Vices of My Blood

Detective Murdoch #6

by Maureen Jennings

The compelling new novel by Canada’s answer to Anne Perry. In his forties, the Reverend Charles Howard still cut an impressive figure. A married Presbyterian minister in Toronto’s east end, Howard was popular with the congregation that elected him, especially with the ladies, and most particularly with Miss Sarah Dignam. Respected in the community, Howard, as Visitor for the House of Industry, sat in judgment on the poor, assessing their applications for the workhouse. But now Howard is dead, stabbed and brutally beaten by someone he invited into his office. His watch and boots are missing. Has some poor beggar he turned down taken his vengeance?Murdoch’s investigation takes him into the arcane Victorian world of queer plungers — men who fake injury all the better to beg — and the destitute who had nowhere left to turn when they knocked on the Reverend Howard’s door.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Canada, Historical, Crime

474 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2006

About the author

Maureen Jennings, now a Canadian Citizen, was born on Eastfield Road in Birmingham, England and spent her formative years there until she emigrated to Canada at the age of seventeen with her mother.

This has meant that she still feels a deep connection with her homeland. It has also no doubt been a strong influence in her love for, and her writing about, the Victorian period. She attended the University of Windsor where she attained a BA in philosophy and psychology.

A couple of years trying to decide what she really wanted to do with her life resulted in her returning to university, the University of Toronto, this time where she earned an MA in English literature.For the next eight years, she taught English at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute at a time when the English department seemed to be chock full of writers. Eric Wright, went on to write the highly successful Charlie Salter mystery series, Graeme Gibson, Peter Such, and others were writing both novels and poetry. An exciting time in so many ways but after eight years, another change of direction and in 1972, Maureen left Ryerson to become a psychotherapist, which was a long time interest. She has continued in private practice since then, although nowadays she mostly conducts creative expression groups and writes. Always passionate about dogs, she is happy to own a border collie named Jeremy-Brett and a mixed breed named Varley.

Series:
* Detective Murdoch
* Christine Morris
* Detective Inspector Tom Tyler

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the past 13 weeks I have read 14 of Maureen Jennings 15 novels. And as this is my second last of her fictional works. I can state with everything I read I am more impressed by her skill, talent, her a master of the writing arts, and consider her a real wordsmith. This is the eights of 9 Murdoch stories I have read, and I consider it one of the best. It is also one of the best across all four of her series. The Murdoch Mysteries follow a specific chronological order. The books published to date are published following a continuous timeline. With overlapping events, elements, and overlapping characters. For example, we encounter Dr. Julia Ogden again in this volume, and she is the corner at a crime scene and later when several people are found dead from carbon monoxide poising.

This story follows shortly after events in Night's Child. That story takes place in the winter and this story late winter early spring. This we have the spring of 1895, and the setting of Toronto. The story begins with a brutal murder of a pastor. A man that from all early indications was not only a man of the cloth, but a man of great character. When Later the investigation casts some strange light upon his name and reputation it becomes even more crucial that Murdoch figure out what happened. Because of the high-profile case Brackenreid is out for a quick resolution. And even though there is a viable suspect Brackenreid gives Murdoch a few more days to verify the facts and wrap up the case.

Will ends up working with a confidence crew to help root out the truth in this case. He goes undercover at both a workhouse, lodging overnight, and splitting wood most of the next day. And also at a soup line. Because of being too vigorous during the manual labour he causes a flare up of lumbago. And everyone seems to have a remedy that is guaranteed to work. But Murdoch continues to push and work through the pain. He is determined to get to the truth. There is an interesting scene where Murdoch as a Catholic muses about being in a non-Catholic Church.

While reading this novel, I could not help but picture characters from the TV Series. The story is written in such a way that it plays vividly in the minds eye. As we follow Murdoch through his investigation, we get glimpses of life at that time in Toronto. This was one that I figured out well before the end. But was so engrossed I still could not put the book down.

Another great read in an excellent series!

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Maureen Jennings.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Not that interesting) STORY TIME: recently, on a night when I wanted to watch TV, but not WATCH TV, I gave in to Netflix's algorithms and clicked on Murdoch Mysteries. I soon realized that I was not beginning at the beginning, but rather with the first episode of Season 7. Meh, I wasn't really going to watch it anyway, right?

BUT YOU GUYS. I did watch it. And it. was. glorious.

