Death at Hungerford Stairs

Charles Dickens & Superintendent Sam Jones #2

by J.C. Briggs

Charles Dickens turns detective yet again as he and Superintendent Jones of Bow Street pursue a brutal murderer

London, November 1849. When a boy is found drowned in the River Thames at Hungerford Stairs, novelist Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones of Bow Street are mystified to discover the child is not the missing youngster for whom they have been searching. But when two more boys are brutally murdered, the trail leads them on a hunt for a serial killer in a complicated case that tests their wits—but can they solve the clues and rescue another child before the murderer strikes again?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Historical Mystery

305 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2015

About the author

Jean Briggs taught English for many years in schools in Cheshire, Hong Kong and Lancashire. She now lives in a cottage in Cumbria, a non-metropolitan county in North West England.

Reviews

[Deborah Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

When young boys are killed in the dank fog of Victorian London, Charles Dickens immediately starts to investigate. All the atmosphere of a Dickens novel is here, complete with larger-than-life characters, insightful characterisation, and a fast-moving plot. But this is tightly-focused and the plot keeps the pages turning. Dickens' knowledge of character is what helps him to solve the crime - which is exactly as it should be. J C Briggs must know everything there is to know about Dickens, from his writing style to his childhood job in a blacking factory, as well as his considerable output of stories, which are affectionately referenced in this novel. Well-researched and well-written, with a wealth of period detail that puts you right in the thick of it, I don't know why this series is not better known. Excellent entertainment, and I'll be reading the rest.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Sapere Books for a review copy of Death at Hungerford Stairs, the second novel to feature Victorian author, Charles Dickens, as an investigator.

When Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones are hunting for a young boy, Scrap whom they befriended on their previous case, they are asked to identify the body of a young boy found in a building at the Hungerford Stairs. When another young boy’s body is found with the same chalk drawing of a masked man nearby they have little doubt that they are hunting a serial killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death at Hungerford Stairs which is a good mystery wrapped up in a wealth of historical detail. In fact, the novel is a tour de force on Victorian living conditions and the life and work of Charles Dickens. The squalor, dirt, poverty and desperation leap off the page and are heartbreaking and, to my comfortable modern mind, stomach turning. Definitely not the “good old days”. Equally the novel spends time on Dickens’ thought processes on how to continue with his serial novel David Copperfield and references to his previous novels. I don’t want to denigrate an excellent author but, never having read any of his work and being unfamiliar with the plots, these passages passed over my head and didn’t hold my attention.

I enjoyed the mystery of who the killer is and the motivation behind it although it’s a bit slow in unravelling and some of the connections seem a bit of a stretch in hindsight. Nevertheless it held my attention throughout. Much of this, I think, is down to Charles Dickens being an appealing protagonist. He seems progressive in his outlook towards social problems, how much of it is true to his views I can’t tell, but it seems realistic, but less so in his dealings with his wife and children where they often appear as encumbrances. He is also smart, caring and enthusiastic.

Death at Hungerford Stairs is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Charles Dickens remembered the rats.

Premise/plot: Death at Hungerford Stairs is the second novel in J.C. Briggs' mystery series starring Charles Dickens. Dickens is an amateur detective (of sorts) assisting the police--namely Superintendent Sam Jones. Dickens and Jones are on the hunt for a serial killer--someone is targeting young boys. Can these two figure out WHO and WHY? How many boys will have to die as they piece together all the clues and track down suspects?

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved the first book in the series The Murder of Patience Brooke. I loved the characterization and the writing. Did I love, love, love Death at Hungerford Stairs? Yes and no. No, I didn't love, love, love to the same degree. Yes, I still loved the characters and the writing. This one is "packed" with murders, but dare I say it's not an action-driven mystery novel?! I think this one is--for better or worse--a character-driven mystery novel. To me the mysteries are definitely secondary to the characters themselves. Because I have grown attached the characters--and many of the characters introduced in the first book are still around--I am attached to the book. I have to keep reading this series. I have to stay in touch with these characters. I want more, more, more.

