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The Northminster Mysteries #1-3

The Northminster Mysteries Books 1-3

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The first three volumes of the acclaimed Northminster Mysteries.
Northminster, 1840: a once-picturesque cathedral city, where dirty smoke stacks now rival ancient spires. Here, young Scottish surgeon Felix Carswell and Chief Constable Major Giles Vernon are tasked to uncover the truth in three complex tales of murder and detection set in Early Victorian England.
The Butchered Man
When workmen make the shocking discovery of a mutilated corpse in a ditch outside the ancient walls, Giles Vernon and Felix Carswell are charged with solving the case.
Intelligent and practical, Chief Constable Major Vernon has transformed the old city watch into a modern police force, and he throws himself into the investigation with the same energy. But as he probes a murky world of professional gamblers and jilted lovers, he is drawn into a dangerous emotional game that threatens to undermine his authority.
Newly-qualified police surgeon Felix Carswell is determined to make his way in the world on his own terms despite being the bastard son of prominent local grandee Lord Rothborough. Called to treat a girl in an asylum for reformed prostitutes, what he uncovers there brings him into conflict with his new employer, Vernon, and throws the case into disarray.
Together they must overcome their differences and find the brutal truth behind the mystery of The Butchered Man.
The Dead Songbird
“Death is too good for a whore like you. But He may show you mercy yet. BE PREPARED”
Celebrated singer Anna Morgan has come to Northminster to escape a troubled past and sing at the city’s Handel Festival. But when she continues to receive the poisonous letters that have been plaguing her, she turns to Chief Constable Major Giles Vernon and Police Surgeon Felix Carswell to find her persecutor, drawing the two men into her charismatic orbit.
At the same time a talented young tenor is found dead in curious circumstances in a locked chapel, and the hunt for a murderer is on. Together, Vernon and Carswell must untangle the web of secrets that surround the dead man, uncovering a Northminster that throbs with clandestine passions and thwarted desires, a world of illegal pornographic books and risqué theatricals.
The Shadowcutter
Police surgeon Felix Carswell has joined Major Giles Vernon and his convalescent wife, Laura, for a few days in the elegant spa town of Stanegate – it’s a welcome holiday from the summer stench of Northminster. But no sooner has he arrived than a Spanish colonial gentleman, dying of consumption, requires his urgent care, while Major Vernon is called away to Lord Rothborough’s country house, where a lady’s maid has been found drowned in a secluded pool.
Major Vernon investigates above and below stairs in the great house, assisted by Lord Rothborough’s eldest daughter, Lady Charlotte. When a quantity of valuable jewellery is found missing, the cause of the dead maid’s death only becomes more mysterious.
Meanwhile, when his patient dies in his arms after confiding a secret, Carswell is drawn into baffling intrigues involving the government-in-exile of the dead man’s homeland, the Caribbean island of Santa Magdalena.

988 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 8, 2018

2156 people are currently reading
868 people want to read

About the author

Harriet Smart

44 books130 followers

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5 stars
778 (52%)
4 stars
491 (32%)
3 stars
179 (12%)
2 stars
31 (2%)
1 star
12 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
Profile Image for Betsy.
1,123 reviews144 followers
May 10, 2019
Not too bad, but there was too much 'romance' for my taste. There are 3 stories, but the last one is a bit better than the others. You need to read them in order to understand what is going on. The stories would have been better if they were shorter too. They seemed to drag at times.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews130 followers
Want to read
July 16, 2019
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/16/2019)! 🎁
100 reviews
April 14, 2019
Was disappointed

It seemed to be written well but is not something I want in my home! Language is a problem for me and I can't believe men are as animalistic as portrayed in these stories. So sad. It sounded promising but didn't pan out for me.
Profile Image for T.A. Burke.
1,054 reviews24 followers
February 9, 2023
The author has the most extraordinary skill at making real-life drama be the melodrama driving the plot. It's hard to explain -- usually the plot twists and turns either follow tropes or describe somebody too stupid to live.

