Inspector of the Dead, review

Publication Date: March 24, 2015 Mulholland Books Hardcover; 342p ISBN: 9780316323932 Genre: Historical Mystery
 
 David Morrell's MURDER AS A FINE ART was a publishing event. Acclaimed by critics, it made readers feel that they were actually on the fogbound streets of Victorian London. Now the harrowing journey continues in INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD. Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his Confessions of an Opium-Eater,confronts London's harrowing streets to thwart the assassination of Queen Victoria. The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The Empire teeters. Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation. This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to kill Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself. As De Quincey and Emily race to protect the queen, they uncover long-buried secrets and the heartbreaking past of a man whose lust for revenge has destroyed his soul. Brilliantly merging historical fact with fiction, Inspector of the Dead is based on actual attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria.

Praise for Inspector of the Dead

"Riveting! I literally thought I was in 1855 London. With this mesmerizing series, David Morrell doesnít just delve into the world of Victorian England,he delves into the heart of evil, pitting one manís opium-skewed brilliance against a society where appearances are everything, and the most vicious killers lurk closer than anyone thinks." Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Crash & Burn and The Perfect Husband

  What the Victorian Experts Say: "Even better than Murder as a Fine Art. A truly atmospheric and dynamic thriller. I was fascinated by how Morrell seamlessly blended elements from Thomas De Quincey's life and work. The solution is a complete surprise.'" Grevel Lindop, The Opium-Eater: A Life of Thomas De Quincey

"The scope is remarkable. Florence Nightingale, the Crimean War, regicide, the railways, opium, the violence and despair of the London rookeries, medical and scientific innovations, arsenic in the food and clothing,all this makes the Victorian world vivid. The way Morrell depicts Thomas De Quincey places him in front of us, living and breathing. But his daughter Emily is in many ways the real star of the book" Robert Morrison, The English Opium-Eater: A Biography of Thomas De Quincey

"I absolutely raced through it and couldnít bear to put it down. I particularly liked how the very horrible crimes are contrasted with the developing, fascinating relationship between Thomas De Quincey and his daughter, Emily, who come across as extremely real. It was altogether a pleasure." Judith Flanders, The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Reveled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime

Buy the Book

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About the Author

David Morrell is an Edgar, Nero, Anthony, and Macavity nominee as well as a recipient of the prestigious career-achievement Thriller Master away from the International Thriller Writers. His numerous New York Times bestsellers include the classic espionage novel. The Brotherhood of the Rose, the basis for the only television mini-series to be broadcast after a Super Bowl. A former literature professor at the University of Iowa, Morrell has a PhD from Pennsylvania State University. His latest novel is INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD, a sequel to his highly acclaimed Victorian mystery/thriller, Murder as a Fine Art, which Publishers Weekly called îone of the top ten mystery/thrillers of 2013.î For more information visit David Morrell's website. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.

Inspector of the Dead Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, March 24 Review at Unabridged Chick Excerpt at Boom Baby Reviews

  Wednesday, March 25 Review at Back Porchervations Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

  Thursday, March 26 Review at JulzReads

  Friday, March 27 Review & Excerpt at Jorie Loves a Story Interview at JulzReads

  Monday, March 30 Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book Spotlight at Tales of a Book Addict

Tuesday, March 31 Interview & Excerpt at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

  Wednesday, April 1 Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book Guest Post at Mina's Bookshelf

Thursday, April 2 Review at Build a Bookshelf Review & Giveaway at Mina's Bookshelf

  Friday, April 3 Review at Peppermint, Ph.D. Monday, April 6 Review & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read Excerpt & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

  Tuesday, April 7 Review at Book Lovers Paradise Wednesday, April 8 Interview at Back Porchervations Spotlight & Giveaway at Words and Peace

  Thursday, April 9 Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day - Stephanie's Book Reviews

  Friday, April 10 Review at Layered Pages Review, Excerpt & Giveaway at Drey's Library

Monday, April 13 Review at Flashlight Commentary

  Tuesday, April 14 Interview at Flashlight Commentary

  Wednesday, April 15 Review at So Many Books, So Little Time

  Thursday, April 16 Review at Editing Pen Review at Luxury Reading Review at The Maiden's Court

  Friday, April 17 Guest Post & Giveaway at Editing Pen

  Monday, April 20 Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation

  Tuesday, April 21 Review at A Book Geek Review at Books and Benches

  Wednesday, April 22 Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

  Thursday, April 23 Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

  Friday, April 24 Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict


my thoughts:

David Morrell has created quite a page turner.  A better than average mystery/thriller.  I admit, I have not yet read MURDER AS A FINE ART, but I've recently purchased it, and plan to read it soon.

This book is full of twists and turns.  Morrell has combined a murder mystery with Victorian era London, complete with fog filled streets, the Queen and Victorian sensibilities.  He has expertly interwoven the characters with an amazing story.  I was on the edge of my seat attempting to figure out 'whodunit'.   This is not light reading, it is a masterfully told, tense, action packed story with some strange and incredible characters.  We vividly experience brutal murders, complete with explicit details of these murders.

Thomas DeQuincey is better than Sherlock Holmes!  His thinking process baffles even Scotland Yard..  It's even more impressive when you realize he's a drug addict, a chronic user of laudanum (opium).    Emily De Quincey is the star of the book.  She is a woman ahead of her time.  A follower of the Florence Nightingale teachings and an independent, highly intelligent woman.   She works with her father to solve the crime.   

You will not be disappointed with this fascinating story!