The Innocents

Variety Palace Mysteries #2

by Bridget Walsh

The hotly anticipated follow-up to  T he Tumbling Girl , The Innocents follows Minnie and Albert on a new crime-solving quest in the world of a Victorian music hall. A string of murders has torn through London, throwing together the now notorious Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook once again. It seems that the crimes all link back to a tragedy fourteen years ago that left 183 children dead. But given that the incident touched so many people’s lives, everyone is a suspect . . .

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, Thriller, London

296 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

I was born in London and now live in Norwich with my husband and two dogs. After a degree in English Literature, and a few abortive career choices, I found my home as an English teacher for 23 years. I completed my PhD in Victorian domestic murder at London University in 2009, but my fascination with Victorian crime never left me. In 2019 I completed the Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) MA at UEA where I was awarded the David Higham Scholarship and received the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction. I am represented by Isobel Dixon at Blake Friedmann.

The Tumbling Girl, the first in a series of crime novels set in the 1870s and featuring an intrepid, working-class heroine and her somewhat posher sidekick, will be published by Gallic in 2023.

Reviews

[Marguerite Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book featuring theatre writer and manager Minnie, and policeman turned private detective Albert. The book starts with a horrific event based on a real tragedy, with a matinee session in a theatre ending in the death of nearly 200 children, the innocents of the title. Move forward a few years, and some of the key people in the theatre at the time, are being murdered.

It takes Minnie and Albert a while to get the connections but of course they get there in the end. And while they're getting there, we get their relationship going forwards and backwards, we get the ongoing impact of the past from the first book, we get loads of fabulous theatre and colour, a monkey whose main talent seems to be to pee on people from a height, and we get lots of dark deeds.

I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one, I felt that Minnie and Albert had become really well-established, and I loved the story - though it was awful. I love the light and dark, I love the writing. Have to say, this is fast becoming one of my favourite series. Pity the next one isn't on the horizon yet. A great read which also manages, despite the lack of obvious HEAs, to be feel good.

[Rebecca Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than the first! I couldn’t put this book down, it’s fast-paced without lacking on the description. Really feel connected to the characters, as they are developed from the first book. Looking forward to more from the Variety Palace!

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another compelling installment in the series! I found myself enjoying this book even more than the first one, despite the weaker crime mystery (there was too much randomness in who turned out to be the villain). However, the less gruesome story was a welcome change. Being familiar with the characters allowed me to root for them more strongly. Like the first volume, this book is meticulously researched and very fast-paced. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I eagerly anticipate the next volumes, as this series may become my favorite in the crime fiction genre.

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Innocents is the second of the Variety Palace Mysteries, a sequel to The Tumbling Girl. Minnie Ward is still holding the theater company together, particularly since Tansie, the owner/manager, is still reeling from the events in the first book. The budding romance between Minnie and Albert, the private detective, has been shelved by Minnie who doesn’t have the time and who thinks Albert deserves a better partner in his life. She has also sworn off detecting after everything that happened.

But mysteries abound and they have not sworn off Minnie. Minnie and Albert are commissioned to investigate the death of a judge that had been ruled accidental. His widow is certain it must be murder. That investigation leads to uncovering other mysterious deaths and a possible serial killer.

In addition, one of the Variety Palace players’ brother is missing and Minnie asks Albert to investigate. Tansie’s monkey is kidnapped and an impossible ransom demanded. And if that were not enough, Minnie is being menaced to force her to visit the guilty party from the first book.



For me, The Innocents was a more enjoyable mystery than the first book. Some of that is simply that it is far less gruesome. Though the tragedy recounted in the prologue is horrific, the deaths in this book have an internal logic that is not about inflicting pain in pursuit of pleasure. In a way, this murderer is more like Hamlet, killing “more in sorrow than in anger.”

There is a bit of deux ex machina in addressing the extortionate demands of The Tumbling Girl‘s villain, but that is fine with me. The threads from the first book remain hanging and that surprised me. I had expected the immediate sequel to snip them off, but I would be happy if the Hairpin Killer is never heard from again.

