A string of grisly murders in Pre-Civil War New York propels an unlikely pair of detectives into a deadly tinderbox in S. M. Goodwin’s debut novel, a sure hit for fans of Will Thomas and C. S. Harris.Jasper Lightner is a decorated Crimean War hero and the most admired inspector in London’s Metropolitan Police. Along with a chest full of medals, he’s got a head injury that’s left large chunks of … that’s left large chunks of his memory missing. But Jasper’s biggest problem is his father, the Duke of Kersey, who, enraged by a series of front-page newspaper stories extolling Jasper’s exploits, decides he’s had enough of the embarrassment and uses his political connections to keep his son out of the headlines–and off the police force.
Jasper is sent packing to New York City on a year-long assignment to train detectives, and discovers a police department hovering on the brink of armed conflict. Assigned to investigate the murder of philanthropist and reformer Stephen Finch, Jasper joins forces with a man who might be even more of an outsider than he is: Hieronymus Law, a detective who had investigated two almost identical killings–and who is rumored to have taken money to help frame an innocent woman for murder.
Law is bent on restoring his good name. But can Jasper trust Hy enough to bring him into the investigation? As the city devolves into madness and law enforcement falls into the hands of dangerous gangs, this unlikely team has no choice but to work together to pursue an adversary more sinister than either has faced alone.
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What a delightful tale!
Goodwin has blended this and that from all the great sleuths and come up with Lord Jasper Lightner, son of an English duke, but entirely his own man. His Lordship is physically and emotionally wounded, both because of his upbringing and because service in the British military during the Crimean War will do that to you. Lord Jasper is on loan to Scotland’s Yard’s counterpart in mid-Victorian New York City, and Goodwin has great fun with all the colorful, horrible, corrupt, complicated aspects of that billet.
Lord Jasper should be a fish out of water, but his inherent graciousness toward the human condition, shrewd detecting capabilities, and hard-earned street skills make him the equal of any situation.
Lord Jasper is paired with American detective Hieronymous Law, who provides muscle, local color, and a great foil for Lord Jasper. Toss in all manner of secondary characters, villains, and fascinating historically-based plot points, and this story is an absolute gem of a series opener. Bring on books two through ten!
Absence of Mercy is a stellar debut, and a most welcome additional to the historical mystery genre. Lord Jasper Lightner is a Crimean war hero who suffered a grievous head injury in that conflict, one that left gaping holes in his memory–but not in his formidable intellect. He puts that intellect to excellent use as an inspector for the London Metropolitan Police, which puts him on a collision course with his abusive snob of a father, the Duke of Kersey. Under pressure from the duke, Jasper’s superiors ship him off to New York City, ostensibly to teach modern investigative methods to the New York police. Pitched headlong into the gritty and sometimes lethal politics of Tammany Hall, a corrupt police service resisting reform, and a city seething with social tensions prior to the Civil War, it’s clear Jasper has been set up to fail. But with assistance from Hieronymous Law, an Irish-American, working class copper and an honest man in a corrupt department, Lightner takes on a case involving the bizarre murders of high-profile, powerful men. From the dining rooms of New York’s elite to the most dangerous streets of the city, Lightner and Law doggedly pursue justice. Absence of Mercy is fast-paced, suspenseful read with a complex hero who engages the reader’s sympathy. Although beset by many personal demons, Lightner is a man of unshakeable integrity, which, in a city as corrupt as New York, puts him in mortal danger. The city itself comes alive as a character in its own right, with a careful attention to evocative detail. The pacing is swift, the plot complex but riveting, and the secondary characters well drawn. At the core of the novel is the working relationship between LIghtner and Law, two very different men who, underneath it all, are kindred spirits. Absence of Mercy is a terrific mystery that will surely appeal to fans of Anne Perry. As a devoted reader of the genre, I look forward to more Lightner and Law, and the very talented S.M. Goodwin.
Absence of Mercy by S. M. Goodwin
A Lightner & Law Mystery #1
Splendid Story ~ I was hooked and could not put it down! This may be a debut novel but a stellar one for sure! With a sympathetic hero, wonderful supporting characters, history, a bit of romance, excellent plotting & writing, well, it was a riveting read!
What I liked:
* Lord Jasper Lightner: detective, war veteran, traumatic brain and other injuries from the war, son of a duke, likeable, observant, unflappable, multilingual, skilled fighter, and very human – I really like him.
