Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Museum Mysteries #8

by Jim Eldridge

17th May 1899: Queen Victoria lays the foundation stone on the site of a new museum being built in South Kensington, which she names as The Victoria and Albert Museum. Shortly after, Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are called to the site because the dead body of a man, Andrew Page, has been found in one of the trenches.



The more Wilson and Fenton dig, the more they discover other potential motives for Page's murder, some with potentially explosive implications for the Royals and the Government. They will have to tread carefully as someone is determined that they will not uncover any more ...

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

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 18, 2022

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 4 out of 5]

The 8th book in the Museum Mysteries and here we find Daniel and Abigail Wilson investigating the death of one of the curators of this museum at the site of the construction of the museum, and they have been brought in to investigate at the express command of Queen Victoria. These are always fun cozy mysteries and here Daniel and Abigail are forced to examine all the employees of the museum, as well as having to deal with espionage intrigue in the buildup to the 2nd Boer War. This book actually gets rather convoluted in both plot and characters and for about 25 pages I was totally baffled as to the action in the book. And, as in all these books Scotland Yard Superintendent Armstrong is a perfect foil for the "Museum Detectives" and, as usual, the book is filled with his blundering. I love those scenes and how they move the plot along. A good effort, not his best. I rate it a 3.5, but will round it up to a 4 due to my overall enjoyment of most of this book and the series.
See my full review of this and other books at www.viewsonbooks.com

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Museum Mysteries, a series by Jim Eldridge, is one of my go-to reads. Each new title that comes out feels like a bit of a vacation to me. The books read quickly, the characters are engaging, and the mystery solutions take some real thinking. The mysteries are set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria, a period I'm particularly fond of when it comes to historical mysteries.

This volume is interesting in that the narrative includes two murders, which may or may not be connected, making Daniel and Abigail (the central characters) unsure of the number of culprits they're seeking. Several characters have engaged in unscrupulous activities of one sort of another, so no one can be quickly removed from the list of suspects. Add in tensions between our detective pair, Scotland Yard, and government departments. There are no dull moments in this title.

If you need a mystery-based "vacation," and like historical mysteries, this title should do the trick!

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Museum Detectives series! I have read the whole series and was excited to see this new one coming out. Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum is the 8th in the series but new readers can jump right in with this book. The author gives you enough information about the set-up for the series and the main characters for the reader to feel caught up.

It's 1899 and at the Victoria and Albert Museum construction site a body has been found. The Queen herself asks Daniel and Abigail to investigate.

I enjoyed learning a bit about the history of this museum. I had no idea that it all started with the Great Exhibition of 1851. Eldridge includes just enough historical detail to make the story interesting.

Daniel and Abigail are a fantastic detective pair. Their individual histories and character bring unique strengths to their investigations. There are often clashes with the police in this series as Daniel and Abigail are amateur detectives and this book upped the ante by including special branch and military intelligence.

The plot was very well-paced and complicated enough to provide the reader with the challenge of trying to solve the mystery before it was revealed.

I hope there are more cases to come for the Museum Detectives!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cosy romp through Victorian London with the museum detectives. Made me go and look up the Boer war and threats for a second one. Most enjoyable.

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another canny murder mystery in which Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton meet Queen Victoria!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1899 When the body of Andrew Page, curator, is discovered at the site of the new Victoria and Albert museum, the Queen instructs Daniel and Abigail Wilson to investigate.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery. With its cast of varied, and likable characters, especially the two main ones. A good addition to this enjoyable Victorian series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel and Abigail are now married after Daniel's near death attack in the last book. They have also, finally moved to a new house that is more up to the standard they are now living and in a new. posher, neighborhood. Life seems good for them and they are happy with their new marital state and new home, until Queen Victoria calls then out on a case. There's been murder at the planned--but not yet built--Victoria and Albert Museum. The Queen wants nothing to damage the reputation and memory of her beloved Albert and the museum that was one of his dreams. She asks the police along with Daniel and Abigail to solve the murder confidentially with absolutely no knowledge of the press or public. The murdered man was a curator of the museum so it would be very serious if word got out. While solving the murder Daniel and Abigail come across spies for Germany and South African Boers along with a sex scandal, also involving curators at the museum. I did think it was rather unrealistic of the Queen to insist that everything be secreted. Daniel had friends in the press and all they would have had to do was follow him or Abagail clandestinely or have a reporter hang around a police station. But then, the press, at that time were a lot more respectful and protective of royalty. A good effort and very interesting with the glimpse of Queen Victoria.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

