lindsayb09's review
4.0
A very quick little historical mystery read. The cases aren't terribly complex, since they're just little bite-sized stories, but I found them both interesting, and enjoyed the twists in each. I would like to see more of the romantic aspects of the story, and hope there will be more of that as the series progresses. They're all on Kindle Unlimited, so I'm certainly planning to keep reading.
klazu's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
kaje_harper's review
4.0
This book contains the first 2 of 8 short stories that make up the arc for Simon Pearce, a Constable in Scotland Yard in the 1880s. Simon is a modern man, with a bent for science and evidence, and a disdain for superstition. He's also a gay man, although he has to hide that deeply, in this era when it's enough to get a man sent to prison, just on the suspicion.
In this volume, Simon tackles two cases, both of which challenge his ability to think logically and pursue evidence. He's hampered by the laziness and greed of his superiors and some fellow coppers, many of whom want to close cases as easily as possible, without regard to the actual facts. The actual mysteries are fairly simple, but presented with a feel for the era, a wry humor, and a sense of a man ahead of his times, trying to do a better job than circumstances allow.
The series does develop romance, and eventually an HEA, at the end of 4 volumes, but this one has just the smallest beginning to that arc. Simon thinks occasionally about hearing of two men who live together, in a hidden long-term relationship. But his only experiences have been rapid and dangerous fumbles with anonymous partners, usually paid for their trouble, in the dark streets of London. Meeting someone he actually would want to talk to as well as sleep with will take a sea-change in how he sees his life.
I enjoyed this series, although I think you do need the full set to feel satisfied with where Simon ends up. The historical detail felt vivid and well-researched, and I came to really like Simon. Recommended for readers who enjoy the historical, and a touch of simple mystery, as well as the romance.
In this volume, Simon tackles two cases, both of which challenge his ability to think logically and pursue evidence. He's hampered by the laziness and greed of his superiors and some fellow coppers, many of whom want to close cases as easily as possible, without regard to the actual facts. The actual mysteries are fairly simple, but presented with a feel for the era, a wry humor, and a sense of a man ahead of his times, trying to do a better job than circumstances allow.
The series does develop romance, and eventually an HEA, at the end of 4 volumes, but this one has just the smallest beginning to that arc. Simon thinks occasionally about hearing of two men who live together, in a hidden long-term relationship. But his only experiences have been rapid and dangerous fumbles with anonymous partners, usually paid for their trouble, in the dark streets of London. Meeting someone he actually would want to talk to as well as sleep with will take a sea-change in how he sees his life.
I enjoyed this series, although I think you do need the full set to feel satisfied with where Simon ends up. The historical detail felt vivid and well-researched, and I came to really like Simon. Recommended for readers who enjoy the historical, and a touch of simple mystery, as well as the romance.
brittaniethekid's review
3.0
When I bought these and started reading, I didn't realise they were a collection of short stories all centering around a central character. Because of this, the action sort of starts in the middle somewhere instead of us really learning more about the main character first which also means I don't ever feel invested in what's happening or the outcome. This is an attempt at mimicking Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes collection (I mean, it's obvious from the title of this book) but at least those started with [b:A Study in Scarlet|102868|A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes, #1)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519031842l/102868._SX50_.jpg|1997473] which is longer and serves as the introduction to Holmes, Watson, and their London. Faraday doesn't quite pull it off here and I never really got sucked into the two stories featured in this first book. Besides that, however, they are written fairly well with good descriptions and characterisation. I feel the second story is much more memorable but, again like Sherlock Holmes, they both had a sense of the paranormal until the mystery is ultimately solved by our clever hero. I will try to continue on with this series but the first installment leaves a bit to be desired.
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