* Detective Hieronymus Law: detective, falsely accused, interesting, intelligent, a man I want to know more about.
* The writing, plot, historical aspects
* Paisley: Jasper’s valet but also much more…he is a force to be reckoned with. Looking forward to hearing more about him in the future
* John: a young boy with a stammer that I hope will grow into more within the book
* Jasper’s ability to understand the best way to interact with others – no matter who they might be
* The twists and turns
* Feeling as if I was “in the story” with all senses engaged
* The canes…each one different and equally deadly…in the right hands
* Character development of main and supporting characters
* The way all the threads of the story were drawn tightly together to conclude the story
* That I thought, felt, and wondered about “what if” I had been various characters in the story
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* Jasper’s father – an unlikable man…though his wife didn’t seem much better
* The “powers that be” within New York
* The corruption of police and politicians
* being reminded of the rough life so many endure…wealthy and poor alike
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely!
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
First off, I will say this is a gritty historical mystery. If you like Anne Perry’s Monk series, Caleb Carr and the mysteries written by C.S. Harris, give this one a try. I enjoy historical mysteries just as much as I’m happy to read a cozy with a small town and cats. As long as they are well researched, have a challenging puzzle, are well written and have engaging characters, I’ll give it a try. This is realistic and not gratuitous. I’m so glad I requested this ARC. Set in New York just before the Civil War, the city is dazzling by day and dangerous by night. The gap between the rich and the poor is vast and that is the New York that Jasper Lightner finds when he calls his father’s bluff and leaves England to spend the next year teaching the NYC police the methods practiced by the. London Metropolitan Police Force. Jasper is a war hero and the second son of a Duke but has the nerve to work for a living….as a policeman, no less. Daddy is not pleased with him and tells him he has two choices – leave the force and live the life of the son of a Duke or move to New York. Out of sight, out of mind. Jasper hightails it for the Colonies and is handed his first case right out of the gate. Oh, and he isn’t welcomed with open arms. The police are a rough and corrupt bunch. It’s a grim new world Jasper has entered.
Along with dealing with police corruption and a very high crime rate, Jasper reluctantly joins forces with Hieronymus Law, a man with an equally complicated past. Between them they enter the really gritty, ugly streets owned by criminals, immigrants and the impoverished. When their case connects the upper and lower classes, Jasper and Hy have quite a challenge in front of them. I won’t give anymore details for fear of spoilers. Bottom line, if you like well- crafted historical mysteries with strong characters, give this one a try.
My thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Jasper Lightner is a decorated Crimean War hero and the most admired inspector in London’s Metropolitan Police. Along with a chest full of medals, he’s got a head injury that’s left large chunks of his memory missing. But Jasper’s biggest problem is his father, the Duke of Kersey. Jasper is sent to New York City on a year-long assignment to train detectives, and discovers a police department hovering on the brink of armed conflict. Assigned to investigate the murder of philanthropist and reformer Stephen Finch, Jasper joins forces with a man who might be even more of an outsider than he is: Hieronymus Law, a detective who had investigated two almost identical killings–and who is rumoured to have taken money to help frame an innocent woman for murder. Hy is bent on restoring his good name. But can Jasper trust Hy enough to bring him into the investigation? As the city devolves into madness and law enforcement falls into the hands of dangerous gangs, this unlikely team has no choice but to work together to pursue an adversary more sinister than either has faced alone.
WOW! this is the author’s debut historical murder mystery & boy is it good. Strong, complex characters, a story that is fast paced & engrossing. There were twists & turns & some revelations had me gobsmacked as I certainly didn’t see some coming. I was totally drawn in from start to finish. I really liked Jasper who was a veritable terrier & I loved how the partnership with Hy developed. My favourite character was Paisley who was an absolute gem. I look forward to more books in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
1857 Lord Jasper Lightner, hero of the Crimean war and Detective Inspector of the London Metropolitan Police has embarrassed his father for the last time, so he is sent to New York City to train detectives. Arriving just as the dead body of a Alard Janssen has been discovered, murdered. He meets disgraced detective Hieronymus Law and they partner up to investigate a series of murders but with no motive, and no hint of a suspect.
An entertaining well-written Victorian murder mystery with two likeable but flawed main characters. A very good start to a new series.
Absence of Mercy
A Lightner and Law Mystery Series #1
S.M. Goodwin
https://www.facebook.com/smgoodwin/
Release date 11/10/2020
Publisher Crooked Lane Books
A string of grisly murders in Pre-Civil War New York propels an unlikely pair of detectives into a deadly tinderbox in S. M. Goodwin’s debut novel, a sure hit for fans of Will Thomas and C. S. Harris.
