Crime fiction is not my usual choice but i was gripped the moment i picked this book up, it is set in London in the early 1800s when our hero Pyke investigates a murder, this book has everything you could wish for beautiful prose,intrigue, violence , love and our hero Pyke (what a man). Andrew Pepper is a truly gifted writer, i can't wait to the sequel " The Revenge of Captain Payne." ( )

This book, set in London in 1829, is the first book in a series about Pyke, a Bow Street Runner, and sometime crook of questionable (to say the least) morals.

The book is set at a time for great change for the policing system: Home Secretary Peel had his plans to set up one ruling Police Force, and thus put Runners like Pike, out of work. His plans were opposed by many, and this conflict is very well illustrated in this book.

Pyke finds himself caught up in trying to solve a brutal triple murder, and his investigations uncover a web of deception which perhaps goes as high as the Government itself, and which threatens Pyke's livelihood and even his life.

Aided by an enigmatic society beauty (which comes across far less cliched than that sounds), Pyke has to stay one step ahead of the powers that be at all time, as he faces danger from known and unknown persons.

I really enjoyed this book. The action moves along at a fair old pace, and I never found myself getting bored. 1820s London is brought vividly to life, with detailed descriptions of the way of life. However, the historical references did not detract from the main storyline; they merely served to help set the scene.

Pyke is a terrific main character. He is a cruel and brutal man, who I felt I should dislike, but there was just enough goodness in him to make me want to root for him all the way. As a character who was very believable, his actions still took me by surprise on many occasions.

There is a lot of violence and bloodshed in this book, and I can certainly see that that in itself would turn a lot of readers off. I wouldn't recommend it to a squeamish friend! However, if you want a good crime mystery with plenty of twists and turns, and don't mind some blood and gore, this is a great read. I look forward to reading the next installment. ( )

As a fan of historical fiction, I wasn't too impressed by this. The plot is overly complex, and the detective invincible. Rather too graphic its violence too. ( )

London in 1829 was policed by the Bow Street Runners. Pepper's hero Pyke is a Runner who introduces us into his ethically murky world. England at that time was paranoid about the issue of Catholic Emancipation, with fears that it would lead to a blood bath. When a Northern Irish family is butchered in a London slum, the public is quick to blame “the Catholics” and authorities turn a blind eye to the orgy of anti-Catholic looting, violence and death that follows. Pyke is a rascal and a thief, but he also has a nose for the truth — even at a cost to the people he loves — and it results in his being taken to the infamous Newgate prison on a trumped-up murder charge. Sex, religion, politics, murder, corruption and the class system: this novel covers interesting and socially unedifying topics. The fact that it is very well written is an added bonus. ( )

Although I have read several books about the Bow Street Runners,this is the first that I have come across that covers the period of the transition from the last days of the Runners and the early days of the Metropolitan Police under Robert Peel.The book begins well with a good description of the above but later goes a little haywire as the hero/anti-hero gets into a series of Perils-of-Pauline type scrapes.Some scenes towards the end of the novel are not for the faint-hearted it has to be said.Over-all however not a bad read at all,on a light level. ( )