London in 1900 is a sprawling, chaotic web of change and expansion, perfect for a man like Denton, an American with a violent past seeking anonymity as an outsider. But his notoriety as the author of several dark novels—and the well-known story that, decades before, he had gunned down four men in the American West—sometimes brings unwanted visitors to his door. When a terrified man shows up one evening and says that he is being pursued by the long-gone Jack the Ripper, Denton dismisses him as one more victim of London’s lunacy. But then the mutilated body of a teenaged prostitute named Stella Minter is found in London’s East End. . . .
Disappointed by the lack of police concern, Denton determines to pursue the murderer, even after it’s clear that he’s become the next target. As Denton begins to peel away the layers of the lurid and horrifying murder, he finds himself exploring the dark underbelly of the bursting metropolis, a place so vast that Denton is forced to follow nothing but his instincts through the maze of London—its pubs, its police offices, its dark alleys and disreputable neighborhoods—to find a murderer who is himself an agent of the city’s cancerous growth. And along the way Denton is lucky enough to find an ally in a woman with a past as haunted and a spirit as independent as his own.
Kenneth Cameron has brought turn-of-the-century London vividly to life in this intelligent and compelling crime novel. The Frightened Man delves far deeper than the mere circumstances of a murder to investigate the unseen—the secrets harbored in London’s immeasurable streets and in the dark side of human nature.
Kenneth Cameron, AKA George Bartram, is the author or co-author of more than thirty books, including historical novels and novels of espionage, a critical history of the African safari, and an award-winning analysis of films about Africa (Africa on Film - MLA Independent Scholars Award). He has had plays produced Off- and Offf-Off Broadway and on the London Fringe. His first publications were two poems in the Best Poems of 1955. He lives part of the year in the woods of New York State’s Adirondacks, part in a small city in the South.
Together with his son, Christian Cameron, he wrote a series of military thrillers published under the name Gordon Kent.
(C+) 65% | Almost Satisfactory Notes: A textbook example of telling not showing. Two hundred pages of caked-on character defining before it gets moving.
The Frightened Man is a Victorian-era mystery that I picked up at the library because it had a spooky cover and the inner flap mentioned Jack the Ripper. What can I say, when books are free, it doesn't take too much to lure me in.
Much to my disappointment, it was not actually about JtR, but about a similar killing that leaves everyone reminded of the infamous killer. Denton is a sheriff-turned-author-turned-sleuth who gets pulled in when the titular frightened man shows up at his doorstep babbling about a murdered girl.
It's a solid enough mystery, although nothing stands out to bump it up to 4 stars. It had an unexpected feminist leaning, with the main character subtly musing throughout on the societal standards of the day and becoming romantically attracted to a self-sufficient woman due to the mutual respect that grows between them. It had the same sort of problems that amateur detective mysteries often have - I always felt like he didn't have very convincing reasons for pursuing the case behind the backs of the multitude of law enforcement characters, especially when he was bankrupting himself to do it. Despite that, I'd be interested in reading the author's next mystery.
I don't know how I missed this when it first came out. It's a wonderful Victorian mystery; well-plotted, elegantly written, with intriguing characters and much to consider. It's 1900, Oscar Wilde is dead and the world is speeding up, machines pound and roar and motor cars are taking over. The hero, Denton, a Civil War veteran with a tragic past, a passionate temperament, and a fine sense of honor, is living in London, supporting himself as an author. One night a terrified little man with a greasy hat shows up on his doorstep in a state of terror. He claims he knows Jack-the-Ripper (some fifteen years silent) and has witnessed a woman's gruesome murder, but leaves without really telling Denton or the redoubtable Atkins, his assistant, what really occurred. We follow Denton as he attempts to find the witness, expose the crime, the identities of the victim and the murderer, but the book, for all its slimness, is a fine commentary on Victorian society. Denton must examine his own attitudes towards women and develops a heightened sensitivity to those of his gender in general. A major character, Janet Striker, who assists him in his search, says at one point, "Men hate women." At first he is appalled, but as he discovers the nature of the crime, he realizes Janet means something far more profound and unsettling, that his contemporaries hate the reality of women, women as individuals who refuse the neat categories male-dominated society constructs.
