Andrew Pepper

'KILL-DEVIL AND WATER' is the third book in the Pyke series and finds our 'hero' languishing in a London prison for non-payment of debt. His personal life is in disarray, he is still grieving the loss of his wife Emily and his relationship with his 10 year-old son Felix has broken down.

Old acquaintance Fitzroy Tilling, now a high ranking officer in the newly formed Metropolitan Police Force, suddenly throws Pyke a lifeline; early release in return for investigating the gruesome murder of a show more mulatto woman found strangled and her eyes gouged out. The police are unable to investigate themselves because they are tied up trying to find the killer of a murdered nobleman, Lord Bedford, a higher political priority. Pyke, initially hesitant, agrees and soon finds his quest taking him from the slums of London to the plantations of Jamaica and back again mixing with gang lords, pornographers, ex-slave-owners and ex-slaves along the way.

There are some good and some less well done elements to this book. Firstly, it's a solid murder mystery which makes effective use of the historical setting including a few passing references to Dickens and Thackeray. Pepper competently paints the vast social differences of mid-19th century London as well as the lush greenery and savagery of the Jamaican plantations without over-egging it with too many long winded descriptions of the food, clothing and slang of the age.

However, whilst I feel that Pepper's skill as an author has improved since the opening book in the series I simply didn't feel that Pyke has developed accordingly. Pyke is meant to be an anti-hero but comes across simply as an angry man with a massive chip on his shoulder who is over-reliant on his physical prowess. Now I should admit that I skipped the second book in this series so it's possible that I've missed something vital but after finishing this one I'm still uncertain as to what really motivates Pyke. I feel that he lacks the necessary depth to carry the weight of the author's historical observations.

Whilst I believe that this novel is an improvement on the first in the series and is a decent piece of escapism its an OK read rather than a memorable read. show less

London 1940, and Pyke, hero (of sorts) of this series is in debtors jail, having squandered his fortune. His erstwhile friend Fitzroy Tilling – now a senior figure in the New Police, makes Pyke an offer – he will let him get out of prison early, if Pyke will investigate the murder of a mixed-race woman whose mutilated body has been found in one of the rougher areas of London. A wealthy aristocrat has also been murdered and all of the Police Force’s energies are being used to solve that show more matter, hence the reason that Tilling has called Pyke in.

Pyke accepts the job, but quickly realises that there is far more to the case than it initially appears. His investigation takes him from smog-filled London, to the beautiful plains of Jamaica, as he uses all of his cunning, intelligence, and often violence and threats, to unravel the story.

Meanwhile, Pyke’s son Felix is now 10 years old, but these days he seems to be resentful and rebellious towards his father, and Pyke desperately wants to repair their relationship. A murder investigation can only hamper his efforts due to the amount of his time he invests, but he is determined to solve the mystery.

This is the third book in the Pyke series. It isn’t necessary to have read the preceding two books, although it helps as Pyke’s character is developed throughout the stories. Here, he is in a more contemplative mood as he gets older and considers the results that his actions may have on his son. However, he has lost none of his tendency to violence and intimidation – but he does seem to have a more sharpened sense of right and wrong, and seems to judge himself more harshly.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, but the second one was something of a disappointment (though still a good read) with it’s over-complicated story. This book is a return to form. While there are plenty of twists, turns, red herrings and dead ends, the story is a lot tighter than the events of ‘The Revenge of Captain Paine’ (book 2),and I found it a to be a great story.

As always, London’s atmosphere is brought to life, and I also enjoyed the description of the Jamaica plains. The part of the story set in Jamaica was probably my favourite part – Pyke encounters hostility from the recently emancipated former black slaves, and finds himself questioning his own beliefs. Andrew Pepper always seems able to provide plenty of description while never letting go of the story itself. The ending of the story came as a real shock, and I certainly could not have predicted what would happen.

As well from Pyke himself, there are the usual dangerous underworld criminals, and Pyke’s family and friends. He is the only really developed character, but the character of Felix is starting to grow nicely and I hope that he will feature in the ensuing books in the series.

Not one for the faint hearted, this is a fast moving and sometimes gruesome story which delves into the world of prostitution and illegal pornography. There is a great murder mystery as the main thread of the book, and I would certainly recommend this book to fans of crime thrillers. show less

London 1835, and the wind of change is in the air. Plans are afoot for two railways to be built, connecting London with various other parts of the country and the hope is that this will encourage trade and create jobs. However, the navvies who are building the railway are being rallied into unionising and demanding better pay and safer working conditions. The figure at the head of this movement is the mysterious Captain Paine - nobody seems to know who the captain is, or indeed even if he show more really exists. The discontent stirred up in the workers seems likely to spill over into bloodshed...

Meanwhile, life has also changed for anti-hero Pyke. Having married the wealthy Emily Blackwood, he now finds himself, as the co-manager of a successful bank, living in a huge mansion with a large staff and plenty of money. However, while Pyke loves his wife and young son, he is not entirely comfortable with his new station in life. So when his former acquaintance and sometime adversary Sir Robert Peel asks him to look into the murder of murdered man whose headless corpse has been dumped in Huntingdon, Pyke uses all the skill and cunning he employed in his former occupation as a Bow Street Runner. However, as he starts to dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding the murder, he smells corruption. The murder is part of a much bigger problem which threatens to destroy the lives of many, and even the future of the Royal Family. But it is when things start to become dangerous for Pyke's family that he really gets angry...

This is the second book in the series of Pyke mysteries. The first one is called The Last Days of Newgate (which I enjoyed immensely), but while it may help to have read the previous book, it isn't necessary to enjoy this one.

As before, the writing is terrific, with plenty of atmosphere, really putting the reader into 1830s London. Pyke is a terrific anti-hero - he is ruthless, violent and not above making underhand deals. He is also largely unrepentant for his actions, only caring about the possible consequences for himself and his family. However, despite all of this, the author lets just enough of a more gentle side come through, which makes the character one to root for, despite everything.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot - and this was part of the problem with this book. While I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in the series, the plot was just too convoluted. On a number of occasions I had to flick back to remind myself who certain characters were and what their role in the story was. There was a plot thread involving a former girlfriend of Pyke's and events in her own history - I felt that this could all have been cut out, without losing any of the punchiness of the plot.

However, things were all made clearer by the end, and the ending itself was very satisfying; there were a couple of major plot twists which I did not see coming.

Overall, for fans of historic crime fiction this is a recommended read - but be warned that this is no gentle mystery. There is violence and gore splattered throughout the pages. show less

Historical murder mysteries set in the Victorian Age are popular because they allow us to see 'primitive' sensibilities alongside modern or near-modern lifestyles. So it is with Kill-Devil. Pyke is a complex character with many unredeemable qualities who works hard at not being happy and at doing things that decidedly will not make him happy.

A complex plot with many twists and turns, the first two-thirds of this book are gripping and the malodorous visions of London low-life believable and show more accurate. The last third of the book is where it goes off the rails. A bank robbery sub-plot never gets started and is hardly explained. It reads like an idea that Andrew Pepper had and could not discard. Worse, after a slow build the major denouement is presented in a third person court report and rushes past like a 'Previously, on ...' television trailer.

Pepper describes 19th century life very well and Pyke is an intriguing character. It was the ending that did me in. show less