Carole Lawrence

When a body is found at the bottom of King Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, almost everyone is convinced it’s a suicide. DI Ian Hamilton, however, is just as convinced that it is murder. He is reluctantly given permission to investigate. But when a second murder occurs, it is becomes clear that there is a serial killer stalking the city, one Hamilton is determined to bring to justice even when he begins to suspect the killer may be someone very close to home.

Edinburgh Twilight is the first show more book in a new historical mystery series by author Carole Lawrence. Set in Edinburgh in 1881, it is a well-written, well-plotted and nicely atmospheric tale with interesting characters. My one quibble and I suspect it wouldn’t even be noticed by most readers – there were a couple of historical inaccuracies eg. one of the characters claimed to be allergic to dogs and another said his mother was allergic to cats. Thing is, the word ‘allergy’ wasn’t used until the early 20th c. I know, a little picky but, what can I say, history buff here. Still, overall, an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

Featuring two real people with their medical expertise, Dr Sophia Jex-Blake and Arthur Conan Doyle, detective Ian Hamilton sets out to stop a serial killer. This time poison is the weapon, and the real question is motive. Doyle is a fun addition to the trilogy, as the author has detective Ian engaging in conduct reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, obviously intending the reader to believe that Ian is a model for Doyle’s future famous character.

I got the impression the author wanted to start show more the trilogy over with this book. Not much time seems to have passed since book 1, but some characterizations feel different in book 2. A street urchin, who was welcomed in book 1, is kept much more at arm’s length and Ian’s previously warm relationship with his aunt seems to have deteriorated a bit. These were unwelcome changes to these characters as was the new narrator, who seemed to lack the empathy I heard from book 1’s narrator.

That said, I liked that, to a degree, the reader is often meant to sympathize with the murderer. That is, until the murders become less about motive and more about protecting the murderer from getting caught. I also liked and even chuckled a bit about a chase scene during market day in Edinburgh. I normally find chase scenes boring, but this one had humor and finally some very tense moments. This book was good enough to send me off to book 3. show less

This historical thriller set in New York City in 1880 introduces socialite and reporter Elizabeth van den Broek. After college at Vassar, she was hired as a social reporter at the New York Herald. One day on her way to work, she sees a woman being assaulted by a man in a third-floor window as her train passes by.

When she and a new friend from her apartment building are taking a morning walk, they discover the body of a young woman wrapped as a mummy and left in the pit where the new show more Cleopatra's Needle will be placed. Elizabeth begs her editor to let her pursue the story since she has recently made a connection with Detective Sargeant William O'Grady who came to investigate the crime.

Given permission by her editor and with an introduction by OGrady, Elizabeth and a photographer visit the morgue and get a chance to see and photograph the body. There, Elizabeth learns that the young woman had been strangled and had all her blood drained through an incision that looks like an Egyptian symbol of some kind.

As Elizabeth pursues her leads and writes stories that make her a celebrity, the villain who believes he is the reincarnated Osiris is planning and executing more murders all with an Egyptian theme. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is facing prejudice and assault at work, dealing with the mental illness of her older sister Laura, and trying to understand her mother.

Elizabeth also meets a handsome young doctor who has some new ideas to treat her sister. She also makes friends with Carlotta Ackerman who is an artist with a studio in her apartment building and her brother Jonah who is flirting with socialism and a great admirer of Karl Marx.

The great strength of this story was the historical setting which was filled with intriguing details and characters. What Elizabeth was allowed to do and the attitudes of the men around her seemed realistic. Her desire to be a reformer and pathfinder for women coming along behind her made Elizabeth interesting. Details about the corruption of the police added to the story. The mystery was somewhat weaker as it all seemed to be summed up rather abruptly.

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy getting to know Elizabeth. show less

Members of a seance circle are being murdered. Skeptic Detective Ian Hamilton distrusts the paranormal beliefs even though his dear aunt is a true believer. He’s on the case, not least because he’s worried his aunt may be a target. Lots of great characters, and especially Arthur Conan Doyle, still just a medical student, but who is really interested in the burgeoning forensic field. Other than the fact that the detective is quite the expert now in book 3, even though he was a rookie in show more book 1, I found the series enjoyable. This is the end of the series yet it feels like it was set up for another book. Maybe someday? show less