Murder at the Natural History Museum: The thrilling historical whodunnit

Museum Mysteries #5

by Jim Eldridge

August 1895. When the newly dubbed 'Museum Detectives' are asked to investigate deliberate damage to a dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum, there is evidence that the fossil-hunting mania of the notorious Bone Wars in America may have reached their shores. But for Daniel Wilson, famed for his involvement in the Jack the Ripper case, and renowned archaeologist Abigail Fenton, events soon take a sinister turn ...



A museum attendant is found dead by the famous theatre manager Bram Stoker, who may have had a personal connection with the deceased. Facing pressure from both an overseas business and a local celebrity, Wilson and Fenton must rely on their talents and instincts to solve their most intriguing case yet.

Genres: Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime, Audiobook

351 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2021

About the author

Jim Eldridge is the author of many books for children, including titles in the My Story series, the Warpath books, and How to Handle Grown-Ups. He has had 250 TV scripts broadcast in the UK and internationally for children's and teen television, and is also the creator and writer of Radio 4's long-running comedy-drama series, King Street Junior.

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Allison & Busby along with NetGalley for this free ARC in return for my review.
I loved this book! I think that author is spot on in his writing and I personally super enjoy stories set during this late 1800 time period, and since I am a museum nut this hits all the points for me. This continues the Daniel Wilson, Abigail McKenzie collaboration. The couple are now living together (in sin!) and together they are solving cases and have been dubbed "The Museum Detectives." Here we have lots going on. We have a new dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum which is mysteriously vandalized one day. A day later we have the death of one of the Museum Attendants also by the dinosaur exhibit. Are these cases related, Daniel and Abigail are already investigating the vandalism and are now drawn into the murder. Also involved in the case are Oscar Wilde who is in prison serving his sodomy conviction, and Bram Stoker who is a theater manager. We have a bit of the illegal "gay" characters, along with blackmailers, multiple unexplained prior deaths and a host of issues that Scotland Yard wants solved ASAP. Good dialogue, very good plot and lots of action. This is the 2nd book of the series that I have read and I give it a hearty thumbs up to all mystery readers. Top Notch effort!!

[Thea | (unapologetic_bibliosmia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fifth in a series of Museum Mystery books by this author, but I read this one as a stand-alone, having not read the first and that didn’t matter at all.

The story follows the two main characters Abigail Fenton and Daniel Wilson who are both a romantic and work-life partnership intent on solving crimes by way of commission. The two have a constant game of cat and mouse with the real police and Scotland Yard, who detest being shown up by amateur civilian detectives, but who also seem to relish the assistance they so gladly provide. These crimes would apparently seem to keep being committed in museums, and the pair are becoming notorious for being ‘Museum detectives’.

Sure enough this story is set around the heinous crime of a dinosaur skeleton being smashed to smithereens within the British Natural History Museum. The duo are hired to find out who lays behind the attack, and set to work accordingly. The fact that a murder is then committed right under their watch is purely coincidental, and the pair have a good excuse to get sluething.

I must admit, elements of this story just felt a little too ‘cozy’ for me, and the plot tie ups at the end just a little too ‘convienient’. Also, the story is supposed to be set in the 1800s and yet it felt a little modern at times. The duo are cohabiting in a flat together unmarried and no one bats an eyelid, a woman is working as a private detective (shock horror!) and there are a few powerful and rich women on the Board of trustees, and in positions of employment at the museum (the director for example!). These are just a few examples of something that just didn’t quite sit right in the time frame for me. At times the language used felt to over worked, and didn’t read quite right. However, I know that Jim Eldridge is far from novice so perhaps this is just me, it the book felt amateur in places.

Overall the mystery was ok and the ending entertaining. The character development was good and the partnerships between both Abi and Daniel and also Daniel and Scotland Yard were interesting. I just wasn’t blown away by the story and felt bored in places.

3 Dino smashing stars.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading a book by Jim Eldridge and what an introduction for me! I very rarely finish a book in just a day, but I literally could not put this one down.

Daniel and Abigail, 2 private investigators, are investigating the criminal damage of a skeleton at the Natural History Museum when events take a more sinister turn and a body is found in the museum, prompting a new and dark twist for the investigation.

The character development in the book was really strong and I found it easy to keep track of what was happening throughout the book, which I can usually find a bit difficult in crime novels.

