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Eric Peterkin #1
A Gentleman's Murder
The year is 1924. The cobblestoned streets of St. James ring with jazz as Britain races forward into an age of peace and prosperity. London's back alleys, however, are filled with broken soldiers and still enshadowed by the lingering horrors of the Great War.
Only a few years removed from the trenches of Flanders himself, Lieutenant Eric Peterkin has just been granted membership in the most prestigious soldiers-only club in London: The Britannia. But when a gentleman's wager ends with a member stabbed to death, the victim's last words echo in the Lieutenant’s head: that he would "soon right a great wrong from the past."
Eric is certain that one of his fellow members is the murderer: but who? Captain Mortimer Wolfe, the soldier’s soldier thrice escaped from German custody? Second Lieutenant Oliver Saxon, the brilliant codebreaker? Or Captain Edward Aldershott, the steely club president whose Savile Row suits hide a frightening collision of mustard gas scars?
Eric's investigation will draw him far from the marbled halls of the Britannia, to the shadowy remains of a dilapidated war hospital and the heroin dens of Limehouse. And as the facade of gentlemenhood cracks, Eric faces a Matryoshka doll of murder, vice, and secrets pointing not only to the officers of his own club but the very investigator assigned by Scotland Yard.
Only a few years removed from the trenches of Flanders himself, Lieutenant Eric Peterkin has just been granted membership in the most prestigious soldiers-only club in London: The Britannia. But when a gentleman's wager ends with a member stabbed to death, the victim's last words echo in the Lieutenant’s head: that he would "soon right a great wrong from the past."
Eric is certain that one of his fellow members is the murderer: but who? Captain Mortimer Wolfe, the soldier’s soldier thrice escaped from German custody? Second Lieutenant Oliver Saxon, the brilliant codebreaker? Or Captain Edward Aldershott, the steely club president whose Savile Row suits hide a frightening collision of mustard gas scars?
Eric's investigation will draw him far from the marbled halls of the Britannia, to the shadowy remains of a dilapidated war hospital and the heroin dens of Limehouse. And as the facade of gentlemenhood cracks, Eric faces a Matryoshka doll of murder, vice, and secrets pointing not only to the officers of his own club but the very investigator assigned by Scotland Yard.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2018
386 people are currently reading
4202 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Huang
3 books217 followersChristopher Huang was born in Singapore. He migrated to Canada at the age of seventeen, but returned the following year to complete his two years of military service in the Singapore Army. He studied Architecture at McGill University, and lived for many years in Montreal, Quebec, before moving to Calgary, Alberta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
August 22, 2018
"Nobody comes out of a war unchanged". The Britannia Club was a gentleman's club opened exclusively to male war veterans, many of whom fought at Flanders. The year was 1924. Shortly, new club member, Albert Benson would be found dead in the club's locked vault with a letter opener protruding from his neck. This intimate, puzzling murder was a shocking occurrence in a seemingly insulated, comfortable club.
Eric Peterkin, descendant of one of the club's founders, regularly sat in his "usual armchair" evaluating manuscripts for a small publisher. Of Asian-English descent, he found himself targeted by innuendos insulting his "blood heritage". War however was a great equalizer. Albert Benson was installed as the first non-combatant member. Although a conscientious objector, he became a stretcher-bearer running to and from the trenches to aid the wounded.
Benson requested a safe deposit box in the Britannia's vault in order to store four valuable items he felt would "right a wrong". Wolfe, a governing board member full of himself, made a wager with Benson. Wolfe claimed to be able to remove one of Benson's squirreled away items from the safe deposit box within 24 hours. Peterkin, acting as referee, examined and verified the four items in the box. The next morning, Benson was dead, locked in the vault, and two verified items were missing. Why was club member Aldershott's letter opener embedded in Benson's neck? Why did Police Inspector Horatio Parker tamper with evidence from the crime scene?
Eric Peterkin was disturbed by Benson's corpse. Corpses were found in the trenches of Flanders, not within the walls of the Britannia Club. He was determined to solve the mystery of Benson's murder despite attempts by others to shut him out of the investigation. Benson's wartime post at Sotheby Manor, a former military hospital, had exposed him to shell-shocked soldiers (PTSD,) victims of mustard gas, and sufferers of opium addiction. A qualified Chinese nurse turned maid disappeared from Sotheby Manor during the war. Will Peterkin find a connection between the club murder and the wartime disappearance?
The Britannia Club was populated with gentlemen who had experienced the ravages of war. Many maintained a "stiff upper lip". "A Gentleman's Murder" by Christopher Huang worked on so many levels. Excellent character development of club members shed light on the devastating effects of PTSD, mustard gas, and drug addiction. Peterkin's ethnicity and snubs by "polite" English society created additional emotional hurdles for him to overcome. This debut novel by author Huang was an excellent historical mystery novel I highly recommend.
Thank you Inkshares, Inc. and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "A Gentleman's Murder".
Eric Peterkin, descendant of one of the club's founders, regularly sat in his "usual armchair" evaluating manuscripts for a small publisher. Of Asian-English descent, he found himself targeted by innuendos insulting his "blood heritage". War however was a great equalizer. Albert Benson was installed as the first non-combatant member. Although a conscientious objector, he became a stretcher-bearer running to and from the trenches to aid the wounded.
Benson requested a safe deposit box in the Britannia's vault in order to store four valuable items he felt would "right a wrong". Wolfe, a governing board member full of himself, made a wager with Benson. Wolfe claimed to be able to remove one of Benson's squirreled away items from the safe deposit box within 24 hours. Peterkin, acting as referee, examined and verified the four items in the box. The next morning, Benson was dead, locked in the vault, and two verified items were missing. Why was club member Aldershott's letter opener embedded in Benson's neck? Why did Police Inspector Horatio Parker tamper with evidence from the crime scene?
Eric Peterkin was disturbed by Benson's corpse. Corpses were found in the trenches of Flanders, not within the walls of the Britannia Club. He was determined to solve the mystery of Benson's murder despite attempts by others to shut him out of the investigation. Benson's wartime post at Sotheby Manor, a former military hospital, had exposed him to shell-shocked soldiers (PTSD,) victims of mustard gas, and sufferers of opium addiction. A qualified Chinese nurse turned maid disappeared from Sotheby Manor during the war. Will Peterkin find a connection between the club murder and the wartime disappearance?
The Britannia Club was populated with gentlemen who had experienced the ravages of war. Many maintained a "stiff upper lip". "A Gentleman's Murder" by Christopher Huang worked on so many levels. Excellent character development of club members shed light on the devastating effects of PTSD, mustard gas, and drug addiction. Peterkin's ethnicity and snubs by "polite" English society created additional emotional hurdles for him to overcome. This debut novel by author Huang was an excellent historical mystery novel I highly recommend.
Thank you Inkshares, Inc. and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "A Gentleman's Murder".
September 15, 2018
Charming and delightful aren’t necessarily words I expect to ascribe to murder mysteries, but I was thoroughly smitten by this historical novel. It’s not a cozy mystery, in fact it deals with some heavy themes of war and PTSD, but Huang’s amateur detective Eric Peterkin has a quiet wit about him that you won’t be able to resist. The son of a white father and Chinese mother, Peterkin is sometimes forced to the outside of British high society despite his service in World War I, and thus his membership in an elite club for veterans is a prized feather in his cap. When a murder takes place at his beloved club and the police investigation doesn’t seem quite on the level, Peterkin decides to do a little investigating on his own, with the help of an irreverent, tarot-reading friend and his plucky sister. The historical detail, the well-crafted plot, and the satisfying denouement would be enough for any mystery lover, but the layers to Peterkin’s character make me hopeful this will be the first in a long series. Don’t miss the lengthy afterword, in which Huang gives a fascinating glimpse into his inspiration and creative process.
February 26, 2021
Huang put a lot of effort into this one, for which I him full credit; in his Author's Notes at the end, he details the extensive research. The setting, therefore, came through well. So, why only three stars? The characters and plotting not so much.
Where to begin... Eric misses his deceased parents, talking "with" them at their graves. Later in the book, there's a reminiscene of a memory of his mother, but otherwise nothing much (that I recall); nor anything specific from his sister. Would've helped to have perhaps presented a scene from his youth in confronting prejudice, especially involving advice from his father (he was quite young when the mother died). He says he has no resentment that his sister isn't as obviously Asian (to whites), but somehow I'm not buying that wasn't always the case. I just didn't feel I knew him, as though behind a see-through barrier.
A quick followup that we learn very little about his good friend, Avery. Unless I fell asleep or seriously spaced out during the listening, not even how they met? I came away knowing only that he's a sort of Wooster-ish figure with a series tarot fetish! I know a few serious readers, so was struck by his aggressively he pushes readings on people (granted, gratis); that aspect almost completely defines him.
The club members seemed a bit stereotypical (cardboard, I suppose), though a degree of conformity was expected. Not saying they're interchangeable, but that I didn't really care about them. Perhaps the hinted sequel will resolve that?
The murder mystery itself wasn't a bad idea. Indeed, I felt we got to "know" the cold case victim as well as any of the live actors. So, the plotting itself worked okay, just that I didn't feel fully engaged. A note here that the book description's reference to the Limehouse opium den proved disappointing when it came - a rare setting failure by the author.
So, do I recommend the story? Well... yes. I can think of a couple of series I like, where I wasn't fond of the first book. Somehow, I suspect this may be another. On the other hand, many readers loved this one, so if that group ends up including you - congrats!
Solid audio narration a definite plus here!
Where to begin... Eric misses his deceased parents, talking "with" them at their graves. Later in the book, there's a reminiscene of a memory of his mother, but otherwise nothing much (that I recall); nor anything specific from his sister. Would've helped to have perhaps presented a scene from his youth in confronting prejudice, especially involving advice from his father (he was quite young when the mother died). He says he has no resentment that his sister isn't as obviously Asian (to whites), but somehow I'm not buying that wasn't always the case. I just didn't feel I knew him, as though behind a see-through barrier.
A quick followup that we learn very little about his good friend, Avery. Unless I fell asleep or seriously spaced out during the listening, not even how they met? I came away knowing only that he's a sort of Wooster-ish figure with a series tarot fetish! I know a few serious readers, so was struck by his aggressively he pushes readings on people (granted, gratis); that aspect almost completely defines him.
The club members seemed a bit stereotypical (cardboard, I suppose), though a degree of conformity was expected. Not saying they're interchangeable, but that I didn't really care about them. Perhaps the hinted sequel will resolve that?
The murder mystery itself wasn't a bad idea. Indeed, I felt we got to "know" the cold case victim as well as any of the live actors. So, the plotting itself worked okay, just that I didn't feel fully engaged. A note here that the book description's reference to the Limehouse opium den proved disappointing when it came - a rare setting failure by the author.
So, do I recommend the story? Well... yes. I can think of a couple of series I like, where I wasn't fond of the first book. Somehow, I suspect this may be another. On the other hand, many readers loved this one, so if that group ends up including you - congrats!
Solid audio narration a definite plus here!
June 7, 2025
Always looking for new and exciting authors, I turned to this series debut by Christopher Huang. Set during the inter-war years, it tackles a murder mystery amongst the British upper crust. Exploring not only class but race and culture, Huang checks all the needed boxes to create an entertaining read for the attentive reader. A great launch to what might be a strong series.
Britain is certainly different as it inches towards a sense of freedom after the Great War. It’s 1924 and the world is soaking up the peace and prosperity that seems to be lingering. That’s the view many prefer to see, but the back streets of London are filled with soldiers unable to cope with what they have seen and the troubles they have brought back from the Front.
Lieutenant Eric Peterkin, half-British and half-Chinese, is only a few years back from war and has been honoured with a position in a prestigious London club. The Britannia has been in his family for decades and Peterkin is pleased to take up the tradition. While a great deal is going well, a spat between members causes waves and one is found stabbed in the next the following day. His final words prove ominous to all who were close enough to hear them.
Peterkin finds himself serving as amateur sleuth to find the killer, sure that it must have been a fellow member of the Britannia. He had a list of suspects, but the reality is far from clear. Peterkin pokes around for solutions, which only opens up more questions.
As Peterkin keeps looking, he will soon leave the confines of Britannia to follow a lead. He ends up in a soldier’s hospital, filled with addicts and overworked nurses. After one nurse goes missing, Peterkin is sure it is tied to the murder and must devise a plan to locate the truth. The country is seeped in class divisions and racial attacks, though this is but a side issue that Eric Peterkin must face as he seeks to reveal a killer. Huang delves into many cleavages to spin a tale that is full of great themes.
I enjoy stories by authors I discover, as it forces me to open my mind while entertaining me to no end. Christoper Huang does all this and more with this series debut. The narrative flows easily and keeps the reader in the middle of the mix throughout. The momentum builds as many issues come to light, tapping into events from that historical period, which forces the reader to put themselves amongst those who are players in the story. Characters are well developed and placed to maximise the impact of the overall experience. Huang addresses cultural and racial beliefs at the time, which helps add depth to those who play a part in the story. Plot points keep the reader wondering as the narrative mounts to its climax. Surprises keep the reader attentive and from being able to guess things too soon, while also enriching the amateur sleuth experience. I have Huang’s second book as an ARC and am even more excited to read it now.
Kudos, Mr. Huang, for paving the way with a sensational first novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Britain is certainly different as it inches towards a sense of freedom after the Great War. It’s 1924 and the world is soaking up the peace and prosperity that seems to be lingering. That’s the view many prefer to see, but the back streets of London are filled with soldiers unable to cope with what they have seen and the troubles they have brought back from the Front.
Lieutenant Eric Peterkin, half-British and half-Chinese, is only a few years back from war and has been honoured with a position in a prestigious London club. The Britannia has been in his family for decades and Peterkin is pleased to take up the tradition. While a great deal is going well, a spat between members causes waves and one is found stabbed in the next the following day. His final words prove ominous to all who were close enough to hear them.
Peterkin finds himself serving as amateur sleuth to find the killer, sure that it must have been a fellow member of the Britannia. He had a list of suspects, but the reality is far from clear. Peterkin pokes around for solutions, which only opens up more questions.
As Peterkin keeps looking, he will soon leave the confines of Britannia to follow a lead. He ends up in a soldier’s hospital, filled with addicts and overworked nurses. After one nurse goes missing, Peterkin is sure it is tied to the murder and must devise a plan to locate the truth. The country is seeped in class divisions and racial attacks, though this is but a side issue that Eric Peterkin must face as he seeks to reveal a killer. Huang delves into many cleavages to spin a tale that is full of great themes.
I enjoy stories by authors I discover, as it forces me to open my mind while entertaining me to no end. Christoper Huang does all this and more with this series debut. The narrative flows easily and keeps the reader in the middle of the mix throughout. The momentum builds as many issues come to light, tapping into events from that historical period, which forces the reader to put themselves amongst those who are players in the story. Characters are well developed and placed to maximise the impact of the overall experience. Huang addresses cultural and racial beliefs at the time, which helps add depth to those who play a part in the story. Plot points keep the reader wondering as the narrative mounts to its climax. Surprises keep the reader attentive and from being able to guess things too soon, while also enriching the amateur sleuth experience. I have Huang’s second book as an ARC and am even more excited to read it now.
Kudos, Mr. Huang, for paving the way with a sensational first novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
August 17, 2018
A traditional murder mystery which sometimes reads as if it really was written almost 100 years ago. I found the plot somewhat convoluted in places, but the book accurately captures the language and mores of middle class England in the 1920's. Never too far away are the horrors of the First World War and the damage inflicted on survivors of that bloodbath.
Most of the characters are members of a long established London club, the Britannia, catering for army officers and a place where it transpires secrets abound. The lives of some of those men start to unravel after a new club member is found murdered in a vault and every one of them becomes a suspect. The victim, Albert Benson, was a stretcher bearer during the war and as such, is not considered "one of us" by some members of the the Britannia. Benson had been in the vault to check on a safe deposit box, which another club member, Wolfe had claimed he could break into. The two men had a bet on whether Wolfe could succeed.
The main character, Eric Peterkin seems to see himself as a knight in shining armour, questing after the truth, though, at times, he's an innocent abroad, too concerned with morals to notice the shades of grey which dominate the real world. He's a former Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers - the son of a British nobleman and a Chinese mother and as such is subject to the casual racism of the time. It is also a time when Britain's class division is much more noticeable than it is today. His friend Avery is something of a gadabout who tells fortunes from Tarot card readings, but aids Peterkin in his newspaper research into the background of this murder case. The latter leads him to the mysterious disappearance of a Chinese female nurse at the end of the war.
His investigation takes him back in time to the latter years of the Great War and the experience of staff and patients in hospital as soldiers recovered from their terrible physical and mental wounds. Peterkin's task is made more complicated by the fact that the senior police officer - a noted war hero - investigating Benson's murder seems to have known the victim and has tampered with evidence.
There are two female characters of note. One is Helen Benson, wife of the Britannia club murder victim, who seems to capture Peterkin's heart and Mrs Aldershott, a formidable ally and wife of the Britannia club's all powerful president, Edward Aldershott.
The action is far from fast moving and I found some of this author's descriptive passages somewhat overblown, but it is a very well-written old fashioned murder mystery and worth taking one's time over.
Most of the characters are members of a long established London club, the Britannia, catering for army officers and a place where it transpires secrets abound. The lives of some of those men start to unravel after a new club member is found murdered in a vault and every one of them becomes a suspect. The victim, Albert Benson, was a stretcher bearer during the war and as such, is not considered "one of us" by some members of the the Britannia. Benson had been in the vault to check on a safe deposit box, which another club member, Wolfe had claimed he could break into. The two men had a bet on whether Wolfe could succeed.
The main character, Eric Peterkin seems to see himself as a knight in shining armour, questing after the truth, though, at times, he's an innocent abroad, too concerned with morals to notice the shades of grey which dominate the real world. He's a former Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers - the son of a British nobleman and a Chinese mother and as such is subject to the casual racism of the time. It is also a time when Britain's class division is much more noticeable than it is today. His friend Avery is something of a gadabout who tells fortunes from Tarot card readings, but aids Peterkin in his newspaper research into the background of this murder case. The latter leads him to the mysterious disappearance of a Chinese female nurse at the end of the war.
