On This Page
Description
In Victorian London's cesspool of crime and disease, a series of murders remains undiscovered until a cholera victim is found floating in the city's drinking water supply. Dr. Anton Kronberg, England's best bacteriologist, is called upon to investigate and finds evidence of abduction and medical maltreatment. While Scotland Yard has little interest in pursuing the case, Kronberg pushes on and crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes. The detective immediately discovers Kronberg's secret-a woman show more masquerading as a man in order to practice medicine-a criminal deed that could land her in prison for years to come. But both must join forces to stop a crime so monstrous, it outshines Jack the Ripper's deeds in brutality and cold-bloodedness. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Well, this one sucked me right in: bang! Could hardly put it down once I got going. Slurped most of it on a gloomy Sunday afternoon in my chair by the fireplace... From the first, I really connected with the character of Dr Kronberg and enjoyed the writing style no end. (Ahem, the first meeting between Kronberg and Holmes actually made me cry because it was delicious. *blush* Haha, I'm so invested.)
OK, purists might argue a few things, but the treatment of Holmes also felt authentic to me. The brilliant stroke of this series is casting Holmes in a smaller supporting role rather than as the lead. We've all seen so many "new" adventures with him center stage, it was refreshing (to me) seeing Victorian London, and Holmes in operation, show more through a very different angle centered on another top-notch investigator with guts. And extra points for cross-dressing.
This would probably make a great film. Yeah, I can see Chloë Sevigny as Dr Kronberg... But it's too bad Jeremy Brett is no longer with us to play Holmes alongside her.
This isn't a cliff-hanger per se, but the story is definitely not over, it just ends at a kind of intermission, with many things resolved, but a long way to go. So, I'm moving on to the next in the trilogy.
Nits... It appears to be a self-published book, and I usually say something about that when I notice. It's very well written and well-edited, aside from a bare handful of typos and a couple of spots that might warrant a visit from the grammar police, depending on your viewpoint. I got this volume free during a 'Zon promotion. (Which as of today, February 11, is still going on, so you could pick it up, too, for free.) I'd definitely have paid full price, now knowing what's in it. In fact, I'm going to trot out right now and pay full price for the rest of the trilogy. [tick tick tick... OK, purchase completed.] Oh, also, don't be confused by the numbering. This is "book one" of a trilogy, but it looks like originally the author thought The Lion's Courtship was #1 in a tetralogy or something, but that's now called Volume 0.5, at least here on GR, and seems to be an optional prequel to this.
Two minor points: (1) those who might go bonkers and cry foul when they stumble across the F word herein, read some unabashed descriptive language, or witness the love scene for that matter, and think they might be inauthentic, just haven't run across any of the scads of shady back-alley Victorian "literature" that still survives and is readily available for those who seek it. (2) This book contains one of the most laughably charming and colorful insults I've ever heard in English. It involves mosquitoes, but even without that hint, you'd probably recognize it when you get there. show less
OK, purists might argue a few things, but the treatment of Holmes also felt authentic to me. The brilliant stroke of this series is casting Holmes in a smaller supporting role rather than as the lead. We've all seen so many "new" adventures with him center stage, it was refreshing (to me) seeing Victorian London, and Holmes in operation, show more through a very different angle centered on another top-notch investigator with guts. And extra points for cross-dressing.
This would probably make a great film. Yeah, I can see Chloë Sevigny as Dr Kronberg... But it's too bad Jeremy Brett is no longer with us to play Holmes alongside her.
This isn't a cliff-hanger per se, but the story is definitely not over, it just ends at a kind of intermission, with many things resolved, but a long way to go. So, I'm moving on to the next in the trilogy.
Nits... It appears to be a self-published book, and I usually say something about that when I notice. It's very well written and well-edited, aside from a bare handful of typos and a couple of spots that might warrant a visit from the grammar police, depending on your viewpoint. I got this volume free during a 'Zon promotion. (Which as of today, February 11, is still going on, so you could pick it up, too, for free.) I'd definitely have paid full price, now knowing what's in it. In fact, I'm going to trot out right now and pay full price for the rest of the trilogy. [tick tick tick... OK, purchase completed.] Oh, also, don't be confused by the numbering. This is "book one" of a trilogy, but it looks like originally the author thought The Lion's Courtship was #1 in a tetralogy or something, but that's now called Volume 0.5, at least here on GR, and seems to be an optional prequel to this.