The mystery is complex and fair. There is more than one mystery and the book does have a sort of frenetic pace and affect, but I imagine Minnie’s life is frenetic what with writing scripts for the theater, managing the theater, and solving crime. She’s a strong, independent woman just seven years after the Married Woman’s Property Act. If Bridget Walsh wrote this book before 1870, the copyright and all the proceedings would belong to her husband. So a book set in that era, with not one, but several strong and independent women working and supporting themselves in occupations beyond the governess or sex worker stereotypical choices of employment is exciting.

I liked The Innocents a lot. It can be read out without reading the first book, but doesn’t irk readers of the first with presenting too much backstory. The plot moves quickly and there is more showing than telling. The characters are complex, even the villain. Well, at least one of the villains. It’s a surprise and a treat when a sequel is better than the first book in a mystery series. Now, I am expecting great things from her third book.

The Innocents will be released on March 26th (4/11 in UK.) I received an ARC from the publisher.
Bridget Walsh author site plus a gorgeous garden.
My review of The Tumbling Girl

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[Marie-Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was, again, phenomenal. The mystery aspect was perhaps a bit obscure and the details of it felt haphazard at times but nevertheless, the story was so so good even if the real, historic event framing the whole story was extremely tragic and the description of it somewhat hard to stomach. I am still really intrigued how the whole Lord Linton-storyline will progress in the upcoming book(s) and I am also desperately hoping for a (re)kindling of whatever is going on between Minnie and Albert that is at the moment such a slooooooow burn. But for the time being I will have to content myself with impatiently waiting (what a conundrum lol) for any news whatsoever regarding the next instalment in the series.

[Paradise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Variety Palace series and wowzer! I really enjoyed The Tumbling Girl but The Innocents is fantastic!

Starting with a horrifically vivid account of the tragic deaths of 183 children, following a theatre stampede, we are immediately on edge and poised for what will come next.

Alfred and Minnie team up again (albeit reluctantly) to solve the case of more deaths of those connected to the theatre. This time it seems there’s a link to the tragedy, but who is responsible?

Bridget takes one in awful historical artefact or event and creates a wonderful story, combining vivid description, with a blend of historical fact and fiction to create a truly compelling story. Although bleak at times, it’s never glorified and the balance between gruesome and romance is perfect. There’s even some humour sprinkled in, making this one of my favourite reads this year.

Any book that combines history, theatre and crime is a pretty damn easy way to please me! I look forward to the next outing for Alfred and Minnie.

[amie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk how many of these Bridget is planning to write but I will keep reading them!!

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tumbling Girl and The Innocents are fantastic Victorian mystery books that I thoroughly enjoyed on audio! I had applied and been accepted to review the third in this series The Spirit Guide, before I realized it was a series but thankfully the first two books were available on borrowbox.

The Tumbling Girl is the first in the series, which sets the scene and the characters for the rest of the series. We are introduced to our main character Minnie, a scriptwriter for the Variety Palace music hall. In book one, she is devastated by the brutal murder of her best friend. She enlists the help of a private detective Albert to help solve the case. Albert is also trying to solve the mysterious case of the hairpin killer. Together they navigate Victorian London to solve the case. Then in book two, the Innocents, Minnie and Albert are back again to solve another case of a string of murders all connected with a terrible tragedy in which 183 children died. The innocent affected so many lives that everyone is a suspect and Albert and Minnie grow even closer.

Both books have such lovable characters, I adored both Albert and Minnie and the will they/won't they get together romantically. A lot of the characters we meet in book one make an appearance in book two which I always love in a series. We see how the aftermath of the events in the first book are still affecting them in book two. Minnie is a fantastic character who is strong willed and determined. We see the prejudices towards finding justice for Minnie's friend just because she was a performer and the lack of worth attributed to women at the time. The atmosphere is another great aspect of the book, the author transports you to 1870s London with the sights and sounds throughout. The two books kept me gripped from start to finish and I couldn't wait to find out the truth in both. Overall, two fantastic entertaining audiobooks and I can't wait to finish the series!

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in The Variety Palace Mysteries, I had not read the first, and what a very entertaining and enjoyable read it was. The book opens in 1863 at the fictional Trafalgar Theatre in London where children have been crammed in to the rafters to see a pantomime. However, at the end when the performers throw sweets into the audience and there is a terrible tragedy and 183 children are killed.