Like, I legit feel like I have been exposed to Murdoch Mysteries for literally eleven years (it is basically like a Canadian Heritage Minute, amiright?), but somehow had managed to avoid seeing an episode (save for the snippets I would see on the TVs at the gym...MM seems to be on CBC all the time, no matter what time of day).

Now, after finishing Season 1 and almost finishing Season 7, I am (obviously) so obsessed with the Victorians (like omg) and (even more obviously) my Mysteries (yes, true story, I do watch whilst drinking tea and knitting).

Here are some things I love about MM (feel free to skip over this part):

- the fact that Murdoch crosses himself whenever he arrives at a crime scene and sees the victim's body
- finger prints are called finger marks
- Murdoch always says "What have you?" when, like, people come to him with information or clues
- science
- JULIA OGDEN, like omg, heart-eye-emoji (especially when she gets all like I'm a feminist and also a Victorian lady, deal with it (also her enthusiasm for her job is too much, man))
- Crabtree
- Yannick Bisson loves bike-riding AND SO DOES MURDOCH
- Yannick Bisson's eyelashes (yassss)
- "special guest stars" like "Thomas Edison" and "Arthur Conan Doyle"

Phew. I am glad I got that off my chest.

So, to really experience MM from, like, all fronts, I decided to read one of Maureen Jenning's novels. My library had book 6, so it seemed as good a place as any to start. I am not usually a super big fan of mysteries (I know, I know), but I felt like I was going in with like a lot of love here.

This was a quick, but well-written, read. I mean, I'm not going to be tattooing any sentences to my arms or anything, but it was better than I thought it would be? The story was well-plotted and well-paced and the characters were well-developed (even coming in a the sixth book in the series). The book didn't have the kind of quirky charm that makes the TV series so great, but that was okay--they are two different little creatures. The book got a tiny bit heavy-handed in the Epilogue, with some BIG STATEMENTS about the mistreatment of Toronto's homeless and the constraints of marriage on the lives of Victorian women, but all in all a worthwhile read.

[Alessandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un bellissimo giallo classico ambientato nella Toronto inizio '900. Ricerca storica accurata che rende bene l'idea di come vivessero le classi più umili. In questo contesto, Murdoch deve indagare sull'omicidio brutale di un pastore amatissimo dalla sua congrega: ma forse proprio per questo, soggetto a invidie e maldicenze. Bello.

[Margaret Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really need to start reading these books in order. The mysteries stand quite nicely on their own but boy do I ever get confused by Murdoch's love life.

I really appreciate that the killer's motive did not turn out to be what I was worrying it might. Well done Maureen Jennings on that front.

[Katarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reverend Howard James once sat in the judgement of Toronto's poor and he assessed their applications for the workhouse. He now has been stabbed, beaten and robbed all within the same day. They robbed his watch and his boots. Is it burglary gone wrong, or has someone that he turned away taken revenge on him?

Detective Murdoch's investigation takes him into Toronto's workhouses and the destitute souls, He goes undercover trying to find who murdered the reverend.

These books are always about 3 stars for me, because there is nothing fascinating about them. They are not books that bring you to the edge of your seat because of how scary or nervous you are about what's going to happen in the book. Also we finally meet Doctor Ogden, who might I add takes forever to be introduced into the book. I love how in the show she is introduced right away, also the Julia in the book gets compared to a nun, but the one in the show he thinks is the most beautiful women ever. There are some major differences from the book and the show, even with the way Murdoch looks in the show he is clean shaven, but in the book I think he has a moustache. I do want to read the other Murdoch books, but I might have to take a break from them as sometimes they are a bit boring.

I do love when Murdoch goes undercover, it gives a different perspective of the book. Also the ending that came from out of nowhere, which is also why I want to read the next book to see if they actually go through with this proposal and this wedding that they are having. I also want to know if he marries Doctor Ogden because I can't really picture her in this book, I can only picture her as an old lady dressed as a nun.

I got put into a big reading slump because a book ended up being meh, and we don't need that kind of negative energy in our life. I also haven't found a five star read yet either. Happy Reading!!!!

