Death at Hungerford Stairs
London, November 1849. The novelist Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones of Bow Street are looking for a missing boy and his dog. A body of a boy is discovered in the river Thames at Hungerford Stairs. At first Dickens and the policeman are not interested, concentrating on their own investigation. However, when two more boys are found brutally murdered, the pair find themselves on the hunt for a serial killer in a complicated case that tests their wits – but can they solve the clues and rescue another child before the murderer strikes again?
There have been a variety of successful novels using literary characters, both fictional and actual, and this is a welcome addition to the genre. This is the second novel featuring Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones. The author obviously has a deep knowledge of Dickens and his works, which is interwoven throughout the novel, without being obvious or pedantic. The characters are convincing, while the dark side of Victorian London is effectively portrayed in a chilling tale of child murder, deceit and madness. Grab a cup of coffee, put your feet up and enjoy.