I found it exciting throughout and I liked that every character had their 'secrets' or were disappearing, as it kept you guessing and wanting to know more.

Highly recommend and I will definitely be looking for more of Jim Eldridge's work.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to really enjoy this series! A great British mystery series with lots of great features.

First off I love both Daniel and Abigail. They are complex and interesting characters who are very likable. Abigail in particular is a wonderful character who flatly refuses to fit into the role her society would prefer her to fill and because she is so smart and capable - as this book proves - of pretty much anything that needs to be done, she is perfect as an investigative partner to Daniel.

The plots the author creates for these investigators to figure out are always interesting, suspenseful and exciting and every book has a conclusion that races to the finish line and keeps me on the edge of my seat. I definitely look forward to continuing with this series! Great writing, great characters, great plots - highly recommended to British mystery fans!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a favourite and I throughly enjoyed this instalment that I think is one the best in this series.
The story is plotted and well crafted, the characters well thought and interesting, the solid mystery kept me guessing.
It's gripping and entertaining and I liked the main plot and the subplot. The end came as a surprise and was exciting and gripping.
Can't wait to read the next instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

London 1895 - Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are asked to investigate vandalism in the new dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum. And then, one of the employees is found dead.

I really like the premise of this series - murders at various museums. I love the setting and the interesting history and characters the settings invokes. Daniel and Abigail are an engaging pair of investigators. Their different backgrounds and skills complement the other.

There are plenty of suspects, clues, red herrings, and side investigations. The author does have the tendency to include too much information at times. Writing historical mysteries does take a lot of research, but it doesn't all need to appear in the book. This was a solid historical mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for sending me a copy for review.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a new dinosaur exhibition is set to open at the Natural History Museum, a dinosaur skeleton is found vandalised. Well-versed in museum mysteries due to previous cases, Daniel Wilson and Abigail McKenzie investigate. A day after starting their vandalism investigation, a dead body is found at the museum, by none other than Bram Stoker, who was given early access to the exhibit to promote it. Lots of suspects emerge, each with something to hide- including Stoker himself, who knew the victim.

The plot and characters were easy to follow even though this was my first book of the series.
While the book is set during the 1800s, the conventions of the time are mostly not adhered to. The main characters are interesting and I loved that Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde were involved. Museums obviously make great settings for murder mysteries! I have always loved the Natural History Museum, though I was scared of the animatronic t-Rex when I was little.

Thanks to NetGalley, Allison & Busby and Jim Elridge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda Reuter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on sale at the museum so it seemed only right to read it. The characters were great and the plot was good, it did take me a while to get into the story but glad I persevered. A very entertaining read.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been a great series and I hope there will be more.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between 4 and 5 stars rounded up because I was feeling generous.

If you are looking for a light read that is informative and has likeable characters. Look no further, this is it. I liked both Daniel and Abigail and though I did not start with book one as I should have I feel this can be read as a stand alone as well.

Until a recent rerun from a Murdoch mystery episode I'd never even heard of the bone wars and how this craze for dinosaurs took over the world. Eventhough there were still people who'd never heard of them (which would make sense for the times). It was the perfect backdrop for this mystery.

I'll likely read more by this author as this was a wonderful introduction to his work.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1895 Partners Daniel Wilson, ex-Scotland Yard detective, and Abigail Fenton, archaeologist are called in by Miss Evelyn Scott, Curator of the Natural History Museum when shattered bones of an iguanodon exhibit are discovered. But the next day the body of one of the museum attendants is discovered.
What could be the motive, who is the guilty party. The partners investigate with the help of Inspector
John Feathers.
An enjoyable well-written Victorian Mystery, with its likeable main characters. Another good addition to the series.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAWPILE 7.14
4 STARS

Read for Battleathon August 2024.
Still working my way through the series, I was super excited about this one because in my head 'Natural History Museum' means 'Dinosaurs' but sadly this wasn't 'One of our dinosaurs is missing', lol!
I really liked being back in London, this mystery featured Oscar Wilde while he was imprisoned and it delved into that subject a little.
I'm enjoying the series- I loved the ending, Abigail is such a badass!
I'm jumping straight into #6, I'd love to get this series finished this month.

