What do you think?
Rate this book
Simon Pearce Mysteries #1
A Study in Spectres
Simon Pearce is a copper with a secret….Victorian London is a dangerous place — for a gay man, even more so. And for a gifted copper working his way up the greasy career ladder of Scotland Yard, it’s a perilous position indeed. Two short tales of mystery and suspense!
Constable Pearce keeps his head down, his eyes open, and his private life private.
Constable Pearce keeps his head down, his eyes open, and his private life private.
93 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2019
19 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Jess Faraday
30 books113 followersJess Faraday is the author of the award-winning Ira Adler historical mysteries, the standalone steampunk adventure The Left Hand of Justice and a number of historical adventures in short story and novella form.
Her novella, The Strange Case of the Big Sur Benefactor, won a Rainbow Award for Lesbian Historical. Fool's Gold won a Rainbow Award for Best Gay Historical, and was a runner-up for Best Gay Novel. Turnbull House was a runner-up for Best Gay Historical, and The Affair of the Porcelain Dog was both a Lambda Awards finalist, and won Honorable Mention for Best Novel of the Year from Speak Its Name.
She has edited several award-winning short story collections for Elm Books, including Death and a Cup of Tea (one of Foreword Review's top Indie mysteries of 2015), Undeath and the Detective (Finalist for a Silver Falchion Award for Best Multi-Author Anthology), and Fae Love, which won an Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Award.
You can read more about Jess and her books at http://www.jessfaraday.com
Her novella, The Strange Case of the Big Sur Benefactor, won a Rainbow Award for Lesbian Historical. Fool's Gold won a Rainbow Award for Best Gay Historical, and was a runner-up for Best Gay Novel. Turnbull House was a runner-up for Best Gay Historical, and The Affair of the Porcelain Dog was both a Lambda Awards finalist, and won Honorable Mention for Best Novel of the Year from Speak Its Name.
She has edited several award-winning short story collections for Elm Books, including Death and a Cup of Tea (one of Foreword Review's top Indie mysteries of 2015), Undeath and the Detective (Finalist for a Silver Falchion Award for Best Multi-Author Anthology), and Fae Love, which won an Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Award.
You can read more about Jess and her books at http://www.jessfaraday.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 9, 2019
Two short stories comprise this short volume, each documenting a mystery investigated by Constable Simon Pearce of Scotland Yard, circa 1887. It looks as though the series continues with a similar structure.
A heads-up for those looking for Romance™ -- this is historical fiction + mystery with a gay MC, so don't go in expecting a love interest and an HEA in the first book of the series. I consider that a plus, and in fact it's what convinced me to give it a try. YMMV.
Simon Pearce is devoted to his career, and considers himself fortunate to have risen from abject poverty to his current position. His longing for justice for the powerless puts him occasionally at odds with the powers-that-be, but he's clever and adaptable and knows not to push his luck too far. As a man with socially-unacceptable desires, he believes life will never offer him an opportunity for love or companionship. But the reader can see his yearning peeking through:
I'm open to reading further: the stories were interesting enough, the MC engaging enough, the writing good enough. In other words, I wasn't wowed, but neither was I disappointed. Even over the course of two stories I could see Pearce evolve in response to his experiences, which bodes well for future installments. If the rest of the series is simply more-of-same I would be disappointed, but it looks like it has the potential to deepen as it goes along.
A heads-up for those looking for Romance™ -- this is historical fiction + mystery with a gay MC, so don't go in expecting a love interest and an HEA in the first book of the series. I consider that a plus, and in fact it's what convinced me to give it a try. YMMV.
Simon Pearce is devoted to his career, and considers himself fortunate to have risen from abject poverty to his current position. His longing for justice for the powerless puts him occasionally at odds with the powers-that-be, but he's clever and adaptable and knows not to push his luck too far. As a man with socially-unacceptable desires, he believes life will never offer him an opportunity for love or companionship. But the reader can see his yearning peeking through:
One hears, of course, about 'friends' taking rooms together, sometimes for a lifetime, and wonders.
I'm open to reading further: the stories were interesting enough, the MC engaging enough, the writing good enough. In other words, I wasn't wowed, but neither was I disappointed. Even over the course of two stories I could see Pearce evolve in response to his experiences, which bodes well for future installments. If the rest of the series is simply more-of-same I would be disappointed, but it looks like it has the potential to deepen as it goes along.
