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Simon Westow #1
The Hanging Psalm
Introducing thief-taker Simon Westow in the first in a new historical mystery series set in Regency Leeds.
Leeds, 1820. Thief-taker Simon Westow knows all about lost property. A boy from the workhouse, he now has a comfortable business finding and returning his clients' stolen possessions. But when John Milner, a successful Leeds businessman, seeks out Simon's services to find his kidnapped daughter, Hannah, it's clear he faces a challenge like no other.
Accompanied by his enigmatic and capable young assistant, Jane, Simon takes to the dark, shadowy streets of Leeds for information - streets he knows like the back of his hand. But his enquiries lead Simon and Jane into great danger. Could the answers lie in Simon's own past, and an old enemy seeking revenge?
Leeds, 1820. Thief-taker Simon Westow knows all about lost property. A boy from the workhouse, he now has a comfortable business finding and returning his clients' stolen possessions. But when John Milner, a successful Leeds businessman, seeks out Simon's services to find his kidnapped daughter, Hannah, it's clear he faces a challenge like no other.
Accompanied by his enigmatic and capable young assistant, Jane, Simon takes to the dark, shadowy streets of Leeds for information - streets he knows like the back of his hand. But his enquiries lead Simon and Jane into great danger. Could the answers lie in Simon's own past, and an old enemy seeking revenge?
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
22 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Chris Nickson
69 books182 followersI'm a novelist and music journalist, the author of many books set between the 1730s and 1950s in Leeds, as well as others in medieval Chesterfield and 1980s Seattle.
Above all, though, its Leeds I love, the people, the sense of the place changing with time. Yes, I write mysteries, but ultmiateoly they're books about people and their relationships, and the crime becomes a moral framework for the story.
Above all, though, its Leeds I love, the people, the sense of the place changing with time. Yes, I write mysteries, but ultmiateoly they're books about people and their relationships, and the crime becomes a moral framework for the story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 8, 2018
Author Chris Nickson presents a gripping new series set during the Regency period in his home city of Leeds, featuring ‘thief taker’ Simon Westow.
Simon is a product of the workhouse, a place where the cruelty he suffered still causes him pain today, albeit affecting his mental rather than his physical health. Despite all of this, he’s managed to carve a niche for himself, finding and returning stolen possessions to their rightful owners for a fee, but when businessman John Milner calls on his services to find his kidnapped daughter Hannah, it unleashes a terrifying chain of events for Simon and his family.
It’s 1820 and an adversary from his past will entice Simon and his assistant Jane into the dark forbidding courts and alleyways of Leeds - scary places where all manner of criminal activities occur. Jane makes an excellent partner but although she’s lived with Simon and his wife Rosie and their two children for 2 years, they still know very little about her - she appears to have no feelings at all - very cold and distant, but she actually feels very deeply about things in her life, she just doesn’t show it to the world - she won’t let anyone in, but woe betide anyone who thinks they’ll get the better of her, they might just pay with their life!
I really enjoyed this one, the characters were great, the plot was gripping and the author really captured the sense of a place. I’ve previously read some of this author’s books and I recognise and appreciate the research that goes into them, because as well as including locations that still exist today, he also mentions a network of mean, dirty, cobbled yards and courts, places where sunlight never penetrated - these places actually existed but have long since disappeared from the landscape of Leeds, however the author manages to bring them vividly back to life in a most frightening manner, and the bonus? He has a real gift when it comes to writing good old fashioned historical crime. If you haven’t read any of his books yet, you’re missing a treat!
*My thanks to Severn House Publishers for my ARC for which I have given an honest unbiased review *
Simon is a product of the workhouse, a place where the cruelty he suffered still causes him pain today, albeit affecting his mental rather than his physical health. Despite all of this, he’s managed to carve a niche for himself, finding and returning stolen possessions to their rightful owners for a fee, but when businessman John Milner calls on his services to find his kidnapped daughter Hannah, it unleashes a terrifying chain of events for Simon and his family.
It’s 1820 and an adversary from his past will entice Simon and his assistant Jane into the dark forbidding courts and alleyways of Leeds - scary places where all manner of criminal activities occur. Jane makes an excellent partner but although she’s lived with Simon and his wife Rosie and their two children for 2 years, they still know very little about her - she appears to have no feelings at all - very cold and distant, but she actually feels very deeply about things in her life, she just doesn’t show it to the world - she won’t let anyone in, but woe betide anyone who thinks they’ll get the better of her, they might just pay with their life!
I really enjoyed this one, the characters were great, the plot was gripping and the author really captured the sense of a place. I’ve previously read some of this author’s books and I recognise and appreciate the research that goes into them, because as well as including locations that still exist today, he also mentions a network of mean, dirty, cobbled yards and courts, places where sunlight never penetrated - these places actually existed but have long since disappeared from the landscape of Leeds, however the author manages to bring them vividly back to life in a most frightening manner, and the bonus? He has a real gift when it comes to writing good old fashioned historical crime. If you haven’t read any of his books yet, you’re missing a treat!