Briefly, 14 years after the theatre disaster detective Albert Easterbrook and writer and theatre manager Minnie Ward are brought back together to investigate the death of a judge as his wife is not convinced it was an accident. As their investigations unfold they find there have been other murders, and other events, that may be related to the Trafalgar Theatre tragedy.

This is in no way a cozy theatre/detective read so do be aware. The theatre tragedy is horrifying and quite upsetting and there is some narrative relating to dog fighting. That said it’s not gratuitous, things were very different in Victorian society and the book is true to this era. I did enjoy this authors writing, I whizzed through it. A fast paced and disturbing, but also witty and captivating, read. Fabulous.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first installment in this series about a year ago, and have been looking forward to the next installment ever since. Having said that, I kind of wish I’d had a bit of a refresher as to what happened in the previous book, as this once kept referring back to elements of that story which I just couldn’t call up in my memory. Most of the time this wasn’t key to the plot line, but more so to character development, so it wasn’t a total deal breaker. Speaking of characters, it’s really what I like so much about this series, and it's a good thing they are rather strong, because the story line—woof, it was rather dark. I seem to recall the first book also having a rather dark main plot line, but this one really was even more so, given that the book begins with the central event, that was a mass casualty event involving entirely children. Yikes, what a way to set the tone. These days, that��s a bit heavy for me for fiction. Additionally, I’m not sure how I felt about a rather robust sub plot that was inserted seemingly entirely for the purpose of writing out a secondary character from the series?

At any rate, it was an entertaining, if somewhat dark, read, and I’ll likely give Ms. Walsh another shot whenever the next installment comes along.

[Bryony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have completed this series so far (I really hope there is going to be more - I need to know about Minnie and Albert)

This is about a duo who in the first book are shoved together to solve a series of murders going on, which includes Minnie's friend. There are so many interwoven story lines going on, characters who all have secrets, and action that makes you want to keep turning the page. Considering there are so many characters and different elements to follow, not once was I lost on who was connected to who and what was going on.

The second book is a new set of murders, but we have the same two detectives and their relationship to each other develops more and moves along making it feel it's the same world. I love the juxtaposition of the two characters, one from a wealthy family and the other just trying to survive from a young age by herself, they have different styles that compliment each other as well as making them butt heads. But each has their own merits to the investigation that helps solve it. The world building was really well written and just enough to let the reader know about their world, without it interfering or taking away from the plot.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

As noted in the book description, the triggering event for the murders in this book is the crushing death of nearly 200 children at a matinee gone horribly wrong. The author pulls no punches in describing the event in the prologue, leaving the reader (if not the detectives) in no doubt that this will be important later. There's also a subplot centered around the Victorian"entertainment" of dog fighting. So be warned. This isn't fluffy cozy historical fiction. This is historical fiction that leaves you relieved that you live in a century with indoor plumbing and a few more social safety nets. But the characters resuming their lives after the terrifying events of first Variety Palace mystery are an appealing bunch. It's just their very bad luck that more bodies are appearing in their neighborhood and the deaths are gruesome. Minnie from the theater and her friend Albert put on their sleuthing hats. While the violence is violent and often fatal, you may very well find yourself laughing unexpectedly and cheering the Variety Palace crew as they work together to save their remaining chums.

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of historical crime fiction, you need to get these brilliant books on your radar! Not only are they incredibly pretty (hats off to the cover designer!), they are absolutely compelling reading too!

These books are fairly slim reads, but they pack a punch. Our “detective” duo Minnie and Albert are such great characters and I adore the setting and sense of time and place that the author creates in these novels - fans of the Victorian era will love them! In this latest novel, as with The Tumbling Girl, the author hasn’t shied away from death, tragedy and violence, often putting some familiar faces in peril and leaving you guessing who might be next! Do check TWs as the opening scene at the theatre with the children is difficult reading, but it does quickly move on from that until later in the story as things come back around. There are also some scenes of animal violence which I personally had to skip past, but they were part of another thread of the story so didn’t feel gratuitous, and of course they were true to the time.