This book is enjoyable on several levels. First, because it doesn't focus mainly on Sherlock Holmes, it has an originality that so many non-Doyle Holmes books lack. Second, the protagonist, Dr. Anton Kronberg, is actually a woman in disguise. If she wants to be a doctor in 19th century Europe, she has no choice, so she has left her native Germany, where she received her medical degree (in disguise), studied at Harvard, and finally landed in London, where she is a noted bacteriologist, searching for the cure for diseases such as tetanus and cholera. Third, the crimes themselves are interesting--horrid, but interesting, and the medical discussions in the book are well done and fascinating. Fourth, the portrayal of Holmes, while it may irk show more some people, shows an imperfect man, in his own way struggling as much with his identity as Anna Kronberg is with hers. This is a very fast read, and London is well-portrayed, as are the secondary characters in the book. I found Dr. Kronberg's emotions a bit hard to follow at times, and her relationship with Holmes was certainly complex, perhaps a little too complex for the writer to explain it! Lastly, the climax of the book, although long awaited and satisfying, seemed a little abrupt given the nature of the evil being confronted. Still, this was a fascinating, original story, and I would be interested in following the series further. (No wonder this one was free for the Kindle!) show less
The sign of a really good spin off book, is that it makes you want to go read the originals again just to fit the details together. This book was great! I've been an avid Sherlock Holmes fan since the 6th grade when my dad bought me a telephone book-sized, unabridged set of the stories. Yet, the original Sherlock Holmes story with Holmes breaking the "evil doctor ring" always bothered me. I didn't like that he didn't completely win. I love this book's take on it! The intellectual side of me cackled at the innovative take on the old story, while the emotional side of me was on the edge of my chair wondering what would happen next. I am definitely looking forward to the second book!
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
As the story opens we meet Dr. Anton Kronberg, the leading epidemiologist of his time, when he is called to examine a cholera victim in the north of London. Anton Kronberg is actually Anna Kronberg, who disguises herself as a man in order to be able to practice medicine in a world in which women are not allowed to. Her specialty is cholera and tetanus. While examining the victim, she meets Sherlock Holmes, who despite his well known fame, is someone she's never heard of before. He immediately sees through her disguise and they decide to work together to solve the case.
The story is told primarily through Anna. Holmes more than meets his match in intelligence and deductive talents in this partnership. They are masters at reading between show more the lines and constantly try to figure each other out. They feel an attraction, which works well in the Laurie King novels, but didn't ring true for me here. However, this is only the first book in the series and the attraction may work better in the sequel.
The story is a bit dark, but it's very fast-paced and engaging. The London setting was very atmospheric. I was really fascinated with Anna Kronberg and found the ways she maintained her disguise to be very creative. The book has a few issues, like almost all first novels, but none of them stopped me from enjoying this Holmes-inspired mystery or picking up The Fall, the next book in the series. show less
The story is told primarily through Anna. Holmes more than meets his match in intelligence and deductive talents in this partnership. They are masters at reading between show more the lines and constantly try to figure each other out. They feel an attraction, which works well in the Laurie King novels, but didn't ring true for me here. However, this is only the first book in the series and the attraction may work better in the sequel.
The story is a bit dark, but it's very fast-paced and engaging. The London setting was very atmospheric. I was really fascinated with Anna Kronberg and found the ways she maintained her disguise to be very creative. The book has a few issues, like almost all first novels, but none of them stopped me from enjoying this Holmes-inspired mystery or picking up The Fall, the next book in the series. show less
Dr. Anton Kronberg is England's leading bacteriologist. Dr. Kronberg is called in to investigate a case of a cholera victim floating in the city's water supply. While the fact that the victim died of cholera is pretty clear cut, the way the disease was received and how the body found its way into the water supply opens up to many more mysteries. When Sherlock Holmes is also brought into the case, Dr. Kronberg has even more to fear as Holmes quickly discovers Dr. Kronberg's secret that Anton is really Anna Kronberg. Holmes and Anna find a tenuous relationship as the case brings them into dangerous scenarios with devious men and treacherous plots.