*My thanks to Severn House Publishers for my ARC for which I have given an honest unbiased review *
March 15, 2024
An engrossing mystery set in the industrial revolution in England when human misery was at one of its high points. The mysterious disappearance of a girl from the middle class is what spurs the action. She has been taken from the street in broad day light by an audacious and desperate killer. Not only is her life at stake, so too is her reputation, as a girl who spent one minute away from her parents would not be able to make an advantageous marriage. She would be considered as damaged goods. Her father, a factory owner, seeks the help of a thief taker, a man who recovers stolen or missing items, but he's never looked for a person before. This job could make or break him.
January 26, 2021
Never vanishing. Never fading.
Chris Nickson sets the stage for The Hanging Psalm with Simon Westow appearing before the Child Labour Commission. It's 1820 in Leeds and the heaviness in the air reflects the somber tone of his statement. Simon has carried the emotional and physical burden of his seven years from age 6 to 13 in a government workhouse after his parents died. Even at age thirty, the memories almost choke him in the re-telling. But not one commissioner asks for the names of the mill owners and overseers. As usual, cruelty rides away on its dark horse.
Simon, through hard work and a determined spirit, has become a "Thief Taker". His newly found profession is likened to a bounty hunter of stolen property. And Simon is quite good at what he does while making a living for his resourceful wife, Rosie, and their twin sons. Simon has engaged a young waif by the name of Jane who knows the streets like the back of her hand. Jane will become a central figure as the story progresses.
John Milner, an investment businessman, visits Simon with a very serious request. His daughter, Hannah, has been kidnapped. Milner bluntly puts it out there that a daughter is a valuable commodity. A good marriage can never be arranged if said daughter has been damaged in any way. The ransom note threatens irrevocable harm to Hannah if payment is not made. With more concern than what has been shown by the father, Simon and Jane set out to find Hannah.
Chris Nickson paints a vision of Leeds in which the reader is immersed in the sights, the smells, and the atmosphere of mud-filled streets and shabby storefronts. His characters wear faces of rejection and the stain of poverty. "Existence drained you." Nickson reveals layer upon layer of Jane's backstory and the deep impact that it has had on her life. Her shaky footsteps through the darkened winding streets of Leeds speak of survival in spite of the odds.
Nickson will see to it that you are engulfed in the heightening bolts of electricity as the pressure keeps escalating at the end. Simon and his family may have laid a rut of tracks for a profound evil to wind its way into their nest. And young Jane will be a constant presence in which you beg for mercy for those whom life has betrayed time and time again.
I've read many books by this talented author, but The Hanging Psalm has to be one of my favorites. Chris Nickson is a master of historical fiction. I received a copy through NetGalley and wish to extend by thanks to both Chris Nickson and to Severn House for the opportunity.
Chris Nickson sets the stage for The Hanging Psalm with Simon Westow appearing before the Child Labour Commission. It's 1820 in Leeds and the heaviness in the air reflects the somber tone of his statement. Simon has carried the emotional and physical burden of his seven years from age 6 to 13 in a government workhouse after his parents died. Even at age thirty, the memories almost choke him in the re-telling. But not one commissioner asks for the names of the mill owners and overseers. As usual, cruelty rides away on its dark horse.
Simon, through hard work and a determined spirit, has become a "Thief Taker". His newly found profession is likened to a bounty hunter of stolen property. And Simon is quite good at what he does while making a living for his resourceful wife, Rosie, and their twin sons. Simon has engaged a young waif by the name of Jane who knows the streets like the back of her hand. Jane will become a central figure as the story progresses.
John Milner, an investment businessman, visits Simon with a very serious request. His daughter, Hannah, has been kidnapped. Milner bluntly puts it out there that a daughter is a valuable commodity. A good marriage can never be arranged if said daughter has been damaged in any way. The ransom note threatens irrevocable harm to Hannah if payment is not made. With more concern than what has been shown by the father, Simon and Jane set out to find Hannah.
Chris Nickson paints a vision of Leeds in which the reader is immersed in the sights, the smells, and the atmosphere of mud-filled streets and shabby storefronts. His characters wear faces of rejection and the stain of poverty. "Existence drained you." Nickson reveals layer upon layer of Jane's backstory and the deep impact that it has had on her life. Her shaky footsteps through the darkened winding streets of Leeds speak of survival in spite of the odds.
Nickson will see to it that you are engulfed in the heightening bolts of electricity as the pressure keeps escalating at the end. Simon and his family may have laid a rut of tracks for a profound evil to wind its way into their nest. And young Jane will be a constant presence in which you beg for mercy for those whom life has betrayed time and time again.
I've read many books by this talented author, but The Hanging Psalm has to be one of my favorites. Chris Nickson is a master of historical fiction. I received a copy through NetGalley and wish to extend by thanks to both Chris Nickson and to Severn House for the opportunity.
