Murder most foul!

The Highgate Cemetery Murder (A Tate and Bell Mystery #1) by Irina Shapiro   

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A murder screams from the newspapers headlines. Not only because it’s bizarre, but it garners even more attention when the victim’s identity is revealed. A young society heiress, the Honorable Miss Adelaide Seaborne, daughter of the Viscount Dalton and granddaughter of the Earl of Caledon. Adelaide did not die easily.

Up until Inspector Sebastian Bell is put on the case the young woman’s been dismissed as a doxy, not worth police time. 

Sebastian’s superior tasks him with solving the murder yesterday. He’s beginning to suspect his days with Scotland Yard might be numbered. Sebastian has been taking opium to counter a personal sorrow. Now he’s been given an unsolvable case. He’s toying with the idea of applying to the Pinkerton Agency as an investigator. A move to America is looking more and more attractive.

Gemma Tate was a nurse during Crimea. No stranger to death and more. When she receives the news that her twin brother, a journalist, was killed in an accident, crushed by an omnibus she’s bereft.

However on perusing Victor’s notebook she begins to suspect he was murdered, and that it’s related to the graveyard killing.

These two unlikely characters, Bell and Tate join forces to find the killer.

A dark mystery set in Victorian London. Atmospheric and urgent. The dénouement is shocking.

Rereading parts whilst considering my review I actually upped the stars from 4 to 5

After all who doesn’t love a tragic, occasional opium seeking hero trying to drown his memories in whatever release afforded, as he attempts to solve cases with integrity and diligence.

And by the same token, our heroine has faced unimaginable hours on the war front and given very little in the way of thanks or acknowledgment once home. Finding her brother’s killer gives her purpose.

An excellent pairing of characters. I’m looking forward to more from these two.

A Storm ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.