[Mystica · Rating 5 out of 5]

London 1849 and surprisingly there seems to be two different cities in one. One is where the rich, the famous live. Bright,
sparkly, with all mod cons and a very comfortable lifestyle and then you get the slums and the alleys of dirt, death, every vice
possible and more. It is an eye opener and it is on this that Charles Dickens and Inspector Jones concentrate on.

Young boys start to go missing - three of them so far and a tiny puncture near their heart shows that the murderer knows what
he is doing. The boys are those working in the slums so the suspect could be anybody but when Dickens and Jones get on to the case
they start connecting the dots with the toffs, with a milliner who works for the aristocracy and then another picture is shown
but to get a conviction with solid evidence is proving to be more elusive.

Written with meticulous attention to detail the detective series is one of its kind. Vintage detection procedure, set against a
squalid background with very little resources available to the detectives this is a must read for lovers of history, for those that
like the detective genre and for those who would like to know a bit more about Charles Dickens himself.

Highly recommended.

Download from Amazon. Thank you.

[Ilene Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Death at Hungerford Stairs”. It is 1849 and in this sequel to the “The Murder Of Patience Brooke” we find that Charles Dickens and his police friend Supt. Sam James are searching for a missing boy Scrap who often helps them with odd jobs. Word reaches them that the corpse of a child has been found in an abandoned factory where Dickens worked as a youth. They learn that the body is not Scrap, and that he appears murdered. Then two more bodies show up and they now know that they are dealing with a serial killer. What I love about this series is all the colorful characters and Victorian England settings they come in contact with.

[Heatherinblack · Rating 5 out of 5]

infinitely complicated

so many random stories added in. there seemed no direction and yet the descriptions of typical days of the time were fascinating. but why? more pages? will these characters return? pretty good mystery but i enjoyed the atmosphere more.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, wow! This author certainly knows his Dickens! I really enjoyed all the historical details, the writing, the characters...

The plot is tight, and the suspense will keep you turning page after page. I can't recommend this book enough and I will read the rest of this series, no doubt about it.

[Jennifer Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the series by JC Briggs with Charles Dickens (yes, that one) as the protagonist. In Death at Hungerford Stairs, Dickens and his friend, police superintendent Sam Jones, are searching for Scrap, a missing friend of theirs who lives on the streets. The body that’s discovered in the old blacking factory at Hungerford Stairs isn’t the boy they were searching for, but a stranger — and he’s been murdered. Later, another dead boy appears, killed in the same manner, and the chase is on to find the killer — and save Scrap.

I enjoyed this book very much, just as I did the first in the series, though I have to say the weaknesses are the same. On the plus side, I really loved the insight into Victorian London and the way the squalor of its poorer quarter sits side-by-side with (but overlooked by) areas of extreme wealth and opulence. Again, I think the author’s scene-setting is exceptional and felt that I was walking through London of the 1850s.

Like Dickens himself, Briggs seems to separate the minor characters, who are pretty much caricatures, from the major ones. Dickens, Sam Jones, Jones’s wife and some others feel very real, people with feelings and emotions and complex back stories (though we see a little less of them than we did in the first book, which is a bit of a shame).

The minor caricatures are all faintly comic, identifiable by street speech, odd appearance and strange names— Occy Graves, Zeb Scruggs and so on. They have back stories, too, but the telling of them, often in story form in the dialogue, doesn’t allow us the same kind of insight that we do when we’re allowed to live lives with them, as we are with Dickens and with Jones. The downside is that I couldn’t connect with them in the same way, and that was a pity because (no spoilers) even at the moment of highest drama, I was left largely unmoved by the fate of the characters involved.

I enjoyed the plot, too, though it was perhaps a little bit slender and didn’t really involve a huge amount of detecting. But it had a satisfactory ending and one which I didn’t guess.

I’d definitely read more by the same author, and this gets a solid four stars. But much as I love the description I do think less is more and I’d have sacrificed some of it for a little more plot and some deeper characterisation.

