Murder in Belgravia

detective, women-sleuths, WW 1, amateur-sleuth, London, historical-research, historical-places-events, sly-humor, law-enforcement, lawyers, medical-doctor

This book ought to get more than just one five star rating per reviewer!
As a mystery novel, it exceeds expectations, is creative with delightful or disgusting characters and slides in some very funny one liners.
As a history of the feminine condition in 1915 it is brutally honest and well researched while demonstrating to the reader the extensive prejudices faced.
As a perspective on the inappropriate dosing of patients, especially war veterans, with opioids by physicians it condemns yet clearly reflects issues of this century as well.
There are other odious problems dragged into the show more light, and some historical facts like the bombings by Zeppelin.
The best part is the way that the author balances the disgusting with the hopeful. DCI Beech and his cohesive band of very competent and very willing crimebusters are fantastic, and I can hardly wait for the next installment!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you! show less

This book took me by surprise. I had read a review on it, and as it is in my favourite genre which is historical mysteries, I decided to read it. This is the first book in the series - Mayfair 100 series, The time is early nineteen hundreds and during WWI in England, and more specifically London. This book has the most delightfully likeable sleuths, and even the villains are so realistic. It introduces readers to war torn London during the time of WWI. So many young men have been lost at the front, England is being staffed by very brave and very hardworking women. Chief Inspector Beech is finding that a population of mostly women brings its own series of crimes and issues, so he sets up a clandestine investigating team to help deal with show more some of the seedier crimes in London. His team consists of a lady doctor, a woman who studied law in university, even though she is forbidden to practice because she's a woman, an ex-boxer, ex-soldier who was injured and is a constable in the police force, and a semi-retired Detective Sergeant who has a memory like a steel trap, and who has seen most of what there is to see in the dark underbelly of London. The book is loaded with rich and descriptive period detail. The secondary characters are just as memorable as this formidable team. I laughed out loud when young Constable Rigsby introduces his formidable mother and aunt to the team. Let me tell you - nothing stops these two when they are on a mission. I couldn't put the book down. The pace is intense, and the plot is tight. There are no loose threads here, and I cannot wait to read more in this particular series. 5 glorioious stars! show less

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book. The comments and opinions expressed below are mine alone.

At first it's a bad case of domestic abuse that greets Chief Inspector Beech of Scotland Yard when he is called to a posh Belgravia residence in 1915 London. The abuser, an aristocrat, is dead and his battered wife is in hospital and her death is imminent. The wife confesses to killing her husband, but because of her severe injuries, Beech does not believe she could have managed it. The wife's maid disappears along with the household butler, causing a police search for them. Beech assembles a unique team, including a couple of women, to investigate and identify the real killer. More sinister activity show more is uncovered: widespread illicit drug abuse with tainted medicine. The police track down criminal gangs that cater to the baser desires of the British upper classes, and discover such things as male brothels ("molly shops"). Eventually, the path to the killer leads them to a surprising place.

This is good historical fiction, set in London during WW1, and highlights several of the problems facing Britain because of the war effort. For example, there's a German Zeppelin attack on London during the police investigation. The author demonstrates a detailed geographical knowledge of London which adds authenticity and atmosphere to the story. Of course, the ever present British class system is on full display. The molly shop story is on the gruesome side but demonstrates the hypocrisy of the times towards homosexuality.

With most able-bodied men away at war on the continent, or back in England injured, there's need for women to step up and do what is commonly called "men's work". This does not sit well with the police force, where there's a ban on hiring women. Chief Inspector Beech sees a real need for women on the police force, both to fill in for absent men and to address women's crime and crime affecting women. He convinces the Chief Commissioner of Scotland Yard to allow him to put together an ad hoc team consisting of two women and two men. He manages to get the OK to do so conditional on the women not being on the police payroll. Most important though is that the team must keep a low profile. He is able to recruit a female doctor and a female lawyer to join the team. For the men, he recruits a young police constable who has returned from the war with a damaged hand and a veteran detective with Special Branch service who is deemed too old to go to war.