November 12, 2019
This book contains the first 2 of 8 short stories that make up the arc for Simon Pearce, a Constable in Scotland Yard in the 1880s. Simon is a modern man, with a bent for science and evidence, and a disdain for superstition. He's also a gay man, although he has to hide that deeply, in this era when it's enough to get a man sent to prison, just on the suspicion.
In this volume, Simon tackles two cases, both of which challenge his ability to think logically and pursue evidence. He's hampered by the laziness and greed of his superiors and some fellow coppers, many of whom want to close cases as easily as possible, without regard to the actual facts. The actual mysteries are fairly simple, but presented with a feel for the era, a wry humor, and a sense of a man ahead of his times, trying to do a better job than circumstances allow.
The series does develop romance, and eventually an HEA, at the end of 4 volumes, but this one has just the smallest beginning to that arc. Simon thinks occasionally about hearing of two men who live together, in a hidden long-term relationship. But his only experiences have been rapid and dangerous fumbles with anonymous partners, usually paid for their trouble, in the dark streets of London. Meeting someone he actually would want to talk to as well as sleep with will take a sea-change in how he sees his life.
I enjoyed this series, although I think you do need the full set to feel satisfied with where Simon ends up. The historical detail felt vivid and well-researched, and I came to really like Simon. Recommended for readers who enjoy the historical, and a touch of simple mystery, as well as the romance.
In this volume, Simon tackles two cases, both of which challenge his ability to think logically and pursue evidence. He's hampered by the laziness and greed of his superiors and some fellow coppers, many of whom want to close cases as easily as possible, without regard to the actual facts. The actual mysteries are fairly simple, but presented with a feel for the era, a wry humor, and a sense of a man ahead of his times, trying to do a better job than circumstances allow.
The series does develop romance, and eventually an HEA, at the end of 4 volumes, but this one has just the smallest beginning to that arc. Simon thinks occasionally about hearing of two men who live together, in a hidden long-term relationship. But his only experiences have been rapid and dangerous fumbles with anonymous partners, usually paid for their trouble, in the dark streets of London. Meeting someone he actually would want to talk to as well as sleep with will take a sea-change in how he sees his life.
I enjoyed this series, although I think you do need the full set to feel satisfied with where Simon ends up. The historical detail felt vivid and well-researched, and I came to really like Simon. Recommended for readers who enjoy the historical, and a touch of simple mystery, as well as the romance.
October 15, 2021
I really liked this. It's two short stories which I didn't realise on starting, although one continues immediately after the other it's a separate case.
There's a great sense of the time and characters. Pearce is pragmatic character, smart and honourable, without being a genius. I liked him. Hope he gets to meet Bell.
There's two mysteries, no deep investigating because they're short stories, just enough for you to wish it was a longer story!
Continuing on.
There's a great sense of the time and characters. Pearce is pragmatic character, smart and honourable, without being a genius. I liked him. Hope he gets to meet Bell.
There's two mysteries, no deep investigating because they're short stories, just enough for you to wish it was a longer story!
Continuing on.
November 26, 2021
I have been neglecting Jess Faraday. Sometimes my self imposed rule about not reading two similar books in a row, combined with tsundoku and out-of-sight-out-of-mind tendencies results in my ignoring a large amount of works by authors I love.
Faraday got back on the radar due to the release of a new story about Ira Adler, star of my absolute favoritiest The Affair of the Porcelain Dog. I can't read that though, because I haven't read the 3rd Ira Adler book yet, despite having been out for years. (In it the action moved to the US, which I find vaguely off-putting. I also have this thing where previews and blurbs for series I love make the next episode sound absolutely horrid, so I put it off, but inevitably love it when I do get around to it.) (Obviously another thing I have is for parentheticals.) Logic would dictate that I therefore pick up said 3rd Ira Adler book, so naturally I started this instead.
This pair of stories follows Simon Pearce, a police constable who often annoys his superiors by solving cases they couldn't be bothered with. They've got a Sherlock Holmes sort of flavor without really portraying Simon as some kind of Holmes copy, at least so far. I enjoyed the Dr. Bell references, as well as the clever twist with the veteran in the first one. I expect there are plenty more references somebody who's read Holmes more recently than I would pick up on as well. While I didn't love these as much as the Ira Adler stuff, these two stories were basically the perfect length for before-bed reading, and I'm planning to continue the series.
Faraday got back on the radar due to the release of a new story about Ira Adler, star of my absolute favoritiest The Affair of the Porcelain Dog. I can't read that though, because I haven't read the 3rd Ira Adler book yet, despite having been out for years. (In it the action moved to the US, which I find vaguely off-putting. I also have this thing where previews and blurbs for series I love make the next episode sound absolutely horrid, so I put it off, but inevitably love it when I do get around to it.) (Obviously another thing I have is for parentheticals.) Logic would dictate that I therefore pick up said 3rd Ira Adler book, so naturally I started this instead.
