters, instead there was a lot of story telling through dialogue, telegraph transcripts and newsreports, with lots of descriptions of the people and places, but not a lot of consideration of the feelings, thoughts and motives of any characters. I also felt it was much stronger on the historical fiction than the murder mystery genre, and didn't get the suspense or action I was hoping for. I liked learning about Vancouver in this time period and it left me with a lot of things to think about and read more about. Definitely a time period and setting I'm not as familiar with!
Overall I didn't mind the story, but that the writing was just ok. I felt that there wasn't enough depth when it came to the inner thoughts of the main characters, instead there was a lot of story telling through dialogue, telegraph transcripts and newsreports, with lots of descriptions of the people and places, but not a lot of consideration of the feelings, thoughts and motives of any characters. I also felt it was much stronger on the historical fiction than the murder mystery genre, and didn't get the suspense or action I was hoping for. I liked learning about Vancouver in this time period and it left me with a lot of things to think about and read more about. Definitely a time period and setting I'm not as familiar with!
October 7, 2022
There were things I loved about this book. As a lifelong greater-Vancouverite and west coaster, I loved the atmosphere and details in the setting. Vancouver in the 20's post-World War One is brought to life with details of what the streets were like then - Hastings, Pender, Kingsway etc. I made me really contemplate those times. Also, close locales such as Coquitlam (including Essondale), Gibsons, Roberts Creek, and even a mention of the psychic retreating at Saturna Island were enjoyable. However, I couldn't get into the characters, nor could I feel much sympathy for Janet Smith - whose real life murder in 1924 was the starting point for this novel. I loved Ed Starkins' Who Killed Janet Smith? and admittedly, I'm a non-fiction history junkie. I wanted the book to take on the Chinese man's point of view as domestic servant to this priveledged British Canadian family. Also, I wanted to learn more about the Faulkners (the Bakers in real life.) I'm not surprised the murder is not fully solved, as is true in real life. All in all, I guess I had expectations that I projected on to this book that had some great ideas, solid writing but somehow missed the mark for this reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2025
A fascinating slice of sordid Vancouver history; a less-fabulous murder mystery (based on a true story, one that I did not know about until I finished the book).
Gray's a first-rate writer (I'm a sap for Billy Bishop Goes to War), and has drawn up a parade of three-dimensional characters. The police work (and manifest failures), dress, transportation, dialogue, and telephone switchboards read like Gray has done his research. A couple fewer transcriptions of the "switch / here is" litany would not have hurt my feelings, intriguing as it was on the first occurrence.
I didn't even mind the denouement, . So I felt just a little cheated at the finish.
Recommended for historical / crime fiction looking for a unique setting.
Gray's a first-rate writer (I'm a sap for Billy Bishop Goes to War), and has drawn up a parade of three-dimensional characters. The police work (and manifest failures), dress, transportation, dialogue, and telephone switchboards read like Gray has done his research. A couple fewer transcriptions of the "switch / here is" litany would not have hurt my feelings, intriguing as it was on the first occurrence.
I didn't even mind the denouement, . So I felt just a little cheated at the finish.
Recommended for historical / crime fiction looking for a unique setting.
December 17, 2021
This was - all in all - a refreshing look at the early days of Vancouver British Columbia and the inner dealings of some aspects of society that are still presently being battled today, albeit with a better law enforcement agency. Also an interesting take on the influence of 'class' privilege inherited from England and all the ills and injustices that come alongside it. Somethings never change. Plus a very insightful look at how media can influence a mindset of the people (and the mobs) for the good or the bad, while politicians try and steer the boat in their particular political favour. Like I said - somethings never change.
A good story!
A good story!
August 19, 2022
One of the best crime novels I've read in a long time. I love the economy of John MacLachlan Gray's writing, and it is a clever, thoroughly researched, well-written book. Based on a true crime that was left unsolved, this novel portrays the many different angles of the story and the many characters caught up in it in the kind of detail that makes it hard to believe the book is less than 300 pages long. An excellent read, this novel would make a high-quality HBO show like Boardwalk Empire or even The Wire, though it would be a disaster in the wrong hands. Of course, the same could be said about most good books.
January 13, 2018
Intriguing story
The story was quite a mystery of intrigue and duplicity set in post WW1 Vancouver. War verterans, upper class white society, chinese servants, mistresses and a burgeoning drug trade. All spun together in a tale that is somewhat difficult to follow at times. The local colour and flavour of the time and spa e is wonderful most of times but i think it could have been kept in check and limited to perhaps just the chAracters. No need for long drawn out Victorian/Edwardian discriptions.