I like the main character Denton, however he seems to come across the solution to the crime by falling over bodies and not through investigative work. However this works in some ways, he's not Sherlock, he doesn't try to be. Did like Atkins the manservant, an old soldier who has Denton's back, though he's not much cop as a bodyguard
Kenneth Cameron’s The frightened man is the first in a new series of historical mysteries set in turn-of the-century Victorian/Edwardian London. The novel revolves around the life of writer come amateur detective Denton, who has emigrated from an American past filled with hazily alluded to sorrow and regret, including involvement in The Civil War, a turn as a US sheriff and a failed marriage. Denton’s cynicism is countered by an innate humanism and his witty, egalitarian banter with acerbic manservant Sergeant Atkins.
Late one night a seemingly hysterical stranger (a frightened man) turns up at Denton’s door with a tale of seeing Jack the Ripper and fearing for his life. Denton dismisses him as a crackpot and turns him out. The next morning his interest is piqued when he sees a newspaper headline trumpeting the brutal murder of a young prostitute, Stella Minter. This kicks off an adventure into bustling, foggy, gaslit, brutal, class-ridden London; a city Denton says "… was like monster child that ate its mother and never stopped growing."
As Denton, and unlikely ally Janet Striker (director of the Society for the Improvement of Wayward Women), uncover clues about the murder they expose the squalid and grotesque underbelly of Victorian London – its prostitutes, wharf-side pubs, vagrants and murderers. Satisfying as both a murder mystery and informative historical fiction, this novel will keep you guessing until the startling and violent climax.
Be warned that this book ventures down darkened streets that the meek reader may want to avoid. It is not for the squeamish. You just can't white-wash a post-mortem.....
This is my second book by Kenneth M. Cameron. I first read The Bohemian Girl which should actually follow The Frightened Man. There's more to come with Denton and Janet Striker. What really drew me in is the snappy dialogue that slips easily between his characters. It's like being privy to inside jokes or seeing the trip wire before anyone else does.
"I wash my hands of the whole damned lot!" Denton shouted. 'Good enough for Pontius Pilate, should be good enough for you, Major.' (Atkins)
The Bohemian Girl was a heavier read with plenty of backstory to digest. The Frightened Man sails straight through at a faster pace with the reader pocketing clues for later reference. Cameron opens eyes into a Victorian world that one did not know existed. The ending is fast-paced and ricochets around the corner. There is plenty of setup for the upcoming Bohemian Girl. I really enjoyed The Frightened Man and look forward to reading more of Kenneth M. Cameron's work.
Long and drawn out, so much so I had to skip 50-75 pages.....
I didn't like the characters they were hard and elicited no empathy.... Had I read this first I'd not have read the 2nd in the series (as it was I read that one first).
A man comes to Denton insisting that Jack-the-Ripper is after him and is in need of protection. As it turns out the man was a voyeur and had witnessed the horrific murder of a young prostitute.....
The police, of course, don't care and pin the murder on an African Sailor, just to be done with it... Until Denton is attacked twice in his home by a mad-man with a knife, the same type used on the dead girl.
Denton searches for the frightened man & finds him dead, 4 floors below the window of his photography studio.....
And so the book goes on & on & on with everyone fighting their personal demons & the police, until Denton unwittingly comes across the murderer.
I have the 3rd in this series next to my chair, I'll have to peruse it before I consider reading it.
I liked this book which read more like a short story, but rather more for the interesting characters, especially Denton and Janet Stryker. I have to say it seemed more historical fiction than mystery. It showed a pitiful side of London at the turn of the century-- treatment of women was ghastly-- the scenes at the home for wayward mothers and the turn in the mystery was an interesting blend of social commentary and justice being served.
Cameron did an excellent job transporting the reader to early 1900s in England and I look forward to reading his work again.