I just think these are truly gritty, atmospheric and clever crime novels that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I love the theatre setting, love the writing, and LOVE the characters especially.

[Tyler Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing new instalment in this series!

After finishing book one to this series earlier this week I was itching to dive into the newest instalment by Bridget and I must say this was as amazing as the first book! I was so happy to once again see Minnie and be back on a new adventure. Getting to read about characters from book one was super interesting but I like that we also got some new faces in book two.

Minnie and Albert are back on the scene after the former tried to swear of any more mysteries but it seems like they follow her. This new one is even more intriguing that the first and I found myself quickly wrapped up in this murder along with the mcs. I liked the intricate twists and turns that Walsh wove into this novel, from page one I was entrapped within the story that was unfolding around me. I hope to see more books in this series cause I know I'll devour all of them like I did this book and book one.

[A WOOTEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Bridget at the Theakston Crime Festival Writer’s Dinner, being one of ten people assigned to her table. Each of us were given a copy of Bridget’s latest novel, The Innocents, which she very kindly signed.
Not usually one to read historical novels of any kind, I felt obliged to give this one ‘a go’. I’m so very glad I did, too.
The characters are beautifully created, making you picture and care about each and every one of them. The way the environments are described enables you to imagine and experience them with all of your senses. There are a fair number of red herrings to keep you thinking about ‘who Dunnit’ as well!!!
I started reading my signed copy of The Innocents, but found I really need some new reading specs! So, I bought the novel again…for my kindle!
Thanks Bridget for a truly enjoyable read. Onto your Tumbling Girls novel asap.

[William Bentrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Innocents by Bridget Walsh
This is the second in the Variety Palace Mystery series that I’ve read. Minnie and Albert, a mismatched detective team, find themselves facing multiple homicides. All the homicides seem to relate to either a Ponzi scheme or a dreadful theatrical tragedy.
Walsh does a good job setting the late 1890s scene in London. The aromas of the time jump off the page resulting in a twitching nose and a squeamish reaction to many of the settings.
The impact of privilege regarding justice seems unchanged over the ensuing years with the obvious comparison to today’s country club prisons.
The interaction of Minnie and Albert once again is the sub-plot. In the foreground, are a series of seemingly unrelated homicides and dog-fighting villains.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

[Kidlitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A veritable hit by Walsh, with a stronger follow up to the first book. The murder mystery is secondary to Minnie's struggles with the theater and with the traumatic events that brought her and private detective Albert together. The violence is less sensationalistic, with helps with the presence still of the creepy murderer who brought Minnie so much pain and continues to dog her attempts to rebuild. The theater community is strong and vibrant, the research impeccable and Walsh's careful research lends great verisimilitude to the setting and atmosphere. The female characters are vibrant yet believable, working within the constraints of their time and class but always working for a better future. A thoroughly successful series!

[Dan Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Variety Palace Music Hall is in trouble yet again, due to no small part to a gruesome spate of murders that unfolded within its nefarious location a few months previously, both drawing those who are far too curious closer, and getting gossip mongers working overtime as to where might the next body be discovered?
Between her many responsibilities such as writing, managing the music hall, hopelessly trying to forever balance the books and constantly trying to dissuade her boss from installing a water tank in the building which she knows will lead to more money woes, Minnie Ward has her hands full and she honestly cannot keep juggling everything for much longer. Her complicated relationship with detective Albert Easterbrook doesn’t even bear thinking about. So why can she not keep him off of her mind for more than five minutes?
When fresh bodies start to pile up and the unmistakable hint of death and decay start to make their presence known again, Minnie and Albert are thrown together when it becomes apparent that neither can crack this new case without the others help and even more strangely, the crimes all seem to link back to a tragedy that took place fourteen years ago which left 183 children dead and families without justice.
And given such an incident touched so many lives, it seems everyone is a suspect….
Will Minnie and Albert be able to solve this case before time runs out, or will they be left with more than just blood on their hands?
Following on from The Tumbling Girl, The innocents is witty, captivating, charming, and oh so binge-worthy!

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Victorian Era London, the second investigation by Variety Show manager Minnie Ward and ex-police detective Albert Easterbrook is filled with dog fights, violence, kidnapping, near drownings and murder.