His investigation takes him back in time to the latter years of the Great War and the experience of staff and patients in hospital as soldiers recovered from their terrible physical and mental wounds. Peterkin's task is made more complicated by the fact that the senior police officer - a noted war hero - investigating Benson's murder seems to have known the victim and has tampered with evidence.
There are two female characters of note. One is Helen Benson, wife of the Britannia club murder victim, who seems to capture Peterkin's heart and Mrs Aldershott, a formidable ally and wife of the Britannia club's all powerful president, Edward Aldershott.
The action is far from fast moving and I found some of this author's descriptive passages somewhat overblown, but it is a very well-written old fashioned murder mystery and worth taking one's time over.
June 11, 2018
This traditional mystery set in the aftermath of WWI follows amateur sleuth Eric Peterkin as he solves his first case. Peterkin, a war veteran, is a member of the Britannia Club, a gentleman's club for former soldiers (not like we think of it today, though). Members dine and relax in the club - they don't get murdered. But at the start of this novel, that's exactly what has happened: a man is dead as the result of a bet gone awry. Peterkin is a manuscript reader for pulp mystery publications, so he's got the know-how to investigate, and he dives right in.
This is no light mystery - like Sam Thomas's THE MIDWIFE'S TALE and Susanna Calkins's A MURDER AT ROSAMUND'S GATE, this novel confronts the hard truths of its historical setting. Peterkin and his colleagues suffer from wartime PTSD, and that is no small part of the story. In addition, Peterkin is half-Chinese, and he must struggle against oppressive experiences in "polite" English society.
While the puzzle of this book is intriguing, its strength lies in its atmosphere, as well as the close point of view through which we get to know Peterkin. I'm looking forward to more adventures with the detective and his associates. I also enjoyed the author's note, which gave me more historical context for the plot.
Thanks to Inkshares and Edelweiss for the advanced reader copy to review.
This is no light mystery - like Sam Thomas's THE MIDWIFE'S TALE and Susanna Calkins's A MURDER AT ROSAMUND'S GATE, this novel confronts the hard truths of its historical setting. Peterkin and his colleagues suffer from wartime PTSD, and that is no small part of the story. In addition, Peterkin is half-Chinese, and he must struggle against oppressive experiences in "polite" English society.
While the puzzle of this book is intriguing, its strength lies in its atmosphere, as well as the close point of view through which we get to know Peterkin. I'm looking forward to more adventures with the detective and his associates. I also enjoyed the author's note, which gave me more historical context for the plot.
Thanks to Inkshares and Edelweiss for the advanced reader copy to review.
September 18, 2018
3.5 stars
January 16, 2019
I appreciate the ambition to recreate a Golden-Age style of mystery, but the author doesn’t quite pull it off. I was sure I knew whodunnit within 10 pages of the murder, which is never a good thing. I kept reading anyway and I was right about the killer’s identity, but the pages in between were necessary to explain the motive.
The problem with the pages in between was that there was so much going on but without conveying a real sense of the characters. So much plot and not enough character development.
The idea of having your upper-class amateur detective be half Chinese in 1920s England was a good one, but there was no complexity to it. I never got much of any idea of Eric Peterkin as a person or how his background affected his life other than having to put up with regular ethnic slurs. What was his parents’ relationship like, what was his schooling, did he have any romantic relationships? None of that.
Huang’s writing shows some promise and if he can work on his character development he should have some success.
The problem with the pages in between was that there was so much going on but without conveying a real sense of the characters. So much plot and not enough character development.
The idea of having your upper-class amateur detective be half Chinese in 1920s England was a good one, but there was no complexity to it. I never got much of any idea of Eric Peterkin as a person or how his background affected his life other than having to put up with regular ethnic slurs. What was his parents’ relationship like, what was his schooling, did he have any romantic relationships? None of that.
Huang’s writing shows some promise and if he can work on his character development he should have some success.
July 19, 2025
A Gentleman's Murder
Certain books grab you from the first page and won't let go, this book was like that for me.
It is set after World War 1 when the world thought that another world war was impossible.
The main protagonist is Eric Peterkin who belongs to a gentleman's club. This club is for men who have served in action.
The story begins with a bet between two members. One of the member's bets the other that he can break into a locked vault and the member's box by the next day. A simple bet leads to the murder of the box owner and also leads to a murder from the past that has never been solved.
The time is so wonderfully invoked in this story that it feels as if you are in the story. The characters are well written and distinct.
The writer also includes racist attitudes of the times and how being of mixed heritage was a stigma they could not escape.
I also loved that the writer brought to light the tragedies of the war, not just the killings but the further tragedies caused by morpheme addiction.
The solution was fulfilling but also tragic.
I can't wait to read another offering by this writer.
Certain books grab you from the first page and won't let go, this book was like that for me.
It is set after World War 1 when the world thought that another world war was impossible.
The main protagonist is Eric Peterkin who belongs to a gentleman's club. This club is for men who have served in action.
The story begins with a bet between two members. One of the member's bets the other that he can break into a locked vault and the member's box by the next day. A simple bet leads to the murder of the box owner and also leads to a murder from the past that has never been solved.
The time is so wonderfully invoked in this story that it feels as if you are in the story. The characters are well written and distinct.
The writer also includes racist attitudes of the times and how being of mixed heritage was a stigma they could not escape.
I also loved that the writer brought to light the tragedies of the war, not just the killings but the further tragedies caused by morpheme addiction.
The solution was fulfilling but also tragic.
I can't wait to read another offering by this writer.
January 25, 2023
There has always been a Peterkin among the members of the Britannia Club, the elite gentlemen's club for those who had been servicemen. In fact, a Peterkin was one of the founding members. And now Lieutenant Eric Peterkin has followed in his father's and forefathers' footsteps to become the newest member with the name. He leads a fairly quiet life--coming in each day to sit in his "Usual Armchair" and read detective manuscripts for a publishing company. That is until an even newer member is added to the roll.
Albert Benson, a conscientious objector, seems an odd choice for Britannia Club membership but, as is pointed out, Benson served as a stretcher-bearer and saw just as much action without benefit of a weapon to defend himself. The club's President, Edward Aldershott, turns Benson over to Peterkin and Mortimer Wolfe so they can show the new member the ropes. His membership is very short-lived. It begins with a wager and ends with Benson's murder. Wolfe is well-known for making wagers and when the conversation leads to Benson's having stored some items in the Club's safety deposit boxes ("Safer than the Bank of England"), Wolfe declares that he could get into the box and steal one of the items and present it to Benson by noon the next day. Peterkin knows that Wolfe never makes a wager he can't deliver and cautions Benson not to accept. Oddly enough, Aldershott steps in and says he'll take the bet; that he knows Wolfe can't do it.
Peterkin is asked to act as referee and decides that to be completely sure of fair play he should see the items in the box. At first Benson appears reluctant, but then he seems relieved to share the items with someone else. There are four things in the box: a photograph showing a nurse at a birthday party, a medical report regarding one Horatio Parker who had received a cut to the face which required stitches, a hypodermic kit with syringe and a few needles--the kit's lid was engraved with a stylized letter S, and a pair of silver surgical scissors. Though Peterkin is curious at the odd assortment and wonders at their importance, Benson explains little beyond saying, "I expect these things to right a great wrong from the past."
Just before noon the next day Peterkin and Aldershott are waiting for Wolfe and Benson to arrive. Wolfe strolls nonchalantly in and lays a linen bundle on the table. But no Benson, so the men decide to go ahead and inspect what Wolfe has brought. When Peterkin confirms that the surgical scissors do appear to be the same as were in the box the previous evening, he comments that he would have removed the photograph or medical report--they being easier to conceal on his person. Wolfe insists that there was nothing in the box but the scissors and the hypodermic. The men head to the vault area to inspect the boxes and find Benson dead--with Aldershott's letter opener protruding from his neck. When Scotland Yard arrives, the lead detective is Inspector Parker...Inspector Horatio Parker with a nasty scar across his face.
It becomes apparent that the club would prefer to sweep this all under the rug and find a way to blame the incident on a intruder. (Nevermind the porter on the front door, the locked windows and rear door, the locked vault, and the myriad other reasons why it must be someone from the club.) Peterkin's sense of justice and his memory of Benson's last words to him, spur him to try his hand at a bit of detective work. He puts the Peterkin club connection on the line....and then finds his own life in danger. How do a soldiers' recovery hospital, a missing nurse, and the opium dens of Limehouse fit into the story? He needs to find out before the gunman on his trail finally hits his mark.