Jasper Lightner is a decorated Crimean War hero and the most admired inspector in London’s Metropolitan Police. Along with a chest full of medals, he’s got a head injury that’s left large chunks of his memory missing. But Jasper’s biggest problem is his father, the Duke of Kersey, who, enraged by a series of front-page newspaper stories extolling Jasper’s exploits, decides he’s had enough of the embarrassment and uses his political connections to keep his son out of the headlines–and off the police force.
Jasper is sent packing to New York City on a year-long assignment to train detectives, and discovers a police department hovering on the brink of armed conflict. Assigned to investigate the murder of philanthropist and reformer Stephen Finch, Jasper joins forces with a man who might be even more of an outsider than he is: Hieronymus Law, a detective who had investigated two almost identical killings–and who is rumored to have taken money to help frame an innocent woman for murder.
Law is bent on restoring his good name. But can Jasper trust Hy enough to bring him into the investigation? As the city devolves into madness and law enforcement falls into the hands of dangerous gangs, this unlikely team has no choice but to work together to pursue an adversary more sinister than either has faced alone.
When all the traps will close on him, which path will he decides for …
It has been a while since I have read a true mystery (I mean one with no romance as the main leading plot-line), but as I follow the author under her other aliases and love her very unusual approach in the historical romance genre, I could not pass this one too.
And right, I just loved to renew with her incredible talent with words, how she paints vivid scenes and flesh and blood characters. How with just ink and paint she creates a 3D world, bringing it to life in my mind.
Lord Jasper Lightner has tried to forge his path out the London’s society, but as the spare of a duke, he is impeded in his pursuit of justice by his father’s interferences.
After a honorable career as a soldier, he came back from war a hero and with shrapnel in his skull as souvenir. And while his brain and memories work on their own accord, as he can’t even recoil the man he was prior to his injury, it does not deter him from entering the London police forces. Until his father threw a new stone on his path.
I just loved him, he never falls in the many traps or tricks set for him. All the while being always the perfect English gentleman, keeping his emotions closed and using his clever mind to outflank the cunning hoaxes thrown on his path.
Yet he is far from perfect, battling his own demons, but he plays the same game as the others with him, just with a higher hand. After all he learned under the best tutelage thanks to his obnoxious and heartless father how to be sneaky and shrewd, but he is such and more, highly clever and educated, yet he needs for justice and answers can come with a cost.
While the story is mainly told from Lightner’s point of view, I loved Law’s part, he is as much damaged as Lightner but in a different. But his youth and upbringing make him a good challenger next too Lightner, good but in need of guidance to canalise his thoughts and energy.
And last, Paisley, Lightner’s valet is quite a figure too, more royalty than a king, he is like a mother hen but with an iron hand with the velvet glove.
In all, this tale has a taste of P.D. James, and I just adored it, with her two unlikely and mismatched detectives roaming the lowest streets of NY city and its ragged populace. They together explore the darkest sides of the human nature, its basest aspects and the shrewdness of some evil beings.
And while Lightner could be compared to Holmes, the likenesses stop with his lording upbringing and his addiction as Lightner has his very unique personality, a ability to make enemies everywhere he goes but also an empathy Holmes always lacked, he cares for people. Plus Law is no Watson.
5 stars.
I now can’t wait to know where the author will lead them next.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Crooked Lane Books, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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ABSENCE OF MERCY is S.M. Goodwin’s first book of Lightner And Law Mystery. It is a fabulous historical mystery about a string of grisly murders in pre-Civil War New York that propels an unlikely pair of detectives into a deadly tinderbox. Holy Moses! Jasper Lightner and Hieronymus Law are two detectives who are as different as night and day, yet they work together as well-oiled machine. ABSENCE OF MERCY is a brilliant mystery with captivating characters, dangerous intrigue with shocking results. S.M. Goodwin captivates her readers with the social unrest, vicious gangs, and a diabolical plot. If you enjoy a good mystery, this is definitely the book for you! I received this ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.
ABSENCE OF MERCY by S.M. Goodwin is the first book in the Lightner and Law historical mystery / police procedural series. This is the first book that I have read by this author. The main characters are Detective Inspector Jasper Lightner who is the second son of a duke and Hieronymus Law, a New York detective. While the first three chapters take place in England, the rest of the book is set in New York.