The Devil's Grin is an engaging Victorian Era mystery. Dr. Kronberg is a very interesting show more character. Her choice to live as a man in order to practice medicine is honorable, yet has many difficulties and bears the consequence of death if found out. Since she could legally practice medicine as a woman in other countries, this seems like a strange and dangerous predicament to place herself into. Other than that, I really enjoyed the sharp and witty writing, the mystery and the passion behind Anna's character. The mystery was a slow burn and grew on me with a series of well crafted layers that started with what seemed like a simple case but quickly grew into a large conspiracy that took Anna under cover. Another interesting aspect of the story was Sherlock's character, a tortured soul and amazing detective, yet very different from the classic Holmes character. Overall, an engaging historical thriller in Victorian London.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less
The Devil's Grin is an engaging Victorian Era mystery. Dr. Kronberg is a very interesting show more character. Her choice to live as a man in order to practice medicine is honorable, yet has many difficulties and bears the consequence of death if found out. Since she could legally practice medicine as a woman in other countries, this seems like a strange and dangerous predicament to place herself into. Other than that, I really enjoyed the sharp and witty writing, the mystery and the passion behind Anna's character. The mystery was a slow burn and grew on me with a series of well crafted layers that started with what seemed like a simple case but quickly grew into a large conspiracy that took Anna under cover. Another interesting aspect of the story was Sherlock's character, a tortured soul and amazing detective, yet very different from the classic Holmes character. Overall, an engaging historical thriller in Victorian London.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less
The Devil's Grin by Annelie Wendeberg is the first book in the 'Kronberg Crimes' series.
Set in Victorian England, this book is a mix of fiction and historical facts. Disease coats the streets and Jack the Ripper haunts the alleys. People will do anything to survive.
The year is 1889 and Doctor Anton Kronberg has been asked for assistance in identifying a possible cholera victim at the Hampton Water Treatment Works by Scotland Yard's Inspector Gibson. Anton works at Guy's Hospital in London in the ward of infectious diseases. The best bacteriologist and epidemiologist in England. Cholera is one of many constant threats and the hospital is always packed three to a bed, leading to the further spread of disease.
Going to inspect the dead show more man, Anton meets the famous Sherlock Holmes, who surprises both Anton and the reader by discovering that Anton Kronberg is in fact Anna Kronberg, a female doctor who earned her degree in Germany. Anna is reasonably upset. This is an era where women are forbidden to study medicine or become doctors. The only women in a medical field are nurses. Anna works very hard to keep her identity secret by changing her countenance and her appearance, even going as far as to keep a bag filled with water in her trousers so her colleagues can occasional see her 'peeing' at the urinals, to leave no doubt in their minds that she is a man. If her secret was ever revealed, she would be incarcerated for life.
Anna is just as sharp and observant as Sherlock. The two decide to work with each other (which neither of them are particularly used to or pleased about) after finding a few discrepancies on the body. The two will have to learn to deal with one another and try to get along with someone just as knowledgable as themselves. They will no doubt get on each other's nerves, but there is amicability and understanding there too.
As they begin to see more into the dark underworld and corrupt corporations that are involved, they begin to realise just how deep they're in. Could the man have been killed by tetanus? If so, how could he contract it without any deep wounds or without consuming a tetanus infected animal? Is it possible he was murdered? They must also learn to battle with their own dark demons and consider how far either of them are willing to go to find the truth, even if it means risking their lives or that of others.
The title of this book comes from one of the symptoms of a tetanus victim- a grin. It is a telltale sign of tetanus.
