atmospheric. Conscious attempt to give claustrophobic feel, small town,mines, collapsing into the ground.
bit high of a body count and quite an assortment of killers ( )

Quality Historical fiction the second book in the series but could be read as
a standalone story. Totally engaging from first to last page, absorbing clever intelligent mystery, which I thought I had solved before our heroes but I was wrong, following a surprise twist. Called in to a grim freezing snow covered mining village in the midlands to aid in a search for a missing family, our intrepid Officers from the yard find a lot more going on than they anticipated.
Completely recommended. ( )

I haven't the first book in the series - The Yard. I fell for the cover. I didn't find the book to my liking. The plot is too twisted and dark. ( )

I'm really enjoying these historical police procedurals -- partly in their realistic creepiness, partly in their fascinating characters, mostly because the atmospheric settings are awesome and there's a certain joy in seeing who will drug/ beat-up/ rescue Hammersmith this time. I also really love how easy it is to interpret the things that happen as magical or cursed, and yet there is always a scientific explanation that comes through. I like seeing the superstitions held up against early forensic techniques -- and I like how well the stories illustrate where the superstitions come from/ how bizarre the realities of 19th century were -- when you think about reality of living in a town that is literally falling into the mining tunnels, it becomes easier to see why the residents would also believe in omens and portents. ( )

It is finished and I am sad. ( )