Author: Cora Harrison
Series: The London Murder Mysteries
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Release Date: 1 Mar. 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1848120648
Synopsis
In the mean streets of Victorian London lies the body of wealthy Mr Montgomery. The police must move fast to catch his killer. They need an insider, someone streetwise, cunning, bold ...someone like Alfie. When Inspector Denham makes him an offer he can't refuse, it's up to Alfie and his gang to sift clues, shadow suspects and negotiate a sinister world of double-dealing and danger - until the shocking truth is revealed.
My Review
I saw this on the sale trolley at work in the library and i thought it looked good, i like things like Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars and this seemed to be of a similar ilk. However I didn't have time to read it right then and its sat on a pile for months. I just finished a coursework assignment and before diving into my next one i wanted to read something for pleasure, at only 240ish pages this was quite short and more or less guaranteed to be a quick read. And it was, I read it in one evening in about 2 and a half hours in fact!
Alfie looks after his brother Sammy who is blind, his dog Mutsy and his 2 cousins Tom and Jack, they rent a small cellar and earn money performing tricks on the street and doing odd jobs. Alfie is the brains of the group and the leader, but when a scheme to steal some bread goes wrong he finds himself in front of the inspector. With the prospect of jail or labour he worries who will be there to look after his family and so is pleasantly surprised when the inspector makes him a deal. A wealthy man, Mr Montgomery has been murdered and the police are scratching their heads, maybe Alfie could do a bit of detective work and solve the case. with access to back streets and maids working in the Montgomery house, Alife may just have what it takes to uncover the truth, but he has to move quick, the murderer is still out there and is desperate not to be found. As the risks mount up and danger lurks on Alfie's door he's running out of time to solve the case before someone else gets hurt and this time it might be someone he cares about.
I enjoyed the mystery and had a few guesses as to who the murderer was. Harrison has captured the feel of the time period and i felt myself walking round those old dreary streets in the fog. The characters aren't too detailed but enough to make you like them and know what they are about. It's a fairly simple read and very fast paced but perfect as a quick easy read. Great for budding young readers who want some adventure and good plot without too much detail.
I really enjoyed it and I may have to look up some of the other books in the series.
My Rating
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