Read
October 26, 2018Thief-taker Simon Westow is the latest of Chris Nickson's superbly-drawn historical sleuths, and having greatly enjoyed the rest of his work, I'm hoping that this is the first in another series. The author's storytelling is beautifully-balanced between suspense and action; the characters rich and vibrant; the historical background - in this case, Regency Leeds - as always, engaging, detailed and authentic. I'd love to see these books attract a larger audience - I can easily seem them being adapted for television, where the vivid description and colourful cast would find an appreciative audience...
October 4, 2019
Having read a couple of the Harper books I brought this first Simon Westow book home and enjoyed it. It provides a good historical snapshot of Leeds, 1820. Westow has two sons with wife Rosie and operates out of his home as a thief taker. Essential to his work is a young girl Jane who knows how to shadow people.
In this entry Westow is hired to find a kidnapped daughter of a mill owner. There is more than enough danger to go around and plenty of stabbings between the core group.
Westow also testifies to a group of Commissioners who want to bring reform to child labor in the mills, something Westow was subjected to as a child.
Library Loan
In this entry Westow is hired to find a kidnapped daughter of a mill owner. There is more than enough danger to go around and plenty of stabbings between the core group.
Westow also testifies to a group of Commissioners who want to bring reform to child labor in the mills, something Westow was subjected to as a child.
Library Loan
January 1, 2019
Dark deeds and vengeance!
I'm loving the lead character Simon Westow and in particular his assistant Jane. A damaged young woman who does what she has to survive on the dark streets of the underbelly of Regency 1820's Leeds.
Simon, a thief-taker has been asked to find businessman John Milner's kidnapped daughter Hannah. The taking of Hannah leads Simon and Jane down some twisted paths and into the path of a wholly unexpected enemy.
A gripping story of revenge and corruption. The character of Jane is fascinating. Can she become more or is she destined to a life lived within the confines of her traumatic past, allowing it to define her?
Exciting read!
A NetGalley ARC
I'm loving the lead character Simon Westow and in particular his assistant Jane. A damaged young woman who does what she has to survive on the dark streets of the underbelly of Regency 1820's Leeds.
Simon, a thief-taker has been asked to find businessman John Milner's kidnapped daughter Hannah. The taking of Hannah leads Simon and Jane down some twisted paths and into the path of a wholly unexpected enemy.
A gripping story of revenge and corruption. The character of Jane is fascinating. Can she become more or is she destined to a life lived within the confines of her traumatic past, allowing it to define her?
Exciting read!
A NetGalley ARC
November 24, 2018
I read quite a lot of historical fiction so I was very pleased to be advanced a copy from Netgalley. I found the story and historical detail lacked complexity and there was a lot of telling not showing. This is an enjoyable read.
January 11, 2019
A new historical series form Leeds writer Nickson and this time we're in 1820. I found this one darker than the other series although all are crime books. I think possibly because unlike the others Simon Westow isn't a policeman/sheriff but a thief taker (he finds stolen goods and returns for a fee). His assistant Jane is a very dark character, a past victim of abuse and a secret self harmer, there are some mental health issues that she's hiding and it will be interesting to see how this development changes over time.
There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. You think you have a handle on who may be responsible the crimes but then it changes completely and occasionally we go around to the same people a few times until Simon finally works everything out.
I enjoy the art of story telling and mystery solving without the modern day need for forensics and CSI-style drama but using good old fashioned footwork and plugging away until all the answers are in place and this book delivers that for me.
A great addition to the other works from the author
There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. You think you have a handle on who may be responsible the crimes but then it changes completely and occasionally we go around to the same people a few times until Simon finally works everything out.
I enjoy the art of story telling and mystery solving without the modern day need for forensics and CSI-style drama but using good old fashioned footwork and plugging away until all the answers are in place and this book delivers that for me.
A great addition to the other works from the author
September 30, 2018
Great historical evocation, but more of a thriller than a mystery. Full review at classicmystery.blog
April 9, 2019
I chose this book because the genre (mystery and historical fiction) and setting (England) are personal favorites. I am not familiar with the author.
This is the first in a new series which might be interesting but perhaps not so readable if the author doesn't correct the shortcomings of this first endeavor.
Addressing the shortcomings first, this story had too many characters and the protagonist Simon and his assistant Jane seemed to know everyone who lives inside and outside of Leeds, England. These two characters walk everywhere both day and night, traversing the city and countryside and even climbing the ridges with nary a tired bone. They seem to be super human.
One of the things that bothered me most was the author's repetitiveness in describing Jane as the "invisible girl." He stated that in nearly every chapter. We have the picture. It isn't necessary to repeatedly describe her or to tell us so often how she keeps everything to herself. Jane is emotionally scarred and reasons for this are explained at least three times. She is also a cutter, and I did not like the way this was portrayed as an acceptable means of coping with self doubt or perceived failure.
About the only thing this mystery has on the positive side is the uniqueness of the protagonist and his profession. He is a "thief taker"--a person who recovers stolen property and turns the thief over to the authorities.