The characters are intriguing. Sherlock is Sherlock. What can I say about this character that isn't already known to every person under the sun? His depiction here is very similar to his original character. Obviously, there will be slight discrepancies, not just because of a different author, but also because he's interacting with people he's never met before. All people act differently depending on the person they're with, including Sherlock. For fans of Sherlock, don't worry, he is still true to himself, if not for the occasional phrase I couldn't quite picture him saying.
Sherlock himself is already a character who's interesting enough to carry the story, but Anna/Anton's character was equally compelling, to say the least. Forced to hide her gender, she spends so much time as a man, that she questions her identity. It's not that she's transgender or confused about her sexuality, but more that she has seen the pros and cons of being a member of each gender and she wonders which one it is better to be and which one she is more suited to. Add to that the fact that she must completely shed her female self, so as not to be discovered, and it's not wonder she's unsure.
Like Sherlock, she will push herself to her physical and mental limits to get an answer. Together, the chemistry these two characters share is palpable. I'm bringing it up because I'm sure people will wonder, but the only similarity between her and Irene is that the two are equally as intelligent as Sherlock himself. They can outwit him. But Irene is very sure of her gender and obviously loves being a woman and the ability to make Sherlock uncomfortable with it. Anna isn't even sure what gender she wants to be. Their personalities are very different and these two characters are not to be confused.
Anna and Sherlock can singlehandedly carry this story. The plot is interesting and dark, but even if it had been terrible, I believe that Anna and Sherlock would still make it work. They're just that entertaining and thought-provoking.
An incomplete ending, this is a series that connects all its stories through plot, not just characters. It is not often that the same story will continue through the series. The same villain perhaps, but generally when you start a new book, a new plot begins as well. For those who aren't fans of endings without resolution, there is enough of a conclusion to satisfy. We just aren't given the whole picture. The final line will leave fans of both this book's characters and Sherlock Holmes hurrying to the next instalment.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. show less
Set in Victorian England, this book is a mix of fiction and historical facts. Disease coats the streets and Jack the Ripper haunts the alleys. People will do anything to survive.
The year is 1889 and Doctor Anton Kronberg has been asked for assistance in identifying a possible cholera victim at the Hampton Water Treatment Works by Scotland Yard's Inspector Gibson. Anton works at Guy's Hospital in London in the ward of infectious diseases. The best bacteriologist and epidemiologist in England. Cholera is one of many constant threats and the hospital is always packed three to a bed, leading to the further spread of disease.
Going to inspect the dead show more man, Anton meets the famous Sherlock Holmes, who surprises both Anton and the reader by discovering that Anton Kronberg is in fact Anna Kronberg, a female doctor who earned her degree in Germany. Anna is reasonably upset. This is an era where women are forbidden to study medicine or become doctors. The only women in a medical field are nurses. Anna works very hard to keep her identity secret by changing her countenance and her appearance, even going as far as to keep a bag filled with water in her trousers so her colleagues can occasional see her 'peeing' at the urinals, to leave no doubt in their minds that she is a man. If her secret was ever revealed, she would be incarcerated for life.
Anna is just as sharp and observant as Sherlock. The two decide to work with each other (which neither of them are particularly used to or pleased about) after finding a few discrepancies on the body. The two will have to learn to deal with one another and try to get along with someone just as knowledgable as themselves. They will no doubt get on each other's nerves, but there is amicability and understanding there too.
As they begin to see more into the dark underworld and corrupt corporations that are involved, they begin to realise just how deep they're in. Could the man have been killed by tetanus? If so, how could he contract it without any deep wounds or without consuming a tetanus infected animal? Is it possible he was murdered? They must also learn to battle with their own dark demons and consider how far either of them are willing to go to find the truth, even if it means risking their lives or that of others.
The title of this book comes from one of the symptoms of a tetanus victim- a grin. It is a telltale sign of tetanus.
The characters are intriguing. Sherlock is Sherlock. What can I say about this character that isn't already known to every person under the sun? His depiction here is very similar to his original character. Obviously, there will be slight discrepancies, not just because of a different author, but also because he's interacting with people he's never met before. All people act differently depending on the person they're with, including Sherlock. For fans of Sherlock, don't worry, he is still true to himself, if not for the occasional phrase I couldn't quite picture him saying.