This is a Recommended Read for me. There's an interesting story with a neat twist on the standard police procedural murder mystery story. The pace is brisk and assured, making the book quite readable. The characters are sufficiently developed, although at times they seem too good to be true. The London war background adds depth to the story too. This is a good start for what has potential to be a good series. show less

This year I had decided to read fewer psychological thrillers, as I found so many disappointed me last year. I also decided to avoid thrillers, mysteries that included, girl, mother or sister in the title, which I have for the most part. This left my more time to indulge in my first love, which are police procedurals and historical mysteries. This, the author first mystery for adults, was a very entertaining historical that certainly kept my interest.

The first World War is on, the Kaiser using Zeppelin's to bomb certain areas of England. Men are beginning to return, those lucky enough to return at all,with injuries and shell shock. Ruthless gangs and doctors are supplying these men with all sorts of drugs, heroin, cocaine and the like. show more When a member of the peerage, one of the walking wounded is found murdered, his wife injured severely and covered in blood, a group is formed to solve the crime. A secret group, led by one vetyy able policeman, two associates and in a break from protocol, one woman doctor and sn upper class woman with an eye for details. I loved this group. Using women, was of course frowned on by most, and this added an area of special interest for me. This team worked together very well, and while there was a journey through the degredations of the day, sex workers of both sexes, gangs and corruption, there were also moments of humor.

Times were changing. With so many men gone, women were beginning to take a more active role in various parts of life. The classes were beginning to blend, as servants left for the war, or had opportunities for better means of employment. This story blended all elements very well, gave us a good group of characters and a pretty good mystery to boot. Looking forward to more from this rag tag team, and this talented author.

ARC from Netgalley. show less

A light-weight murder mystery novel that is well suited for a holiday read.

Whilst the interactions between the “upper” and “lower” classes were handled more deftly by Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Lynn Brittney has also incorporated the rapidly changing social mores brought about by World War I and delved quite deeply into the darker side of society, something that Christie and Sayers didn’t address.

Unfortunately most of Brittney’s characters are two-dimensional with only Arthur Tollman showing any sign of character development albeit with some rather remarkable open mindedness for a police officer of that time.

Murder in Belgravia has a decent plot and the story moves along at a decent pace. Hopefully as the series show more progresses, Chief Inspector Beech will develop the character richness of a Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey show less

This is the first in a series featuring a team of investigators, acting in secrecy because of the makeup of the taskforce. This debut is set in 1915 London.

When an aristocrat is murdered in his home in an affluent neighborhood, Chief Inspector Beech recognizes he is ill-equipped to investigate crimes that involve women either as victims or as perpetrators. With the blessing of his superior, Beech assembles a team to help him, including Victoria, a recent widow with a sharp mind, Caroline, a physician, Rigsby, who was wounded and invalided out, and Tollman, a Scotland Yard investigator, lured out of retirement. Because the team has two women on it, they have to headquarter away from Scotland Yard, which doesn’t allow women to serve. show more Their center of operations is in the plush Mayfair district.

This is a well-written, well-plotted historical mystery. The characters are well-drawn and as they get to know one another, the author fleshes them out and readers win. The author is able to draw in the reader very quickly and when she describes London, we can almost feel cobblestones beneath our feet. This cozy is not to be missed. Readers will find themselves reading into the wee hours of morning just to read one more page that turns into one more chapter. You’ll find yourself looking forward to new entries in this intriguing series. show less

A very post Edwardian Mystery!

I enjoyed the characters in this new series who seem to have wandered out of a post Edwardian soap opera. More like a social justice version of Upstairs Downstairs.
Chief Inspector Beech is tasked by the Commissioner of Scotland Yard to bring together an elite group to meet the changing face of crime. Beech's team consists of intelligent women with special skills, a doctor, lawyer and eventually one other, to investigate situations where it's difficult for the Yard to conduct their inquiries, particularly if women are the central focus. The male members of the team have proven specialised skills of one sort or another.
WW1 is underway and that's bringing about its own special problems.
The group is operating show more secretly as an experiment. Women are not accepted in the police force as yet.
Beech's contacts lead to their operating out of a house in Mayfair with the telephone number 100 Mayfair.
As I said I'm enjoying the characters but something's not quite jelling yet.
Still, it's early days for the group and the series.
I do want to read more!

A NetGalley ARC show less