another great installment. Like before if you are looking for a good light historical mystery this is it. The characters and their world are great to spend some time with and this is always very informative. So the authors done his research, which is always much appreciated.

PS this cover is stunning

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAWPILE 8.00
4.5 STARS

Read for Battleathon August 2024.
I really, really enjoyed this one. Partially because Queen Victoria enters the story and is a fascinating character. I really loved the spy storyline and the stakes in this one felt really high.
Read in one sitting- couldn't stop reading.

[Beth Younge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the latest book in the Museum Detectives series. The story was written well and it was generally thrilling with the plot being fairly realistic in terms of history and action. I liked the different layers on display in this and the twists and turns were done well as they kept me on the edge of my seat. I still really loved Abigail and Daniel and i feel every book grows their relationship further.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Laurie K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

London, 1898. A thick fog covers the city. And at the new Victoria and Albert Museum it swirls into a large marquee, hiding the body of a man laying at the foot of the newly placed foundation stone, his throat slashed from ear to ear.

Almost immediately, Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are summoned by Queen Victoria. The Queen is well aware of the couple and the investigations they have undertaken at other famous museums. Believing that this murder will taint the reputation of the museum which is to be a testament to the achievements of her late husband, Prince Albert, she commands Daniel and Abigail to find the murder and bring them to justice. But even the full authority of the Queen won’t make finding the culprit any easier. The police don’t appreciate their presence, the victim was a philanderer who just happened to share a mistress with the Prince of Wales and seduced the daughter of a museum guard. The victim’s widow doesn’t seem overly upset, oh and her brother may be a German spy. Along with the usual petty jealousies amongst co-workers, it all means that the Wilson’s will definitely have their work cut out for them.

This is the third of the Museum Mysteries series that I’ve read. While I found those others (Murder at the Fitzwilliam and Murder at the British Museum) very entertaining, I was not so enamored with this most recent installment. The plot was very good, and with the presence of royal scandal and international intrigue, had a great deal of potential. The storyline of the newly married Daniel and Abigail was ripe for adding new aspects to their characters, as partners both personally and professionally.

Eldridge’s inclusion of historic figures and events is impressive. I was aware of some of the history regarding the V&A museum, but appreciated the depth of information provided which I did not know. Also, the introduction of Abdul Karim, who served as Victoria’s personal secretary and teacher, was fascinating.

Unfortunately, as to the mystery, none of my hopes came to fruition. Rather than allow red herrings to play out, and give some well needed diversion to the mystery, various avenues of investigation were introduced and very quickly resolved. Regarding Daniel and Abigail, while we quickly learn of their marriage and new home overlooking Primrose Hill in north London, there is little else about them that made me want to engage with them. The move from scene to scene, asking questions and having banal conversations that went in circles. They could have been cardboard cutouts for all the personality they were given.

As much as I wanted to enjoy this book, I’d have to say that this was something of a meh read for me.

My thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy made available for my review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for this opportunity to review Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum. All opinions and comments are my own.

A killer fog, a frequent occurrence in the London of the 1890s, masks the body of a museum curator as Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum begins, the latest in the “museum” series by Jim Eldridge. (Mr. Eldridge also writes a series of hotel historical mysteries.) The museum series features Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton, now Abigail Wilson; she has become his wife at last. Private detectives they are, and good ones, specialists in these sorts of cases. And this one is especially tricky as readers will find, when several avenues of investigation open up. The “museum detectives” will have a lot on their hands -- called in by Her Majesty the Queen to solve the case, since it is her “namesake” that is involved. And her Dear Albert’s memory cannot be tainted by the stain of an unsolved murder. Oh, no.

Of course, they immediately come up against their nemesis, Chief Superintendent Armstrong of the Yard. I could do without this trope of the “police inspector that wants them out of the picture,” but that doesn’t seem likely to happen. At least Inspector John Feather is happy to help them, and so they can swap information back and forth, which moves the story along at a fairly good pace. Especially when it seems that The Government and Foreign Interests may be involved, which puts Daniel and Abigail squarely in the path of people they don’t want to be associated with. They’re warned off. But, when did that stop our two intrepid detectives?

Along the way we’re treated to a history of the museums of London, Anglo-German-South African politics, and the Prince of Wales and his peccadilloes. It’s a cornucopia of topics, indeed. What was the dead man actually doing with his German connections? And who’s been messing with the books at the museum? And one mustn’t forget that Daniel and Abigail have a little contretemps with Special Branch, but it’s cleared up quickly. It’s good to have friends in high places.

Then, we have another dead body. The waters are muddying, indeed. They have to go over everything again, narrowing down the suspects and motives for murder. In the end, what seemed rather dark and involved, is really, rather simple.

Queen Victoria wants nothing made public, which makes the Chief Superintendent unhappy, since he wants credit for everything, but, oh, well. The Queen can now leave for the Isle of Wight, happy that her dear beloved’s legacy is unspoiled. The V&A, which, incidentally isn’t finished, can now be completed and not under a dark cloud. The Wilsons can go home, put their feet up for a bit and enjoy their nice cheque. All’s right in the world. Well, until next time.

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder at the Victoria & Albert Museum begins with the newly married Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are commissioned by Queen Victoria to solve the murder of Andrew Page, a curator whose body was found near the foundation stone she laid at this monument to her great love, Prince Albert. Just imagine how handy a royal commission letter can be to investigators. They are aided by a friend in Scotland Yard while that friend’s supervisor fumes about their involvement but sees the value in sharing information, especially if he thinks it’s a one-way street.

Andrew Page, the murdered curator, is a perfect murder mystery suspect. Was he murdered by a romantic rival, German spies, an unscrupulous embezzler, a philandering colleague, or a jealous coworker? The red herrings abound and the story is such that you think if Daniel and Abigall just turn one more corner, they will find another. This is complicated when there is another murder.



Murder at the Victoria & Albert Museum is the eighth book in the Museum Mysteries series. [Here’s the author introducing the series in 2020.] The mystery is fair in that the readers are provided the clues as the detectives gather them. I haven’t read the first seven in this series but don’t think that decreased my enjoyment of this one.

The book is fast-paced and focused heavily on the plot. There is very little character development which is a weakness, particularly with Chief Superintendent Armstrong who is a very flat character. He hates the Museum Detectives and his unnecessary competition with them leads him to make one poor decision after another. He becomes a malignant buffoon and I am sure deserves better. But even the protagonists, Daniel and Abigail, are relatively flat. They feel as if they were unpacked from a box where they are stored between murders.

The mystery itself was well-plotted, complicated but fair. I love the abundance of red herrings though I do think too many were too quickly dispatched. It would be good to see several balls in the air at one time, so to speak. Still, I am thinking of reading the seven that preceded this book because I do love a good cozy.

I received an e-galley of Murder at the Victoria & Albert Museum from the publisher through NetGalley.

Murder at the Victoria & Albert Museum at Alison & Busby
Jim Eldridge author site

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[CPE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Eldridge’s Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum features his “Museum Detectives”, Abigail and Daniel. We learn in the first few pages that things have changed since the last book: the couple are now married and have moved to a better house in Primrose Hill – with an indoor bathroom and toilet!

The foundation stone for the new V&A Museum was laid the previous month, May 1899. [It’s interesting that, although it’s not in this book, of course, the stone was actually moved after the Queen laid it. The laying of the stone was ‘timed to suit the Queen’s convenience’ but work on the foundations didn’t start for another year. That ceremony turned out to be her last official public appearance before she died in 1901.] Daniel and Abigail are summoned to see the Queen when the body of a museum curator is found next to the stone. She asks them to investigate the murder because she doesn’t want anything or anyone to besmirch the new building that will bear her late husband’s name.