Sherlock himself is already a character who's interesting enough to carry the story, but Anna/Anton's character was equally compelling, to say the least. Forced to hide her gender, she spends so much time as a man, that she questions her identity. It's not that she's transgender or confused about her sexuality, but more that she has seen the pros and cons of being a member of each gender and she wonders which one it is better to be and which one she is more suited to. Add to that the fact that she must completely shed her female self, so as not to be discovered, and it's not wonder she's unsure.
Like Sherlock, she will push herself to her physical and mental limits to get an answer. Together, the chemistry these two characters share is palpable. I'm bringing it up because I'm sure people will wonder, but the only similarity between her and Irene is that the two are equally as intelligent as Sherlock himself. They can outwit him. But Irene is very sure of her gender and obviously loves being a woman and the ability to make Sherlock uncomfortable with it. Anna isn't even sure what gender she wants to be. Their personalities are very different and these two characters are not to be confused.
Anna and Sherlock can singlehandedly carry this story. The plot is interesting and dark, but even if it had been terrible, I believe that Anna and Sherlock would still make it work. They're just that entertaining and thought-provoking.
An incomplete ending, this is a series that connects all its stories through plot, not just characters. It is not often that the same story will continue through the series. The same villain perhaps, but generally when you start a new book, a new plot begins as well. For those who aren't fans of endings without resolution, there is enough of a conclusion to satisfy. We just aren't given the whole picture. The final line will leave fans of both this book's characters and Sherlock Holmes hurrying to the next instalment.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
As the story opens we meet Dr. Anton Kronberg, the leading epidemiologist of his time, when he is called to examine a cholera victim in the north of London. Anton Kronberg is actually Anna Kronberg, who disguises herself as a man in order to be able to practice medicine in a world in which women are not allowed to. Her specialty is cholera and tetanus. While examining the victim, she meets Sherlock Holmes, who despite is well known fame, is someone she's never heard of before. He immediately sees through her disguise and they decide to work together to solve the case. The story is told primarily through Anna. Holmes more than meets his match in intelligence and deductive talents in this partnership. They are masters at reading between show more the lines and constantly try to figure each other out. They feel an attraction, which works well in the Laurie King novels, but didn't ring true for me here. However, this is only the first book in the series and the attraction may work better in the sequel. The story is a bit dark, but it's very fast-paced and engaging. The London setting was very atmospheric. I was really fascinated with Anna Kronberg and found the ways she maintained her disguise to be very creative. The book has a few issues, like almost all first novels, but none of them stopped me from enjoying this Holmes-inspired mystery or picking up The Fall, the next book in the series." show less
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Best Crime Fiction
262 works; 39 members
Books Read in 2014
2,344 works; 89 members
Author Information
24 Works 806 Members
Annelie Wendeberg is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
Some Editions
Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Devil's Grin
- Original publication date
- 2012-09-16; 2012-12-15
- People/Characters
- Anna Kronberg; Sherlock Holmes
- Important places
- London, England, UK
- First words
- Summer, 1889
One of the first things I learned as an adult was that knowledge and fact meant nothing to people who were subjected to an adequate dose of fear and prejudice.
This simple-mindedness was the most disturbin... (show all)g attribute of my fellow two-legged creatures. Yet, according to Alfred Russel Wallace’s newest theories, I belonged to this same species – the only one among the great apes that had achieved bipedalism and an unusually large brain. As there was no other upright, big-headed ape, I must be human. But I had my doubts. - Blurbers
- Kavanagh, Peter (CBC senior producer); Paul Negri (former editor-in-chief and president of Dover Publications);Marik Berghs Book Reviews; The Stormy Petrels; Richard "RB" Botto, CEO of Stage32 (CBC senior producer | former editor-in-chief and president of Dover Publications)
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 396
- Popularity
- 78,932
- Reviews
- 23
- Rating
- (3.79)
- Languages
- English, French, German, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 16
- ASINs
- 9