Follow the investigating duo as they turn over rocks, hunt for villains, and spat and spark, yes they are in love but won’t admit it.

The action is fairly non-stop, there’s lots of references to past investigations and mishaps, and a just the right amount of tension. And the ending is just as thrilling as the opening act!

For more on the performance and slew of accents, see AudioFile Magazine http://www.audiofilemagazine.com

[Meredith G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars to help raise the overall rating for the book, though I did enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed The Tumbling Girl. (Maybe even a bit more, as it seems that Walsh was establishing her footing in the first book and has found it firmly in this one.) It was good to read about Minnie and Albert again, and get to know some of the side characters a bit better, like Mrs Byrne and Tansie. While I wish Minnie would stop putting herself in such dangerous situations, they certainly do make for interesting reading. I also appreciated that while he appeared in this story, Teddy Linton was not a main character... this time. I know we haven't seen the last of him.

[Suri Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

We rejoin Minnie Ward & very likeable - most likely will hook up at some point private detective partner Albert in the second instalment of Variety Palace Mysteries. I've really liked the stories so far; sometimes the pacing feels a little slow or rather their investigating goes just far enough to uncover the backstory, but doesn't go quite far enough with the reveal - until the murderer/s actually reveals themselves. And Minnie's refusing to learn from her mistakes trait can start to grate after a while. But the characters themselves are great, and I like how they challenge gender norms and stereotypes, even of the characters within the story. Am waiting for book 3 to see how it goes.

[Megs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated by The Tumbling Girl and I was just as captivated reading The Innocents. Minnie and Albert have to be one of my favourite Victorian sleuth duos.

A new string of murders are taking place and they all seem to be revenge-driven leading back to a tragedy that left 183 children dead.

The event that inspired this book happened in my hometown of Sunderland and I live 15 minutes from where it happened. Sadly 183 children died that day in 1883 it's also not a very well-known tragedy. The memorial statue stands in Mowbray Park in our city centre.

[Michelle W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check your trigger warnings. I like Walsh's writing and the cast of characters. The plot is pretty dark from the very beginning, so good characters really help the story. Although Minnie is arguably the protagonist and I find her hard to like sometimes. I like a mystery where I don't know who the killer is until a big twist at the end, and unfortunately it was a little too obvious here so I was just waiting for a reveal at the end.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st attempt:
This book might be truely brilliant, but I was so affected by the opening scene I ran for the bathroom. I'm still shaking. I've never been triggered so badly by a book.

Congratulations Bridget, you are a brilliant imaginative descriptive author. You are also a monster.

I will try again after I no longer want to throw up.

2nd attempt:
After a quick search, finding out that this was a historic event, and a day to prepare I'm giving it another go. Update to follow.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator of the audiobook was fantastic. it was well written, and the characters were fine. I just feel as if I have read this before it was so similar in plot points and tropes concerning the murderer from the first book. if you like Victorian era mysteries but maybe read the first one. I hadn't and it may have made me care more in the beginning when they kept referencing it. when it focused on the actual mystery I liked it better.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first mystery in this series was intriguing and kept hooked and guessing. The theatre world is well described and mysterious. There's plenty of secrets, some romances and more murders.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read the next novel soon
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent sequel to The Tumbling Girl, though there were so many references to the first book I wished I remembered more of that book's plot. Good characters, exciting plot, and nothing discordantly anachronistic. A couple of loose threads at the end are a clear hint that there will be another book in this series.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)

I didn’t find this one as compelling as the first - the case just didn’t hold my interest as much. Having said that, I still had fun and it definitely picked up towards the end. The slow burn with Minnie and Albert is absolutely delicious and I’m still very much looking forward to the next book!

[Michael Byron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it; the setting, the characters, the language used by the characters. I guess the use of ‘ain’t’ was common during the Victorian Era.
This is the second in a series, it is not necessary to have read the first one before reading this one but I wish I had.

[Renea Mertens · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. Most of the time I hate when series authors do a lot of back story explaining in each book, but I jumped into book 2 first and I really had a hard time figuring out the characters motivation. Reviewers said reading in order wasn’t necessary, but I definitely recommend.