A thoroughly engrossing story that elegantly blends history and fiction.
Sherlock Holmes investigates the murders of Jack the Ripper in this detective novel.
“Five. Fifteen more and then I give myself up.” So reads a letter to the police from the self-christened Jack the Ripper in 1888, and the local police call upon famed detective Holmes to aid in the investigation of five ghastly murders of women in the Whitechapel area of London. The case takes a psychological toll on Holmes, who narrates this tale, as inept police officers routinely bungle the collection of important evidence, and his partner, Dr. John H. Watson, is newly married, which alters the dynamic of their own relationship. When Holmes inspects a second letter from the Ripper, the detective realizes that the killer is referencing one of his past cases. This revelation, paired with the recently suspicious actions of Watson, leads Holmes to a highly disturbing thought: Could his friend and business partner have something to do with the heinous murders? In her newest novel, Wiseman, the author of The Kithseeker(2018), offers a compelling story that combines the gruesome history of the Ripper and his crimes with the logic and intellect of the consulting detective of Baker Street. The mystery is well paced, picking up delightfully during crucial moments of the investigation, as when townsfolk cry, “Murder! Police!” at the conclusion of one chapter or when Holmes later declares, “Seven. And thirteen more. I must move fast.” Wiseman’s language is reminiscent of that in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories and fully places the reader in the seedy surroundings of Whitechapel in the Victorian era. Similarly, the experience of dissecting the case alongside the brilliant sleuth—who, as one character notes, can see “what is darkness to the rest of us”—remains a pleasure even as appropriately grisly details of the murders are revealed. It will be an absorbing read for Sherlock-ians and fans of true crime, and it will keep readers on their toes throughout.
A thoroughly engrossing story that elegantly blends history and fiction.Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73446-410-8
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Forget the forgettable plot and savor the loving descriptions of French cuisine and couture.
In her third American in Paris adventure, set in 1950, Julia Child’s friend Tabitha Knight finds her sixth and seventh bodies.
As soon as Tabitha realizes she’s left one of her gloves behind in Maison Lannet, the lower-budget fashion studio Christian Dior’s protégé Rose-Marie Lannet has established, seasoned fans will know what to expect when she and Julia return: the corpse of Madame Lannet, strangled with a piece of designer lace. When the sûreté inspector in charge of the investigation is called home by a family emergency and replaced by the familiar Inspecteur Étienne Merveille, everything seems as comfy as can be, at least until Tabitha stumbles on the body of Gabrielle Pineau, Madame Lannet’s vendeuse and amoreuse, stabbed to death with a pair of scissors. In the meantime, Tabitha lands the first case she’s actually asked to take on: There’s been a burglary at the shoe boutique Godot & Block, whose owner suspects his employee Mathilde Pillon’s boyfriend, and Mathilde’s sister begs Tabitha to clear his name. Once a very cursory investigation reveals a much more likely suspect, rival shoemaker Philippe Wathelet, the only mysteries that remain are whether and how Cambridge intends to tie the two cases together, what connection they can possibly have to the collaborationists who fed the occupying Nazis information during the war, and what Tabitha will do about the sudden romantic attraction she feels toward Inspecteur Merveille.
Forget the forgettable plot and savor the loving descriptions of French cuisine and couture.Pub Date: April 29, 2025
ISBN: 9781496751195
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasant addition to the longtime Library Lover’s Mysteries series.
A writer-in-residence program wreaks havoc at a suburban Connecticut library.
Library director Lindsey Norris is justifiably proud of the varied and popular special programs she and children’s librarian Beth Barker offer at the Briar Creek library. Seasonally themed children’s storytimes, technology workshops, and a “crafternoon” every Thursday give patrons more than just a chance to borrow books. But luring Helen Monroe, author of the acclaimed Mallory Quest mysteries, for an extended winter stint as writer-in-residence was a coup even for Lindsey. With her Louis Vuitton handbag and Ray-Ban sunglasses, Helen seems a bit much for Briar Creek, and Lindsey worries that the writer’s frosty demeanor may put some of the locals off. But out-of-towner Jackie Lewis exudes enthusiasm about Helen’s visit—so much enthusiasm, in fact, that Lindsey worries that she may have drawn a stalker to the library’s door. Meanwhile, book banner Betty Caruthers, who’s taken against Helen, vows to derail the whole residence project. It takes a while to determine which of these three toxic women will be the victim, let alone which will be her killer. Once the fatal blow falls, details show that the relationships among the trio are older and more complicated than they first seemed. Still, McKinlay seems more invested in engaging readers’ affinity for Lindsey, her staff, and her patrons than in asking them to figure out who killed whom and why.
A pleasant addition to the longtime Library Lover’s Mysteries series.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9780593639368
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