Huang's story is a delightful homage to Golden Age detection with just a trace of thriller. The plot is intricate and yet displays its clues in ways reminiscent of the best of the classic mystery plots. There are nods to Christie and Earl Derr Biggers and Father Ronald Knox. And Huang pays especial respect to the works of Dorothy L. Sayers. Our hero's last name, Peterkin, is a nod to a name used for Lord Peter Wimsey's small nephew. One of the other characters asks him straight up if he thinks he's another Wimsey. And, of course, our Scotland Yard man is named Inspector Parker. Peterkin doesn't have a Bunter, but he does have his friend Avery and and Ted Cully ("Old Faithful"), the club's porter seems particularly loyal to Peterkin. I felt the spirit of the Sayers stories much more strongly than I did in most of the LPW continuation stories by Jill Paton Walsh.
Peterkin also serves to highlight and provide an answer to the "Yellow Peril" novels of 1920s. He stands astride both worlds--with a very English father and a Chinese mother. Much is made of his outsider status and how much he doesn't look like the proper British gentleman, but it is his outsider status that helps him look at the story from a different angle. This is a very good debut mystery and the story ends with Peterkin heading out to another mystery and one was hopeful that there would be a second story in a series. But his forthcoming novel, while a mystery as well, does not seem to feature the amateur detective.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Albert Benson, a conscientious objector, seems an odd choice for Britannia Club membership but, as is pointed out, Benson served as a stretcher-bearer and saw just as much action without benefit of a weapon to defend himself. The club's President, Edward Aldershott, turns Benson over to Peterkin and Mortimer Wolfe so they can show the new member the ropes. His membership is very short-lived. It begins with a wager and ends with Benson's murder. Wolfe is well-known for making wagers and when the conversation leads to Benson's having stored some items in the Club's safety deposit boxes ("Safer than the Bank of England"), Wolfe declares that he could get into the box and steal one of the items and present it to Benson by noon the next day. Peterkin knows that Wolfe never makes a wager he can't deliver and cautions Benson not to accept. Oddly enough, Aldershott steps in and says he'll take the bet; that he knows Wolfe can't do it.
Peterkin is asked to act as referee and decides that to be completely sure of fair play he should see the items in the box. At first Benson appears reluctant, but then he seems relieved to share the items with someone else. There are four things in the box: a photograph showing a nurse at a birthday party, a medical report regarding one Horatio Parker who had received a cut to the face which required stitches, a hypodermic kit with syringe and a few needles--the kit's lid was engraved with a stylized letter S, and a pair of silver surgical scissors. Though Peterkin is curious at the odd assortment and wonders at their importance, Benson explains little beyond saying, "I expect these things to right a great wrong from the past."
Just before noon the next day Peterkin and Aldershott are waiting for Wolfe and Benson to arrive. Wolfe strolls nonchalantly in and lays a linen bundle on the table. But no Benson, so the men decide to go ahead and inspect what Wolfe has brought. When Peterkin confirms that the surgical scissors do appear to be the same as were in the box the previous evening, he comments that he would have removed the photograph or medical report--they being easier to conceal on his person. Wolfe insists that there was nothing in the box but the scissors and the hypodermic. The men head to the vault area to inspect the boxes and find Benson dead--with Aldershott's letter opener protruding from his neck. When Scotland Yard arrives, the lead detective is Inspector Parker...Inspector Horatio Parker with a nasty scar across his face.
It becomes apparent that the club would prefer to sweep this all under the rug and find a way to blame the incident on a intruder. (Nevermind the porter on the front door, the locked windows and rear door, the locked vault, and the myriad other reasons why it must be someone from the club.) Peterkin's sense of justice and his memory of Benson's last words to him, spur him to try his hand at a bit of detective work. He puts the Peterkin club connection on the line....and then finds his own life in danger. How do a soldiers' recovery hospital, a missing nurse, and the opium dens of Limehouse fit into the story? He needs to find out before the gunman on his trail finally hits his mark.
Huang's story is a delightful homage to Golden Age detection with just a trace of thriller. The plot is intricate and yet displays its clues in ways reminiscent of the best of the classic mystery plots. There are nods to Christie and Earl Derr Biggers and Father Ronald Knox. And Huang pays especial respect to the works of Dorothy L. Sayers. Our hero's last name, Peterkin, is a nod to a name used for Lord Peter Wimsey's small nephew. One of the other characters asks him straight up if he thinks he's another Wimsey. And, of course, our Scotland Yard man is named Inspector Parker. Peterkin doesn't have a Bunter, but he does have his friend Avery and and Ted Cully ("Old Faithful"), the club's porter seems particularly loyal to Peterkin. I felt the spirit of the Sayers stories much more strongly than I did in most of the LPW continuation stories by Jill Paton Walsh.
Peterkin also serves to highlight and provide an answer to the "Yellow Peril" novels of 1920s. He stands astride both worlds--with a very English father and a Chinese mother. Much is made of his outsider status and how much he doesn't look like the proper British gentleman, but it is his outsider status that helps him look at the story from a different angle. This is a very good debut mystery and the story ends with Peterkin heading out to another mystery and one was hopeful that there would be a second story in a series. But his forthcoming novel, while a mystery as well, does not seem to feature the amateur detective.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Read
August 21, 2023A very well presented 1920s clubland murder in the Golden Age style will a half Chinese detective. Lots
to like here: ingenious plot, excellent minor characters.
Unfortunately, for me, the detective himself is a bit of a void in character terms : he comes across much more as the null 'reader eyes' sidekick than as a character in his own right. This is baffling as on paper he's really interesting: at once the subject of endless sneers because of his parentage on his mother's side, and bursting with upper class (male) entitlement from his father's family background, plus a dose of war trauma. He should be a really interesting character, but he's pretty much eclipsed by all the extremely well drawn minor characters, who are without exception full of life. IDK, maybe others will feel differently, or possibly the author got a bit too deep into
Very good period/Brit feel except for the moment where someone gives a taxi driver "half a pound", which did make me ask of what.
to like here: ingenious plot, excellent minor characters.
Unfortunately, for me, the detective himself is a bit of a void in character terms : he comes across much more as the null 'reader eyes' sidekick than as a character in his own right. This is baffling as on paper he's really interesting: at once the subject of endless sneers because of his parentage on his mother's side, and bursting with upper class (male) entitlement from his father's family background, plus a dose of war trauma. He should be a really interesting character, but he's pretty much eclipsed by all the extremely well drawn minor characters, who are without exception full of life. IDK, maybe others will feel differently, or possibly the author got a bit too deep into
Very good period/Brit feel except for the moment where someone gives a taxi driver "half a pound", which did make me ask of what.
June 30, 2020
An ARC was provided to me for free by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Gentleman's Murder takes place in England in 1924, and is told from the perspective of Eric Peterkin. He's part of the Britannia Club, whose membership is only extended to soldiers. A harmless bet is wagered between two men in the club, Wolfe and Benson, and by the end of the night, one of them is dead. The story unravels as Eric attempts to discover the murderer and motive - and discovers a more complex story than he expected.
I LOVED this book. I'm a huge history nerd, particularly for things pertaining to Britain and World War I. I haven't encountered many novels about the aftermath of WW1, and how survivors dealt with it. This novel shows the effects of mustard gas on survivors, shellshock and morphine addiction, and even the panic of men when they would hear loud noises. And it's from the perspective of both soldiers and women who worked as nurses. The latter perspective is often forgotten, so I really appreciated that inclusion. War here isn't romanticized. Almost every character is haunted by their experiences, and it was so incredibly realistic and well-done.
Also, I loved Eric and Avery. Their friendship was amazing. Avery doesn't have a huge character arc or purpose to the overall plot, but he's Eric's research buddy and serves as a point of humour and light-heartedness when the story is focused on murder and death. I adored him.
Eric himself was awesome. He's half-British, half-Chinese, and constantly has to suffer comments for being "half-caste" and inferior to fully British people. It's really disgusting, but an unfortunate reality many Asian people had to experience for being other and "exotic". Eric continues to prove that being half-Chinese has no bearing on his character and ability. I think the making of Eric as half-Chinese gave something unique to the story (as opposed to having a fully British protagonist as one would usually expect for a novel set in Britain at this time) while also giving social commentary about the general myth of "sinister" Chinese associated with opium dens.
All the characters were pretty awesome and I loved following Eric through the mystery. Definitely appreciated his sleuthing skills, which felt almost Holmesian sometimes.
I highly recommend this historical murder mystery!
A Gentleman's Murder takes place in England in 1924, and is told from the perspective of Eric Peterkin. He's part of the Britannia Club, whose membership is only extended to soldiers. A harmless bet is wagered between two men in the club, Wolfe and Benson, and by the end of the night, one of them is dead. The story unravels as Eric attempts to discover the murderer and motive - and discovers a more complex story than he expected.
I LOVED this book. I'm a huge history nerd, particularly for things pertaining to Britain and World War I. I haven't encountered many novels about the aftermath of WW1, and how survivors dealt with it. This novel shows the effects of mustard gas on survivors, shellshock and morphine addiction, and even the panic of men when they would hear loud noises. And it's from the perspective of both soldiers and women who worked as nurses. The latter perspective is often forgotten, so I really appreciated that inclusion. War here isn't romanticized. Almost every character is haunted by their experiences, and it was so incredibly realistic and well-done.
