Pretty boilerplate example of its genre. Certainly entertaining but no literary gem.

I greatly enjoyed what I now understand to be a first entry in at least a two part series featuring Gemma Tate, a thirty-something year old nurse who served in Crimea under Florence Nightingale and Sebastian Bell, a talented but opium using police detective. It is 1858. Victorian London. Women are decidedly expected to stay under the watchful thumb of a man if they are in any economic class that permits them to live in a home with food and heat available. Early one morning, Gemma's brother, while visiting his wife's grave, finds a dead woman hanging from a cross at a gravestone wearing only her chemise, a quality garment. He is a reporter who keeps a notebook on him at all times. He reports his find to the police and gives his statement. Later that day, he is in a terrible accident and Gemma is left with no living relatives. She is smart, very observant and a woman ahead of her time. She is fortunate that Inspector Bell is a man who will listen to and appreciate a woman with a brain. And we are off into multiple different homes, encountering wildly different classes of Londoners and a story of more than one heinous crime. And I cannot say more without spoilers. I would enjoy print version but listened to this one and the narrator was quite good. Highly recommend.

Happy Publication Day!

A woman’s body is found on the Highgate Cemetery, and the only person who could have seen the killer dies in a traffic accident. Gemma Tate doesn’t believe in coincidences and is determined to find out what exactly happened to her brother. Luckily she finds an ally in the brooding Inspector Sebastian Bell.

I enjoyed the intricately crafted mystery and the way all the pieces of the puzzle came together in the end. There was just the right amount of clues and some red herrings to keep things interesting. The dynamic between Gemma and Sebastian was great too and I hope that their relationship develops in the future installments of the series.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy well written historical mysteries in a dark setting of Victorian London, where crimes remain unsolved, women are always at a disadvantage and The Great Stink is taking its toll.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical Mystery set in London 1858 in which a nurse and a police inspector team up to investigate an aristocratic heiress's murder that's linked to her brother's death.

5/5 stars: This is the first entry in Shapiro's Tate and Bell Mystery series, which is a Historical Mystery set in 1858 England and is written in dual POVs featuring an unconventional nurse and a troubled police inspector who reluctantly work together to unravel the truth behind an aristocratic heiress's murder and her twin brother's death. With plenty of twists and turns, Shapiro has crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Shapiro's characters are incredibly complex and relatable. Gemma's a gutsy woman who served as a nurse during the Crimean War and her determination to see justice brought to those behind the murder is admirable. Sebastian's been using alcohol and opium to cope with his grief over the lose of his wife but still remains a diligent investigator. Additionally, the secondary characters are engaging and well-rounded. Shapiro does tackle some very sensitive topics, so take care and the CWs. This is a great start to a new series and I look forward to reading more. Highly recommend!


I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.