The things I don’t really like about this book are the things I don’t really like about Dickens’ works, which is something I hope the author will take as a compliment. Fans of the great man will love it, I suspect.

Thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Mayten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to appreciate Death at Hungerford Stairs more than I did. The prose, after all, is redolent of Victorian writing but with a more modern conciseness. The focus on the dark underbelly of the times is compassionate and — one might suggest — relevant to current days. The characters tend toward Dickensian grotesques but are, therefore, more memorable. And it was certainly well researched.
So what was my problem?
At one point Superintendent Jones says they need evidence. YET the whole story is about them chasing a single character from Paris to Liverpool (almost) with minimal connection to the murders, mostly because of Dickens’ intuition. There were a couple of “red-herrings” but they were quickly dispensed with (sometimes quite literally.) It makes for a good story, but not much of a mystery.
I was stopped by one short paragraph about a stormy night that brings up the infamous first sentence: “It was a dark and stormy night.” Dickens remembers “…the opening line of Paul Clifford, his friend Bulwer-Lytton’s novel of 1830.” Fine, except Bulwer-Lytton’s next line is: “…the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets…” The authors? “…the rain was falling now in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which seemed to bustle them…” I wouldn’t call it plagiarism, but it made me wonder what else was snipped from Victorian authors. (I admit I don’t know enough about the period to be the judge.)
The little addition of “novel of 1830” illustrates my second nitpick. Too often it reads like a biography; the well-researched slipping into pedantic. Take, for example: “Dickens thought of the death of his sister Fanny in 1848 and her little crippled son who had died so soon after his mother.” Since there are multiple references to his writing David Copperfield during the events in this novel, it must be 1849 to 1850. Wouldn’t have been more natural for him to say “last year” or “recent death”? Or don’t reference it at all.
In addition, we are subjected to multiple lists of streets to indicate their route: "…took them on to Oxford Street then to the Uxbridge Road and on to Shepherd’s Bush." Who cares? It reads too much like someone copying off research index cards, in the days when people used index cards.
Yet I still recommend it. It reads well. It’s interesting. And it’s hands above so many murder novels.

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the second of the series, Dickens joins forces once again with Superintendent Sam Jones, this time to try to track down Scrap, the street boy who was such a character in the first volume. Scrap has disappeared and so has Poll, the beloved pet of the Brim family who Scrap guards against the perils of the times. They believe he has gone in search of the dog, which has probably been stolen - a big problem in Dickens' time - and fear he may have fallen into danger.

As the tale opens, Dickens and Jones are called to a derelict blacking factory near the Hungerford Stairs. The place holds old dread for Dickens who worked there as a boy after his father went to debtor's prison, an experience which haunts him and has had much to do with the forming of his character. A boy has been found dead there. They are relieved that it is not Scrap, but before long it becomes clear that the boy was murdered and more victims come to light, bringing tragedy for a bereft mother.

The setting of London during the period is vividly evoked with the squalor, smells and filth, the poverty and misery - and only a few hundred yards away in some cases the splendour and wealth of the privileged classes and of Bond Street shops. What I really enjoyed with this book and the first was the way Dickens is brought to life with his kindness, his ability to relate to others including women, the poor and the traumatised, and his secret depression and sense of unworthiness. I know that after the period depicted, Dickens separated from his wife and is generally reckoned to have acted with great unkindness, but in this the author drops a few hints that maybe the problem arose because of her mental issues and increasing tendency to become a recluse whereas Dickens craved and needed company and cheer to keep his own demons at bay.

One slight distraction is that the author frequently referred to the two men as 'Dickens and Jones' which reminded me of the long-lived but now closed down Dickins and Jones department store! I did work out who the murderer must be quite early on, but it is still a good twist and I enjoyed the story so much overall that I won't deduct a star for that. So a full five star rating from me.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The smell everywhere was of rotting sewage, decaying food, and filthy humanity.’