Horrendous. The author is obviously one of those people who thinks that all humans are evil. Frankly the way the main character is described at the beginning made me think he was supposed to be the villain. Every single character is horribly flawed and unlikable, except for the ally Janet Striker. I want to see her go off and solve mysteries, Denton be damned. The author jams her in as the love interest, way too fast, and I was rolling my eyes at it. Heterosexual nonsense. I will not be reading any more of the series.
It took a while for this book to find itself but in the end it was a fun read. Not as clever as Sherlock but the Victorian setting was vivid and the main characters were well developed. Happy to see where Mr Denton is headed.
I loved this book - smart mystery with excellent movement of characters through a time in history. The characters including supporting, were well developed and interesting. Good use of humor (and again smart humor). Good use of suspense. I just really liked it a lot.
Murder mystery. Best on industrial revolution London and environs. Plot rather thin, I thought. And drawn out, padded. Some scenes spectacular and others just so-so.
Meh..it was ok..again I expected more from it given the story line of the book, but it never quite came through..yet enough to where I would give the author and series one more try!
This was not that great. The book starts with such promise with a novelist investigating the return of Jack the Ripper, but the book declines from there. A quick read,but not that great
Saw this at the bookstore and the cover got me. Story looked like it had potential. Was pretty good. Probably 3 1/2 stars not 4. I have since read others in this style that were better.
I had never heard of Kenneth Cameron’s Denton series, which was a little surprising to me, since I am a big fan of historical mysteries. But I am fond of several other Felony & Mayhem Press authors, so I was happy to receive a review copy of the first book in the series, The Frightened Man, from them. And I liked it a lot.
Denton is a former Civil War (US) veteran, and former Western frontier sheriff, now an expatriate in early 1900s London and making his living as an author. He’s got a few issues still hanging on from his past and not quite enough money in the present. But he also still has his investigative skills and life experience to rely on when a small and frightened man comes to him with a disjointed tale of seeing Jack the Ripper strike again, but then flees before telling the whole story. Denton goes to the police, who are skeptical, but some bits of the tale soon turn out to be true. (This is not much of a spoiler, since it happens right at the beginning.) Did the frightened man really see Jack the Ripper? Or was something else going on? And is the frightened man in danger too? Although Denton falls afoul of some inter-police-agency rivalries, he pushes forward with his investigation, at no small cost to himself, his manservant, and a new lady friend.
Although the book starts off rather slowly, and with a bit too much of Denton’s introspection for my taste, it picks up a little way in, and I found myself reading it in just a couple of sittings. I hope to read the next book in the series soon, and have my fingers crossed that, as the second in the series, it may start a little quicker. But that was a minor issue, and overall, I really liked The Frightened Man. In addition to an solid plot and a nice mix of characters, I also especially enjoyed Denton’s outsider’s status in London, which led him to some apt commentaries – as, when talking to the British/Canadian DS Munro about guns, he noted: “But we [the US] had slavery…Slavery, as he had worked it out, made the slaver violent.” Denton isn’t all preachy, though – at another point he says, after a night of drinking, that he “had some hope of walking off the hangover, of course an illusion - outdoor air doesn’t change the chemistry of alcohol”. Having had similar thoughts a time or two in my life, this gave me a nice chuckle.
All-in-all, The Frightened Man is an easy-to-read (after the beginning) and enjoyable mystery, and it gets four stars from me. Since I don’t give many five-star ratings, four is a solid read recommendation, and I’ll be looking for the next couple of books in the series soon. And my thanks to Felony & Mayhem Press and to Edelweiss for the review copy.
An unknown, frightened man comes to Denton after witnessing a murder. Mulcahy cannot go to the police; his location for viewing the crime is unacceptable. He is startled and runs away. The next day, a young prostitute is discovered brutally murdered. Denton and Atkins become involved in finding more information about the man and the victim. Denton loses one woman and meets another who helps with the investigation even though she is extremely leery of men, their power, and their violence.
The Frightened Man is the first in a series about this ex-Pat American novelist. The gripping story is intricately plotted and engaging, has very well developed and dimensional characters, and a strong sense of time and place. Highly recommended.