This novel takes place in 1857 and New York is very unsettled when Jasper arrives on a year-long assignment to train police detectives in modern (for the times) criminal investigative techniques. Instead, there is conflict everywhere and many that do not want him there. He is assigned to investigate the murder of reformer and philanthropist Stephen Finch. What follows is a complex plot with a lot of characters. The author does a great job of showing a dark and gritty New York City in turmoil. Jasper is a likeable, but flawed protagonist. Is partnering with Hy a mistake? Who can be trusted? Who is the real murderer? Themes include murder, relationships and arranged marriages, infidelity, poverty, racism, prostitution, child abuse, corruption, assaults, false imprisonment, PTSD and much more.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is not your typical historical mystery. Pay close attention to the details as they matter. Which of the secondary characters will show up in future books in the series? I can’t wait to find out what is next for Jasper and Hy. I recommend this to those that like dark and gritty historical mysteries and historical police procedurals.
Crooked Lane Books and S. M. Goodwin provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Absence of Mercy pulled me into the story immediately. It brings to life NYC, just a few years before the Civil War, when the Municipal Police and the new Metropolitan police are spoiling for a battle to decide who would hold power over this city. Enter Jaspar Lightner, the second son of a duke, Crimean war hero, and detective inspector on London’s Metropolitan police force. Jasper is sent to New York to train detectives in investigation techniques and finds himself in the middle of their battle while investigating a complex murder. S M Goodwin has created compelling characters, placed them in a volatile setting, and gave them a mystery to solve that’s full of twists and reversals. This one’s a real page-turner!
Absence of Mercy
A Lightner and Law Mystery
by S. M. Goodwin
This is an engaging and exciting who done it! A fast pace historical mystery with grit, intrigue, dirty coppers, (dead) rich men praying on young girls, and suspects galore. The complex plot twist you in knots and keeps you guessing, so stay alert or you’ll miss something in all that’s happening.
I loved the brilliant and witty created characters, including their authentic language and great historical world building.
I really liked Jasper and I loved the small awakening when he realized he actually felt enjoyment and anticipation to see the widow again which was out of character for him.
I wish their short affair would have burned up some pages towards the end because, then I would have been even more emotionally charged and connected than I already was, and without making the story a romance. I look forward to the next book!
Happy Reading
Content Note: Adult 21+ including some adult language.
This book refers to and mentions dark material (brothels, prostitution, sex trafficking, rape of minors, murders, etc.) however, the author doesn’t go into explicit descriptive details of the heinous acts. She sent the best detectives to find and expose the despicable evil that surfaced in the streets of New York City in 1857.
This is the first book by this author, although she writes under another name so she is not new to writing. I found it a lovely change from the historical romances that I usually read. I found the story gripping and was pleased I didn’t guess the murderer from the beginning although I did have some suspicions. I did at times find the politics a little hard to follow but for me, that was not a real problem. This was a gritty sad story about how difficult and raw life was being set in the lower end of New York City, in and around brothels. Saying that you have to expect bad language but there was no sex. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to hopefully many more. I received this book as an ARC and freely give my review.
S. M. Goodwin pulled me into Absence of Mercy immediately with her descriptions of Jasper Lightner, a Crimean War hero with post-traumatic stress syndrome and a traumatic brain injury. The second son of a cold-hearted duke, Jasper inherits enough money to become independent of his father and begins working as a Detective Inspector on London’s Metropolitan police. In 1857 Jasper is sent to New York City to train American policemen on investigative techniques. He’s immediately sucked into the case of a grisly murder which appears to be connected with two that occur earlier and another that occurs later.
Goodwin has created some marvelous characters, both major and minor, and populates them in a NYC that rings true to the times with pre-Civil War politics and Tammany Hall. Jasper faces both American fasciation with and prejudices against titled Brits, the latter of which survives though the Revolutionary War ended some 80 years earlier. Though Jasper predates Sherlock Holmes by some years, he too has an addiction: opium helps the headaches generated by his traumatic brain injury.
This fantastic detective novel has plenty of twists and turns, yet there are no loose plot bunnies Eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
*pls pardon typos if any *
I’m amazed, actually I correct myself, I’m not, for I grown to expect great work from this Author (who writes under Minerva Spencer), so I’ll say I’m Thrilled to read the first historical murder mystery by S. M. Goodwin. I started reading last evening and could not put the book down, skipped dinner too:) and was eager to write my review. But I had to Step back to collect my thoughts. I enjoyed every aspect of this brilliant book that I needed to savor it before penning down my thoughts. Here goes…..
