This book's plot centers around the Debtor's Act of 1869 and use of safety coffins, in particular those with bells that when the mistakenly dead person inside the coffin pulls the string, a bell outside the ground would ring, thus notifying that the occupant was alive.

Violet Harper is the widow of Graham Morgan & proprietor of her deceased husband's undertaking business, she is also now the wife of American Sam Harper, who is intent on operating a coal mine using the newest technique of blasting w/ dynamite.

While Violet is seeing to a journey to a burial via the Funeral Train, she happens upon a safety coffin w/ its bell ringing. Upon opening the coffin, she finds a young man, very much alive inside.

At first Violet assumes this is a sloppy undertaking mistake, then Violet once again comes across a safety coffin, as she tests the bell, a young man bursts forth from inside, again causing Violet to question the sloppiness of the undertaker.

On Violet's third trip upon the Funeral Train, a young woman becomes hysterical when the safety bell of the coffin she is accompanying does not ring, and the young man inside is found to indeed be dead.

The young men all have one thing in common, they were from society, well off and in debt...

As Violet investigates w/ her newly married Daughter Susannah, both Violet & Susannah are attacked, which forces Violet to include Scotland yard in her investigation.

This book was very interesting as it explores many facets of Victorian society and its undertaking & funerary practices. I was able to guess a major portion of the plot... but this did not diminish my interest in the book. ( )

http://www.girllostinabook.com/2015/06/review-mourning-bells-christine-trent.htm... ( )