Opium and Absinthe: A Novel
It’s 1899, the turn of the 20th century, in New York City. Young and pampered Tillie Pembroke, who never seems quite able to do anything easily, not to mention gracefully, is off on a horseback-riding excursion. Of course, she is thrown from her mount in front of the other riders and breaks her collar bone severely. As she groggily awakes in bed, having been administered opium to ease the pain, she learns that her sister Lucy has gone missing. Not long after, police find Lucy’s body, exsanguinated with two small puncture marks in the throat.
Thus begins Tillie’s quest to find her sister’s killer, whether man or vampire. Though Tillie may be socially and physically awkward, she has a keen analytic mind and knack for diligent research. She finds unlikely allies among young newspaper sellers – “newsies,” morgue attendants, and the hired help. Meanwhile, some in her closest circles seem happy to keep her docile and safe in her affluent home under the influence of laudanum and heroin pills. However, she perseveres in her investigation, putting her life in jeopardy to find her sister’s killer.
I liked this book more than I originally expected. The story is interesting and complex, no doubt enhanced by the author’s medical expertise. Yet still it succeeds as a traditional tale of an improbable sleuth operating under the handicap of her constant drug stupor. There are several minor quibbles, such as the inexplicably elegant vocabulary of Tillie’s newsie friend, Ian, an orphaned NYC street kid, and a few modernisms in dialogue. This is more than made up for by the many fascinating and believable characters who come from different ethnic groups and social classes. The surprise ending satisfactorily concludes this interesting novel with aplomb. Recommended.
