Summons to Murder is the 11th Charles Dickens investigation by J.C. Briggs. Released 15th Sept 2023 by Sapere Books, it's 314 pages (print edition) and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (along with the rest of the series) is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is a engagingly well written and plotted historical mystery series with three dimensional characters and a commendable Dickens vibe in the situations, settings, and characterizations. I've enjoyed these historical mysteries set in the middle of the 19th century in London and environs. Fictional sleuth Dickens is clever, loyal, dogged, and practical and his friendship and cooperative investigation with superintendent Sam Jones makes for engaging and entertaining reading. The plots are always convoluted and well engineered, full of twists and surprises. The story itself is written around a framework of real historical events and people and so well entwined that it's not always apparent where reality shades over into fiction. Each of the mysteries works well as a standalone with a self contained mystery, plotline, denouement, and resolution.
This installment is quite macabre in places and has a definitely spooky vibe with lots of jump scares and bizarre twists. Waxwork figures are creepy by definition and this volume is *full* of outré characters and events. Perfect for Hallowe'en reading.
Four stars.
Overall,
it's a good read and a quality example of the
historical-person-as-amateur-sleuth sub-genre. With 11 books extant in
the seriesit would be a good
choice for a long weekend's binge/buddy read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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