The introductory scene is one of the best I have read in a while in the murder mystery genre. It’s while the crime is in progress.
Set in 1857, the story shifts from London to bustling New York, where corruption is rampant in a growing nation, where abolitionists fear for their lives and very young females getting off the boat end up leading perilous lives, where rising wealth and mismanaged business dealings, corrupt power and worse immoral men all coexist and all these vices become a character in the book. Now for the actual protagonists in the book, the suave 2nd son of a British Duke, Inspector Lord Jasper Lightner, who left the medical learning 6 months before completion, is a Crimean war veteran with a brain injury which has wiped out parts of his memory, an acolyte of the french criminalist Vidocq (the founder of modern crime detection), a guy with stutter, a good looking bloke, a rich one at that, (after a large bequeath from an aunt Sarah) and of course the bane of his father, the Duke of Kersey! Lord Jasper grows on the reader as he reveals more of himself, through the writers pen, one can’t help but want more of him (just as all the women in the book).
He arrives at NYC (to train the Metropolitan police force on modern criminal investigative techniques), with his masterful valet Paisley, and walks right into the middle of the third murder of a prominent business man, Mr Alard Janssen. Previously, Two rich guys are murdered (case closed) but the modus operandi is similar, garrote and stab wounds with a pound of flesh. The reader is then drawn into the full drama of a bustling city of power struggles, crime, scapegoats, brothels, (the murdered men have a same propensity), widows, and through all this plot twists, Lord Lightner, finds a compatriot in Mr Hieronymus Law, (the condemned detective who worked on the previous two cases). Together they try to piece the puzzle of the crimes which invariably leads to higher authorities involved; who threaten those Who threaten their existence (Like even timing a heart attack)
The author weaves characters, incidents, emotions, and some inanimate objects/places become characters of their own. There are no loose ends and it’s a not a hastily written book, no skipping pages, else the reader will miss out the both the nuances of the character and incident.
The Tombs scene of Hy Law who, in the throes of agony while shackled in solitary confinement for 8 weeks as he slips into delirium and hallucinates….is a brilliant intro, and a peek into the dead family of Hy Law.
There are a few female characters who play a role in moving/filling the intricate crime drama but Hetty Dunburton, the very petite widow of the late (murdered) Henry Dunburton is the lead female protagonist. A direct, brittle but honest woman who genuinely cares for the welfare of downtrodden young girls. She runs many schools/charities for the underprivileged young women aptly called New Beginning School for Young Ladies, and leads the crusade to solve the crime of the husbands! There is romantic tangle with Lord Lightener who begins to enjoy the rapier wit of Hetty. More murders, the final one of Stephen Finch, setting the pace for the final denouement.
It’s not the usual who done it!! You got to relive the era. I went back and read about the Surete, and the author keeps the narrative true to the era, using the right verbatim/language.
And of the many memorable characters in the book, be it the much maligned lanky detective Hieronymus Law (with a conscience), Hetty Dunburton, Emma Sedley, Lorie, Blanche, Lizzy Horgan, Mary, young Amy, the confessed accused dead murderer Caitlyn Grady, the brute policeman Ryan, Lord Jasper Lightner’s valet Paisley, is a force to reckon. (He would not let his lordship’s Cave baggage be transported in a rickety shabby cab and rides along with them, albeit with much disdain, such is his care and loyalty to his master). Cate, Hetty’s butler is another memorable character, even young street urchin John (another with a stutter:)) pitches in his worth.
Without giving out the final who-done-it and WHY; I hope some of these minor characters will show up in future books in the series!
SM Goodwin is an author to reckon with and YES I’m fan of HERs, having read all of her published historical books. Her characters don’t fade after one read, and her writing does not mock the intellect of the reader. She writes narratives which are compelling and characters who are fierce, flawed, damaged, beautiful, shades of gray, complex, and utterly brilliant.
Cheers to rocking start to Lightner and Law series
Before starting to read it may be interesting to look at the period. The story takes place in New York, in spring and summer of 1957. That is about the period depicted in the movie “gangs of New York” and 4 years before the American civil war started. Emotions around slavery were riling up already as runaway slaves (freedman) were rumoured to take jobs of white people. On top of that, they could be picked up and brought back to their owners even in those states without slavery. In New York City, there was a power struggle between the newly founded Metropolitan police run by the State and municipal forces run by the mayor.