I have no interest in continuing the series.
This is the first in a new series which might be interesting but perhaps not so readable if the author doesn't correct the shortcomings of this first endeavor.
Addressing the shortcomings first, this story had too many characters and the protagonist Simon and his assistant Jane seemed to know everyone who lives inside and outside of Leeds, England. These two characters walk everywhere both day and night, traversing the city and countryside and even climbing the ridges with nary a tired bone. They seem to be super human.
One of the things that bothered me most was the author's repetitiveness in describing Jane as the "invisible girl." He stated that in nearly every chapter. We have the picture. It isn't necessary to repeatedly describe her or to tell us so often how she keeps everything to herself. Jane is emotionally scarred and reasons for this are explained at least three times. She is also a cutter, and I did not like the way this was portrayed as an acceptable means of coping with self doubt or perceived failure.
About the only thing this mystery has on the positive side is the uniqueness of the protagonist and his profession. He is a "thief taker"--a person who recovers stolen property and turns the thief over to the authorities.
I have no interest in continuing the series.
October 27, 2018
As with all Chris Nickson's books, you can feel yourself sinking into history as soon as you start reading the first page. I am familiar with the period - and to my mind he has got the mores and the morals spot on - but I don't know Leeds, so was fascinated by the descriptions of the city.
The story itself I found utterly believable, the characterisation of Simon, Jane and Rosie was very good. I have always been drawn more to the problems of the middle class and working class, and this is a slice of life that Chris Nickson describes very well. He pulls no punches, so the book isn't an easy read by any means. It does, however, feel very real.
I'm looking forward to further stories featuring Simon Westrow and his world.
The story itself I found utterly believable, the characterisation of Simon, Jane and Rosie was very good. I have always been drawn more to the problems of the middle class and working class, and this is a slice of life that Chris Nickson describes very well. He pulls no punches, so the book isn't an easy read by any means. It does, however, feel very real.
I'm looking forward to further stories featuring Simon Westrow and his world.
October 12, 2018
The Hanging Psalm, by Chris Nickson, is a murder mystery set in early nineteenth century Leeds, England which also sheds a great deal of light on both the living conditions and the working conditions endured by children of the poor. Also emphasized by Nickson is the great divide which results from class structure.
The protagonist, Simon Westow, manages to scrape out a life for his family by retrieving stolen property for wealthy individuals. In The Hanging Psalm the stolen property he is tasked to find is a teenage daughter, who indeed is little more than property to her father and her potential fiance. Retrieving the young lady leads Simon, and his delightful assistant, through a tangled web of deceit and murder. Ultimately it is realized that the evil being rendered upon Simon and all whom he loves is an act of revenge by a person from his past.
Nickson has done a great deal of research into the Leeds of 200 years ago, He eloquently describes the lack of sanitation, the buildings, the roads and the various types of people and occupations that could be found therein. He is especially poignant when describing the lot of the poor and homeless, in a time when there was absolutely no social network available. His descriptions leads one to reflect on the progress that may, or may not, have been made by modern day society.
All in all, The Hanging Psalm is an exciting and suspenseful read which accurately reflects its time and place.
I received a free copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The protagonist, Simon Westow, manages to scrape out a life for his family by retrieving stolen property for wealthy individuals. In The Hanging Psalm the stolen property he is tasked to find is a teenage daughter, who indeed is little more than property to her father and her potential fiance. Retrieving the young lady leads Simon, and his delightful assistant, through a tangled web of deceit and murder. Ultimately it is realized that the evil being rendered upon Simon and all whom he loves is an act of revenge by a person from his past.
Nickson has done a great deal of research into the Leeds of 200 years ago, He eloquently describes the lack of sanitation, the buildings, the roads and the various types of people and occupations that could be found therein. He is especially poignant when describing the lot of the poor and homeless, in a time when there was absolutely no social network available. His descriptions leads one to reflect on the progress that may, or may not, have been made by modern day society.
All in all, The Hanging Psalm is an exciting and suspenseful read which accurately reflects its time and place.
I received a free copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2023
I had no idea what to expect from this author because it's the first book I've read of his, but I loved this book! It was a chase through the whole book and kept you turning pages! I loved the main characters and their stories. Great read, can't wait to read the rest of his books!
November 11, 2018
When Simon Westow is hired to find a missing girl, he doesn't realize just how close to home this case will hit. A thief-taker in Leeds, Simon is used to finding missing property. But the villain who took the factory-owner's daughter has hidden her more carefully than any stolen locket or ring of gold. Aided by Jane, a young girl who knows how to become nearly invisible on the streets, Simon must thwart this master criminal and avoid losing his family to the vengeance of a longtime enemy.
This novel, although set during the same era as many Regency romances, is far from a cozy mystery. Its gritty atmosphere and gruesome detail make it a historical thriller of the first order. Can Simon bring justice to the corrupt city of Leeds? And will he lose his wife and children in the process?
