THE DROWNED ONES

A strong-minded but physically weak Parish Constable takes his courage in his hands to solve several possible murders.

In 1827, the town of Redditch, Worcestershire, has a diverse population, and class differences are obvious in every aspect of life. When the mother of a drowned serving woman comes to Thomas Potts (The Resurrection Men, 2003, etc.) telling him her daughter was murdered, he gets short shrift from his superiors, who consider the case closed even after his postmortem determines that the girl died before she was thrown in the water. A physician’s son who had started in his father’s footsteps until circumstances changed his life, Thomas worries that his constabulary position is above his powers, along perhaps with his romantic dreams. Although he’s in love with beautiful, saucy Amy Danks, his slender purse and the virago of a mother he must support force him to watch hopelessly while Amy is romanced by a member of the gentry. Learning of another pregnant girl found drowned, Thomas seeks a man who may have wanted to get rid of inconvenient lovers. The many candidates include Amy’s beau, a handsome Welsh drover, his powerful, surly helper and a wharf superintendent for the local canal. Even when Thomas’s investigations bear fruit, he must overcome his physical fear before he can solve the crimes.

The easily solved mystery in Thomas’s third case is supplemented by a pleasing selection of little-known historical details.