The Naming of the Birds

★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

288 pages

What’s it about?

This is a gothic historical mystery set in England in the late 1800s. I gather it is the second in a series of novels, but you do not need to have read the first, "The House on Vesper Sands," to enjoy this second book. Inspector Henry Cutter, and his apprentice sergeant Gideon Bliss, must work hard to uncover who is staging a series of murders.  They once again must call on Octavia Hillingdon, a resourceful journalist, to help them make sense of the records. The murderer is obviously intent on telling them something.

What did it make me think about?

This is a dark plotline....

Should I read it?

There is a trio of characters working to solve the crimes, and each contributes to the story's success. Told with some humor and lots of dark twists, this mystery will keep you wanting to know more. Be aware that the Victorian language takes a few pages to get used to, and for me, it was a slow start.  But once the story is set, it is a page-turner.  I recommend this one for you mystery readers out there.

A passage I marked

"I mean these murders of yours, as you very well know.  And don't bother telling me they are separate matters either, not when the dogs in the street would tell me otherwise." "The dogs in the street will tell you whatever pleases you, sir. They are your dogs."