But here, these are real-people stuff they're doing -- stuff you'd be annoyed at your sibling doing, or expect your friend doing, and so forth.

It makes it engrossing and very fresh.
Profile Image for Konnie Maskell.
259 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2019
The series was adequate for me to finish the first three books but I will not continue. I am impatient with the two men featured as police investigators. The author has them spending way too much time wringing their hands over women and not enough over their jobs. And she figuratively chops the heads off all the people they love. Ughhh!
2 reviews
April 24, 2019
Looking for love in all the wrong places. Yikes! These two man characters are a couple of dogs!
When not thinking of the crime, they are thinking of how to get into, and under the ladies
skirts. The crimes, and resolution are easy to figure out. Very descriptive forensic evidence.
I would rate the book an R. For the sex, and descriptions. I think these guys have more angst
than the ladies. Even considering the time and place of the events. We all have to remember
what time period this is taking place in. I might consider the rest of the series, if they were
free! HA! What happened to the kitten?
155 reviews1 follower
April 1, 2024
Excellent

Just when you think you have solved the mystery another twist in the plot unwinds. An interesting view of the lives of the various social classes in 1840. Very engaging in many fronts
Profile Image for Carol.
383 reviews
July 1, 2025
Did not read the third book in the series. Though the writing, character development and historical setting were all good, I was finally overpowered by the sexual degradation constantly brought up in the first two books. Can’t take any more and despite the similarities to Arthur Conan Doyle, abandoned it as I have no wish to imbibe more filth. Take the awful parts out and I give the stories a 4 star!
Profile Image for Julia Bell.
Author 13 books212 followers
October 2, 2020
I'm giving five stars for The Northminster Mysteries since it was good value for money as a box set and I enjoyed the stories.
I became very fond of Felix the doctor and Major Giles Vernon the police detective who solved the crimes committed in the three stories. I can't say which stories I enjoyed the most, since all were intriguing and kept me turning the pages.
There were a few typos but nothing drastic although I smiled that in the last story Felix told the relatives of a patient he had died in the afternoon, then the morning and finally at night. I'm not sure if any other readers would have noticed, but it's a shame a proofreader didn't pick up on that.
I wondered at the techniques used by Giles Vernon. Sometimes they seemed a little too modern, especially 'interviewing' a suspect. I do believe this has only happened in the last thirty years and it would be an 'interrogation' that took place in Victorian times. I'm also not sure if Giles would have been in company of ladies wearing just his nightclothes.
But the strength of the characters came through and the many people populating the mysteries were well-drawn.
I particularly liked the fact Giles and Felix were portrayed as flesh and blood men with their own weaknesses and not paragons of virtue.
A very interesting read and I can recommend The Northminster Mysteries for anyone who likes reading crime in a historical setting.
Profile Image for Mya.
1,031 reviews16 followers
May 13, 2023
Average of 3.5 across the three books

1. The Butchered Man
================
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It took me a while to get into this. I had zero context when I started the book but was hopeful it had something to do with solving crimes 😂 Initially the switching between first names and surnames had me a bit confused, however, I did eventually get my ducks in a row. There was a crime to solve (thankfully) and I enjoyed how it played out. I plan to continue with the series.

2. The Dead Songbird
=================
⭐️⭐️⭐️½ stars
I quite enjoy these period murder mysteries. They are written in a very "old school" style.

