The Murders in Praed Street

This is the fourth of John Rhode's Dr. Priestley detective novels. This is the first one that I have read. It certainly had a different rhythm than I expected. Dr. Priestley did not appear until Part 2, which was the second half of the novel. So far, he is an unremarkable "consulting detective." Rhode seems to hint more toward Priestley's eccentricities than show them. In hindsight, I was expecting a character along the lines of Dr. Gideon Fell.

I solved the mystery very early, but enjoyed reading the "how"--as far-fetched as it was. My plan is to start at the first novel and see how Rhode sets up Dr. Priestley. My hope is that overtime there will be more character development among the primary and secondary characters.