This lost its momentum a little near the end, but it picked back up. Overall I liked the characters and the story kept my interest. ( )

Crooked in His Ways b y S.M. Goodwin
Lightner & Law Mystery #2

New York in 1856 was not like it is today and a transplanted English Duke’s second son on loan to train police detectives is not always at home in the city although he is often in demand. The unlikely detective duo of Jasper Lightner and Hieronymus Law is one of opposites and yet works well. Aged, culture, status, education, and more separate the two but the work binds them closely together. In this case they have a murder to solve…a murder that leads to a few more and in addition to that case there is a dognapping to solve.

What I liked:
* Jasper: English, aristocrat, ex-military, survivor, traumatic brain injury from battle, son, brother, leader, knowledgeable, capable in more than one venue, and a whole lot more…really like him and look forward to getting to know him better in future books.
* Hy: native New Yorker, orphaned young, dedicated, savvy, partner to Jasper, lives with a cousin, good friend ~ I feel there is more to him than we have seen so far and I am eager to find out more about him in future books.
* Paisley: manservant and more to Jasper, runs the household, is in charge, has been in service for decades, cares deeply for a few people, gruff but perhaps warmer than he lets on, adds to the story in a nice way.
* Gloria Freedman: Jasper’s cook, free woman (not sure if once a slave or not), warm, skilled in the kitchen and healing arts, potential love interest or friend for Paisley.
* John Sparrow: tween, pickpocket now working for Jasper, like a sponge when learning new life skills, stutters, interesting relationship developing between him and others.
* The relationships within Jasper’s staff that were shared in this book
* Learning more about the main characters
* The plot, writing, police procedural aspects of the story
* Reading about New York as it was in that era
* That the baddies were eventually determined and dealt with
* The hook at the end that sets up the next book in the series
* Everything really except…

What I didn’t like:
* The baddies…they were evil to the core.
* Knowing that times were just as bad back then as they were portrayed in this story.
* Having to wait for the next book in the series to be published.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )

This series is based on the delightful premise of pairing a wealthy, aristocratic, proper, stuttering son of an English Duke with an Irish-American partner who was raised in an orphanage in the slums of New York. While it sounds like a recipe for failure of the partnership – oil and water don’t mix – it turns out to be quite engaging and a great pairing of complementary strengths and talents. I did not read the first book in the series, and while I don’t feel that it detracted from this story, I do think it would have provided a better foundational understanding of Lightner’s being in New York. Still, I didn’t need that to enjoy the story.

There is definitely a LOT going on in the story and you’ll have to pay close attention as you read or you won’t keep it all straight. We have multiple victims and hundreds of suspects. The victim who sets the case in motion is found in multiple pieces – packed with salt – in a crate on a New York City dock. With nothing on the body to identify the victim, Lightner and Law start out behind the eight-ball. When they finally identify him, they discover what a despicable man he was and discover a list of people he has been blackmailing. Any one of the people on the list could be the murderer – or it could be someone they’ve not even heard of yet. Then, there are more bodies of people associated with the case that turns up. Uh-Oh -- busy times ahead!

While the investigation continues, we meet some really unsavory characters as suspects. While we root for one or all of those unsavory people to be the culprit, we also root for those very likable characters to find happiness after they are out from under the thumb of the blackmailer. Lightner and Law’s lives are at risk multiple times – and that is particularly dangerous for Lightner who was severely injured in the Crimea and now has a metal plate in his head and holes in his memory.

I enjoyed watching Lightner and Law become closer friends and seeing their respect for each other grow. I loved Paisley, Lightner’s valet, as well as his cook, a freed slave named Mrs. Freedman. I thought the addition of the street urchin/pickpocket, John Sparrow, to the household was a great idea. I thoroughly enjoyed his character and I think he’ll be a marvelous addition to the series. One character I didn’t care for – and I hope he disappears from the series, is the ‘boss’, Captain Davies.

I chose not to read the first book of the series because – and this is totally a personal flaw – I don’t usually seem to enjoy books set in New York City – especially during the time this book takes place. However, I heard so many good things about the first book that I decided to give the second one a try. I’ll quickly admit I still did not enjoy the setting – but I did enjoy the writing, the story, and the characters. It was a bit darker and grittier than I normally enjoy, but it had a bit of lightness woven into it since Lightner is assigned a dog-napping case. The dog in question is owned by one of the richest men in New York and he has personally requested that Lightner handle the case.

I can recommend this book to you if you don’t mind darker, grittier reads. If you require a bit of romance with your mysteries, I can tell you this series doesn’t have any – at least not yet. I really enjoyed the characters, but I didn’t enjoy the turbulence in New York City while the story was unfolding. Yes, I understand that is what was happening at the time, it just isn’t my prime choice. All of that said, I will probably go back and read the first book in the series and then I’ll decide if I’ll want to read more. Again, this is a personal thing because it is darker than I normally like and set in a place/time I don’t normally care for. The writing is excellent and the story is fast-paced and well-delivered.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

The second Lightner and Law mystery has the duo investigating the death of Albert Beauchamp who was dismembered, packed in salt, and shipped to New Orleans before being returned to New York City. That would seem to be enough of a mystery, but their boss also wants them to find a lost dog.

As the two men investigate Beauchamp's murder they quickly learn that he was not who he seemed. Seems he had a number of previous names and left a trail of dead wives and financial chicanery behind him. Ledgers discovered when they opened his safety deposit box shows evidence of extortion which widens to pool of those who might want him dead. Even his tenants in the house and carriage house next door have ample reason to want him dead. Things get more complicated when they begin dying too.

The setting of this story - New York City in 1856 with competing and corrupt police forces - adds a lot to this story. Lord Jasper Lightner is a veteran of the Crimean War who took injuries including a head wound that has caused memory issues. Law is a local boy raised in a Catholic Charity Home after the death of his parents and Grandmother. Their very different backgrounds give a chance to see different parts of the city as they investigate.

I really liked this story. The historical detail was interesting. The characters were well-developed and the plot was nicely twisty. ( )

December 1856 is the last time Albert Beauchamp is seen by his servants. In July the following year his dismembered body arrives back in New York City from New Orleans. But who and why would anyone want this wealthy financier dead. When Jasper Lightner and Detective Law discover Beauchamp's black book the suspects increase dramatically.
An entertaining Victorian mystery with very likeable but widely different main characters, who are both delightful in their differences. Add to some lovely and varied secondary characters and this makes a good addition to the series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )