The Vampire of Kings Street
Remarkable storytelling at its best, The Vampire of Kings Street is one of the finest mysteries I’ve ever encountered. Greyling uses a finesse of details and gripping prose to create the setting of Winterside, New York in the 19th century. This time period has one certain difference from what we know from history books: vampires are known and owned by the upper crust of New York society. For a bit of blood and a resting place away from the sun, vampires persist as live-in servants to the rich. It is all the fashion, and costly to boot. Should a member of the undead step out of line, however… the consequences are swift and immutable.
As a newly licensed lawyer struggling to land even a single client, Radhika Dhingra isn’t the foremost expert in vampires or the habits of the elite, but when the vampire Evelyn More arrives on her doorstep with no other options for legal representation, Radhika can’t turn him away. Through her connection to More, Radhika soon finds herself embroiled in a ghastly murder case. The odds are stacked against More, but is it possible he may be innocent? After being judged herself based on her appearance and ancestry, Radhika manages to give More the benefit of the doubt. That doesn’t mean she can clear his name, especially with his wealthy host family determined to release her from More’s employ. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the young lawyer must investigate even if she herself is placed in harm’s way.
Greyling captures the imagination with thorough world-building and intriguing characters. I can’t help but hope to meet these wonderful characters again in a future mystery. Fingers crossed.