Like i said a good story....but........
The story was quite a mystery of intrigue and duplicity set in post WW1 Vancouver. War verterans, upper class white society, chinese servants, mistresses and a burgeoning drug trade. All spun together in a tale that is somewhat difficult to follow at times. The local colour and flavour of the time and spa e is wonderful most of times but i think it could have been kept in check and limited to perhaps just the chAracters. No need for long drawn out Victorian/Edwardian discriptions.
Like i said a good story....but........
February 25, 2018
Excellent! I've lived in Vancouver all my adult life, and I was endlessly fascinated by the historical presentation of my city, shockingly ugly warts and all. I also liked the characters Gray created. I would have appreciated an afterword that discussed the factual basis for the story and which of the characters were historical. I note some other reviewers expressed dissatisfaction with the ending, but it worked for me, given that the whole thing is based on a historical *unsolved* mystery. Enjoyable reading.
December 12, 2018
This mystery, based loosely on the unsolved death of real-life nanny Janet Smith, provides quite the portrait of mid-twenties Vancouver, small-minded and prejudiced, especially against the Chinese, and with incompetent police. I suspect the novel is very accurate in this, and it’s a good read overall, though lacking the sympathetic protagonist most mysteries have -in this case it’s a relatively competent policeman and a failed poet turned journalist who pursue the truth, but not really as a team.
March 13, 2020
This book no doubt suffered due to the time it took me to finish it. It took what should have been a pretty intriguing incident and dragged it out for so long that I lost a lot of the threads. The style is engaging and the main characters investigating the murder were interesting, but the final reveal comes completely out of left field. I really felt like the book bogged down about 2/3 or 3/4 of the way through. I'm still somewhat looking forward to the true crime version of the story, but maybe not as much - and definitely not the next thing that I will read....
August 29, 2020
The review that got me interested in this book spoke of how it evokes the time and place, Vancouver after the Great War. It certainly lived up to that, and so I liked it overall. I was let down in that there didn't seem to be a central conflict that ran throughout. The whodunit concern did not seem to matter much after a point, and other threads were picked up and then ignored. The attempt to wrap things up in the end was a bit weak. But then, that's how things are in real life, I suppose. Things aren't always wrapped up in nice, pandering packages.
December 17, 2020
I found this very slow moving, with a pretty unsatisfactory ending. The principal focus of the book is the portrait it paints of Vancouver in 1924, shortly after the end of World War I, with a Scottish immigrant community, a Chinese community and a number of war veterans. I've never been to Vancouver, so the naming of streets and the settings in different parts of the city meant nothing to me.
February 2, 2020
I grew up and still live in the greater Vancouver area. It was so interesting to read and try to visualize the backdrop in DT Van area in this time period compared to how I know it today. Great story line. Great twist. Thank you John MacLachlan Gray. I can’t wait for my reread.
August 19, 2020
I'm a New Yorker who's in love with Metro Vancouver. This book was an enjoyable mystery, but for me the frequent regional references helped my mind travel to my favorite North American city - and that's what made this most worth the while!
January 17, 2022
Set in 1924 in Vancouver and based on an unsolved murder, this mystery is interesting in all it reveals about the time and place. Appearances by the KKK, prevalence of opium and strong anti-Asian attitudes are shocking now, but provide a fascinating look at bygone days here.
July 25, 2023
Fun 1920s novel about a real-life unsolved murder in lumbertown Vancouver's posh Shaughnessy neighbourhood.. Some aspects of the media sensation are reminiscent of the Roscoe Arbuckle trial years earlier but I choose not to use the term "yellow journalism."
April 10, 2024
DNF. I made it 80 pages and gave up. Did not find the characters compelling (nearly all white males) and the racist and sexist language (although historically accurate) was used gratuitously rather than when necessary.
November 11, 2024
Well, the author was confined by basing it on a true story. It was barely okay but the saving grace for me is that it took place in Vancouver, where I live, so it was fun to "roams familiar streets." I'm not sure if I will read any more books by this author
January 4, 2019
Fun read as it set in Vancouver
April 9, 2019
I found the storyline quite difficult to follow as it jumped around. It sounded intriguing but jyst didn't work for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews