Thank you to Netgalley and Allison and Busby for the review copy.
Synopsis:
Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are a team of private detectives. He a former detective inspector with Scotland Yard who works as a private enquirer now and she an archaeologist. In the London of 1894, they are investigating – as the title suggests – a murder, at the British Museum.
Sir Jasper Stone, the museum director, hires them to investigate the murder of one Professor Lance Pickering. A murder which occurred on the premises of the museum is a threat to its reputation.
Review:
The casual manner of acquaintanceship of here and now makes us forget about the formality of the yore. There is so much respect, even while rebuking someone. It is after a long time that I'm reading fiction set in that era and it is making me nostalgic for things that I didn't even experience. And, ironically, I'm reading an e-copy of this book! It is, after all, a good old murder mystery with the old-fashioned charm of solving crimes. Following the murder, threats are received, detective work is carried out with a fair amount of guesswork, leads are followed, proofs are gathered, etc. etc. etc.
Jim Eldridge has spun a tale of mystery which kept me guessing till the very end as to the identity of the murderer. He has built up the entire story meticulously, linking several aspects of the case and thereby reaching the conclusion. It was fun reading this one!
There is a myriad of characters but never does it overwhelm the story in any way. Rather, they complement each other and fit in perfectly. I especially loved the substance given by the author to the character of Abigail. She holds her own, and considering it is the year 1894 it may not have been easy to write such a character! A murder means that along with the private detectives there will be the police as well - the Scotland Yard. And it also means that there will be the usual tussle between the authority and the private detectives! There are a number of suspects to be investigated and some history lessons too (it is a museum, after all).
The romantic angle, which is quite modern for 1890s sensibilities, fits into the story beautifully. I believe it is the only connection from the first book – Murder at the Fitzwilliam. The domesticity that is shown, albeit briefly, is amusing. This book makes me want to watch the fictional Arthur's fictional TV Series – Merlin – the one starring Bradley James as King Arthur. This story is a classic whodunit which you will want to read again and again.