This pair of stories follows Simon Pearce, a police constable who often annoys his superiors by solving cases they couldn't be bothered with. They've got a Sherlock Holmes sort of flavor without really portraying Simon as some kind of Holmes copy, at least so far. I enjoyed the Dr. Bell references, as well as the clever twist with the veteran in the first one. I expect there are plenty more references somebody who's read Holmes more recently than I would pick up on as well. While I didn't love these as much as the Ira Adler stuff, these two stories were basically the perfect length for before-bed reading, and I'm planning to continue the series.
December 24, 2021
Engaging series about Scotland Yard detective who doesn't believe in ghosts but trusts forensics instead. Perfect series if you try to catch up with your goodreads challenge in the end of the year.
October 13, 2019
Delightful
Simon Pearce reminds me a little bit of Peter Grant in the Rivers of London series. The same cleverness, wry humor, and underlying goodness that has you cheering for him throughout. These aren't angst-ridden stories. They are mysteries to be solved, set in a historical London & Edinburgh, and populated by a wide cast of interesting characters. I'll be going on to the next.
Simon Pearce reminds me a little bit of Peter Grant in the Rivers of London series. The same cleverness, wry humor, and underlying goodness that has you cheering for him throughout. These aren't angst-ridden stories. They are mysteries to be solved, set in a historical London & Edinburgh, and populated by a wide cast of interesting characters. I'll be going on to the next.
November 9, 2020
Interesting but not too interesting or too demanding. Perfect for the zeitgeist.
April 12, 2020
Rep: gay mc
November 2, 2019
A very quick little historical mystery read. The cases aren't terribly complex, since they're just little bite-sized stories, but I found them both interesting, and enjoyed the twists in each. I would like to see more of the romantic aspects of the story, and hope there will be more of that as the series progresses. They're all on Kindle Unlimited, so I'm certainly planning to keep reading.
June 15, 2020
A great little historical forensic read from one of my auto-buy authors; am looking forward to the next few installments now.
July 4, 2020
A set of 2 short stories featuring PC Simon Pearce, a policeman in 1880s London.
I enjoyed the stories but I am thinking a full length novel would be great too.
I enjoyed the stories but I am thinking a full length novel would be great too.
November 15, 2019
Wonderful Start
There are two short novellas in this book, and they are the beginning of a series I will gobble up ASAP. Simon Pearce is a perfectly drawn closeted Victorian who is an almost accidental constable but in truth a remarkably prescient and sensible detective.
The opening story is a nicely paced and cleverly plotted whodunit in the middle of London with Simon following his instincts, and closeted memories, to solve a vexing series of murders. The second takes place in Edinburgh where Simon lets us in a little more into his private feelings and movements, even though the mystery at hand might be a little more obvious than in the first chapter.
Wonderful start.
There are two short novellas in this book, and they are the beginning of a series I will gobble up ASAP. Simon Pearce is a perfectly drawn closeted Victorian who is an almost accidental constable but in truth a remarkably prescient and sensible detective.
The opening story is a nicely paced and cleverly plotted whodunit in the middle of London with Simon following his instincts, and closeted memories, to solve a vexing series of murders. The second takes place in Edinburgh where Simon lets us in a little more into his private feelings and movements, even though the mystery at hand might be a little more obvious than in the first chapter.
Wonderful start.
March 4, 2020
A strong start to a gritty Victorian noir series - with a genuinely decent MC
Jess Faraday's new series of novellas about constable Simon Pearce kicks off with A Study in Spectres, comprising two short stories. The first involves mysterious deaths in the Spitafields neighborhood of London's East End, and the second a purported ghost hound in Edinburgh. As always, the writing is excellent and conveys Faraday's characteristic grim realism about daily life in the Victorian era. I found several new tidbits about life among the working poor that I hadn't before encountered.
As the novella starts, Simon Pearce has been a constable for Scotland Yard for only two years, and his inquisitive mind has already gotten up the nose of his Chief Inspector. A genuinely decent, fair man, Pearce is cautious and doubly so when it comes to his sexuality. The first story introduces us to his sharp intellect and drive, while the second gives us a glimpse of his inner life.
I see A Study in Spectres as laying the foundation for the subsequent novellas; the plots of both stories are relatively straight forward once you get to the end, though you may not guess how either will resolve itself. It's the "Victorian noir" tone that I most enjoyed, along with meeting some very likable characters - in addition to the not-so-likable ones. In any event, I'm liking forward to more Simon Pearce.