London,1849. A boy is found dead in the River Thames at Hungerford Stairs. Young Scrap has gone missing and novelist Charles Dickens and Superintendent Same Jones of Bow Street have been searching for him. Dickens and Jones are relieved that the dead boy is not Scrap, but who is he and why was he killed? And where is Scrap? He might have gone looking for Poll, a little dog who belongs to his friends the Brim family. Both Scrap and Poll are missing.

Dickens and Jones continue looking for Scrap, and for Poll. Their search takes them into danger in the poverty-stricken slum backstreets of London. The bodies of two more boys are discovered. There’s an image, a sketch of a mask found near each of the corpses. It must be significant, but what does it mean?

‘Secrets. Behind every murder there were secrets.’

The search for Scrap and Poll becomes the search for a serial killer. Can Dickens and Jones find the killer before more boys are killed?

This is a fast-moving story, with well-developed characters and with more than a few twists.
This is the second book in Ms Briggs’s Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones series. While the murder mystery at the heart of this novel does stand alone, I strongly recommend reading the series in order. Several of the characters appear in both books, and Ms Briggs has paid a lot of attention to backstory, character development and setting. I enjoyed this novel as much as the first and am now looking forward to reading the third novel in the series. I loved the descriptions of Victorian London (I could almost feel the dank fog and smell the decay). I liked the way Ms Briggs introduces fact into her narrative, and her depiction of Charles Dickens as both man and author.

Highly recommended.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can they find the killer before it is too late? Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones make a good team and they stop at nothing to find the answers that they need. They have both been looking for a young boy & his dog and now that a body has been found that are scared that it is him. It isn't but who is the young boy will they ever find out as they are so many children that are suffering in these times. The case takes a bad turn when they find out that they young boy has been killed now they are hunting a killer. Can they find this person before more children are killed? Their young friend Scrap was able to find his way back home with his dog who had been stolen to be used as bait. They both can breathe easier now that he is safe.
Now they can use his help as he is able to find out information from the streets as another young boy has been found and the boy's mother has given up all hope as he was all that she had left and they know that there is nothing that they can do for her but to find the killer. There are many suspects and they will need to travel all over the country looking for clues. But will they lead them to the killer?
Charles is many things a caring father, a loyal friend that will do anything to help others and a writer who keeps others entertained with his stories of David Copperfield. Sam is a man that is trying to look after his wife who is still trying to move on from the death of their child. He is a good leader and a loyal friend.
A great read keeps you turning the pages to see what they will be doing next. The characters all fit perfectly in the book as they all play a part in finding the killer. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

[Amanda Hupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, J.C. Briggs takes us back to the dark streets of London in Death at Hungerford Stairs. This is the second book in the Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones mystery series. This time, Charles Dickens finds himself at a workhouse he knew as a boy. He is haunted by the memories that it left him but they discover a small boy murdered. This is just the first murder in a series of murders of small boys. Who is responsible? Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones are left with very little evidence that takes them through the darkest depths of London.

For the most part, this book can be read as a standalone book. However, there are a few details and storylines that continue from the first book. I highly suggest reading the first book in the series before this book. I feel that these books are not the average mystery. The twists and turns keep coming and the clues are not obvious which makes it more interesting to solve the mystery while reading. This story is also extremely dark. Every time I pick up this book I envision a dark, foggy, dangerous Victorian London. The author truly excels with this aesthetic.

There are so many characters in this story. Sometimes it is difficult to keep track of them all throughout all the investigating and interrogations. The street talk and accents while they add great detail and realism to the story can be quite difficult to read. Although, it is the details that make this story so wonderful. I love how the author portrays Charles Dickens. Both his frustrations with his wife and his concern for the poor. Overall I rate this story 4 out 5 stars.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the body of a young boy is found at Hungerford Stairs close to the River Thames, Charles Dickens is relieved to find that is not the missing child he has been searching for. Presumed drowned, Superintendent Jones of Bow Street soon has a murder case on his hands when a different cause of death is discovered. After more bodies are found, the detective’s worst fears are realised – they have a serial killer on their hands.