Once again, Eldridge’s inclusion of a real historic figure is done superbly. His portrayal of Oscar Wilde in Murder at the Natural History Museum is a masterclass in how to do it. His Queen Victoria, although elderly (she turned 80 one week after laying the stone), is definitely sharp and strong-willed. Her intelligence network is highly efficient and effective.

Chief Superintendent Armstrong of Scotland Yard is furious that Abigail and Daniel have been retained on the case. However, Scotland Yard have to be careful as the Queen would not be amused if her agents were obstructed. Other government departments are involved and we get an fascinating insight into early inter-agency politics and hostility.

I really enjoyed this book, as I have all of Eldridge’s other books: those about the Museum detectives, set in Victorian times; and those about DCI Coburg, set in WWII. Eldridge skilfully weaves several sub-plots, nudging us into jumping to conclusions as we, like Chief Superintendent Armstrong, are tempted to look for the easy answer. I really do recommend this book.

#MurderattheVictoriaandAlbertMuseum #NetGalley

[Judy Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several books in the hotel mystery series by this author and have been pleased with the books, so I didn't hesitate when I saw a museum mystery offered through NetGalley. It should have been a perfect fit even if I was beginning with book eight of the museum series. These main characters, Daniel and Abigail Wilson should have had more heft to them after already solving seven major mysteries, but they were both pretty shallow characters. The Scotland Yard Inspector always ran straight to the Wilson's with any clues or information he had, and his boss willingly threw someone in jail just to make himself look good for solving a case. How did that work out when the truth came out? Not good for Scotland Yard at all. This story takes place in London, England in 1899 at the time of the dedication of the Victoria and Albert Museum. There is a great deal of historical information regarding this combining of one museum with the new one to join them into one huge museum. Often the information was not woven into the story very smoothly so it was more noticeable than it should have been. Plus, one of my least favorite peeves is in this story; the main characters are called Wilson and another character is called Wilton. With all the names available for that second character, why did it have to be one so easily mistaken when reading?

The story isn't all slightly boring or irritating. There is a twist at the end which made perfect sense and was handled well by the author. The portions which had the Wilson's interacting with Queen Victoria were interesting but could have done with more description. She was such an unusual character with many odd rumors almost constantly circulating about her personally and physically that some extra time concerning HRH would have filled out the story nicely. In any case, I don't plan to continue reading this museum mystery series because I enjoy the hotel mystery series so much more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for an e-galley of this novel.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the eighth book in the Museum Mysteries, and a great addition to the series. Abigail and Daniel Wilson are now living in a house with indoor bathroom. They get a message from Buckingham Palace asking them to to an audience with Queen Victoria. Of course they go and meet with Sir Anthony Thurrington. The foundation stone has just been laid for the new Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington. However, that morning, Mr. Page, a curator of the current Kensington Museum was found next to the stone with his throat cut. The Queen would like the Wilson's to solve the murder without a lot of publicity for the museum.

From the beginning, Chief Superintendent Armstrong of Scotland Yard wants to be the one to solve the case. However, the Wilsons gradually find several suspects including another curator, Oakley, who is very upset that Page was in charge of German ceramics when ceramics was Oakley's specialty, as well as the guard who found the body whose daughter had dated Mr. Page. When they go to see Page's widow, she doesn't seem very upset, and her German brother, Kurtz, is visiting, making two more suspects. The commander of Special Branch tells them to stay away from Kurtz.

However, they also find that Mr. Page had been rather promiscuous. Besides the guard's daughter, he also went out with a woman with whom the Crown Prince went out. When they went to talk with the Crown Prince he didn't know about Mr. Page, but they found his Secretary to be very protective of the Prince, and he did know. They also begin to think about the possibility of Page blackmailing someone, possibly about financial mishandling. Soon after they ask about financial things at the museum, Mr. Tweed is found hanging from his stair rails. How are the two killings related? Will the Wilsons be able to solve both murders with out getting killed themselves?

This is a very good Victorian mystery with a clever plot.

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Queen Victoria is 80 and really not amused this time. Just as work is beginning on the extension that will become the Victoria and Albert Musuem, a man is found dead at the construction site. Luckily for her, the museum detectives, Daniel and Abigail Wilson, are available to take the case. This is the 8th book in the "Museum Mysteries" series.
When the body of museum pottery curator Andrew Page is discovered at the museum construction site, Queen Victoria becomes concerned that the negative publicity and scandal will taint the memory of her beloved dead husband Albert. She calls in the Museum Detectives to investigate. As Daniel and Abigail begin to investigate the dead man's life, they discover many possible motives for murder: someone is stealing from the museum's budget; Andrew has many mistresses which his wife knows about but can't be too happy about; and Andrew's German brother-in-law has been staying with him and relations between Germany and England aren't too friendly at this point in time. There are many routes to investigate, all while the police chief remains incensed that these "amateurs" are stealing his limelight.

The story and setting were quite intriguing, but I thought the story got bogged down at times by all the history lessons. There were long passages about the history of the Victoria and Albert Museum, how museums are funded, the English/German/Boer conflict in South Africa, Queen Victoria's children, etc. It was also a bit annoying how smug Daniel was when he was waving around a letter from the palace instructing people to talk to him with regards to the murder case. The middle of the book got quite muddled and off-track, I thought, but the resolution was satisfying.

I received a copy of Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum from NetGalley

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: Daniel and Abigail are now married and living a comfortable life on Primrose Hill. Their reputation as capable Museum Detectives has travelled far. It has travelled to Buckingham Palace where Queen Victoria enlists their help to find who killed a man on the foundation stone she just laid for the new Victoria and Albert Museum. It was the dream of her late husband and she wants nothing to blemish the reputation of the place.

They have their work cut out as the Met still seethes with frustration at their successes. Special Branch threatens them. And the some of the people with whom they need to speak take great umbrage at their audacity. Good thing the Queen gave them a carte blanche letter to open any door. Some of the parties are willing to thwart them in any way they can. But someone, or someone’s, are prepared to get violent.

With all the hurdles our intrepid couple are still able to uncover the guilty. And what a dog’s breakfast it turns out to be. German Spies, illicit affairs, blackmail, larceny and fraud. And when they do get to the answer, they must keep it hush hush. The Queen demands it. And nobody would argue with Victoria.

I do like this series and find the two protagonists to be fascinating and endearing. The background of London at the end of the 19th Century adds so much and it was a cracking good mystery. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Димитър Тодоров · Rating 2 out of 5]

Тая детективска поредица сигурно е замислена за деца и юноши. Викторианската епоха е само декор, костюми и базови тривиални факти за историята на Британската империя, държавните музеи и кралското родословие. А нравите и ситуациите са като извадени от XX (но не чак и XXI) век и пльокнати там. Само дето такситата (бричките) са с коне вместо с двигатели и липсват компютри. Пишещи машини има! И дактилоскопия, но без база данни. Обаче ме съмнява, че и младежка публика ��и имала търпение да прочете всичките 348 страници само от любопитство кой е убиецът на куратора на отдела за германска индустриална керамика в недопостроенния още музей. Половината от текста е преразказване на току що наученото при разследване. По няколко пъти! Веднъж - на читателя, веднъж на полицаите (ако са го научили музейните детективи), веднъж на музейните детективи (ако го е научила полицията), веднъж - на шефа на полицията, веднъж - на специалния отдел, веднъж - на военното разузнаване и, разбира се, още веднъж - на кралица Виктория. В нейния частен кабинет в двореца си влизат и излизат, по-лесно от при директор на училище. При Уелския принц става малко по-трудно, но и там не е недостъпно. Най-голямото разочарование обаче не е пълнежът, а че никаква тайна не произлиза от музейни експонати и знания за тях. Язък! Една звезда давам бонус за намесата на Южна Африка в що годе правилен исторически контекст, макар и без племенна керамика.

[Amalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five reasons I'm giving five stars to Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum by Jim Eldridge:

1. The setting - We are in London, 1899, and someone has left a body on the site of a new museum being built in South Kensington, dedicated by the queen herself! 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 new wife, Abigail Fenton, is an archeologist and Egyptologist. Together they are ‘The Museum Detectives’ and they are great at it.

3. The royal presence - The ‘palace’ is heavily invested in this investigation, guarding the reputation of the late Prince Albert and the museum that would celebrate his interests, and Daniel and Abigail quite enjoy being ‘the queen’s detectives.’

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 little history thrown in), but still not too gory or dark. A fun read.

5. More to come - This is the eighth book in the Museum Murders series (you guessed it, each book centers around a different museum) but perfect as a stand-alone. Can't get enough of this series.

[B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a deep fondness of Victorian mysteries, especially when the detectives are a couple. So I was excited to read this book which was an introduction for me to this series about a couple who investigate mysteries that take place at famous museums. I was ready to go buy the earlier books and read those. In other words, I am the target audience for this series.

However, I was just disappointed in the story. The couple, Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton, run around interviewing a lot of people and there are a lot of interesting historical details dropped in. But the mystery just didn’t grab me and Danial and Abigail just didn’t have much of a personality. The Scotland Yard leaders seem a bit cartoonish in their desire to rush through a conviction just so they can win a race against the famous Museum Detectives. Everything gets solved rather easily despite dragging in for bits throughout the book. I don’t think I’ll be paying to buy the earlier books, but I’d probably check them out for free from a library.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

[Michelle Ogden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum is part of a series by Jim Eldridge. Abigail is one of the very first women to become an archaeologist at a time when most women received very little education. She is a force of nature, very determined to reach her goals. Her husband is a former Scotland Yard detective who worked on the Ripper case. He disagrees that the justice systems sometimes isn’t fair, he is upright and very ethical.

The newest book, Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum isn’t as action packed as previous mysteries, but it still has a puzzling plot that will have you guessing at who the villain really is. After a murder of a curator of German pottery is murdered and left on the construction site of the newest wing of the Victoria and Albert museum, the Queen herself calls the Wilson’s to a meeting. The Queen does not want anything to taint the museum dedicated to her late beloved husband. She wants a thorough but quiet investigation.

Scotland Yard is upset that the Wilson’s have been called in. Does Her Majesty not have faith in her detectives? So the Yard sets out to compete with the detectives to find the culprit. Will they trip each other up or find a way to work together? After all what danger could really lurk in the halls of a museum.

[Beachcomber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. I do enjoy the Museum Detectives and Coburg series, so was excited to dive into a new book. This one sees a murder at the soon-to-be V&A Museum, and Queen Victoria request the newly married Wiltons’ help in solving the murder quietly. Before long, there’s a second murder, but are the two linked?

I did really enjoy this, as always - there was a little bit of info dumping exposition at the start, more showing the author’s knowledge and research than naturally something someone would say in conversation. But it then settled down into a well thought out plot. A few others have mentioned Armstrong being a bit implausible in his behaviour (his hate of the Wiltons, racing to beat them even if it means not properly checking the suspect and arresting the wrong man) - it’s one of those things you just suspend a certain amount of disbelief over, and move on. I think I’d find it annoying in other books, but something I can almost overlook here.

Overall, a solid 4 star good addition to an enjoyable series!