Also, I loved Eric and Avery. Their friendship was amazing. Avery doesn't have a huge character arc or purpose to the overall plot, but he's Eric's research buddy and serves as a point of humour and light-heartedness when the story is focused on murder and death. I adored him.
Eric himself was awesome. He's half-British, half-Chinese, and constantly has to suffer comments for being "half-caste" and inferior to fully British people. It's really disgusting, but an unfortunate reality many Asian people had to experience for being other and "exotic". Eric continues to prove that being half-Chinese has no bearing on his character and ability. I think the making of Eric as half-Chinese gave something unique to the story (as opposed to having a fully British protagonist as one would usually expect for a novel set in Britain at this time) while also giving social commentary about the general myth of "sinister" Chinese associated with opium dens.
All the characters were pretty awesome and I loved following Eric through the mystery. Definitely appreciated his sleuthing skills, which felt almost Holmesian sometimes.
I highly recommend this historical murder mystery!
July 9, 2018
I received an ARC of A Gentleman's Murder from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. This book had me from page one. I knew immediately that I was going to love it because the author's writing was so good. It was a joy to read. The story takes place in London in 1924. The main character is former army lieutenant Eric Peterkin. He is member of an exclusive gentlemen's club for former military men. There have always been Peterkn's in the Britannia Club, but because his mother was Chinese he finds himself somewhat of an outcast. He works for a publishing company as an editor of mostly mystery novels and fancies himself a bit of an amateur detective. A member of the Britannia Club is murdered and when Eric notices the lead Scotland Yard detective taking and concealing a piece of evidence he immediately doubts that the victim will receive his due justice and takes it on himself to investigate. His main suspects are a small group of the club members, but his investigation soon leads back to the disappearance of a nurse from an army hospital in England during World War I. This leads him from the Britannia Club to Sotheby Manor, site of the former hospital and even to the opium dens of Limehouse. This is a classic tale from the golden age of mysteries, and even though all the clues were there it had me guessing until the very end. The character development was very good and the 1920s was a fascinating period of technical advancement and great social upheaval. it also provided an up-close look at those men and women who had served during World War I and the then little know curse of PTSD, or as it was known then, shellshock. This book receives my highest recommendation and I hope to see more books from Christopher Huang.
December 19, 2020
Wearing its Golden Age Mysteries influence proudly, this wonderful story introduces Eric Peterkin, young gentleman and former Lieutenant in WWI, as he investigates a murder at his club. A club comprised of a long line of former soldiers and officers, of which a Peterkin forebear was one of the original founders.
When a new member is found murdered in the club’s vault, some of the members come under suspicion, including Eric, as, being half Chinese, he is automatically suspected thanks to the common fear about the “Yellow Peril”. When Eric’s questions begin raising unpleasant memories amongst the other gentleman of the war and of a missing nurse at a hospital the suspects all stayed at during the war, Eric is threatened with expulsion from the club, and more seriously, with attempts on his life.
I loved this book. The writing is great, and historical details are skillfully imparted to the reader, along with the implications of the war: the technological and cultural changes, as well as the damage on the men’s bodies and psyches, in the form of sudden outbursts, fear of loud noises, and drug addiction. There’s also the rising anti-Chinese sentiment, which Eric gets to experience, and though the son of a wealthy English family, is a victim of almost constant racial slurs, both within the club and from the police.
I stumbled upon this book at the library, and was intrigued by its description, then was impressed by Christopher Huang’s amateur detective, Eric, and his unique perspectives on the situation, using his both insider and outsider statuses to move amongst the other gentleman, but also to see things they were not able to. I wish there were more Eric Peterkin stories already available now, as I liked him a lot, and really enjoyed Huang’s take on the Golden Age detective story.
When a new member is found murdered in the club’s vault, some of the members come under suspicion, including Eric, as, being half Chinese, he is automatically suspected thanks to the common fear about the “Yellow Peril”. When Eric’s questions begin raising unpleasant memories amongst the other gentleman of the war and of a missing nurse at a hospital the suspects all stayed at during the war, Eric is threatened with expulsion from the club, and more seriously, with attempts on his life.
I loved this book. The writing is great, and historical details are skillfully imparted to the reader, along with the implications of the war: the technological and cultural changes, as well as the damage on the men’s bodies and psyches, in the form of sudden outbursts, fear of loud noises, and drug addiction. There’s also the rising anti-Chinese sentiment, which Eric gets to experience, and though the son of a wealthy English family, is a victim of almost constant racial slurs, both within the club and from the police.
I stumbled upon this book at the library, and was intrigued by its description, then was impressed by Christopher Huang’s amateur detective, Eric, and his unique perspectives on the situation, using his both insider and outsider statuses to move amongst the other gentleman, but also to see things they were not able to. I wish there were more Eric Peterkin stories already available now, as I liked him a lot, and really enjoyed Huang’s take on the Golden Age detective story.
June 19, 2018
The amateur detective, Peterkin, in this novel works for a publishing house selecting detective manuscripts. He is one of many soldiers recovering from World War I. Peterkin belongs to an exclusive club for combat veterans and that club is the site for the murder forming the basis of this mystery. The crime presents something of a locked room mystery as the victim is discovered inside the vault of the club. All the club members become suspect as does the inspector tasked with investigating the crime.
As Peterkin delves further into the mystery, he uncovers another mystery surrounding a missing woman from years before, during the war. As he struggles to discover the link between the two mysteries, he begins to suspect all his fellow veterans. Another death compounds the mystery, and Peterkin becomes both a suspect and a potential victim.
I really enjoyed this mystery. The characters are likeable and the plot well-paced. Did I mention that Peterkin is half Asian? His mixed heritage is important to the story, but does not dominate it. Peterkin can blend into certain parts of town without standing out, but clearly stands out in other parts. He also faces prejudice from many he encounters. However, his status as a combat veteran wins out with his fellow veterans who accord him respect due to that status regardless of his ethnicity.
The sympathies shared by the fellow veterans is heart-warming and sincere. The mystery is believable as are the characters. Fans of historical fiction and of mysteries will enjoy this and I look forward to many more from this author.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.
As Peterkin delves further into the mystery, he uncovers another mystery surrounding a missing woman from years before, during the war. As he struggles to discover the link between the two mysteries, he begins to suspect all his fellow veterans. Another death compounds the mystery, and Peterkin becomes both a suspect and a potential victim.
I really enjoyed this mystery. The characters are likeable and the plot well-paced. Did I mention that Peterkin is half Asian? His mixed heritage is important to the story, but does not dominate it. Peterkin can blend into certain parts of town without standing out, but clearly stands out in other parts. He also faces prejudice from many he encounters. However, his status as a combat veteran wins out with his fellow veterans who accord him respect due to that status regardless of his ethnicity.
The sympathies shared by the fellow veterans is heart-warming and sincere. The mystery is believable as are the characters. Fans of historical fiction and of mysteries will enjoy this and I look forward to many more from this author.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2025
A Gentleman’s Murder is the first book in the author’s historical crime series featuring amateur sleuth, Eric Peterkin. In fact, as the book starts Eric doesn’t know he’s going to be adopting the role of sleuth. It’s only once a murder occurs at the Britannia Club where he’s a member (as have generations of Peterkins been before him) that he feels obliged to conduct his own investigation. In addition, something he glimpses shortly after the murder is discovered makes him doubt how thoroughly the police will conduct the investigation.
Making Eric the son of a Chinese mother and English father not only makes him distinctive as a character but allows the author to address the racism of the time fuelled by sterotypical images of Chinese people contained in ‘Yellow Peril’ novels and plays which portrayed the Chinaman as a master-criminal involved in prostitution, gambling and opium smoking. (You can read more about this, as well other themes in the book, in Christopher Huang’s fascinating Author’s Note.)
The murder is not so much a ‘locked room’ mystery as a ‘locked vault’ mystery. As well as the means by which the murder was carried out, there are missing items which Eric suspects are vital to discovering the motivation for the murder and the identity of the murderer. It means a journey back into the past and the lives of those injured both physically and psychologically in the Great War, many of whom still bear the scars.
I really enjoyed this aspect of the book which brings home the lasting impact of the war, even on those who survived it. Eric himself is haunted by memories of what he witnessed in the trenches and increasingly feels a sense of guilt that he has not taken the trouble to find out how the soldiers under his command have fared since the war ended.
The author has constructed a cunningly plotted crime mystery with a range of possible suspects each of whom might have had a motive to carry out the murder. Very observant readers may spot a small detail at the beginning of the book which points to the culprit. I suspect most, like me, will only recognise this in retrospect after the solution has been revealed.
My one reservation was that I didn’t feel I got to know Eric very well as a person, not just as a sleuth. There were things I wanted to know, such as how he and his friend Avery met. It felt almost as if this was the second book in a series and those things had been spelled out in the earlier book. I’m hoping I get to know Eric a little better when he returns in A Pretender’s Murder.
A Gentleman’s Murder is a clever historical mystery with a great sense of period. Definitely recommended for fans of ‘Golden Age’ crime novels .