Throughout the book, Simon is as hard as nails but surprisingly tender with his wife Rosie and his three-year-old twins. Although he is not omniscient, he is indefatigable about running down all the red herrings that crop up in the case. Jane is a fascinating sidekick, a wraith-like adolescent who has lodged with Simon's family for two years but refuses to let them into her secrets or her past. She blames herself for everything that goes wrong in the case and is just as merciless about exacting punishment on herself as she is in hunting down the evildoer.
All in all, this book was a well-written page-turner with intriguing characters and a promising launch to a new mystery series. Recommended for those without weak stomachs.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Negalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This novel, although set during the same era as many Regency romances, is far from a cozy mystery. Its gritty atmosphere and gruesome detail make it a historical thriller of the first order. Can Simon bring justice to the corrupt city of Leeds? And will he lose his wife and children in the process?
Throughout the book, Simon is as hard as nails but surprisingly tender with his wife Rosie and his three-year-old twins. Although he is not omniscient, he is indefatigable about running down all the red herrings that crop up in the case. Jane is a fascinating sidekick, a wraith-like adolescent who has lodged with Simon's family for two years but refuses to let them into her secrets or her past. She blames herself for everything that goes wrong in the case and is just as merciless about exacting punishment on herself as she is in hunting down the evildoer.
All in all, this book was a well-written page-turner with intriguing characters and a promising launch to a new mystery series. Recommended for those without weak stomachs.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Negalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 14, 2018
Simon Westow is a thief taker in 1732 in Leeds. He is hired to retrieve lost items and then collects the reward. He is hired to find and return the daughter of a local landowner. She was taken from her home and her parents want her returned before her reputation is ruined. When Simon locates the girl, he discovers that she was just a ploy. The man behind the theft was Simon White, who was send to Australia for crimes he committed in Leeds. He is back and wants revenge upon those who sent him away. Including Simon and his wife. An excellent read.
October 4, 2018
"The Hanging Psalm" is a dark suspense set in 1820 in Leeds, England. Details about the time period and the city were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. We follow a team--the husband finds and returns stolen goods for a reward and he is assisted by his wife and a street girl with a traumatic past and habit of cutting.
We start with a rich man who wants his kidnapped daughter found and returned so he doesn't have to pay a ransom for her safe return. There's a time limit and the kidnapping is to remain a secret, so they rush around asking questions and following leads. Things don't go as expected, and soon they learn that a murderer from their past with friends in high places is out to get his revenge by killing them. He's very clever, so they must find and defeat him before his assassins kill them.
There was some bad language. Simon interrupts a man having sex with a whore, so there was a brief mention of how they were positioned and his sending her away (only vaguely described). Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful story to those who don't mind darker, damaged main characters.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.
We start with a rich man who wants his kidnapped daughter found and returned so he doesn't have to pay a ransom for her safe return. There's a time limit and the kidnapping is to remain a secret, so they rush around asking questions and following leads. Things don't go as expected, and soon they learn that a murderer from their past with friends in high places is out to get his revenge by killing them. He's very clever, so they must find and defeat him before his assassins kill them.
There was some bad language. Simon interrupts a man having sex with a whore, so there was a brief mention of how they were positioned and his sending her away (only vaguely described). Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful story to those who don't mind darker, damaged main characters.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.
September 21, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley, Severn House and of course the great writer Chris Nickson. WOW what a nailbiter but I got to the end safely ( of course).
Leeds 1820:"Thief-taker Simon Westow knows all about lost property. A boy from the workhouse, he now has a comfortable business finding and returning his clients' stolen possessions." Simon, his wife Rosie and their protégé, the young girl Jane, were all damaged in some ways by early life experiences.
Simon and Rosie had managed to make a life, with normalcy, together and for their twin sons. Rosie was intuitive and loving but with a core of fierceness. Jane lives in their house but shares nothing of her painful past to anyone. All three straddle a normal existence with much darker elements. Will they change their lives after this episode?
The details of this complicated and darkish mystery I will leave to you, the reader, at least partly because it is difficult to unweave this complex tale. Recommended to historical mystery lovers.
Leeds 1820:"Thief-taker Simon Westow knows all about lost property. A boy from the workhouse, he now has a comfortable business finding and returning his clients' stolen possessions." Simon, his wife Rosie and their protégé, the young girl Jane, were all damaged in some ways by early life experiences.
Simon and Rosie had managed to make a life, with normalcy, together and for their twin sons. Rosie was intuitive and loving but with a core of fierceness. Jane lives in their house but shares nothing of her painful past to anyone. All three straddle a normal existence with much darker elements. Will they change their lives after this episode?
The details of this complicated and darkish mystery I will leave to you, the reader, at least partly because it is difficult to unweave this complex tale. Recommended to historical mystery lovers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2021
I actually gave up. Skipped to the last few chapters but honestly, it was predictable. I just lost all interest in it.
