Kitty Peck and the Daughter of Sorrow
Kitty Peck, ex-dancing girl and now proprietor of a vast criminal empire in Victorian London, is in trouble. Her grandmother, the terrifying Lady Ginger, has disappeared, bequeathing her wealth and her position as a Baron to her granddaughter. The other Barons—the lords of London’s criminal underworld—are determined to test Kitty in every way they can. Friends and employees are dying or disappearing; obscene graffiti of Kitty keeps appearing around the East End; smugglers who should be terrified of her are instead trying to con her; and her beloved music halls are crumbling. Worse than all is the guilt that Kitty carries with her for what she has already done to obtain her position as “Lady Linnet”—and what she might be forced to do to keep it.
This is the third of Kate Griffin’s Kitty Peck novels, although it stands up as a gripping and entertaining story in its own right. Kitty is an engaging protagonist: fierce, loyal, troubled and brave. Griffin’s depiction of the sordid side of Victorian London is seedily atmospheric, from the early scenes in an opium den and on the docks to the dramatic denouement in one of London’s great cemeteries. As fascinating as the twists and turns of the plot, though, is Kitty’s emotional journey as she works out what is and isn’t truly important to her—and how far she will go. This is a fast-paced, intelligent and enjoyable novel, an absolute pleasure to read. Highly recommended.