[Seema Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t heard of this series, and I think I missed a bit coming in at the middle of the series, but it was still enjoyable. It’s a fast read, and well plotted. I’m not sure if the museum stuff was quite accurate, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first read in the series and I was thrilled to it only find a very well crafted mystery, paired with intriguing well well defined characters that I enjoyed reading about. I am pleased in see the main character paired with an intelligent, well spoken, independent female partner. I look forward to reading their further investigations together as a team.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am new to this series but I never felt lost because of it. All the characters have an air of reality about them that makes the story more enjoyable. The involvement of dinosaur fossils and Bram Stoker as well as Oscar Wilde and the laws of the time help make this more grounded. The mysteries pile up along with the red herrings. A very good read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another museum, another murder mystery!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. I have read three of the previous Museum Mysteries, and they have all been enjoyable. Long may the series continue. As an avid reader of historical mystery books, I am rather hard to please and am somewhat intolerant of infractions in terms of anachronisms and historical inaccuracies of all types, but these books pass muster all round! At the risk of some political incorrectness or other, I'm sure that this is due to the Author being neither American nor young!

Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton, the euphemistic 'Museum Detectives' have another case on. This is an interesting specialism for a detective agency in the usual run of things because one might wonder how many crimes take place in the average museum that would require the services of an enquiry agent. This aside, the story is a good read and the mystery has twists, turns and red herrings enough to keep even the most exacting mystery fan interested.

The main protagonists are very likeable, though their relationship leads to the only anachronistic aspect of these books. Abigail and Daniel are 'courting' but also living together as man and wife. In the mores of the day this would brand Abigail as no better than she should be and ostracised from all but the lowest levels of society, but everyone else around them seems to accept this as perfectly normal. This strikes a most unrealistic note, while almost everything else seems quite correct for the period. This aspect of their relationship was used in an attempt to discredit them in a previous book but even then, it was no more than a damp squib.

In terms of social politics of the time, the book blows hot and cold. The writer is quite definite and correct about the differences in perception and treatment by the establishment between the rich and the poor in a generic sense, or more accurately, between the upper and lower classes, but he then seems to become a little confused when it comes to gender. I am all for strong female characters but it is unlikely that, even in an era where the current monarch was a woman, one would come across quite as many strong women as this story seems to imply. All the female characters in this story come across as having much more strength and moral fibre than the male characters. One might believe this if the story were contemporaneous with today, but set in the repressive Victorian era???

The book successfully mixed real and fictional characters and events to form an enjoyable romp. This being said, the relationships between the central recurring characters are somewhat hackneyed for this genre, but not to the detriment of of book. We have the competent main detective, his faithful sidekick, the friendly detective from the official police force, the unfriendly detective from the police force, the tame reporter and the reliable forensic medico (although the last two do not make an appearance in this book).

One thing I would stay stood out and was a tad wearing for the number of times it occurred. All the characters seemed to be most sceptical and critical of the detectives' methods - even the detectives themselves! Take this example of a typical piece of dialog -

Detective: 'I will have to investigate this witness's story to see if my theory is correct'

2nd character: 'But you might be wrong'

Detective: 'I might be, yes, but I still need to check'

2nd character: ''Yes but what if you are wrong?'

Detective: 'If I'm wrong I will try a different line of enquiry'

2nd Character: 'But you will have wasted all this time'

Detective: 'I might do, yes, but I still need to check'

2nd character: 'Yes but what if you are wrong?...'

... and so on. This typical exchange went on so many times that I began to wonder how any of these characters thought detective work was done if not by asking questions and testing theories. Even the detectives themselves questioned each other in the same way, as if this were not the standard way of going about detective work. It both exasperated me and made me laugh by turns. Abigail Fenton herself had her own way of interpolating the same type of interrogation whenever Daniel expounded a theory

Daniel: 'I don't think XXX is guilty'

Abigail: 'Is this your policeman's instinct again?'

Daniel: 'If you want to call it that, but my experience says 'no''

Abigail: 'Has your policeman's nose ever been wrong?'

Daniel: 'Yes, but hopefully not this time'

This attitude of hers seems paradoxical, since she clearly respects him as an ex-Scotland Yard detective of many years standing and long experience, but she then constantly questions exactly the virtues she seems to extol. It seems an odd way to behave to me, especially when one can palpably imagine the cynically raised eyebrow as she questions him, as though she places no faith in his 'policeman's nose' at all. It say's a lot for Daniel's nature that he has not called her out about it as yet.