Making Eric the son of a Chinese mother and English father not only makes him distinctive as a character but allows the author to address the racism of the time fuelled by sterotypical images of Chinese people contained in ‘Yellow Peril’ novels and plays which portrayed the Chinaman as a master-criminal involved in prostitution, gambling and opium smoking. (You can read more about this, as well other themes in the book, in Christopher Huang’s fascinating Author’s Note.)
The murder is not so much a ‘locked room’ mystery as a ‘locked vault’ mystery. As well as the means by which the murder was carried out, there are missing items which Eric suspects are vital to discovering the motivation for the murder and the identity of the murderer. It means a journey back into the past and the lives of those injured both physically and psychologically in the Great War, many of whom still bear the scars.
I really enjoyed this aspect of the book which brings home the lasting impact of the war, even on those who survived it. Eric himself is haunted by memories of what he witnessed in the trenches and increasingly feels a sense of guilt that he has not taken the trouble to find out how the soldiers under his command have fared since the war ended.
The author has constructed a cunningly plotted crime mystery with a range of possible suspects each of whom might have had a motive to carry out the murder. Very observant readers may spot a small detail at the beginning of the book which points to the culprit. I suspect most, like me, will only recognise this in retrospect after the solution has been revealed.
My one reservation was that I didn’t feel I got to know Eric very well as a person, not just as a sleuth. There were things I wanted to know, such as how he and his friend Avery met. It felt almost as if this was the second book in a series and those things had been spelled out in the earlier book. I’m hoping I get to know Eric a little better when he returns in A Pretender’s Murder.
A Gentleman’s Murder is a clever historical mystery with a great sense of period. Definitely recommended for fans of ‘Golden Age’ crime novels .
September 11, 2018
In Great Britain, the years immediately following WWI were a period of great change. New technologies were finding their way into people’s everyday lives. Women began to voice their dissatisfaction with being essentially second class citizens and unable to vote. And the men who survived serving in WWI returned to their homes scarred from the experience, both physically and psychologically. It is during this tumultuous time that debut author Christopher Huang sets his compelling new mystery: A Gentleman’s Murder.
The year is 1924, six years after Armistice Day and the end of WWI. Eric Peterkin has just become a full-fledged member of the Britannia Club, a gentlemen’s club for ex-servicemen that his family helped found several generations earlier. There has always been a Peterkin as a member of the Britannia Club. Eric’s father, a celebrated military officer, was a member in good standing until the day he died. But there was some resistance to granting Eric’s membership. Eric served in WWI, which was the only stated requirement for membership. He is also half-Chinese on his mother’s side. Some of the more established members of the Britannia have expressed concerns that Eric’s bi-racial heritage leaves him compromised and not the “right” type of man to be a member of the club.
When an established club member challenges Albert Benson, another new member of the club, to a wager, Eric is enlisted to act as the referee. As the appointed hour is reached to settle the score, Benson is found murdered. The club’s officers make a conscious effort to turn a blind eye to the death, stating that Scotland Yard will deal with it. But Eric observes the detective assigned to investigate the crime tampering with evidence and becomes suspicious of the entire incident. Who was this new member? What is his connection to the Britannia and its members? And how far will the killer go to keep Eric from uncovering the truth?
In his debut novel, Christopher Huang provides not only a top-notch mystery, but also a window into life in post-WWI London, from an unexpected, but welcome, perspective. In the early part of the 20th century, London was a city struggling to hold on to its established culture, resisting the changes that were being wrought by new technologies and a loosening of societal strictures. By allowing readers to experience London through Eric’s eyes, Huang throws a sharp, bright light on the rampant racism that was endemic in British culture at the time, while also highlighting some of the other reasons why change was so necessary. This includes the Suffrage Movement, and the class and societal structures set in place to keep some in and others out.
Huang also illustrates the conflict between the actual experiences of those who served in WWI, and the idealized and romantic lens through which writers, and sometimes former service men, characterized those same experiences. In addition, Huang illuminates the inequities of the British class system and how men of different social strata were treated after returning from the war. He also highlights how quickly any type of service that did not include combat was dismissed as cowardice, regardless of the necessity of the service being performed or the actual danger involved. Huang also emphasizes how everyone who served, regardless of what they did, was forever changed by the experience.
The mystery presented is top notch, filled with twists and turns, plenty of surprises and populated by memorable, it not always likeable characters. A Gentleman's Murder is a compelling and thoroughly engaging debut novel. The ending is left open for continued investigations to be undertaken by Eric Peterkin, and one can only hope that we'll get to join him when he does.
Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library
The year is 1924, six years after Armistice Day and the end of WWI. Eric Peterkin has just become a full-fledged member of the Britannia Club, a gentlemen’s club for ex-servicemen that his family helped found several generations earlier. There has always been a Peterkin as a member of the Britannia Club. Eric’s father, a celebrated military officer, was a member in good standing until the day he died. But there was some resistance to granting Eric’s membership. Eric served in WWI, which was the only stated requirement for membership. He is also half-Chinese on his mother’s side. Some of the more established members of the Britannia have expressed concerns that Eric’s bi-racial heritage leaves him compromised and not the “right” type of man to be a member of the club.
When an established club member challenges Albert Benson, another new member of the club, to a wager, Eric is enlisted to act as the referee. As the appointed hour is reached to settle the score, Benson is found murdered. The club’s officers make a conscious effort to turn a blind eye to the death, stating that Scotland Yard will deal with it. But Eric observes the detective assigned to investigate the crime tampering with evidence and becomes suspicious of the entire incident. Who was this new member? What is his connection to the Britannia and its members? And how far will the killer go to keep Eric from uncovering the truth?
In his debut novel, Christopher Huang provides not only a top-notch mystery, but also a window into life in post-WWI London, from an unexpected, but welcome, perspective. In the early part of the 20th century, London was a city struggling to hold on to its established culture, resisting the changes that were being wrought by new technologies and a loosening of societal strictures. By allowing readers to experience London through Eric’s eyes, Huang throws a sharp, bright light on the rampant racism that was endemic in British culture at the time, while also highlighting some of the other reasons why change was so necessary. This includes the Suffrage Movement, and the class and societal structures set in place to keep some in and others out.
Huang also illustrates the conflict between the actual experiences of those who served in WWI, and the idealized and romantic lens through which writers, and sometimes former service men, characterized those same experiences. In addition, Huang illuminates the inequities of the British class system and how men of different social strata were treated after returning from the war. He also highlights how quickly any type of service that did not include combat was dismissed as cowardice, regardless of the necessity of the service being performed or the actual danger involved. Huang also emphasizes how everyone who served, regardless of what they did, was forever changed by the experience.
The mystery presented is top notch, filled with twists and turns, plenty of surprises and populated by memorable, it not always likeable characters. A Gentleman's Murder is a compelling and thoroughly engaging debut novel. The ending is left open for continued investigations to be undertaken by Eric Peterkin, and one can only hope that we'll get to join him when he does.
Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library
November 21, 2018
We, at the Reading Badger magazine, are huge fans of good mysteries. We never pass the chance to read a book about a detective solving an intriguing case. Because of this, when we received an ARC of Christopher Huang’s “A Gentleman’s Murder” from Inkshares, we were thrilled.
Who is the murdered gentleman?
The book has its plot in the interwar period, more precise in 1924 in London. The main character is the ex-soldier, lieutenant Eric Peterkin. Soon, after being accepted in a prestigious club available only for veterans, The Britannia, the latest club member is found dead in the club.
All our review here: https://readingbadger.club/2018/11/21...
I understand that Endeavor Content has acquired “A Gentleman’s Murder” and will turn it into a TV series, so you should read the book before that happens.
Who is the murdered gentleman?
The book has its plot in the interwar period, more precise in 1924 in London. The main character is the ex-soldier, lieutenant Eric Peterkin. Soon, after being accepted in a prestigious club available only for veterans, The Britannia, the latest club member is found dead in the club.
All our review here: https://readingbadger.club/2018/11/21...
I understand that Endeavor Content has acquired “A Gentleman’s Murder” and will turn it into a TV series, so you should read the book before that happens.
December 20, 2019
Britannia Club
Im Jahr 1924 arbeitet Eric Peterkin als Lektor für Kriminalromane. Fürs Lesen der Manuskripte ist seine Mitgliedschaft im altehrwürdigen Britannia Club sehr nützlich. Seit Gründung des Clubs gab es immer einen Peterkin unter den Mitgliedern. Seit kurzem hat der Club ein neues Mitglied. Albert Benson war zwar nicht bei der kämpfenden Truppe, doch als Sanitäter hat auch er genügend Erlebnisse an der Front. Benson hat eine Mission, die ihm große Sorge bereitet. Während seiner Zeit im Hospital verschwand eine junge Krankenschwester und er hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, ihren Tod aufzuklären. Hinweise auf die Vorgänge hat er bereits und am nächsten Morgen ist er tot.