The book starts with the murder of a rich businessman by 2 women, one is almost still a child, and the other one is older. That’s information the reader has, long before the detective fins out the real truth. Keep this in mind while reading.
Lord Jasper Lightner has become an embarrassment to his father since his success as a police inspector is widely covered in the newspapers. He gets the choice, accepts a promotion into a titular position with nothing to do or go to New York, and become the instructor in new scientific detecting techniques for the newly founded modern police force. He only sets foot on shore when he’s asked to help investigate the murder of an influential, rich reformer. His body is found in the rubbish alley behind a brothel. Apparently this crime bears resemblances with 2 previous murders for whom a woman arrested. His new captain won’t have anything to do with this English aristocrat, he’s very hostile and even bears a grudge against his father the duke on who’s land he used to be a tenant. He gives the investigation of the murder in Jasper’s hands but refuses to give him other detectives as help. He has to do with the help of a young patrolman who’s hardly more than a boy as well as enlisting the help of a former detective that fell out of grace and was incarcerated in the Tombs (the worst imaginable prison at the time).
The characters in this story are delightful. Lord Jasper Lightner is a veteran of the Crimean war that ended a year earlier. He studies in Paris under the founder of the Sûreté and makes a name for himself as an excellent detective in London. He suffers from amnesia after being wounded at Balaclava and wrestles with a stutter since he was a child, another thing his father the duke despises. There’s no love lost between them, more hate. He’s a moral and honourable man but not made from wood and has his own vices (women and opium) that he keeps hidden for the world.
Paisley, Jasper’s valet is a real character of his own. He’s haughtier than his boss and prim and proper at every hour and all occasions. In this story I get the impression that a valet is more than a servant, he’s a confident and personal assistant. He’s very attached to Lightner.
Hieronymus Law turns out to be a far better detective and friend than one would have expected. Jasper frees him from prison and he could easily have absconded, but his pride makes him stand by the aristocrat. In the end, they appreciate each other and even become friends.
I also have a weak spot for Mrs Dunbarton. Her honesty and directness, as well as her genuine care for the poor, make her stand out. I had my suspicions about her but hoped also that she might get together with Lightner. I thought they’re well suited.
The hypocritical attitude towards sex at that time is a major theme in this book. How can they raise ‘women of standing’ with the ideas that they must be prudish and loyal wives and child-bearers that ignore the extramarital affairs of their spouses, while boys and men, certainly those with money, think that they can have (literally) any female anytime and everywhere?
There is a strong social angle in this book. It focuses on practises that poor people were driven to do that we can hardly imagine ourselves now; stripping dead bodies not only of valuables but also of shoes, socks and clothes, selling of children were the ‘lucky ones’ ended up on orphan trains (and we know what some of them endured), deadly abortions, judgemental nuns. It might come as a shock to some readers but our past is very dark and dirty at times. This is a time when children as young as 12 could be bought and sold to work as full-time prostitutes and nobody would think twice about it.
Every modern-day human would not even survive a day on the streets of five points, I think. Not because of the violence but because of the stench from waste and excrement t that was riddled with bacteria and germs. There’s a lot of attention on depicting this side of the city.
This is a great historical murder mystery, but it’s so much more than that. It’s also a critical social and political portrait of an era and highlights some dirty aspects that most historians rather avoid. The historical accuracy is very strong. The people in power at Tammany Hall, The chief of police and mayor are all real people and there can be more. Also, the acclaimed slave riot of 1841 and the police riot have really taken place. Of course, I didn’t check each and every detail, but I’m convinced Mr Goodwin did a great deal of homework and must be congratulated with this fantastic book. There is an opening for a sequel, so I hope that this is the first in a longer series. I’m impressed.
I thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free ARC they provided me with; this is my honest, unbiased review of it.
London Detective Inspector Jasper Lightner is “offered” a position in New York City to modernize the structure of their police department. Afflicted with stuttering, he also has memory loss of his life before his injury from the Crimea War. Murder, prostitution, rape, abuse, secret societies and a lot of animosity become a tangled weave that challenges the detective’s ability to find the truth. Set in 1857, this is a prelude to a nation that will be divided by war.
An inkling of Sherlock Holmes crossed my mind, but Lightner is more charming and has a fascinating way of protecting himself. I look forward to reading more books with Detective Inspector Lightner, a most interesting character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.