Dr. Julia Lewis once more finds herself embroiled in murder.

A Slash of Emerald (Dr. Julia Lewis #2) by Patrice Mcdonough  

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Inspector Richard Tennant, of Scotland Yard, calls on Julia where he can to act as the coroner In his inquiries 

This time he does it out of deference to a young woman’s feelings who’s been  brought in under the Contagious Diseases Act, as she’d been walking home from her work via St James’s Park, a dodgy part of London at night, and near to the barracks. Annie O’Neil is a hat maker who’s also been working as an artist’s model. However neither the Act nor the constabulary in this time of 1867 discern between everyday workers and prostitutes.

A doctor is needed to examine Annie to determine if she’s a prostitute. Julia is livid with the law. Her opinion is that, “forced examinations are medical rape.”

This is just the opening barrage in the murder of some respected members of society, apparently united until now, the puzzling disappearance and murder of young and respectable working women, threats being made against women painters who are holding a major exhibition, and the recovery of traumatized young Chinese girls who’d thought they were being sent to North America as brides, but ended up in London in brothels.

There’s more than one thread of occurrences but are they in anyway linked?

Another intriguing mystery from Mcdonough, one to get your teeth into!

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.

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