Bei der Verschwundenen handelte es sich um eine voll ausgebildete Krankenschwester chinesischer Herkunft. Peterkins verstorbene Mutter war ebenfalls Chinesin und so sieht es Eric als seine Aufgabe, sowohl das Verschwinden der jungen Frau als auch den Tod von Benson aufzuklären. Als Lektor von Kriminalromanen sieht er sich bestens gerüstet. Feststellen muss er allerdings, dass die Untersuchung doch nicht so einfach ist. Der Ursprung der Vorfälle liegt wohl tatsächlich im Verschwinden der jungen Frau. Wenn sich jedoch fast alle der Beteiligten kennen, wird es schwierig den Täter auszumachen.
Angesiedelt in den wilden 1920ern zeigt dieser Kriminalroman doch ein etwas anderes Bild dieser Zeit. Sein Protagonist der Halbengländer mit einer chinesischen Mutter Eric Peterkin hat seine Teilnahme am ersten Weltkrieg zwar überlebt, aber noch längst nicht überwunden. Und er ist nicht der Einzige, dem es so geht. So könnte man meinen, der Club ist nicht nur einer von Kriegsteilnehmern, sondern auch einer der Überlebenden. Natürlich gibt es auch hier leichte und frivole Momente, immer lauert allerdings die Erinnerung. Könnte eine solche Erinnerung auch zum Tod des Albert Benson geführt haben? Mit genauesten Beobachtungen versucht Peterkin besser zu sein als der Inspector Parker. Ein Weilchen braucht man, um von der schnelllebigen heutigen Zeit in die 1920er Jahre zu gelangen. Dort ging es ruhiger und langsamer zu. So bedurfte es zum Auffinden von Informationen schon eines Ganges zum Zeitungsarchiv. Telefone, Autos, Elektrizität erfuhren ihre Verbreitung. Und was heute nur einen Click entfernt ist, musste damals Schritt für Schritt ermittelt werden. Hinzu kommt die Allgegenwart der Kriegstraumata, die viele noch nicht überwunden hatten. Und so scheinen die Zwanziger zwar leicht, aber auch nicht. Klug hat der Autor dabei die Handlung aufgebaut. Jeder Hinweis führt zu einem neuen Rätsel. Auch wenn in der damaligen Kriminalliteratur nach Meinung Peterkins immer ein Chinese der Bösewicht ist, muss man sich hier vielleicht überraschen lassen, ob der Autor diese Meinung teilt.
Im Jahr 1924 arbeitet Eric Peterkin als Lektor für Kriminalromane. Fürs Lesen der Manuskripte ist seine Mitgliedschaft im altehrwürdigen Britannia Club sehr nützlich. Seit Gründung des Clubs gab es immer einen Peterkin unter den Mitgliedern. Seit kurzem hat der Club ein neues Mitglied. Albert Benson war zwar nicht bei der kämpfenden Truppe, doch als Sanitäter hat auch er genügend Erlebnisse an der Front. Benson hat eine Mission, die ihm große Sorge bereitet. Während seiner Zeit im Hospital verschwand eine junge Krankenschwester und er hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, ihren Tod aufzuklären. Hinweise auf die Vorgänge hat er bereits und am nächsten Morgen ist er tot.
Bei der Verschwundenen handelte es sich um eine voll ausgebildete Krankenschwester chinesischer Herkunft. Peterkins verstorbene Mutter war ebenfalls Chinesin und so sieht es Eric als seine Aufgabe, sowohl das Verschwinden der jungen Frau als auch den Tod von Benson aufzuklären. Als Lektor von Kriminalromanen sieht er sich bestens gerüstet. Feststellen muss er allerdings, dass die Untersuchung doch nicht so einfach ist. Der Ursprung der Vorfälle liegt wohl tatsächlich im Verschwinden der jungen Frau. Wenn sich jedoch fast alle der Beteiligten kennen, wird es schwierig den Täter auszumachen.
Angesiedelt in den wilden 1920ern zeigt dieser Kriminalroman doch ein etwas anderes Bild dieser Zeit. Sein Protagonist der Halbengländer mit einer chinesischen Mutter Eric Peterkin hat seine Teilnahme am ersten Weltkrieg zwar überlebt, aber noch längst nicht überwunden. Und er ist nicht der Einzige, dem es so geht. So könnte man meinen, der Club ist nicht nur einer von Kriegsteilnehmern, sondern auch einer der Überlebenden. Natürlich gibt es auch hier leichte und frivole Momente, immer lauert allerdings die Erinnerung. Könnte eine solche Erinnerung auch zum Tod des Albert Benson geführt haben? Mit genauesten Beobachtungen versucht Peterkin besser zu sein als der Inspector Parker. Ein Weilchen braucht man, um von der schnelllebigen heutigen Zeit in die 1920er Jahre zu gelangen. Dort ging es ruhiger und langsamer zu. So bedurfte es zum Auffinden von Informationen schon eines Ganges zum Zeitungsarchiv. Telefone, Autos, Elektrizität erfuhren ihre Verbreitung. Und was heute nur einen Click entfernt ist, musste damals Schritt für Schritt ermittelt werden. Hinzu kommt die Allgegenwart der Kriegstraumata, die viele noch nicht überwunden hatten. Und so scheinen die Zwanziger zwar leicht, aber auch nicht. Klug hat der Autor dabei die Handlung aufgebaut. Jeder Hinweis führt zu einem neuen Rätsel. Auch wenn in der damaligen Kriminalliteratur nach Meinung Peterkins immer ein Chinese der Bösewicht ist, muss man sich hier vielleicht überraschen lassen, ob der Autor diese Meinung teilt.
July 31, 2018
Set in 1924, the story revolves around Eric Peterkin, a veteran of WWI and a member of the Britannia Club, a club whose membership is composed of only veterans of the Great War.
When one members, Wolf, boasts he can break into the locked vault, his boast results in the bet being expanded to include producing proof. Another member, Benson, offers up his own box in the vault as way to prove the boaster is no more than hot air. Peterkin is chosen to see what is in the box in order to prove who won the bet. When one of the bettors turns up dead in the vault and items are missing from the box, Peterkin believes it is his duty to investigate particularly after he witnesses the police office in charge of the murder investigation pocketing evidence.
This is a well-written and well-researched mystery with finely drawn characters and a unique setting. Huang’s writing is outstanding - his descriptions of the city streets make readers feel the London fog seeping into their bones. There only a single incident that I found off putting – Peterkin visits a country estate where the manor house was used as war-time hospital. He is allowed to wander through the private areas of the home and he opens doors to enter rooms and rifles through the owner’s belongings. WWI changed many of Britain’s social codes of conduct, but trespassing into the private rooms of someone was still considered to be bad form.
This is not a book you can - nor should you - race through. Huang takes his time laying out the clues he finds as he travels toward solving the crimes he comes across. You should take your time reading the book to savor the writing and the characters.
When one members, Wolf, boasts he can break into the locked vault, his boast results in the bet being expanded to include producing proof. Another member, Benson, offers up his own box in the vault as way to prove the boaster is no more than hot air. Peterkin is chosen to see what is in the box in order to prove who won the bet. When one of the bettors turns up dead in the vault and items are missing from the box, Peterkin believes it is his duty to investigate particularly after he witnesses the police office in charge of the murder investigation pocketing evidence.
This is a well-written and well-researched mystery with finely drawn characters and a unique setting. Huang’s writing is outstanding - his descriptions of the city streets make readers feel the London fog seeping into their bones. There only a single incident that I found off putting – Peterkin visits a country estate where the manor house was used as war-time hospital. He is allowed to wander through the private areas of the home and he opens doors to enter rooms and rifles through the owner’s belongings. WWI changed many of Britain’s social codes of conduct, but trespassing into the private rooms of someone was still considered to be bad form.
This is not a book you can - nor should you - race through. Huang takes his time laying out the clues he finds as he travels toward solving the crimes he comes across. You should take your time reading the book to savor the writing and the characters.
July 10, 2018
Two men make a bet in a London Gentleman's club in 1924 and all hell breaks loose. This homage to Agatha Christy is utterly delightful.
Eric Peterkin, our protagonist, is a half-Chinese World War I veteran and member of the Britannia Club, where events take place. There, he must put up with racist snobs of the British upper crust. But it is there that the mystery is afoot!
Huang meticulously tells this tale, sending the reader to and fro in search of clues for a very strange murder, we are utterly lost until the plot all comes together in the final chapters.
If you love classic whodunit's, this is the book for you. An instant classic!
Eric Peterkin, our protagonist, is a half-Chinese World War I veteran and member of the Britannia Club, where events take place. There, he must put up with racist snobs of the British upper crust. But it is there that the mystery is afoot!
Huang meticulously tells this tale, sending the reader to and fro in search of clues for a very strange murder, we are utterly lost until the plot all comes together in the final chapters.
If you love classic whodunit's, this is the book for you. An instant classic!
July 18, 2019
Absolutely loved this book! I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and this debut novel is a great mix between historical fiction and murder mystery all in one. I had trouble putting this book down and first time I didn’t guess the victim’s killer before the first few chapters so love that kept me on my “toes” The author’s note after the story is just as interesting and def should read for more insight on the time period in which the story takes place and the inspiration behind the writing comes from Def loved learning about WWI, a war that I don’t know much about to be honest and the author’s note really explains more about the context of the story and the significance of that time period and the first time soldiers experienced “shell-shock” or “the soldier’s disease” it was fascinating and loved every second of this novel and would recommend to Murder Mystery and history buffs alike!
