Edgy, suspenseful, and darkly comic, here is the first novel in a riveting mystery series starring two cranky but brilliant old detectives whose lifelong friendship was forged solving crimes for the London Police Department’s Peculiar Crimes Unit. In Full Dark House, Christopher Fowler tells the story of both their first and last case—and how along the way the unlikely pair of crime fighters … fighters changed the face of detection.
A present-day bombing rips through London and claims the life of eighty-year-old detective Arthur Bryant. For his partner John May, it means the end of a partnership that lasted over half-a-century and an eerie echo back to the Blitz of World War II when they first met. Desperately searching for clues to the killer’s identity, May finds his old friend’s notes of their very first case and becomes convinced that the past has returned . . . with a killing vengeance.
It begins when a dancer in a risque new production of Orpheus in Hell is found without her feet. Suddenly, the young detectives are plunged in a bizarre gothic mystery that will push them to their limits—and beyond. For in a city shaken by war, a faceless killer is stalking London’s theaters, creating his own kind of sinister drama. And it will take Arthur Bryant’s unorthodox techniques and John May’s dogged police work to catch a criminal whose ability to escape detection seems almost supernatural—a murderer who even decades later seems to have claimed the life of one of them . . . and is ready to claim the other.
Filled with startling twists, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, Full Dark House is a witty, heartbreaking, and all-too-human thriller about the hunt for an inhuman killer.
more
A mystery, this story goes back and forth in time between London during the Blitz and in the early 21st C. It took a while to get accustomed to the switching back and forth because you have to use the context to know which time period you’re reading about. The mystery was well done, as was the portrait of London during the Blitz, including the Palace Theatre, which still exists. (I love it when a story makes me look things up and learn something new.) The two detectives, Bryant and May, are the sort you want to meet again. All in all, well worth the read, and I will try others in the series.
The first in the series of this crazy funny detective series
This first book, just blew my mind.
Such a wonderful mystery. As bizarre as it is well written.
Christopher Fowler’s long running Bryant and May books have been on my to read list for a while. With so many already published and available, I was a little intimidated to begin my journey. Well, I am just angry at myself for waiting for so long.
Full Dark House is one of the most entertaining mystery books I have read in a long while. Two young men find themselves working a case for the Peculiar Crimes Unit during the blasts of the second world war. The enigmatic Arthur Bryant, the genius yet eccentric detective with zero people skills, and the handsome and trust worthy John May. The two characters are so well rounded and developed, they compliment each other wonderfully. Also, as the case develops, so do they, with both finding themselves dependent on the other.
The case itself is a dark and twisted haunting of a Theatre. Is it a disgruntled member of the cast who is killing their peers? Or is the theatre haunted? The story will twist and turn your mind inside out until a heart breaking conclusion.
Written with extreme panache and a foresight for further stories, this is a brilliant book and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys there thrillers with a little something extra.
The characters of May and Bryant are brilliant and the twists and turns of their cases are unique. Especially fun is both the London history but also all the quirky side characters. Definitely a series I will continue.
Love all of Christopher Fowler’s books. Always quirky and witty. I am totally invested in the entire team.
I liked this book more for what I learned about WWII than for the story. I found the book dragged on interminably even though it was basically a good story. The background, the setting and the atmosphere were what kept me going.
Christopher Fowler’s Bryant and May series is truly a gem. Lots of info on current London and London History with two main characters you’ll never forget and plot twists you will never see coming.
A fun read. Truly eccentric characters.
Jumps between past and present but in a smooth way. Liked the characters and their long relationship at work, their respect for each other. Two mysteries wrapped around each other.
The description of London during the blitz adds greatly to this book.
Terrifically quirky characters. Loved it!
I had some trouble keeping all the characters and the two main story lines separate at first. It got easier as I continued to read. I like the two main characters and the originality of the book. I would like to read more by this author before making a final judgement.
great British humor, I’ve enjoyed the series
These two really show what friendship is all about while solving murder cases and a never give up attitude. These two pull out all the stops and get their murderer.
Too difficult to follow. Jumps between past and present and at times difficult to tell where you are. Add the British language in plus the Theater language and it makes for a difficult read. I gave up half way through. Don’t know if I will go back to finish.
It was just okay and I usually love British mysteries. I didn’t really warm to any of the characters.
I marked this book as entertaining because it had good character development. I gave it 3 stars because I thought at times the author got lost in the content rather than the plot. He gave too many details that didn’t help with the story line. Also, I don’t really like stories that flip from the future to the past to the future.
Great book and series