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time Murdoch needs to find who's the killer of pastor Howard. And has quite some adventure while doing this ... including trying out a day of life of a tramp, a homeless, poor guy - dirty clothes, sleeping in a special house that shelter such people, working for the right to habe the "free" lunch -- and even gibes himself a lumbago while trying this activity.
I gind, though, that identifying the killer was too rushed out at the end of the book. Not to me memtioned that this killer got killed in the process.
I am still left puzzled about the role of Dr. Julia Ogden, since only now she got some lines to say in exchange with Murdoch; too few and too vague.
And in the last pages, Murdoch get this treatment for his lumbago - ironing his back the same way you iron a shirt ... and is almost into making the girl ironing him his new girlfirend, proposed to marry him.
So ... being so close to the end of these series, not having dr. Ogden more present is more and more puzzling.

[Crissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the best Murdochs!! Very Dickensian and I loved the portrayal of the workhouse!!
Maureen Jennings is pretty amazing in her historical detail!
Also Amy Slade and Dr. Ogden are fantastic feminist characters!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of The Murdoch Mysteries (aired in the US as The Artful Detective) and have been reading the books over the past year. Sadly, I only have one left!

This time, a clergyman's murder sends Murdoch investigating not only his congregation but also the people of the poor house (also known as the House of Industry) where he was a volunteer. Twists and turns, with several interrelated subplots, ensue as Murdoch tries to figure out who would want to kill a man who seems (from Murdoch's point of view) to be strict but fair with those in need.

An outstanding look at 19th Century Toronto through the eyes of an intelligent and compassionate man who also has a sense of decency and order.

If you haven't been reading these books, and you're a fan of historical mysteries? You should.

[Wanda Boyer M.C., Ph.D., RCC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Maureen Jennings, thank you for exploring social issues of ‘power over’ and social and economic ‘powerlessness’ in the mystery novel, “Vices of My Blood.” Seen through the eyes of Detective William Murdoch, we experience the wayfarer life in 19th century Toronto. Detective Murdoch goes undercover and joins the “casuals who were applying for a night’s lodging at the House of Industry” (Jennings, 2006, p. 256) to catch a murderer. Detective Murdoch experiences the indignity of clothing fumigation (not cleaning of clothes), communal bathtubs and bathing in carbolic water as a germicidal agent, communal sleeping arrangements, and line-ups for soup. He is also witness to the wealthy who exert their power over the poor not to help, but instead to debase and dehumanize people who experienced “the misfortune of injury or ill health” (Jennings, 2006, p. 292). Throughout the novel, Detective William Murdoch maintains his humanity and seeks to care for these wayfarers in a compassionate and humane manner, providing us, the reader with guidelines for compassionately caring for others in the 21st century. Be prepared to be challenged to consider whether we have advanced since the 19th century in the way in which we advocate, ensure social justice and care for the welfare of citizens in need.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this series in order if you can.

The sixth Murdoch Mysteries book is a gripping read, although there are sections that are a bit too weighed down with minute details or with conversations that add nothing to the overall story.

Despite this extra bit of filler, I did enjoy the read, and found the mystery itself to be engaging and interesting. Once again, Jennings shows us more of 1890s Toronto, and what we see is a world of great divide and of suffering. Murdoch himself once more shows his care of his fellow man, and that he does not immediately follow the same logic as most of the "better class" citizens, who look down on the poor and place blame so quickly.

In this novel, we see what happens when people in power can take advantage, and also what happens when the most disadvantaged are already thought of as guilty.

There are the usual cast of colourful characters in this novel to give balance to the darkness, and also the usual cast of characters who can be despised.

One of the small historical details always amuses me - the way they choose a jury for a murder inquest. Grabbing people from the street to serve may be efficient, but not the best way to ask people to serve, especially when most of them need to work for a living. We are all lucky that society has progressed from what it used to be.

I'm so glad that I've been able to read this series, and especially in order.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murdoch investigates the brutal murder of Reverend Charles Howard, a respected Presbyterian minister who by all accounts was generally well liked by his neighbours and congregation. Witness statements seem to point to a tramp as the murderer, but Murdoch also considers a number of poor families whose applications for charity Howard turned down. In pursuit of the investigation, the detective ends up seeking the (somwhat involuntary) help of a couple of con artists and going undercover in the local poor house.

While the novels lack some of the charm of the TV adaptation, they do always make for entertaining historical mystery reads. I did rather see the solution to this one coming from a mile away, but the journey there kept me engaged nevertheless.