May 21, 2018
A Gentleman’s Murder is about how Eric Peterkin, a lieutenant that served in World War I, who now reviews manuscripts for publication, turns detective. He’s a member of a gentleman’s club where he agrees to referee a bet between two other members. One of those men turns up murdered the next day inside the locked vault in the club. This club, The Britannia Club, is for those gentlemen that served their country in war, and one of Eric’s ancestors helped found it. Since “there had always been Peterkins at the Britannia,” Eric feels a sort of ownership of the club, and thus a responsibility to get justice for the victim. What follows is a thoroughly enjoyable journey of discovery through London’s dusty libraries and opium dens.
This book is a callback to the height of the detective novel. Eric is an interesting, well developed, three dimensional character, and he’s fun to follow. His father was British, while his mother was Chinese, and this leads to obstacles for Eric in post World War I London. This diversion from your typical white guy main character makes this book stand out from other detective novels. The book does a good job of making these men, who served in a most terrible war, feel real. They have traumas that they can’t talk about, and they hate fireworks and loud noises. I think it’s a great choice to show that these men were affected by what they experienced in battle, rather than just having them with a typical British stiff upper lip.
This was an excellent book, and I highly recommend it! I hope we get to see more of Eric Peterkin in the future!! My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this one!
This book is a callback to the height of the detective novel. Eric is an interesting, well developed, three dimensional character, and he’s fun to follow. His father was British, while his mother was Chinese, and this leads to obstacles for Eric in post World War I London. This diversion from your typical white guy main character makes this book stand out from other detective novels. The book does a good job of making these men, who served in a most terrible war, feel real. They have traumas that they can’t talk about, and they hate fireworks and loud noises. I think it’s a great choice to show that these men were affected by what they experienced in battle, rather than just having them with a typical British stiff upper lip.
This was an excellent book, and I highly recommend it! I hope we get to see more of Eric Peterkin in the future!! My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this one!
January 16, 2020
For Agatha Christie fans! (TW PTSD/ addiction/ suicides mentioned, with detail)
This is a great read for historical mystery and Agatha Christie fans as the mystery starts in an exclusive club: a murdered man is found in the vault of the club after a friendly bet. Lieutenant Eric Peterkin, currently editing mystery manuscripts, and a member of the club, immediately decides this qualifies him to solve the murder–especially when he finds the detective shady. I really enjoyed the characters–while this is a standalone I’d love more time with Eric and his sister–and especially the setting of the period just after World War I, and how it brings to light soldiers’ PTSD, and the lives of nurses without feeling gritty or dark. I also really enjoyed how Eric would plot out the different scenarios he was positing as the who and why for the murder mystery. A seriously great mystery to curl up with. And I look forward to picking up whatever he writes next.
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
This is a great read for historical mystery and Agatha Christie fans as the mystery starts in an exclusive club: a murdered man is found in the vault of the club after a friendly bet. Lieutenant Eric Peterkin, currently editing mystery manuscripts, and a member of the club, immediately decides this qualifies him to solve the murder–especially when he finds the detective shady. I really enjoyed the characters–while this is a standalone I’d love more time with Eric and his sister–and especially the setting of the period just after World War I, and how it brings to light soldiers’ PTSD, and the lives of nurses without feeling gritty or dark. I also really enjoyed how Eric would plot out the different scenarios he was positing as the who and why for the murder mystery. A seriously great mystery to curl up with. And I look forward to picking up whatever he writes next.
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
February 27, 2021
A solid if sometimes plodding mystery reminiscent of the Golden Age of detective fiction.
One thing I have always appreciated about GA mysteries is how the authors were able to deliver a tightly plotted, engaging book in under 300 pages. I wish this book had done the same. It's a interesting story and I liked the MC, who was quite clever and intrepid. But it dragged in the middle and would have benefited from being shorter.
One thing I have always appreciated about GA mysteries is how the authors were able to deliver a tightly plotted, engaging book in under 300 pages. I wish this book had done the same. It's a interesting story and I liked the MC, who was quite clever and intrepid. But it dragged in the middle and would have benefited from being shorter.
July 26, 2018
A Gentleman’s Murder just made me a believer in reincarnation. In this case of Agatha Christie in this perfectly imagined locked room mystery set in 1924.
Eric Peterkin is a member of the prestigious Britannia Club, open to male war veterans only. When a wager ends in murder, Eric, an editor of mysteries, is first to find the body stabbed in the neck in the club’s vault. The list of suspects is long:
-Board members Norris, Aldershott, Bradshaw, Saxon and Wolfe
-“Old Faithful” Cully who works at the club’s front desk
-Detective Inspector Horotio Parker, sent to investigate the crime but also named on a medical file stolen from the dead man’s box in the club’s vault
When the Inspector steals evidence from the victim’s room, Eric decides to investigate the crime along with his occultist sidekick, Avery. Eric’s investigation leads to the victim’s wartime service in a English hospital and a missing Chinese nurse working as a maid within the hospital. It also reveals the not so hidden racism of the time for Eric’s mixed heritage from his Chinese mother.
Of course I wasn’t alive in 1924 but the setting in A Gentleman’s Murder seems pitch perfect compared to the many books I’ve read that were written back then. The mystery itself is just convoluted enough to make finding the killer a challenge but not impossible for fellow armchair detectives. It’s great fun for fans of British golden age mysteries. 5 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Inkshares, and Edelweiss+ for an advanced copy.
Eric Peterkin is a member of the prestigious Britannia Club, open to male war veterans only. When a wager ends in murder, Eric, an editor of mysteries, is first to find the body stabbed in the neck in the club’s vault. The list of suspects is long:
-Board members Norris, Aldershott, Bradshaw, Saxon and Wolfe
-“Old Faithful” Cully who works at the club’s front desk
-Detective Inspector Horotio Parker, sent to investigate the crime but also named on a medical file stolen from the dead man’s box in the club’s vault
When the Inspector steals evidence from the victim’s room, Eric decides to investigate the crime along with his occultist sidekick, Avery. Eric’s investigation leads to the victim’s wartime service in a English hospital and a missing Chinese nurse working as a maid within the hospital. It also reveals the not so hidden racism of the time for Eric’s mixed heritage from his Chinese mother.
Of course I wasn’t alive in 1924 but the setting in A Gentleman’s Murder seems pitch perfect compared to the many books I’ve read that were written back then. The mystery itself is just convoluted enough to make finding the killer a challenge but not impossible for fellow armchair detectives. It’s great fun for fans of British golden age mysteries. 5 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Inkshares, and Edelweiss+ for an advanced copy.
July 30, 2018
I enjoyed this period piece. The book’s hero, Eric Avery, is a retired soldier who has taken a position as a copy reader for a publishing house. Because his only affordable housing is a small flat he chooses to read at his club. This club membership goes back to the first Avery and is a spot of pride for him. He refuses to relinquish his membership even with his now modest living standards. The murder naturally occurs at this club and there begins the mystery. Avery decides to try to solve the crime. Because his is of Asian-English descent, he is risking his tenuous hold on club membership with his meddling in affairs of the police. In solving the crime the author uses clever banter, interesting story threads and the murderer cannot be easily guessed by the reader in advance of the story line. The characters seemed real and the situations matched the time period. I enjoyed trying to figure out what would happen next and was not disappointed. The villains were believable, with their problems as real as the heroes. I was unaware of the Asian dislike in England in this time frame and the author adding this to the story line educated as well as entertained. I will definitely read more of this author’s work.
July 14, 2021
I'm going to admit, I'm not a big fan of mysteries, but I love historical fiction, and this story is well crafted and enjoyable. I love his exploration of a half-Chinese Englishman as an amateur detective in 1920's London. I really love his exploration of PTSD in WWI vets. The mystery... was interesting, but as usual, I'm not built to catch the subtle clues that follow. Worth reading.
August 27, 2018
Wow. A strong debut by author Christopher Huang that tests the bonds of war through a page-turning golden-aged-style mystery. The story follows veteran Eric Peterkin in the aftermath of WWI. Peterkin spends his days in England evaluating mystery manuscripts in the comfort of his beloved Britannia Club, a luxury men's club for those who have returned from battle. All is turned upside down when a real life murder mystery takes place at the Britannia and fingers start to point at each other.
A Gentleman's Murder kept me guessing until the very end. Bravo, Christopher Huang. I will be eagerly awaiting your next novel.
A Gentleman's Murder kept me guessing until the very end. Bravo, Christopher Huang. I will be eagerly awaiting your next novel.
February 4, 2019
Set in a Gentleman's club for ex-servicemen in 1920's London, this first novel from Christopher Huang features amateur detective Eric Peterkin racing to solve the mystery when a new club member is found stabbed in the basement vault. This was an engrossing mystery set in the changing world of the 1920's, where new technology, new social mores and new manners run up against issues of class, race and some of the psychological and physical scars that so many soldiers returned with from the Great War. There's clearly a sequel coming, and I look forward to reading it.
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