March 13, 2019
I’m a southwest London girl, who moved to Yorkshire at the age of nine and made it her home. That’s when my father got a promotion at work that resulted in him working in Leeds. We lived in the “posh” town along the railway line and, as I got older, Leeds was where I’d go on occasion for shopping. That was in the 1990s. The Hanging Psalm is set in 1820 and, while some of the street names remain the same, is set in an urban area far from the one I knew. This is an older, darker Leeds, without its glittering façade of respectable stores, restaurants, and bars. But still, I reached for The Hanging Psalm precisely because of its setting.
Chris Nickson has written well over two dozen novels, most set in the Yorkshire city, but this is the first one that I’ve read. He appears to specialize in crime fiction set in Leeds during various historical eras with a couple of different protagonists, and that’s what this is. Simon Westow is a thief-taker, finding and returning items stolen by the city’s rich. What starts as a quest to locate and safely return a businessman’s daughter turns into a cat and mouse game with an old adversary. Simon knows that not every transport to Australia is a one-way trip. Once they’ve served their sentence, criminals are free to return to England, and a particularly nasty piece of work has done just that. The kidnapping is simply a means to an end.
Can you enjoy a dark mystery with plenty of murder and other unpleasant goings-on? Because I enjoyed The Hanging Psalm. With each movement, the tension in the narrative built up like a crescendo as it reached toward its conclusion. I thought I knew what was going to happen regarding one of the characters, and it filled me with dread because I didn’t want it to happen. There were twists and times when it didn’t look so good for Simon and his assistant, Jane. Since this is the first Simon Westow book, I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that Simon comes through this adventure. But will those around him?
Not everything about Simon and his companions is revealed in The Hanging Psalm. I was left with a couple of questions, especially about Jane. The next book in the series, The Hocus Girl, is due out at the end of September. If it’s a sequel, I’m hopeful my questions will be answered. If it’s simply book two in an ongoing series, then I’ll probably have more questions! In the meantime, I’m going to be renewing my library card so I can read some of Nickson’s other novels.
Disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a review, and the words above are my own.
Chris Nickson has written well over two dozen novels, most set in the Yorkshire city, but this is the first one that I’ve read. He appears to specialize in crime fiction set in Leeds during various historical eras with a couple of different protagonists, and that’s what this is. Simon Westow is a thief-taker, finding and returning items stolen by the city’s rich. What starts as a quest to locate and safely return a businessman’s daughter turns into a cat and mouse game with an old adversary. Simon knows that not every transport to Australia is a one-way trip. Once they’ve served their sentence, criminals are free to return to England, and a particularly nasty piece of work has done just that. The kidnapping is simply a means to an end.
Can you enjoy a dark mystery with plenty of murder and other unpleasant goings-on? Because I enjoyed The Hanging Psalm. With each movement, the tension in the narrative built up like a crescendo as it reached toward its conclusion. I thought I knew what was going to happen regarding one of the characters, and it filled me with dread because I didn’t want it to happen. There were twists and times when it didn’t look so good for Simon and his assistant, Jane. Since this is the first Simon Westow book, I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that Simon comes through this adventure. But will those around him?
Not everything about Simon and his companions is revealed in The Hanging Psalm. I was left with a couple of questions, especially about Jane. The next book in the series, The Hocus Girl, is due out at the end of September. If it’s a sequel, I’m hopeful my questions will be answered. If it’s simply book two in an ongoing series, then I’ll probably have more questions! In the meantime, I’m going to be renewing my library card so I can read some of Nickson’s other novels.
Disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a review, and the words above are my own.
January 1, 2019
The Hanging Psalm
By: Chris Nickson
Severn House Publishers
Publication Date: January 01, 2019
4 Stars
The Hanging Psalm is a historical suspense-mystery novel set in Leeds in the early 1800s. The main character, Simon Westow, is a thief-taker, a man who recovers stolen property. Simon is hired by a wealthy businessman to secure the return of his kidnapped daughter. Simon, with the help of his young, streetwise assistant, Jane, seek out the young lady. The case grows into far more than a simple kidnapping though, and Simon finds himself embroiled in his toughest assignment yet. Simon and Jane must be careful because there is danger lurking around the far too many dark corners of Leeds.
This is the first book I’ve read by Chris Nickson, and I’m very impressed. The novel was exciting from start to finish. It was a hard book to put down because I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. Each chapter brought exhilarating plot developments. The book also made me think about what defines something as right and wrong. I’m hooked, and I plan on reading any future titles in this series. His other books sound equally as intriguing and I plan to read them as well.
The author did a great job describing both the tangible and intangible facets of 1820’s Leeds. It wasn’t hard to imagine the dark and gritty town that Simon and Jane are dodging in and out of. The characters are very complex and gripping. Simon had a hard life growing up in a workhouse from a young age. There he was mistreated, overworked, and underfed. Simon had to be strong to make it through those kinds of conditions. That toughness that he acquires carried through to his adult life and it is useful as his job as a thief-taker. Yet, that toughness does not define his whole person. He is a loving family man and is driven by the differences between right and wrong. Jane seems impenetrable. She is both street-smart and street-tough. As tough as she is on the bad guys, she is even tougher on herself. She holds both her secrets and her past close to her chest, and doesn’t let other get close to her.
