1878, Riveting Victorian murder mystery!

Down a Dark River (Inspector Corravan Mystery #1) by Karen Odden    

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A sturdy new character in the shape of the rough-edged Yard man, Corravan bursts onto the Victorian Mystery stage as a welcomed addition. Chief Inspector Michael Corravan of Scotland Yard has grown up under hard circumstances in a harsh part of London—Whitechapel. This background gives Corravan insight into the struggles of the poor and the true value of kindliness. He knows the River and the people. He used to be part of the River Police but he moved on. That part of his story is shrouded in hurt. Fascinating though is his relationship with the very interesting author Belinda Gale. 

Ma Doyle, the woman who saved Corravan as a youngster in Whitechapel asks him to take care of her nephew Harry Lish for a bit. He’s unsuited for the area and Ma’s worried about him. 

A young woman’s body is found floating down the Thames in a lighter boat (used for transferring cargo short distances) arranged somewhat like the Lady of Shallot. When the bodies of other young women are found in the same way, Corravan struggles to find the connecting thread.

One memorable moment is when Corravan, Belinda and Harry are discussing things, Harry comments that he finds the Thames ugly, and refers to “a Middle English word, temese, that means ‘dark,’ and that’s from a Celtic name for the river Tamesas.”  To which Belinda adds, “And the word tamas means ‘darkness’ in Sanskrit…Sometimes tamas is translated as ‘indifference,’ which feels appropriate to me. I find the Thames cold and impervious to human suffering.” 

Ugly, dark and indifferent. Yes these three words throw up imagery that seems appropriate in the context of how the bodies are found; the idea of the murdered women floating out to the sea—lost to all, if they’d not been spotted.

A further mystery, a missing wife, who is found in a rather insalubrious hospital in state of anxiety and shock is highlighted.

Corravan has a few cases on the go but the dead women take official precedence. The missing wife is disturbing, but relegated to the background although Corravan can’t let this investigation go as he’s been instructed. He hands that off to the young Inspector Stiles.

Over his head hangs the displeasure of the new Head of the Yard, Howard Vincent, and political threats from the dreaded Parliamentary Review Commission.

A richly woven story with some intriguing characters whom I’m sure we’ll see develop and grow as new episodes are born.

A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley 

Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change