Tony Pollard

A gripping Victorian Thriller/Mystery with many plot twists. It grabs hold of you from the first page and doesn't let go until that last word. I think the blurb undersells the book a little, it makes the story sound like just another detective story, but it is much more than that. It has elements of action and adventure as well as alternative history. The idea of the characters being well known members of Victorian society is a masterstroke. The likes of Brunel, Babbage, Darwin, Florence show more Nightingale and Ada Lovelace take center stage along side the main protagonist.

The main protagonist Dr. George Phillips is unwittingly dragged into a dangerous conspiracy and ends up on a voyage of self discovery as the action unfolds. Despite the far fetched nature of some of the plot twists, Dr. Phillips is always a believable character. You can sympathize with him as he makes several mistakes and is by no means infallible himself.
I also enjoyed the way the writer manage to combine real events with the fictional element of the story. I would definitely recommend to Thriller, Detective Fiction fans. It really does have such a wide ranging appeal. show less

I picked up this little gem for $8 and I think I got more than my money's worth on this one. Set in London in the 1850s, this is a period piece, with the main character being Dr Phillips, a surgeon in a hospital. Dr Phillips is soon befriended by Brunel, the Engineer behind the building of the 'Great Eastern' steam ship, and a connection to the secret society of the Lazarus Club begins to emerge.

Interestingly enough, Pollard takes several well-known historical figures and weaves them into show more his story, e.g. Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale. More interesting than that though was the concept of the Lazarus Club, where like minded genius' and great thinkers gather to discuss science, innovation and share their expertise. At each meeting, a guest is invited or chosen from a different field of expertise to make a speech to the members present. Minutes are kept from these meetings, hence the name of the book, however the minutes themselves didn't play a large role in the novel. The concept of the Lazarus Club alone could have kept my attention, learning about the content and nature of the different speeches and how they were received by the members at the time and why they had to remain so secretive.

The building of the massive steam ship 'SS Great Eastern' and it's launch into the Thames was equally fascinating throughout the book. I guess when I think of giant ships, I don't imagine a ship with sails, funnels and paddle wheels! Amazing! The mystery of the murdered prostitutes introduced a minor crime thread into the novel, although I didn't think this was necessary to the plot development.

Without giving too much away, an additional sub-plot involving the design of an artificial organ for the body was very interesting for it's time, and who doesn't like a little grave robbery thrown into the mix? I admire the precision with which Pollard brought London alive for this period, and I was completely taken by the sights and smells of the river and the streets and the daily minutiae of the era.

This is Pollard's first novel, and I'll certainly be on the look out for his next. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little historical fiction, science, anatomy, ship building and a good river chase! show less

In London in the 1850s, a secret society called the Lazarus club emerges, comprised of the most brilliant scientific minds of the age. Their goal is to discuss various problems and mysteries that arise out of their scientific explorations. In 1857, Dr. George Phillips is invited to join the club, by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who has just completed work on a massive ship, the Great Eastern. Pretty soon, however, dead prostitutes are washed onto the shores of the Thames, their insides removed, show more and Phillips is immediately suspected of the crime. The attempt to clear his name leads to a chase of a killer and a crime that could have international implications.

For the most part, I enjoyed this novel. Aside from a brief spell in the middle, which seemed to drag a bit, the plot moved at a rapid pace, and Pollard does a great job of bringing mid-19th century London to life. I talk a lot about novels where the cities described in them become characters themselves, and London here is no exception. You almost feel as though you’re wandering the dark, foggy streets of 1850s London with Phillips and Brunel. The plot is somewhat macabre, but the ending of this highly suspenseful novel had me glued to my seat. I also liked the brief appearances that Florence Nightingale made in this book.

There were only two other things I didn’t particularly care for: Phillips practically had to be handed the answer to the mystery, and the villain kept coming back to life in true bad-thriller fashion. But other than that, I really enjoyed this novel. show less

A very clever mixture of detective story and historical fiction with perhaps just a hint of steam punk. The fictional hero bumps up against real and well-known figures and events, seen in an extremely new light. Plenty of action, murder and intrigue, with a very ingenious plot. Well worth reading.