Thanks to Net Galley and Severn House Publishers for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #TheHangingPsalm
By: Chris Nickson
Severn House Publishers
Publication Date: January 01, 2019
4 Stars
The Hanging Psalm is a historical suspense-mystery novel set in Leeds in the early 1800s. The main character, Simon Westow, is a thief-taker, a man who recovers stolen property. Simon is hired by a wealthy businessman to secure the return of his kidnapped daughter. Simon, with the help of his young, streetwise assistant, Jane, seek out the young lady. The case grows into far more than a simple kidnapping though, and Simon finds himself embroiled in his toughest assignment yet. Simon and Jane must be careful because there is danger lurking around the far too many dark corners of Leeds.
This is the first book I’ve read by Chris Nickson, and I’m very impressed. The novel was exciting from start to finish. It was a hard book to put down because I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. Each chapter brought exhilarating plot developments. The book also made me think about what defines something as right and wrong. I’m hooked, and I plan on reading any future titles in this series. His other books sound equally as intriguing and I plan to read them as well.
The author did a great job describing both the tangible and intangible facets of 1820’s Leeds. It wasn’t hard to imagine the dark and gritty town that Simon and Jane are dodging in and out of. The characters are very complex and gripping. Simon had a hard life growing up in a workhouse from a young age. There he was mistreated, overworked, and underfed. Simon had to be strong to make it through those kinds of conditions. That toughness that he acquires carried through to his adult life and it is useful as his job as a thief-taker. Yet, that toughness does not define his whole person. He is a loving family man and is driven by the differences between right and wrong. Jane seems impenetrable. She is both street-smart and street-tough. As tough as she is on the bad guys, she is even tougher on herself. She holds both her secrets and her past close to her chest, and doesn’t let other get close to her.
Thanks to Net Galley and Severn House Publishers for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #TheHangingPsalm
February 11, 2020
The plot and the characters were good, but the pace of the plot was so slow. I enjoyed the characters of Simon, Rosie and Jane. They are not the usual characters. Simon and Rosie have come up into the world from having nothing. Jane is an enigma. I applaud the author for having a woman as the thief-taker's sidekick, instead of the usual male. The pace of the plot seemed SO slow, though, as Simon and Jane walked everywhere. Strangely enough, the author kept focusing on Jane's' thin shawl and dress. However, he never mentioned her boots getting holes for all the walking she did. I read other Regency historical mysteries and those characters are on horses and in carriages, so their investigations seem to proceed more quickly. I supposed I have to remember that Simon and Jane are relatively poor compared to the aristocratic private investigator Sebastian St. Cyr (author C.S. Harris) or Bow Street Detective Lavender (author Karen Charlton), and therefore, don't have possession of horses and carriages. Finally, in the end, the villain would never die and in the end, it became a bit tiresome for him to keep "hanging" around.
December 20, 2024
The Hanging Psalm holds a lot of promise and interest. The writer is thorough in creating time and place, and has a nice narrative hand. I quibble a bit with the pacing and the details on which the author tends to lean too heavily: this book is not a whodunit, or a howdunit, but more of a where is he whodunit. And that horse is beaten nigh to death. Just an extensive amount of false leads and dead ends and hikes across Yorkshire which bear no fruit whatsoever - a heavy reliance on what tomorrow may or may not bring, trudging empty handed back to the home that the stunningly well-known psychopath murderer would have no problem accosting, but never seems to. I did appreciate the thoughtful portrayal of socioeconomic and gender realities in this early industrial age, particularly with Jane. The author does not shy away from the psychological effects of the (shockingly) typical life she seems to have led, but, again, he just beats that drum ceaselessly. Just a hair more nuance would get us there just as easily without insulting the audience's abilities to do so on our own. All of that said, I'm in. I'll be happily moving onto the next Simon Westow installment.
February 6, 2019
Escaping from a life of torment and drudgery in the workhouse, Simon Westow has made a decent life for himself in the rapidly growing Leeds of 1820. He has a successful trade as a 'thief-taker', retiring property to its rightful owners, but his latest case is odd to say the least. An important factory owner has asked Simon to find his daughter who has been kidnapped. Simon and his redoubtable sidekick, the quiet and slight Jane, do not succeed in this venture but it is merely part of a larger game and now Simon's past is chasing him and is out for revenge.
I do enjoy Nickson's novels set in Leeds, this is based in an earlier time frame than the others but is still a well-written detective novel. I love the descriptions of Leeds, knowing the city well, and I think these are also really strong aspects of the book. Less successful for me was the sense of the age. There was much about the increasing mechanisation of the factories and a few mentions of Waterloo but I felt there should have been more to pin the story to a specific age.