[Karin Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

London, 1899. Queen Victoria lays the foundation stone on the site of a new museum being built, which she names as The Victoria and Albert Museum. Shortly after, Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are called to the site because the dead body of a man, curator Andrew Page, has been found in one of the trenches. The Queen is determined that nothing will sully the new museum, and by association her beloved Albert’s legacy. But the more Wilson and Fenton dig, the more they discover other potential motives for Page’s murder, some with potentially explosive implications for the Royals and the Government. They will have to tread carefully as someone is determined that they will not uncover any more. I love everything by this author and have learned more about British history then anything else I have read. Interesting characters, a very well plotted mystery and believable dialog make this a wholly satisfying read. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum is the eighth book in the Museum Mysteries series. In this mystery, Daniel and Abigail Wilson are commissioned by Queen Victoria to get to the bottom of a death at the site of her dear Victoria and Albert Museum.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I was intrigued by the description so I thought I’d give it a try. Overall I found this to be an okay book, it was well written and clearly well researched, maybe too much at times. I really enjoyed the characters of Daniel and Abigail, but the book drug on for me and at points I felt like the mystery was lost. Just because I couldn’t fully get into it, doesn’t mean this wasn’t a good book. I think anyone who is into mysteries with a lot of history will be drawn to this book and really enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read some of the others in series, but I believe that this one, too, can easily stand alone.
Abigail Fenton is an archaeologist who even explored the tombs in Egypt with Flinders-Petrie but is now working as a private enquiry agent with her partner, Daniel Wilson who is a former Scotland Yard detective. Together they are known as the Museum Detectives because of the past cases they have solved.
Queen Victoria wants them to be on the case, but Chief Superintendent Armstrong of Scotland Yard doesn't want them involved. Too bad. While investigating, they find suspicions of one man, but the CS goes ahead with charges and publicity only to be embarrassed when the man is proven innocent. And so, the suspects pile up! Another fine mystery!
I requested and received a digital ARC of this book from Allison & Busby via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Victoria and Albert

Daniel and Abigail are on the case again and this time they have been summoned by Queen Victoria herself to discover who killed Andrew Page at the site of the new Victoria and Albert Museum.


Firstly I love Abigail and Daniel.. they to me are the perfect couple, loving and supportive of one another.. I heart them! And now they are married! So good news!

The story is good.. a body found at the V and A while they are putting the finishing touches before they open to the public which means that this crime is directly connected to the Queen and she needs this crime solving by the best, a tightly woven story that encompasses treason, the upcoming bore war, class war and adultery… its great!!

More Daniel and Abigail please..

#MurderattheVictoriaandAlbertMuseum #NetGalley #Mystery #1880s

[Bookweasel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally I'm not a crime / thriller person but every so often I'll give them a go.
This was set in one of my favourite time periods (1800s).
Overall it was ok. There is a lot of the main characters repeating the same thing to different people as they explain what they have found out, which was a bit irritating.
Also there were characters and parts of the plot which turned out to be completely irrelevant in the end. I understand having uninvolved (in the murder) characters in the book to throw the detectives off, but so much time was dedicated to those characters here that it seemed a bit pointless.
It wasn't terrible, I certainly enjoyed it enough to read it every evening and finish the book. Other people are saying this is not one of Jim Eldridge's best books so I think I will probably try another of his to see if I like that better.

[Bodies in the Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Clucking Book Club selection, although most of the others at Chicken and Frog weren’t too keen on it.

For me this was a three star read - I liked the lead characters, Daniel and Abigail Wilson, and the set up of a corpse having been found next to the foundation stone for the new museum at South Kensington.

The Wilsons, having solved seven previous museum mysteries, are engaged by the Queen herself to find the murderer and save the reputation of the institution she has commissioned in memory of her late consort.

Cue much gadding about in hansom cabs, a couple of red herrings involving international spy rings, and the washing of plenty of curatorial dirty laundry in public.

Just what I want from a cosy crime set in one of my favourite museums …

Three Word Review: Can’t please everyone 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Inside, the body of a man was laid to rest on the cobbled ground”
.
That line hooked me for sure!

The Murder at the Victoria and Albert Museum is the 8th installment in the museum murders by Jim Eldridge detailing the adventures of the “museum detectives” Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. They assist Scotland Yard (much to their chagrin) in solving a murder of a curator of the brand new Victoria and Albert Museum.

Along the way, various suspects are posed. Who wanted Mr. Page killed? And why?

The book was full of a lot of fun twists and turns and the end result was a bit of a surprise. I enjoyed the book and it was a quick, easy, entertaining read.

Thank you to Allison & Busby publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.