Historical Mystery Lovers discussion

Charles Finch is a graduate of Yale and Oxford. His debut in the Charles Lenox series, A Beautiful Blue Death, was nominated for an Agatha Award and named one of Library Journal's Best Books of 2007. He lives in New York.

Charles Lenox Mystery

The Woman in the Water
A Beautiful Blue Death
The September Society
The Fleet Street Murders
A Stranger in Mayfair
An East End Murder
A Burial at Sea
,
,
,
An Extravagant Death
The Hidden City due out in November not on Goodreads yet

I have never read a book by Charles Finch, but they sound interesting. Victorian Era England. There are 15 books in the series with the newest coming out in November 2025.

"Aristocratic Sleuth" Charles Lenox is a very interesting character, Alice. And he leads a very exciting life, so this is one of those "must start with the first book" to get a real feel for the character and his adventures, as there is definitely a "career arc."

Last year in Jan I read The Woman in the Water which is a prequel to the series.
I do advise starting with this one as I was not thrilled with A Beautiful Blue Death which left me wondering if this was really the first book

Here’s my review of Woman...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and Beautiful Blue:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks Phair - That is good information. From the description I read of A Beautiful Blue Death it seemed like something should have come before it, but I did not see a prequel.

I ordered it and will read it first

Welcome to February. I have Looked about A Beautiful Blue Death and here is the description. Sounds like it covers his first case

This chilling new mystery in the USA Today bestselling series by Charles Finch takes readers back to Charles Lenox’s very first case and the ruthless serial killer who would set him on the course to become one of London’s most brilliant detectives.

London, 1850: A young Charles Lenox struggles to make a name for himself as a detective…without a single case. Scotland Yard refuses to take him seriously and his friends deride him for attempting a profession at all. But when an anonymous writer sends a letter to the paper claiming to have committed the perfect crime—and promising to kill again—Lenox is convinced that this is his chance to prove himself.

The writer’s first victim is a young woman whose body is found in a naval trunk, caught up in the rushes of a small islets in the middle of the Thames. With few clues to go on, Lenox endeavors to solve the crime before another innocent life is lost. When the killer’s sights are turned toward those whom Lenox holds most dear, the stakes are raised and Lenox is trapped in a desperate game of cat and mouse.

In the tradition of Sherlock Holmes, this newest mystery in the Charles Lenox series pits the young detective against a maniacal murderer who would give Professor Moriarty a run for his money.

Hi Alice - I have not read these yet, but I think this is the description for The Woman in the Water.

I finished The Woman in the Water , the prequel. Very well written. Murders well plotted out. I am wondering if I should have read a Beautiful Blue death first. Sometimes it is better to read in the order books were written. I will read that one later this month and let you know

Alice wrote: "Welcome to February. I have Looked about A Beautiful Blue Death and here is the description. Sounds like it covers his first case

This chilling new mystery in the USA Today bestsell..."

Wrong book this is description for The in the Water

I finished A Beautiful Blue Death It was okay. I liked the main characters and I thought the writing was good. Plot was a bit boring. Nothing all that new. I don't think I need to continue with this series.

I also found A Beautiful Blue Death kind of boring. The Woman in the Water was better, but not good enough to keep me interested in continuing the series.

I didn't finish Beautiful Blue Death when I tried it years ago.

I just finished A Beautiful Blue Death after reading The Woman in the Water first. I liked both so I'm glad to have found a writer that had somehow managed to fly under my radar so far.