Searcher

by T.J. Alexander

January 1822 - A child is found dead on wasteland in London's Liberty of Norton Folgate. Adah Flint, the Liberty's Searcher, must examine the little girl's body to determine her identity and discover the cause of death. Adah's search for the truth takes her through the cosmopolitan backstreets of early 19th century London, with its inns and prisons, street markets and prostitution, cruelty and compassion. Based on real characters and a true crime, this novel takes readers into the long-forgotten world of the women searchers who once played an important role in the solving of crimes, and eventually into the twenty-first century, where mysteries are resolved and new enigmas unfold.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2018

Reviews

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anfangs etwas langatmig, aber dann richtig gut!

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual tale which was a good read, more 3.5 than 3.

[Neeraja Sankaran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book on the whole, though I'm not a fan of present tense writing, which the authors used in some sections. In the epilogue, I learned [quasi-SPOILER] that the author is actually a real-life descendant (three greats away) of the protagonist, which made the book more intriguing to me (again, a case of me enjoying the back story more than the actual tale). My main minuses may not have to do with the author at all but of the subtitle that it was a "gripping historical crime mystery". Leave the adjectives out please.. don't editorialize. Let me make up my mind!!!!

[V.E.Gillette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Searching....

A beautifully written story based on a few facts of the authors great, great, great, great grandmother's life in 1800s London! A mystery for sure and interesting but gripping may be a bit exaggerated!!
I liked the story and the mystery very much but it was rather a gloomy, sad story! No doubt, as were the times, for these particular families!
The author writes wonderfully, poetically and I will be looking for more!!

[D.R.Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Searcher

This novel is very hard to follow the storytelling. I was leasing to a audible and ended up rereading thru out the novel. The flipping back into different time period. So much drama with multiple character. However , if you enjoy a mystery that had to have a chapter to explain the crime. Read the last two chapters and than start reading the novel. Because it is a worthy read.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable story. A historic fiction set in and around London, with a woman trying to search out a mystery or two about a kidnapping (child stealing) from years before, related to some more recent deaths.

What I found most interesting was that the story doesn't try to bring all the pieces together: although the reader gets to understand what happened, the characters do not, there is no justice or closure for them.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1822 Adah Flint is now the Seacher of London's Liberty of Norton Folgate and a body of a child has been discovered on wasteland in the neighbourhood. It is Adah's job to identify the body and the reason for her death
The story travels the timeline in this century and unfolds from various points of view.
An enjoyable Georgian historical mystery

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read

Adah, the Norton Felgate searcher, is asked to examine the body of a little girl who.has been found dead. Soon Adah is trying to find a name to the child, unaware of what she is getting into.
This is a fascinating and well researched book based on a true story. As I read it the past seemed to come off the page in detail as if I was there.
Highly recommended.

[Graham Tallents · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this rather heavy going. Very slow paced and too convoluted. As soon as you manage to gather the thread of one character, it skips to another and you are left wondering how they interconnect. The final outcome, after a huge build up hinting at a heartwarming result, is a massive disappointment.

[Dee Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody should read this book.

This is the first book , I have read by T.J.Alexander and what a book to start with. The characters are very engaging and you will definitely be drawn in to the page's as you read. The narrative flows in a way that you will loose yourself completely.
A very highly recommended read.

[Mrs Susan J Bociek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely absorbing

It must take great strength and imagination to reconstruct a story concerning your family. This true tale has been thoughtfully wound around fact and possibility. I loved it. One of those rare books that I will keep and read again.

[Tocci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victorian?

Some resemblance to other Victorian novels. There are too many innuendos that are never developed. While the author concludes with the explanation all is imagination, he/she doesn't ever explain. For example, what is the relationship among Adah, Rapheal, and Sally?

[Pam Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing

I thought this was a very good story. It had quite a few twists and turns. I was shocked about the outcome of the twins. I would have like to have known if Adah and Raphael got together.

[Chantelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting tale, if slightly long-winded, and definitely one too many characters. To be honest I worked out what had happened long before it finished. Very well written, but not one I would return to in a hurry.

[Toni Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Mystery

Enjoyed the book about Arab and her position as a Searcher. Kept me guessing until the end. Tessa should be very proud and I'm sure she is, of her great=great=great grandmother.

[Colleen Grier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and important historical place of women as detectives and forensics experts. The tragic kidnap and loss of a child held my interest as a true crime against parents and how older laws were not in place.great quick read, strong characters.

[Philip Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring as batshit

I painstakingly got to 39% of the book but couldn't go any further. It was too painful.
Oh so boring and slow.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing mystery with little pieces not quite solved. Loved the writing style.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the story interesting and the characters came to life. Recommend for people who enjoy historical stories.

[Ms JPF Usher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off really well interesting plot with twists then... just ran out of steam. Left me confused why introduce plots when there is no explanation. Very disappointed.

[Bonnye Reed]

pub date March 31, 2021
Joffe Books gift

[Mrs Susan Nunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book which gave an insight to the 1800s.
However quite a few loose ends.
Would recommend this 7/10

[Dorothy Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something different

I usually read more modern crime mysteries but enjoyed this wander back in time. A well researched historical crime with a different twist.

[Kath Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

History
This story is an interesting history of early eighteen hundreds. Was child-stealing only made a criminal act at this time?

[F M Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and enjoyable read

Given the basis of a true mystery, I found this hard to put down. Highly recommended, thoughtful author. I will look for more.

[Kathryn Spurgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling

I love a story based on true facts gleaned from the past. This one weaves a tales that is hard to put down.

[Yuki H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always intrigued with the one based on true story. Although this is mainly created with imagination, it provides vivid sceneries of London at that time that stimulates my imagination (like Kazuo Ishiguro does to me). I always like the style/structure of alternating chapters of different characters in order (e.g. the child, Adah and others) but I have to admit that I had a bit of hard time following the timeline, keeping to check what event had happened in order, but that is probably just me, who is not a native English speaker. The author, being a professional historian of East Asia, did an impressive job writing a novel like this.

[Diane Harold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, that was bought for me as a Christmas present. Great descriptive writing of Victorian London..... I didn’t know about the job of Searcher (so have learnt something!) and the inclusion of Elizabeth Fry and East Ham was an added bonus. I was in Elizabeth Fry house at junior school and she was buried in the Quaker graveyard across the road from the school!!! It doesn’t have great characters and it not a wonderful thriller but just a very enjoyable and informative read....

[rosie mccrindle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting characters and style of writing,

Engaging, entertaining,would recommend . Good mixture of fable and fiction, an enjoyable tale from start to finish. Definitely worth reading.

[Helen A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different

Not the usual plot nor conclusion, it was an interesting tale. The characters were a curious mix of personalities and circumstances.