Death at Hungerford Stairs is the second book to feature the author Charles Dickens as one of the main characters, the first being The Murder of Patience Brooke. In the previous book, I was particularly impressed with how the author managed to paint a vivid picture of early-Victorian London, especially the more downtrodden areas. This has continued in the second book, making you feel that you are actually walking the London streets.

I like, again, how the author has merged fact with fiction, with true aspects of Dickens’ life providing an air of authenticity to the plot. Dickens is written as a generous man, keen to help the underprivileged and the down at heel, the references to his early life possibly providing a reason for his benevolence. There is a rich supporting cast, providing some tragic as well as some humorous moments.

The hunt for a child killer could be a difficult subject matter, but the author handles it in an informative yet sensitive way, culminating in a very different motive and culprit to most books of this genre. Although there were a few hints dropped throughout the book, the ending was still a surprise – a clever one at that.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[Michael Bully · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this novel soon after finishing the first book in the series 'The Murder of Patience Brook' , which I enjoyed. At first I was a bit concerned as similar themes were being explored : The nightmare world of London with it brutal and grinding poverty, the idea that Charles Dickens would become a sidekick to police officer tackling some of the worst possible crimes, interspersed with reference to his own early life and his novels. As murders to start unfold there seemed enough twists and turns, red herrings, etc to make this novel have its own tale. One or two figures seem to have escaped from a fantasy horror novel, reminiscent of supernatural characters such as Spring Heeled Jack who appeared later in the Victoria age. It was a good literary device to have Dickens and Jones have a couple of jaunts to Brighton and one to Paris.
Ultimately this novel works well and recommend it. Will read the next one ....and hope that the series doesn't become too formulaic.

[Avis Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very engaging about a serial killer on the loose in the mid 1800’s in London.
Novelist Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones of Bow Street are mystified when a boy is found drowned in the River Thames at Hungerford Stairs. What really baffles them is that is boy isn’t the one they were initially looking for.
As they look deeper into London’s poverty - stricken backstreets, they come across two more bodies!
Charles is terrified that someone close to him may be one of the victims and that a serial killer is on the loose. The murderer has been leaving a strange image of a mask sketched next to the bodies and may be leaving a trail for the detectives to follow.
Once you start reading this book, it’s hard to put down. And if you enjoy murder mysteries, this is for you!
Recommend this book highly!! 😉👍🏻

[Melanie Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting Victorian details within the book and a fairly straightforward murder mystery. I picked up the book because it’s by a local author and I am passionate about Dickens, but apart from a few resonances in the text and a few references to Dickens social conscience, it didn’t deliver enough to tie in to our greatest living author. At times the scenes and characters were a little sketchy and the book felt a little two dimensional because of this. Whilst the typical coincidental links favoured by Dickens were also prominent in this book, it is much harder for the modern reader to accept them without the rich layering of language and imagery that Dickens provides to create sumptuous literary tapestries. A little light on detail for me.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

I didn’t read the first in this series but I may go back and pick it up. I enjoyed this book so very much. Being set in the 1800’s the story has a bit of Sherlock Holmes on the streets of Dicken’s Village.

The story keeps you on the edge of your seat and meeting Superintendent Sam and Charles Dickens as investigators was just delightful.

You need to be a fan of OLD English lit. If you aren’t a fan of the storylines of Holmes, Jack the Ripper and the like you won’t want to read this… Or maybe reading this will take you back to trying the classics.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Charles Dickens murder mystery that uses the famous writer as a character in the story. The author adds facts that were part of the actual life of Dickens with fiction to weave together a story of a serial killer on the loose in London. Nothing is spookier than London in the fog and this story has giants, fog, sinister villains and wonderfully drawn heroes. At times characters from the pages of Dickens novels become part of the story and yet the telling seems seamless. I will hunt another book by this author because the characters are so human and likable that I want to know what is happening in their lives. I want them for my friends also. This was a good read.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story involves the discovery of the body of a young mudlark in a place Charles Dickens would rather never see again. The killings continue but there are side issues to the main story which are equally grim and heart-wrenching.
Few clues are left at the scene and Dickens and Jones cannot work out a reason for the crime let alone who did it.
This is a story of Victorian London with its dark dangerous alleyways where the poor scrape a living whatever way they can. It is not a fast moving story but something, often nothing to do with the investigation, is always moving on a pace.
These are fascinating stories and it is interesting the dynamics between Jones and Dickens who can almost read each other’s thoughts. There are recurring background characters and it’s nice to see how they grow.
A little bit slower moving than the first but a good read nonetheless.