I do enjoy Nickson's novels set in Leeds, this is based in an earlier time frame than the others but is still a well-written detective novel. I love the descriptions of Leeds, knowing the city well, and I think these are also really strong aspects of the book. Less successful for me was the sense of the age. There was much about the increasing mechanisation of the factories and a few mentions of Waterloo but I felt there should have been more to pin the story to a specific age.
January 14, 2020
Nickson continues to showcase the history and culture of his beloved Leeds, England through impressively researched suspense novels. This tale depicts the city during the Regency period and introduces a new protagonist, Simon Westow, master thief-taker. Once a workhouse waif, by 1820 Simon has raised himself to the level of the middle classes. He is well able to support his wife and twin sons and employ an assistant, having earned the respect of Leeds society for his success in hunting down criminals. When he is hired to look into the kidnapping of a local businessman's daughter, what seems to be a moderately challenging case quickly changes to something more sinister. With his family in grave danger, Simon and his young helper Jane must exert all their skills (and in Jane's case, ruthlessness) to identify and thwart the source of the threat. Lovers of historical fiction will want to add this book to their reading lists. Note: The publisher supplied an advance readers copy via NetGalley in exchanger for a fair and unbiased review.
May 14, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.
Set in the North of England in the early 1800’s, this excellent mystery novel centres around a thief-taker, his wife and the young girl they have taken in to help solve mysteries. Simon Weston has been employed to find the kidnapped daughter of a wealthy tradesman. He and his mysterious young boarder, Jane, realise that there is far more to this mystery than a kidnapping and their own past is catching up with them. Simon must protect those he loves for a truly evil and cunning adversary. The characters in this novel are intricately detailed and human, each with a rich history. What a treat to read. Looking forward to more of this series. I might even go back and read the other series by this author.
Set in the North of England in the early 1800’s, this excellent mystery novel centres around a thief-taker, his wife and the young girl they have taken in to help solve mysteries. Simon Weston has been employed to find the kidnapped daughter of a wealthy tradesman. He and his mysterious young boarder, Jane, realise that there is far more to this mystery than a kidnapping and their own past is catching up with them. Simon must protect those he loves for a truly evil and cunning adversary. The characters in this novel are intricately detailed and human, each with a rich history. What a treat to read. Looking forward to more of this series. I might even go back and read the other series by this author.
January 14, 2019
Simon Westow is a thief taker working in Leeds in 1820. He finds stolen things and recovers them for the reward. He grew up as an orphan and worked in the factories, where life was hard. He is married to Rosie and they have two boys, Amos and Noah. He is hired by John Milner to find his missing daughter, Hannah. This hunt will threaten everything and everyone Simon holds dear. Finding Hannah is not the issue, the repercussions will involve an old case from his past. Assisted by Janie, another refugee from the poorhouse, Simon will be challenged as never before. This is the first in a new historical series by Nickson; he writes excellent stories with spot-on historical details. His characters are complex and are remarkably well-done. Recommended for anyone who likes historical mysteries.
March 26, 2019
Although this mystery is very much a period piece, there are some elements about which I wonder, including self-mutilation. The novel begins (and ends) with testimony from Simon Westow, a thief-taker (translation: detective, or finder of lost objects) to a commission investigating child labor, workhouses and industry. Asked to find a kidnapped daughter (aka property), what Simon uncovers is a plot aimed at both the man whose daughter was snatched and at himself. This is about revenge, nursed and baked for years in Australia. How Simon and Jane, the mysterious but helpful young women who lives with his family, survive this ruthless killer is well-constructed.
November 1, 2020
Thief taker Simon Weston, lives in Leeds, UK 1820. He grew up in the work house (if you read in this time period, you will already know the horrendous conditions).
The author, Chris Nckerson's pacing and creative urgency dances across the page as he gives Simon Weston a wide range of circumstances that need solving. His side kick, Jane, is a young woman who doesn't share much about herself. She lives in the attic above Simone and his family--wife and twin sons.
This series has really captured my imagination.
The author, Chris Nckerson's pacing and creative urgency dances across the page as he gives Simon Weston a wide range of circumstances that need solving. His side kick, Jane, is a young woman who doesn't share much about herself. She lives in the attic above Simone and his family--wife and twin sons.
This series has really captured my imagination.
September 8, 2023
This book is not the genre I generally read, but the reviews were intriguing and I was hooked from the beginning. Set in 1820 Leeds, the difference between the haves and have nots is startling. The main character is a thief taker who has worked his way up from a street urchin , to having a house and family but still knows how the citys underbelly works. Simon has a request to find the kidnapped daughter of a factory owner and decides to accept the job. How he and his assistant, Jane are involved in non stop intrigue. Good character development a d I'm looking forward to the next case.
March 21, 2019
This is a great first in a series based in Leeds England in 1820. A former boy from the work house has now become a successful thief taker. This first story introduces his wife and partner, his twin sons, and his young and mysterious young female assistant. Through wonderful twists and turns, the reader gets a good sense of the town and the main characters. A satisfying read. I am eager for more of Simon Westlow and his adventures.
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