A fast-paced historical thriller with a firm sense of place.
In 1681 London, King Charles II is on the throne, but a group wants to replace him with his brother, the Catholic James. Crime-solver Harry Hunt lives in fashionable Bloomsbury, whiling away his days aimlessly, as he is no longer employed by the Royal Society. But when a wealthy merchant’s daughter is kidnapped and murdered and nearly dissected as a cadaver at Bethlehem Hospital (aka Bedlam), the king asks Hunt to find the killer. After a second woman goes missing, he finds a link to a third woman’s death and some gross improprieties at Bedlam. Then Hunt is accused of the crimes himself, and he takes refuge incognito on the south side of the Thames as he works to clear his name. There are lots of intriguing historical bits and references to London landmarks tucked in here – Holbein Gate, Hedge Lane beside the Royal Mews, Bethlehem Hospital, Cuckold’s Point, Africa House, St. Paul’s, Southwark, Haymarket, Leicester Fields, Bloomsbury Square.
I appreciated the moment, toward the end, when Sir John Reresby (Justice of the Peace for Westminster and an officious bumbler) apologizes for suspecting Harry of murder. Harry replies: “I accept your apology and thank you for it. We believe those things which bring us comfort. We believe whatever suits our own preferences. And why should we not? The world’s a confusing enough place. And the people in it are confusing creatures, often deceiving even themselves.” (398)
(I did smile over some plot elements that I’ve used in my own books – including hiding important documents in a picture frame and the beleaguered hero fleeing from the north to the south side of the Thames. Made me feel like the author was a kindred spirit.)
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