The Detective Wore Silk Drawers

Pugilism (bare-knuckle boxing) was supposed to have been outlawed in England in the 1860s, but even in the 1880s fights can still be found. And because the fights are illegal, if a fighter goes missing under suspicious circumstances, there isn’t much of an outcry. But Sergeant Cribb has had his suspicions raised, and he sends Constable Henry Jago undercover into a training facility that seems to be known for misplacing several fighters…

I’ve been reading this series out of order, so even though it’s the fourth Cribb book I’ve read, it’s the second in the series. Cribb continues to be wry and calmly competent, and Thackeray continues to be his long-suffering detecting partner. The way they interact, and the way Cribb outfoxes show more or plays along with his boss, Inspector Jowett, is always amusing. The book was written with a good ear for the period, as far as I can tell, without feeling too obviously a pastiche.

I did find the subject matter more distasteful than some of the other books in the series—a bit less light-hearted. (I don’t like reading about eye injuries or losing teeth, so the fight scenes were a bit grimace-inducing.) I was also uncomfortable with how the people in the story referred to Sylvanus Morgan, the fighter whom Jago joins at the training camp. Morgan is Black and often referred to as “the Ebony”, even in his presence. And then there is one obliquely worded but still identifiable as a rape scene. So perhaps not a book you want for starting your journey with Cribb and Thackeray. More for established readers of the series. show less

The titular detective is poor Constable Henry Jago, a wealthy young man who joined the Metropolitan police to tick off his family. Tall, handsome and an excellent boxer, Jago gets dragged into undercover work, disguised as a bare-knuckle fighter, to find a murderer. Ergo, the need to wear silk drawers (a.k.a. boxing shorts).

Those who read the first in this series, Wobble to Death, will find Sergeant Wally Cribb still persistent, brilliant and coldly indifferent to consequences on his subordinates; they’ll also pity the long-suffering Constable Thackeray who Cribb is still tormenting. Newbies to the series will have no trouble keeping up with the plotline. Author Peter Lovesey perfectly captures the voice of the 19th century detective show more authors who engineered the genre. Highly recommended. show less

2.5*

I found Sgt. Cribb too cavalier about Jago's position to be overlooked. The situation (the underground bare-knuckle fighting community) was interesting but this 2nd book in the series (the 3rd one I have read) doesn't inspire me to read more.

I found Sgt. Cribb too cavalier about Jago's position to be overlooked. The situation (the underground bare-knuckle fighting community) was interesting but this 2nd book in the series (the 3rd one I have read) doesn't inspire me to read more.

Fighting is not my thing, but I had picked this up at a second hand store and I rarely resist a Penguin when I come across them, so I decided to give it a go. As I just said...fighting is not my thing, so for that reason it was a bit of a punishment to slog through this book. I liked the non-fighting parts, and especially liked how the story ended, which is why I gave this book the three star rating.