Another of Abigail's paradoxical tendencies is that she has accepted Daniel as a paramour despite the differences in their social status, yet whenever he mentions incidents from his less affluent childhood, she barks at him that that is all in the past and he has left that life behind him. As if a man's past can be shucked as easily as that.

For all their human failings though, the characters are likeable and the story enjoyable. I look forward to the next one, although our intrepid detectives may need to expand overseas to keep themselves in museum work. I'm not sure how many more notable ones there are left in England.

I received a free galley copy of this book from the publisher in return for an unbiased review, for which I heartily thank Alison & Busby.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are our protagonists, inquiry agents extraordinaire and a couple, although they don’t advertise that fact. He’s ex-Scotland Yard, she’s a famous archeologist. That comes in handy when they’re called in to look at troubles that happen at the museums of London. There’s worse to come, in Murder at the Natural History Museum. The title isn’t there for show.

For this case, a large pile of dinosaur bones isn’t the way it should be at the museum. The pile used to be a fully formed dinosaur skeleton. Normally, criminal damage is not something the duo concerns themselves with, but the curator of the museum thinks that this is just the start of something, so Wilson and Fenton are soon looking into the circumstances. They also learn that there’s been a war of sorts fought over the finding of dinosaur bones to fill collections. How does this fit into the damage? It’s explained as you keep reading, and you will.

And then Bram Stoker – yes, “that” Bram Stoker – finds a dead man in one of the exhibit halls. And we’re off. The dead man may have a connection to Mr. Stoker and through him to Oscar Wilde, who’s in prison. You may recall that court case. Indeed, we even have appearances by those leading lights of the East End stage, Ellen Terry and Sir Henry Fielding. This (interesting) plot thickens. It soon transpires the dead man had a secret, one that got him killed. And Oscar Wilde, poor soul, has a scene that contributes to the narrative. The author thus highlights a shameful period in history, one that was mitigated somewhat when Mr. Wilde was included in a sweeping posthumous pardoning act in 2017. There are many threads here, as Daniel mentions in the text. Abigail even gets accosted by H.G. Wells. This book is full of historical references, which help to establish our time and place.

The museum’s trustees have secrets of their own – who knew what a bunch of cutthroats they all would turn out to be? Enough for murder? We’ll found out, soon enough. Our author, Jim Ellis knows how to let readers see the petty intrigues that can build up a story and point fingers at suspects. And blackmail’s thrown in, because, why not. And love. That happy combo.

Miss Fenton gets a chance to shine on her own, as she has in previous entries in the series (this is book #5). Abigail is a modern woman, but she doesn’t shout it from the rooftops, and although Superintendent Armstrong doesn’t like her much (he doesn’t like anybody) she is able to move through the plot without seeming too far out of place for our Victorian era.

There’s no drawing room, but there’s a drawing room scene of sorts where most of the suspects are present whereby one can be pointed out as a murderer. That’s not the only case that’s resolved here – Abigail and Daniel find themselves personally threatened. That’s resolved satisfactorily, of course, or readers wouldn’t be looking forward to another book, and they should.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

[Phillip Kang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading crime/mystery thrillers even though of late I’ve shifted my focus to other genres. Thus, when NetGalley offered its readers an opportunity to read Murder at the Natural Museum (Allison & Busby; Pub Date: 20 August 2020) I didn’t hesitate to ask for it. The book’s title and blurb suggested that it would be an enthralling read. It certainly didn’t disappoint me, from the very start.

Murder at the Natural History Museum by Jim Eldridge is a historical whodunnit set in 1895 with the famous museum as the backdrop. It follows the investigative adventures of Daniel Wilson, a former Scotland Yard inspector famed for his involvement in the Jack the Ripper case, and renowned archaeologist Abigail Fenton as they go about probing their latest case.

Dubbed the ‘Museum Detectives’, they are asked by the Natural History Museum’s curator to probe an act of vandalism to a dinosaur skeleton on display in the museum. Who did this seems clear as the perpetrator left an ominous note of retribution if his demands are not met. But even before the detectives could get on with the case, a museum attendant is found dead in an anteroom. Scotland Yard’s Inspector Feather, a friend of Wilson, is called in to investigate the murder but his job is not made easier with a demanding boss, the much disliked and feared ‘Super’ Armstrong.