3. The Shadowcutter
=================
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Still enjoyable and so far I've enjoyed the criminal element in all these stories. The characters have grown on me too, although I still sometimes get confused when they switch between using their first names and surnames. There was more of an "unrequited love" spin in this one, which was a little less to my taste. Also, some of the "coincidences" relating to Felix's family history were perhaps a little unrealistic. Will definitely continue with the series should the next book cross my path: unfortunately book 3 marks the end of the Kindle box set I own.
Profile Image for Debbie.
3,629 reviews86 followers
February 19, 2024
Mystery set in 1840 in England. I only read the first book, but we started with a mutilated male corpse with his gentiles cut off. Big clue right there, but the detective and surgeon point-of-view characters rather overlook it. However, most of the book focused on these two characters lusting after women (resulting in two graphic sex scenes), suspects who are constantly having sex, a homosexual who isn't as loyal as the partner, a woman who runs a reformatory for prostitutes who isn't exactly virtuous herself, etc. The prostitute who was dying dropped a big clue, which the surgeon failed to pass on or really think over, but it was pretty obvious what had happened and whodunit at that point. While the historical details created a nice sense of time and place, I didn't find the characters interesting and the mystery was pretty easy to solve (if you're not distracted by lust). There was some bad language.
Profile Image for Elaine Bidstrup.
204 reviews
January 19, 2023
While this box set of 3 mysteries is more than 1000 pages long, it is well worth it. All three take place in the (fictional) town of Northminster, England, in 1940, just two years after Queen Victoria was crowned. The main characters in all three books are Major Giles Vernon, chief of the constabulary of Northminster married to Laura Vernon, a convalescent and Felix Carswell, police surgeon to the constabulary and natural son of Lord Rothborough.
The first book,"The Butchered Man, tells of love between a minister and the daughter of a parson, but results in murder and an unwed pregnancy. The second, "The Dead Songbird" is a tale of brutal love, longing and a beautiful singer betrayed. The third is the "Shadowcutter" and involves a man who gives his sweethearts gifts he cannot afford.
Probably the most interesting thing to me was how Major Vernon and Mr. Carswell solve these murders (and there is at least one in each book) without even a magnifying glass!

20 reviews2 followers
April 7, 2019
Absolutely incredible!

New author for me but my new goal is to read everything she's ever written. Her style is perfect for mystery and suspense and even though she's writing about a time when society dictated proper etiquette and behavior, she still manages to convey such humanity into each character that I love them all. There have been many times when Felix has said it done things and I've thought, "oh Felix just grow up!" but then I realized, he is young, and that the author has woven such a perfect picture of him in my mind that he can annoy me but I still love his character. That's a gift in a writer. Can't wait to keep reading the series!
152 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2020
Entertaining detective work in historical UK

I really quite enjoyed these stories. Gave them a go because I’ve always loved the Sherlock Holmes kind of detective story from times before modern forensics. They didn’t let me down. I found the stories interesting and with enough twist to keep me guessing and occasionally smiling. I enjoyed the characters and it was worthwhile reading the first three stories in order one after the other to see them develop. It’s interesting to visit the world as it was before our modern technology sometimes and, for me, this series was a lovely escape. I think I’ll read a few more in the series in the future.
474 reviews7 followers
September 1, 2021
Depressing

I suppose the time period has much to support a depressive era but the 2nd book just drags along. Book one was interesting but Felix and his sexual fantasies /daydreams weren't really necessary. He lost his virginity insome detail but who cares, it didn't lend anything to the story.

In book two, the beginning of the book starts out with the Felix sexual fantasy for tge young widowed cleaning lady.

I couldn't take any more so I quit reading in book two. I did like the chief constable. Most of the other characters fit well in the 1840 period

Maybe you will enjoy
1 review
May 31, 2024
These started off well with the introduction of the two main characters.

Nice setting, good description of the geographic area and the various characters believable.

Plots also have great potential.

However, all the ingredients for strong stories quickly became overshawdowed by the two male character's obessesions with sex.

As another reviewer put it, they were animalistic with their brains definitely in their pants, and the focus of their 'conquests' taking away from the solving of the cases. I would add that they were also rather juvenile, especially the doctor.

I have no care for either of the two charaters - by the end of the third book, I came to dislike them.
31 reviews
June 18, 2019
Intriguing

Harriet has done an impressive job of intertwining multiple storylines with the mystery aspects of each book and with the extended story of the main characters personal lives as they unfold throughout each book as well. The characters are real, flawed, intelligent and endearing in their own ways. The setting is obviously extremely well researched and believable. I’m hooked. She’s gotten me invested and I must find out what adventures and drama are to come next. Well done!
Profile Image for Miss J.
80 reviews
June 19, 2020
Book 3 The Shadowcutter.....Spoilers

Seemed very long winded this story as if the author suddenly felt that another 100 pages were needed. When actually they were not (may not have been 100 pages but it sure felt like that and more) for unnecessary loose 'threads' could have been tied off well before this point.

It's a real shame as well that a character is killed off so soon in the series, just was they were getting known.

So basically not a good as previous 2 novels as just felt so dragged out......
Profile Image for Barbara.
554 reviews
February 18, 2021
The first 2 books were nothing too interesting. I was able to figure out the murder much before the Investigators but maybe that was because they were so busy jumping into beds. And I thought the homosexual elements were overdone - 2 incidents in the same area within months of each other? I thought that was thoroughly unbelievable.
By the third book, the author seemed to get her story more connected and that one had some twists and surprises. Overall, though, I thought it took much too long for her to get it together.
Profile Image for Sue Ben-Dor.
158 reviews1 follower
April 14, 2019
More (not so) jolly old England

These three books were actually pretty good. My issue and I admit it is personal is that there was too much. Would that I had been able (see now I am doing it) to take them one at a time. Being very much an “all men are created equal” kind of gal all that class stuff gets to me quickly. I am however that the author wore stays as research. How long were you able to stand it?
173 reviews1 follower
May 31, 2019
Liked the three books, Very entertaining and I love those English times of yesterday, the way of life, the clothes, the food, all very well described. But, and there is always a but, the principal character of this series is a whinnying man with a full weight of "oh, poor me", and insecurities and social doubts on his shoulders. But, not all heroes can be Mr. Right or the Charming Prince. Will continue reading the series.
64 reviews
May 28, 2020
Great realistic account of the early Victorian Age.

This set of mysteries was a wonderful introduction to Ms Smart's works. I completely enjoyed the entire three volume set. Looking forward to more of her books....especially this series.
Her character development is very good and the mysteries make sense.
I recommend the Northminister Mysteries to anyone who may want to give in to a bit of "self indulgence". They are real page turners.
1,627 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2020
What a great set of mysteries that take place in the 1800's. This is the first I have read of this author and this series, three in all. Each one a bit different and builds on the previous story but could stand alone as well. The characters are complex and evolving as the stories play out. The characters at the end of the 3rd book are changed, but still recognizable as the people they were, just fuller and in come cases more mature.
219 reviews2 followers
August 14, 2023
Wonderful new series of mystery books

I love this new series of books by Harriet Smart. I love Giles and Felix and all the problems they face. All the problems they encounter in their personal lives and the difficulties they face in solving the murders they face as a police man (Giles) and a police surgeon (Felix). I can't wait to get the rest of the books. I highly recommend these books.
109 reviews1 follower
May 7, 2019
Well written.

I found his box set to be very well written and informative regarding the time it represented. The author obviously had done extensive research and brought the characters to life. There were many twists and turns that kept me reading late into the night. I will definitely read additional books in this series.
19 reviews
May 15, 2019
A hearty read set in a bygone era

I liked the open approach to the subject of sexual freedoms for the female characters. The males playing off the strengths provided them by the strong wills of the women, pulled them away from their inbred archaic beliefs onto the birm of modern thinking. I will continue reading with great anticipation this continuing saga.
Profile Image for E..
87 reviews1 follower
May 20, 2019
Enjoyable Victorian mysteries

In spite of some annoying editing issues, I did really enjoy these books . I will definitely consider reading more books by this author. If you like Victorian mysteries, then you should definitely give this series a try. I look forward to more adventures with Vernon and Carswell.
24 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2020
This historical murder mystery is well written and engaging. It depicts Victorian institutions and the class, religious and gender prejudices of the era. The characters personalities are well developed and you feel like you want to know how they act in the different situations they find themselves in.
27 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2020
Enjoyable Read

Even though it’s a little slow in places and occasionally a word seemed to be missing, I really enjoyed these books (I read the first three as a set). Once I got into the rhythm of her writing, I had a hard time putting it down. The main characters are a bit like Sherlock Holmes. They may not be for everyone, but I’m on to the next three.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews

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