The body of a young man fished out of the Thames is of little interest to Londoners caught up in the excitement of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.Yet to Inspector Sam Blackstone, the case is as puzzling as any he has ever come across. Why should a corpse dressed the in rags of a commoner have the face of a gentleman? And if this man does belong to noble stock, why has no one come … has no one come forward to claim the body?
As his investigation proceeds, Blackstone finds himself entering the world of the aristocracy—in which the presence of an ordinary policeman is far from welcome—and tramping the dangerous streets of London’s Little Russia—where English law and order are not welcome.
Death seems to stalk him, and as each new clue leads to nothing more than a new murder, Blackstone comes to realize that he is caught up in what may turn out to be the most horrendous crime of the century…
Blackstone and the Rendezvous with Death is an expertly plotted Victorian mystery that will keep readers guessing to the last page.
Praise for Sally Spencer:
“Spencer’s finest hour: a tightly plotted puzzler with surprises at every turn”Kirkus Reviews
“Spencer is an accomplished craftsman who serves up a good puzzle and deftly solves it with intelligence and insight” Publishers Weekly
“Characters are diverse, intriguing, and believable . . . plots never fail to surprise; and the procedural details are grittily realistic” Kirkus Reviews
Sally Spencer worked as a teacher both in England and Iran – where she witnessed the fall of the Shah. She now writes full time.
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Was a mystery in the era that I enjoy. First one in the series I have read and look forward to reading more. Like the main character.
This book was my introduction to Sam Blackstone, ex-Royal Army sergeant who served in Afghanistan. Not the Afghanistan of this century, but the one of the late 1800’s where Great Britain and Russia are both involved in the “Great Game,” that is Russia’s quest for a warm-water port to be able to avoid having its fleet unable to sortie during the winter ice season. With the Ottoman Turks blocking the outlet from the Black Sea into the Med through the Dardanelles, Russia has turned its attention to India which, at this time, is occupied by the British. Queen Victoria is about to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee in London and, against this backdrop Detective Inspector Blackstone must solve the murder of one of the British nobility. Frustrated at every turn by aristocrats who appear more interested in preserving their “honor” than getting the murderer hauled before the court, Blackstone is forced to rely on some unlikely allies to solve the murder and, oh yes prevent a royal assassination. Just when you think you have all the villains identified, the wheels spin and the roles change. A great read from an author who is new to me, but one who has been well received. I will be looking forward to more from Blackstone.
A young man “of quality” is found murdered in a poor part of London where he should not have been. Inspector Blackstone is thwarted in his attempts to identify the murderer because social inferiors aren’t supposed to question their “betters” nor risk bringing any scandal to the family. An exchange between Blackstone and his sidekick, Sgt Patterson, would apply to America:
“How can we export civilization when half the people in Britain haven’t even got it.’
‘Not got it? There’s nobody as civilized as we are.’
‘Then why do people within a short walk of here wake up in the morning not knowing whether they’re going to have enough to eat that day?’ Blackstone asked. ‘Why can a costermonger in Lambeth expect to die by the time he’s thirty-one, whereas a clerk from Peckham might live well into his sixties? You can’t talk about civilization when—for so many people—life’s no more than a struggle to get by.” Amen and amen.
It was an Ok, so-so kind of Victorian murder mystery. Decent when mindless, late -night insomnia reading is required.
I loved this book. I love the Blackstone character and plan to read every one of Sally Spencer’s Blackstone books.
Good plot.
Lots of twists and turns. A good read
This is the first of the Inspector Blackstone novels by Sally Spencer (pen name of Alan Rustage). Set in Victorian London, it’s a tale of intrigue and murder in a society riddled with poverty, jingoism and class discrimination. It is well written, well researched, the characters are interesting, and the weaving of fact and fiction is clever and credible.
Took a chance on this ebook on book.-Bub for a couple of dollars. A good story with references to class, politics and good old-fashioned detective work.
First of series, looking forward to how the protagonist develops. Liked the historical references.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Loved Sam Blackstone and really felt for him. Very well written and great story.
A powerful detective story set in Victorian times. A great read.
Black stone and the Rendezvous with Death ( Inspector Sam Blackstone #1) by Sally Spencer is a Victorian era detective murder mystery. The book had multiple editing problems but nonetheless was accurately researched, providing a snapshot of London in 1897 when communication via telephone was becoming common, social reform improving and England a world power. Interesting characters, a complex plot and lots of action made this a fascinating read.