Wilson and Fenton inevitably found themselves involved with the murder case, in which, as it turns out, several respectable personalities are suspected by association: some museum trustees and the Lyceum Theatre’s infamous manager who found the body. Wilson and Fenton, with their ingenious sleuthing, manage to crack the case for Scotland Yard but not before several more dead bodies were discovered. And in the process, they solve other seemingly accidental deaths as well.

Author Jim Eldridge does a really good job with a credible and entertaining storyline which gets more complex as it progresses. Characters are well fleshed out. Even the famous Oscar Wilde is cleverly weaved into the plot.

I certainly didn’t find a dull moment in reading each page as there’s always a heightened sense of anticipating what’s going to happen next as I turn the page.

I’m happy to recommend this book by giving it a 5-star rating. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC eBook to read in exchange for a fair review.

[Megan Chasteen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rundown:In this fifth installment of Jim Eldridge's "Museum Mysteries" series, we find archaeologist Abigail Fenton and P.I. Daniel Wilson--partners in detection and in life--investigating not a death, but the vandalism of a dinosaur skeleton in London's Natural History Museum. True to form, however, a murder is soon discovered at the museum, launching Abigail and Daniel into a twisty mystery involving London's elite, blackmail, and one of the most dangerous situations the pair have found themselves in up to this point.

My Thoughts:I think this is my favorite installment in the series. One of the aspects of these books I have really enjoyed is the historical and factual information given throughout the story--in this case, around dinosaurs, fossils, and archaeological digs. It makes for an interesting read and it is clear that Eldridge has spent time researching, which I love. In this story in particular, I loved the introduction of real-life historical figures as characters. Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde figure prominently in this one, as well as some others. As a reader, these details made the read more fun and if this series continues, I would love to see this happen more. As far as the mystery went, this one kept me guessing primarily because of the sheer number of angles and suspects, but it wasn't overwhelming at all. I had an inkling of who the culprit might be as the story went on, but because of the various red herrings, I was never completely sure. There were moments throughout the story where the dialogue felt a little flat, or were assumptions were made that felt out of nowhere, but this didn't happen enough to really bother me.

Recommendation:I rated this 4/5 because while I was not blown away by the story and it fell into a predictable pattern like its predecessors, I really liked many aspects of this story and I feel the characters of Abigail and Daniel have grown since this first book. If you love mysteries, mystery series, stories in Victorian England...I definitely recommend! Plus, the concept is cool: an archaeologist and a private investigator solving museum mysteries in Victorian England--what's not to like?

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Murder at the Natural History Museum is the 5th Museum Mystery by Jim Eldridge. Due out 22nd Oct 2020 from Alison & Busby, it's 352 pages (print version) and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats (ebook available now). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well plotted and interesting murder mystery. The characters are well developed and have a solid background and chemistry together. The pacing was variable, at points it dragged a bit for me, but overall it moved along at a good pace. The clues were presented well and the denouement and resolution were satisfying. I admit the dialogue threw me. I wasn't aware that the book was set in the 19th century and was surprised when I found out because the vernacular is completely modern (I thought it was a modern cozy and only discovered my mistake when the author threw Bram Stoker in there). My other small quibble is that it seemed the author included almost every famous contemporary person, actor, current event, landmark, and news headline in the narrative. It interfered with my suspension of disbelief in several places. The book does work well enough as a standalone (as long as the reader remembers it's not set in the current day).

All in all it's a readable and engaging cozy mystery with lots of skullduggery and shenanigans, a soupcon of danger, and a good plot.

Three and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Vivienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Allison & Busby for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder at the Natural History Museum’ by Jim Eldridge.

This is the fifth in Eldridge’s Museum Detectives series set in the late nineteenth century, featuring former Detective Inspector Daniel Wilson and archaeologist Abigail Fenton.

In late August 1895 the newly dubbed ‘Museum Detectives’ are asked by the director of the Natural History Museum to investigate damage to a dinosaur skeleton. There is some evidence that the fossil-hunting mania of the notorious Bone Wars of America may have reached Britain.

Then a museum attendant is found dead by the renowned theatre manager Bram Stoker, who may have had a personal connection with the deceased.
This is only the first body in a puzzling case that involves cameos from a number of late Victorian celebrities.

Overall, I found this an entertaining whodunnit. However, despite this I had two reservations. There were so many characters introduced that at times I lost track of who was who. More importantly, I didn’t feel that the historical setting was particularly convincing. The dialogue was very modern as were the social interactions. For example, no one seemed to blink an eye at Daniel and Abigail setting up home together out of wedlock. There were also historical inaccuracies.