[Susan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

After getting hooked on "Murdoch Mysteries" on Hulu, I thought I ought to check out the books that inspired the show. I read this one because it was the only one of the series available at my library.

At first I was disappointed. These really weren't the characters on the TV show. Murdoch has facial hair? Dr. Ogden reminds him of a nun? Crabtree has "a wife and kiddies?" However, once I separated the book from the TV show, I was able to enjoy it. I thought it was a well-written mystery. And truer to the time period than the TV show. I would really like to read the rest in order, but, whether you've seen the show or not, I think this could stand alone without having read any of the other books. There were only a few references that I wish I'd known more about.

[Sean Cisneros · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became aware of The Detective Murdoch Series after I watched The Artful Detective which has become one of my favorite shows . The books are quite different from the TV series but are just as good . Vices of My Blood is another murder mystery with detective Murdoch working against great odds to solve a complicated murder . The characters in this book were interesting and the plot kept me interested throughout the entire book . Vices of My Blood is a very good book and Detective Murdoch is a great character .

[Martin Pilkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good book in the series. Here Murdoch has to deal with the murder of the Reverend Charles Howard. Was he as good as he’s painted and both why and who killed him.

There is a lot of detail about the plight of the poor in Toronto and the system that helps them, or is supposed to help them. While there are people who play the system for what they can get, there are also too many people who really need even the small amount of help that they can get. Hopefully things are very different today but I suspect not totally.

A good read.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery throws a spotlight on how the poor are at the mercy of the powers-who-be for a bit of food and place to sleep. When an honorable minister is murdered, Murdoch goes undercover as an unemployed homeless man to track down the man's possible murderer. Instead he gets a taste of the danger and humiliation the truly poor must face daily.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely one of my favourite Murdoch Mysteries! I loved the look we got into the lives of the poor and especially into the workhouses--the characters felt really alive and they brought the reality of their lives to the forefront without making it too soppy. Quite a bit of humour and although I solved who the murderer was, the ending threw me for a loop!

[Francesca Lombardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

La lettura è piacevole, e sicuramente l’ambientazione nella Toronto di fine Ottocento è una delle maggiori attrattive di questa serie di romanzi gialli. Ma la storia si disperde ogni tanto in false piste che sembra impossibile che gli investigatori prendano seriamente in considerazione, per non parlare di alcuni personaggi coinvolti, approfonditi e poi mollati lì in una chiusura frettolosa rispetto al ritmo del resto del libro.

[Jeanie Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Maureen Jennings orchestrated a mystery masterpiece. I had the murderer figured out from the beginning but with the levels and the details of this masterpiece, it was not not totally evident who done-it until the end. It was a great mystery.

[Rose Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read as all the books in this series. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend. Similar to the series on TV, but the characters are a bit different and still likeable. The stories are well written and keep you guessing along the way.

[Alison Jog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Murdoch read. Not sure if there is an error in chapter 37 where it states "But I do know this, George" when he is talking to Seymour. Seymour's name is Charlie not George so I'm a little confused. From the show and previous novels, the constable with the name George is Crabtree.

[D. Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe she strikes the perfect balance between history and mystery.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the story is set in 1893, the issues of homelessness and the religious charities that assist are relevant topics.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the depiction of Toronto during the Victorian period was more entertaining than the mystery, although I liked the ending.

[SWC · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing story involving the poor and destitute in Toronto in the 1890s. Meanwhile, now Detective Murdoch sets about solving one more crime.

[E.C. Marcon · Rating 3 out of 5]

We finally meet Dr. Ogden! She is slightly less wretched in the book than on the show.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK story with a plodding plot line

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-4

[Afsheen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stolen identity, and devil veil

[Roxanna Antelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! I would continue to read Maureen's other books in her two series.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Presbyterian minister who was popular with his congregation and volunteered with a Visitor for the House of industry, making house calls to determine the needs of those who applied for aid, has been murdered. His boots and watch are missing. It's up to Murdoch and his team to discover if a beggar he turned down has turned to violence. Men of the cloth are just that ... men. They have their weaknesses just like most people and it's how they handles these "tests of faith" that set them apart from those they serve. Murdoch, a Roman Catholic, learns quite a bit while investigating this case. One thing he learns about is the practice of queer plunging, where people fake injury all the better to beg, and has to determine whether it has any bearing on his case or not.