[Artemis Westenberg]

A very good book that rings true where the portraying of Charles Dickens and Historical London is concerned. Of course, there is some writer's license as there should be. I enjoyed it tremendously and intend to reread Dickens' books to find the lines that are quoted throughout the story.
The characters are portrayed and feel like real human beings, with doubts, quirks, and depth as I would hope a good writer (this one is) uses.
I read the book almost in one go (within 24 hours) and started on the next one and the next one. I intend to read the whole series of 5 books this week. I enjoy it tremendously.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In London 1849 while looking for their young friend Scrap, Superintendent Jones and Charles Dickens are called to an old abandoned lacking factory where a body of a young boy had been found. Thankfully not Scrap, but the discovery that the boy had been murdered leads them to investigate. But this will not be the last body.
A well-written story with a lot of historical detail with some very likeable characters make up an enjoyable and interesting read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate reading about murdered children and I think that serial killers are the very worst scum, yet I could not put this book down because it was so well written! The publisher's blurb is a warning teaser, and others have summarized the plot so I won't go there, but the characters are so clearly described and brought to life that the reader needs to know the redeeming factors of the story before going in. Enjoy is not a word that comes to mind about this read, but appreciate certainly is!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Saperebooks.

[Charlotte Pawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones of Bow Street return to the streets of London. Opium dens where people tried to escape their life. Slums where people lived down dark alleyways in hovels life was hard and family was all that kept you going. Someone is killing young boys lost to their mothers. Dickens and Jones follow the trail from Paris to Brighton to solve this difficult case. Was a toff involved? This book takes you into a dark world but still has uplifting times of light.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the first book in this series and I loved this one.
It's a very good historical mystery, well written and well researched.
The characters are well written and the historical background is detailed and interesting.
It was an engaging and entertaining read with a well devised plot and a good mystery.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC

[Laura Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having enjoyed reading the first book in this series, I was looking forward to reading this one, the second in the series. I wasn't disappointed. Again the author managed to brilliantly evoke the atmosphere of Victorian London. The story was engaging from the beginning and was full of wonderfully depicted characters. I particularly enjoyed the references to Dicken's novels and the inclusion of events that happened in Dicken's life. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

[Aviar Savijon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at Hungerford

If you can get past the unrelentingly over use of the name of a famous author. In the first few chapters, you will find a great and unmatchable murders investigation. A mystery not to be missed. The deep level of detail of the time in which it was taken well to add the the story, the inferno that took Mrs Moon, the old sick man and Tilly is etched into my memory forever. I loved it. Get this book!!!!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo!

This author is amazing! Descriptive writing reminiscent of Dickens himself. Crazy good mystery. Red herrings, side stories, emotional roller-coaster & the sad reality of the London slums. If you like Dickens, you will want to read this series! I suggest beginning with The Death of Patience Brooks, as there is carry over of characters & development. A "do not miss" series! Highly recommended.

[Mrs. A.A. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Dickens investigates

Another exciting story from the pen of J. C. Briggs. Scrap , Dickens' little assistant has disappeared and while searching for him the body of a young boy is found. This leads to an investigation which reveals the underlying inequalities of Dickensian London. Briggs writes with empathy and the characters draw you in to their lives. A real joy to read.

[Cammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m getting into the style of reading this book. I feel like so much happens that at times I have lost track of the characters. The French hat lady. Her son had drowned and she wanted to help other young boys but they turned on her and so she had killed them with a stab to the heart with a hat pin. I need to pay attention to the clues. It’s was about disguises and dressing as a man, because they have more freedom to do as they please. I am determined to solve the next mystery.