Readalikes: Stephen Hunter – I, Ripper; M.J. Trow – The Blue and the Grey; Lynn Shepherd – The Pierced Heart and Charles Maddox novels; Steven Price – By Gaslight; Roger Morris’s Silas Quinn mysteries; John Grey’s Silas Quinn mysteries; Will Thomas’s Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn mysteries; Charles Finch – The Inheritance.
Pace: Intensifying Character: Flawed; Likeable; Strong woman Storyline: Intricately plotted Writing style: Compelling Tone: Atmospheric; Suspenseful; Strong sense of time and place Frame: London; End, Victorian era Themes: A man, transitioning from his past
Red flags/Trigger warning: Violence (not graphically described); Poverty; Abuse of Women (implied, not described)
An American writer comes to London in the early 1900's. He is not too good at Budgeting his monies and his household help, prior military, does his best to look after this un organized writer. He has had some success with a book, and has gained friends in the British journalism and writing circles. Some think of him as a bit of a cowboy detective. One evening a very scared man comes to his home, telling tail about a gruesome murder, he is so scared he leaves in a hurry, but not before telling the writer, a Mr. Denton of a murder, a terrible murder. Denton believes the man is a bit of a nut, until a teenage prostitue is found, just like the man had described. Denton goes to the police. Gets the run around, so he starts to do some digging into it by himself. He gets himself almost killed, but continues on with help from new found friends, and sorts out who dun it. Though not without being scared, hurt and getting others hurt along the way. Not a bad story.
This historical mystery set in 1900 London offers great characterization and setting. Denton, a former sheriff from America's frontier and now a popular novelist living in England, can't help trying to solve the mysterious death of a prostitute, even as his funds disappear and his writing is going nowhere. Operating under a threat of death and involved in a contentious relationship with the London cops, he plows ahead. I plan to read more Denton mysteries. Thanks to Felony & Mayhem Press for the free ebook!
The Frightened Man is a Jack-the-Ripperesque murder mystery written by Kenneth Cameron, the father of one of my favorite authors (Christian Cameron). That said, I found the book fell a bit short of my expectations. Denton's character was not consistent. His continued interest in pursuing the murder was also tenuous, and honestly, the most mysterious element of the book. In all, I found the Frightened Man left me lacking -- it really didn't really tie together multiple elements and side characters.
Very good! A new mystery series for me that had so many surprises. Main character is an American, veteran of the Civil War & a town marshall from the west. After writing a popular novel he is now living in England. One night, a "frightened man" barges into his house babbling about seeing a gruesome murder (ala Ripper style), thus dragging our leading man into a desperate search for the history of the murdered prostitute so he can find the killer. Very well written with well developed characters.
3,5* rounded to 4 It's a very slow burning mystery and I nearly DNFed (at about 50%) when the plot became gripping and read the rest in one setting The characters are interesting and well developed, the historical background is realistic and fascinating, the solid mystery kept me guessing. It's not a book I'd recommend if you want a fast paced and action packed story. Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It took me a while to read this one, but it was worth it. It's a great story with likable characters, even if they feel a bit too familiar. It's Sherlock Holmes meets Murder She Wrote as an author finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery.
The book was well written with a few very memorable scenes and an interesting plot. It is the first in a series and the "hook" for me to consider the second book is the potential love interest.
The reader will never guess who the murderer is. It came as a complete surprise to me. Overflowing with descriptive text, so much so that if you had a pen and paper you could probably draw the rooms being described in this novel, it could prove to be a little tedious to some readers. It is worth buying this book just to acquaint yourself with the authors style of writing. Personally I probably won't read any other books by this author.
I enjoyed this book, but some parts fell a bit flat. I got annoyed with the main character torturing himself at certain parts through the story which I felt was unnecessary. 3.5 ⭐️ read for me
The book began great with a lot of good plot lines, it dulled down a bit near the end but it was a great ending of the murder aspect and i will be reading the next book in the series soon.