Fatally Inferior: The Dunston Burnett Trilogy
This is the second mystery in a proposed three-part series featuring Dunston Burnett, retired bookkeeper turned detective. Lyn Squire must write in a room where the shelved novels of Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Arthur Conan Doyle look down on him. His implacable detective even wears a Deerstalker hat!
The time is 1872; the locale is London and its countryside. The heart of the mystery is focused on the disappearance of Charles Darwin’s daughter-in-law, Henrietta, from a locked room in his home. Darwin’s newly published theories on evolution and the furor they caused conservatively-minded citizens are seemingly the impetus for the woman’s kidnapping. Surprisingly, and even worse, Charles’s son and the woman’s husband, Richard Darwin, is accused of the crime.
The fast-paced plot explodes with surprising twists that involve secret keys, missed messages, complicated voyages, unexpected violence, complicated family relationships, a bumbling judiciary process, and religious prejudices. Lots of tears! Quite a few red herrings! Perhaps a bit melodramatic, but who wants to worry about that?
The narrative introduces a veritably amazing collection of characters that include self-important politicians, crooked policemen, loving mothers, cut-throat (literally) gangs, loyal friends, depressed maniacs, crazy victims, lost children, and, of course, sweet damsels in distress. Readers will want to curl up in a comfortable chair with their favorite beverage and enjoy!
