Circle of Shadows

Daniel Clode, an Englishman, is found in a locked room with the body of a young lady beside him from the court of the Duke of Maulberg in Germany. With his wrists cut and no memory of what happened, he is in danger of facing the executioner's axe. His wife asks for her sister to be sent for from England, along with her friend, a reclusive anatomist. Together with their friend Graves, and with the help of the local district officer, they start unravelling the secrets running far and wide through Maulberg's polite society.

This was an unexpected page-turner which I devoured in a matter of days. This is already the fourth instalment in Imogen Robertson's series of historical murder mysteries featuring Harriet Westerman and Gabriel Crowther, show more yet her name had never registered on my radar before. It is difficult to give a detailed review of this book, because I would risk inadvertently giving too much away, so suffice to say that I enjoyed it immensely. The characters are all very well drawn, and there is a fascinating personal dynamic at work here which goes back to previous novels. The central mystery is complex (involving alchemy, automata, poison, a confidence trickster and a secret society (and if one wanted to be critical, this was possibly just a little far-fetched)), but the reader is always reminded of the individual human stories and tragedies that make up the strands of the bigger picture. The author's style is fluent, the sense of atmosphere of the opulent court and the surrounding towns at the end of 18th-century Germany palpable. Based on the strength of this novel, I will definitely seek out her previous offerings. Recommended.

(This review was originally written as part of Amazon's Vine programme.) show less

Lately, everything I want to read is a series and a suspense filled historical mystery at that. I want that back story, the intimacy between characters, rich historical details, and a strange murder to be solved of course. Luckily for me, I found all those characteristics in Robertson’s CIRCLE OF SHADOWS.

Harriet Westerman is home at Caveley with her family attempting to forget the sorrowful events of the past few months. Hurtful rumors have plagued Harriet and she’s done her best to pretend none of it has bothered her but it has. All she wants now is quiet but when a letter arrives from her sister, Rachel, the quiet home life Harriet longed for evaporates. Rachel’s husband, Daniel Clode, has been accused of murder and Rachel show more needs her help. Harriet calls for her close friend, Gabriel Crowther, who is just as bothered and dismayed by the news as Harriet. Crowther, a reclusive anatomist and Harriet’s partner in several investigations, accompanies her to Germany and the Duchy of Maulberg, a strange little court that prides itself on its opulence but is a place they will need every observance of etiquette to remain safe.

While traveling to Germany, Harriet and Crowther look over the facts of the case and find it all too strange to believe. Daniel had been found with the body of Lady Martesen, a favorite of the Duke of Maulberg, completely incoherent and bleeding from a cut on his wrist. The theory of the local district investigator is that Daniel felt remorse after killing Lady Martesen and tried to take his own life. A theory Harriet and Crowther adamantly don’t believe. Daniel remembers nothing of the evening; especially not the murder or how he even came to be in the room with the dead woman. Crowther, a man all too familiar with the details of murder from his anatomy work, knows that the woman wasn’t killed by Daniel because she was in fact drowned --- a pronouncement that throws the entire investigation into upheaval on their arrival.

After their arrival in Maulberg, Harriet and Crowther, and their traveling companions, are quickly schooled in the court etiquette which is rather more complex than what they’re used to in England. It will take every bit of decorum not to be thrown in jail with Daniel in the eccentric court where asking questions seems to be a nonstarter.

Making the case even more dangerous is the appearance of a man Harriet hoped never to see again alive --- Manzerotti --- the man who ordered the death of her beloved husband. Manzerotti is a spy caught up in the same case as Harriet and Crowther although no one but Manzerotti knows the details and he isn’t sharing.

The dynamic between Harriet and Crowther is what makes this series for me. Harriet is an outspoken woman who has no trouble saying what’s on her mind and acting on impulse --- an unusual trait for a woman of the 18th Century. Crowther, on the other hand, would prefer to be alone with a corpse shunning pretty much everyone but Harriet. Their relationship is odd but makes the cases they get involved in so much more interesting for their personalities. The appearance of Manzerotti shakes Harriet’s rather stable emotions in this case, and while Crowther isn’t the most effusive of men, he is when it comes to protecting and helping Harriet, or at least keeping weapons out of her sight when Manzerotti enters a room.

I’ve read previous books in the Westerman/Crowther series and if you have as well, you’ll be happy to know this one lives up to the others. While the setting is interesting, it’s also slightly creepy, the way a murder setting should be. If you’re a fan of Robertson and the Westerman/Crowther series, this one is a good addition and one to be read. show less

In Imogen Robertson’s Circle of Shadows, Harriet Westerman and her companions travel from eighteenth century England to the Duchy of Malberg on hearing that her sister’s new husband, Daniel Clode, has been arrested for murder of Lady Martesen. They must work quickly; the Duke is about to get married and does not want this distraction in his court. Both Harriet’s understanding of human nature and the scientific knowledge of her friend, anatomist Gabriel Crowther are required to unravel the tangled intersections of alchemy and science, spycraft and secret societies.The complications of the human heart and the convoluted politics of German principalities must be unknotted if Daniel is to go free.
I enjoyed the independent character of show more Harriet Westerman and found the descriptions of life in the court of Malberg fascinating. The plot was rather complicated at times and while the resolution might seem contrived in another era, it worked here. I’d be interested in reading about Harriet’s next adventure. show less

Not nearly as good as the last installment in the series. Still complex and well-written, and perfect for a quick summer read, but this one didn't have as much backstory or develop the characters as well as the third volume did.

This mystery title has it all. Featuring the always fascinating locked room mystery, Circle of Shadows is number four in author Robertson's series of historical mysteries. Although this title was new to me, I found this a compelling read which will definitely make me seek out the author's earlier books.

Englishman Daniel Clode had been traveling in Germany when he unwittingly awakes in a locked room next to a dead body and finds himself accused of murder. Daniel's sister-in-law, Rachel has been involved in unraveling other investigations and she travels to Germany with her friend, anatomist Gabriel Crowther to investigate the mystery. The book features wonderful characterization of both primary and secondary characters. Historical show more details and a description of 18th century forensics will intrigue the reader. The atmosphere is quite Gothic and satisfying for readers who like a challenging puzzle combined with historical accuracy. Although the story builds upon details revealed in earlier books in the series, Circle of Shadows can be read as a standalone. It was thoroughly engrossing and hard to put down. Highly recommended. show less

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I haven't read the previous book by Robertson that introduced the characters in "Circle of Shadows" but that isn't an impediment to enjoying the story. It did take me a while to get into the book but once I was a few chapters in I couldn't wait to finish it. I thought the start was a little slow, and some of the transitions were a little clumsy but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I plan to read the earlier book in the series and look forward to new stories.

Set in the European Duchy of Maulberg, Harriet Westerman and Gabriel Crowther search for answers to a series of deaths in order to save the life of their friend Daniel Clode. Full of mystery, conspiracy, mood and characters that make this another impressive historical detective story, it kept me turning pages late into the night.