Set in the early 1800’s this detective thriller is as dark and gritty as its main character.
Pyke (no first name) has been introduced as starting life in an orphanage, turning to crime and then becoming a detective in Londons first ever detective branch.

You would imagine that due to his past Pyke would be of a dubious nature and this is highlighted by the fact that even his son is suspicious of Pyke but although some of his techniques for crime solving are less than perfect he gets his results no matter to whom they lead and shows loyalty only to the law inspite of his shady connections.

This story really makes you feel you are living in pre-victorian England, with its avid descriptions of the cesspits, smog and the tenements.
Focusing on political treachery that reaches throughout the police and government right down to the earliest and most evil gang bosses in London this story encompasses many twists that leave you wondering who the culprit(s) are.
The plot which starts with a murder in a church, talks about devil worship, corruption of the police and government and is also filled with Pykes personal anguish was well written and I for one cannot wait for the next Pyke investigation. ( )

A shooting at a pawn brokers in Victorian London, which leaves three dead, is investigated by the recently formed Detective Branch. Pyke heads up the investigation in spite of others trying to muscle their way in.
The back cover of this book led me to expect something historical, mysterious and atmospheric but for me this didn't really come across in the reading. The story and the individual elements within it are good but something about the way it flows, or does not flow, made the reading a little 'clunky'. The tale itself could easily have been a modern detective story but to make it more authentic the author throws in, somewhat uncomfortably to my mind, chunks of historical detail.
I tried really hard to enjoy this book but felt that in spite of all the ingredients being included they did not fuse together well and it even felt a little unfinished. For me, too much unnecessary detail was sometimes included; sentences and paragraphs could have been condensed to improve the flow of the writing.
I do wonder, however, since the author is a university lecturer in English, whether I'm not missing something. After all he is published and has had previous books nominated for awards. I know there will be plenty who will really enjoy this historical crime novel, especially those who appreciate a lot of detail.
It's a real shame that I couldn't enjoy this book more than I did but I just didn't feel that it came across as atmospheric as it should have. I did enjoy the underlying story and I did want to find out 'whodunnit' but I also felt a little let down by the slow pace and lack of cohesion between the elements. I think the book will be OK for some, just not for me. ( )

It is 1844, and Pyke is now heading up the Detective Branch of the new Metropolitan Police Force. When a robbery at a pawnbrokers leaves three men dead, Pyke soon recognises one of the victims as having links with Pyke’s own criminal past, and has to try and solve the crime before secrets from his own past are revealed.

However, this is only the first problem that Pyke will encounter during the investigation. When the rector of a wealthy parish is murdered some months later, and a valuable antique cross is stolen, Pyke sees a connection and sets out to solve the mystery. He soon discovers that somebody – possibly one of the men he works for – wants to keep the matter hushed up and is prepared to sacrifice Pyke’s career, or worse, to do so. It isn’t long before he realises that he doesn’t know who he can trust – or indeed if he can trust anybody.

Meanwhile, Pyke has to deal with loss in his personal life, and a growing detachment from his 14 year old son Felix…

This is the fourth novel in the Pyke series. All of the books have been enjoyable and this one, like those preceding it, is very readable. The author captures the atmosphere of Victorian London, and clearly knows his subject well. One aspect of the series that has been fascinating is how it describes the development of a police force in London from the beginning.

Pyke is somewhat more restrained in this book – necessarily so due to his job as a police inspector. Whereas in the previous novels he was a Bow Street Runner and then an independent (of sorts) investigator, he now has a duty to uphold the law and therefore is not always able to turn to his former methods of obtaining information. He is also becoming more considered as he gets older and is starting to realise that how he lives his life directly affects how his son Felix sees the world.

The mystery itself is satisfying, if sometimes a little over-complicated and it was occasionally necessary to remind myself who was who, and occasionally what a particular character’s role in the story was. The ending however was excellent – probably the best ending of any of the novels so far in the series, with a twist that I certainly couldn’t have predicted.

For the most part, the characters are well drawn, and the development of Felix’s character suggests that he might play an even bigger role in future novels. I liked the dynamic between Pyke and Felix – they love each other dearly, but don’t really understand each other. Some of the other characters in the book were interesting to read about – I hope that the priest Martin Jakes might feature in any future Pyke novels – especially the other officers in the detective branch.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that this is the best Pyke book, but it’s certainly a worthwhile and enjoyable addition to the series. Recommended to fans of crime and/or historical fiction. ( )

I was looking forward to reading this book. Set in 1840's London and featuring the newly formed Detective Branch of Scotland Yard, the description paints an enticing picture.
I don't know Pyke; I have not read the preceeding novels in the series. Nevertheless, the book should stand on it's own without prior introduction. Sadly, I found him a bit lacking. There are many characters, but none are sufficiently drawn so as to make them distinguishable. I found some parts slightly confusing as I struggled to recall who was who. No wonder Pyke himself is confused about identities.
There's very little expression of the atmosphere of Victorian London. There are descriptions, but I found these wooden and they did not evoke the senses as one would expect from such a rich setting. With one exception. I found Pyke's relationship with his pigs almost moving.
I feel as if this book barely scratched the surface - a twig, more than a branch of Victorian Scotland Yard. ( )

A gripping detective story that held my attention well through out. I liked how all the twists and turns and subplots which at first appeared unrelated tied together neatly at the end.

Set in London in the 1840s, the story has a wealth of detail which works well to form a vivid picture of the time. The main character, Pyke is in the head of the newly formed Detective branch and in the best traditions of maverick detectives is battling his bosses and struggling in his personal life while trying to find a brutal murder.

Although this is the fourth book in the series and I have not read any of the previous ones it didn't matter as there was a good introduction to the characters and the setting, although I now want to catch up with the ones I have missed.

A thoroughly engaging read which I would recommend to anyone who likes period crime. ( )