These anachronisms were distracting and kept breaking my sense of engagement with the novel. More is needed than famous personalities and horses and carriages to make an effective historical mystery.

I know that this won’t be an issue for many readers but given that there are so many authors who take great pains to recreate a sense of the historical setting of their novels, this was a disappointment for me.

[Martin Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Murder at the Fitzwilliam by Jim Eldridge
Murder at the Fitzwilliam (Museum Mysteries, #1)
by Jim Eldridge
Read
Read in May 2018
I recently entered an historical detective phase and have devoured, among many others Imogen Robertson, Antonia Hodgson, A J Mackenzie and ES Thomson. All good reads. All featuring a him and her partnership, and drawn into a series of adventures. As such Jim Eldridge's Museum Murders series fits in perfectly. (Mostly) fast moving, not too complicated and enough clues for the reader to at least make a stab a whodunnit.

The slant here is that he hero worked on the Jack The Ripper case, and has moved on to try and distance himself from it and make his own name. The characters are lightly fleshed out and do develop as the series continues, which will probably keep me coming back for more.

In this latest episode, we see Daniel and Abigail investigate the vandalising of a dinosaur skeleton, and learning of the Bone Wars. On one level this book follows the same formulas and structure of the previous ones. So don't expect much new, but it's another rollicking ride, enjoyable and includes an appearance by Bram Stoker. The writing is well paced, the tone more or less of the period, and the repartee between Daniel and Abigail, while not on par with Imogen Robertson's Crowther and Westerman, carries on nicely.

Fans of the previous books (like me) will enjoy the latest adventure.

[Bebe (Sarah) Brechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thrilling and satisfying period mystery series has another winner! Readers will thoroughly enjoy the new story (fifth in the series) and the deepening character development of our favorite team - the "Museum Detectives" - former Scotland Yard detective Daniel and the intrepid archaeologist Abigail. What an ingenious idea for a series, and how well written it is! The research for the time period and the wonderful array of real life museums is excellent. The series will make the reader want to go directly to these famous museums, as well as dig into the mysteries.

In this new entry, the Museum Detectives have a mystery to solve at the Natural History Museum in London, with interesting detail on the fossil "Bone Wars," the fascinating addition of several famous characters from the period - Bram Stoker of "Dracula" fame, actor Henry Irving, actress Ellen Terry, and even references to the infamous Oscar Wilde trial. Readers will benefit from all of the fascinating information about the museum, the history behind fossil discoveries, as well as the delightful connections to the London theater. Throw in a puzzling mystery or two, and the result is perfectly satisfying!

This reader certainly hopes author Jim Eldridge will not run out of museums anytime soon! Every new story is a cause for celebration! A winning series! A must-have series for fiction collections and mystery collections.

[Kitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must start my review with a disclaimer, I enjoy cozy mysteries more than a "traditional" mystery story. This is in my opinion is a traditional mystery. This is the fifth instalment in the Museum Mysteries series. It is a stand alone story and may be enjoyed even if you have not read the others. Daniel and Abigail are called to the Natural history museum to investigate when a prized dinosaur skeleton is smashed. They find that the act was competed after the new curator, who happens to be female. receives a threatening letter for procuring the bones from outside sources.

The case soon involves murder when a museum guide is found murdered. It is quickly uncovered that he was blackmailing several wealthy/ famous persons. One murder leads to the next. Daniel partners with Scotland Yard to bring the murderer to justice. It is their belief that the crimes are all intertwined.

Along the investigation they uncover two more murders which have previously been overlooked. The story has many subplots. The early suffragette movement is viewed by the female curator and archeologist turned detective. The problem of social class and how it impacts ones life forever.

The story is laced with many celebrities of the times. It added to the story. The plot was well thought out. I found the pace slow. However as I said I am more of a cozy mystery reader which wraps up quickly. If you are a mystery lover this book is worth a look.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Natural History Museum is the 5th in a series but can be read as a stand alone. It is the first in the series that I have read and I will definitely be going back and reading the others!

The book begins with "Museum Detectives" Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton called to the Natural History Museum to investigate the vandalism of the iguanodon exhibit. Daniel is ex-Scotland Yard and Abigail is an archaeologist. The story takes place at the end of the 19th century, when dinosaur bones have become "the rage" and numerous companies from the US have begun "marketing" the bones to European museums. Unfortunately, not long after Daniel and Abigail are called into the case a body turns up in the museum and they begin to wonder if the murder is related to the act of vandalism.

Well-known characters of the era appear in the story - Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, HG Wells and George Bernard Shaw to name a few - all adding to the realism of time and place. All of the characters are well-developed and bring the story to life.

As Daniel and Abigail investigate the murder, they soon discover connections between the dead man, several trustees of the museum, the trial of Oscar Wilde, and yes, the dinosaur bones.

This story has many twists and turns, and many threads excellently woven together. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end, making you want to read the book in one setting -- highly recommended!

[Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 5th in the Museum Detective series, I've read the first one but then skipped to this one as Bram Stoker is one of the supporting characters, and Oscar Wilde, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry also appear, albeit briefly, so it sort of followed on from my last read. It starts with a dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum being smashed, initially it looks like it's the result of a feud between rival fossil supply companies, with one taking umbrage at not being chosen to provide the skeleton for the museum's display. Events take a more serious turn when an attendant is found murdered, and when it turns out the victim was a blackmailer who'd also worked for Stoker at the Lyceum Theatre the net is widened. Our detectives are ex-policeman Daniel and Wilson and his girlfriend and business partner Abigail Weston, who help Daniel's former police colleagues with the investigation. The suspects range from the aristocratic trustees of the museum to the cleaning staff who come in first thing in the morning before the building opens to the public each day, and even Oscar Wilde, who is currently in prison, might be involved somehow. It was a fairly enjoyable book, though it was a little bit dry and not as strongly written as the first book. It's still a good series though, it looks like museums are a hotbed of intrigue! 6.5/10

[Beachcomber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Allison & Busby in return for an unbiased review. This was the first in the series I’d read, though it is the fifth if you read in order. Unlike some series, it didn’t feel the need to rehash the Daniel and Abigail’s previous storylines too much, which I’m grateful for. This started out quite well as a story - I’m always a little wary when authors introduce well known historical figures (here we have Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, mentions of Gilbert and Sullivan’s, etc.), as it “pulls me out” of the story to see real people mixed in with fictional characters. However, as I said - a decent book until it gets to about the 83% Kindle mark, and then it jerks rapidly into fairly preposterous drama. A character suddenly turning from mild mannered into a murderous person holding another at knife point? Fairly unbelievable. The slightly rushed ending and implausible action/fights at the end spoiled the book for me sadly - it has been a decent story up to then. I’ll probably give another book a go though, see if it was a one off.

[Amalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five reasons I'm giving five stars to Murder at the Natural History Museum by Jim Eldridge.

1. The setting - We are in London, 1896, and someone has deliberately damaged a dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum! For shame! I always enjoy a Victorian-era setting.

2. The protagonists - Daniel Wilson was once a Scotland Yard detective, part of the team that hunted Jack the Ripper. His fiancé, Abigail Fenton, is an archeologist and Egyptologist. Together they are ‘The Museum Detectives’ and they are great at it.

3. The history - There are many snippets of historical details in the book. I quite enjoyed learning more about the fossil-hunting mania of the notorious Bone Wars in America.

4. The tone - The tone of the book was spot on for me. This is not a gentle, cozy read. It is fairly fast paced with plenty of twists and a rising pile of bodies, but still not too gory or dark. A fun read.

5. More to come - This is the fifth book in the Museum Murders series (you guessed it, each book centers around a different museum) but perfect as a stand-alone. It is the third I've read and am working my way through the rest. Can't get enough of this series.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Allison & Busby for the chance to read this before it comes out in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't read all this series, but I have read the first one, so I was introduced to the characters previously.
This is a great continuation in the overall arc, I love books set in the 1800's before any kind of technology came along. Everything is done in an old fashioned way, making it more enjoyable for me.
There was plenty of character development throughout, and it made me excited for the next instalment, and indeed to read backwards to catch up on the previous cases.
I did feel that it was a quick and action packed ending, and that there could have been a bit more action in the mid-section to even things out a little, which is the only reason I've not rated it 5 stars.
I loved the inclusion of real people that were alive during that time, it added to the whole adventure of the case.
This series and this book is a massive must for any fans of historical fiction.