Jess Faraday's new series of novellas about constable Simon Pearce kicks off with A Study in Spectres, comprising two short stories. The first involves mysterious deaths in the Spitafields neighborhood of London's East End, and the second a purported ghost hound in Edinburgh. As always, the writing is excellent and conveys Faraday's characteristic grim realism about daily life in the Victorian era. I found several new tidbits about life among the working poor that I hadn't before encountered.
As the novella starts, Simon Pearce has been a constable for Scotland Yard for only two years, and his inquisitive mind has already gotten up the nose of his Chief Inspector. A genuinely decent, fair man, Pearce is cautious and doubly so when it comes to his sexuality. The first story introduces us to his sharp intellect and drive, while the second gives us a glimpse of his inner life.
I see A Study in Spectres as laying the foundation for the subsequent novellas; the plots of both stories are relatively straight forward once you get to the end, though you may not guess how either will resolve itself. It's the "Victorian noir" tone that I most enjoyed, along with meeting some very likable characters - in addition to the not-so-likable ones. In any event, I'm liking forward to more Simon Pearce.
August 31, 2020
When I bought these and started reading, I didn't realise they were a collection of short stories all centering around a central character. Because of this, the action sort of starts in the middle somewhere instead of us really learning more about the main character first which also means I don't ever feel invested in what's happening or the outcome. This is an attempt at mimicking Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes collection (I mean, it's obvious from the title of this book) but at least those started with A Study in Scarlet which is longer and serves as the introduction to Holmes, Watson, and their London. Faraday doesn't quite pull it off here and I never really got sucked into the two stories featured in this first book. Besides that, however, they are written fairly well with good descriptions and characterisation. I feel the second story is much more memorable but, again like Sherlock Holmes, they both had a sense of the paranormal until the mystery is ultimately solved by our clever hero. I will try to continue on with this series but the first installment leaves a bit to be desired.
July 23, 2020
A historical mystery
Loved the dark setting of old London and the coppers of Scotland yard. A collection of two short mysteries, solved by the intelligent Simon Pearce. The mysteries are all easily solved , but the scientific deduction behind that is what's entertaining. There is also a small thread of romance, but not highlighted in this book.
A good series to enjoy.
Loved the dark setting of old London and the coppers of Scotland yard. A collection of two short mysteries, solved by the intelligent Simon Pearce. The mysteries are all easily solved , but the scientific deduction behind that is what's entertaining. There is also a small thread of romance, but not highlighted in this book.
A good series to enjoy.
April 23, 2020
A most excellent mystery!
This is my first book from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I will be reading others for sure. I love historical fiction and this book delivered.
This is my first book from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I will be reading others for sure. I love historical fiction and this book delivered.
September 21, 2022
Lovely gem of a book set in late 19th century London introducing the reader to the world of Simon Pearce. The first book contains two short cases that Simon solves with his wits and curiosity, which is a feat in itself, since he is just simple copper.
Very enjoyable read.
Very enjoyable read.
Read
April 4, 2020I enjoyed these, but I'm more in the mood for novels than short stories these days.
July 10, 2020
3.75 stars
October 27, 2021
New author for me, yay!!! I like Simon! I love the mysteries, super interesting and intriguing.
Can't wait to read the rest - I saw there are three more books in the series! :)
Can't wait to read the rest - I saw there are three more books in the series! :)
November 1, 2023
Solid writing. Very good editing (couple of typos don't count).
Good mysteries, from paranormal to a real human culprit. Very clever and engaging.
4.5 stars
Good mysteries, from paranormal to a real human culprit. Very clever and engaging.
4.5 stars
February 24, 2024
The tales were atmospheric. I enjoyed the unravelling of local crimes shrouded in local folklore.
As well as the historical sense what it was like for many a gay man at the time.
As well as the historical sense what it was like for many a gay man at the time.
January 11, 2020
delightful~
February 17, 2021
Vividly told stories with interesting characters and plots. Although Simon is gay, there's no HEA in these two stories. Maybe in the future?
An absorbing world, full of compelling detail. A very good read.
An absorbing world, full of compelling detail. A very good read.
March 14, 2020
A delight to read!
December 2, 2019
This is a short book that contains two short stories. I liked them, but didn't love them, maybe because they were so short? Jess Faraday's writing is gorgeous as usual.
Read
December 3, 2019Quick but highly enjoyable reads. Light and entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews