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ritchie437reads's review against another edition
4.0
Another solid entry for Grecian's Scotland Yard Murder Squad series as DI Walter Day investigates a prison break conspiracy and ends up against Saucy Jack himself. I wish Grecian had developed the conspiracy a bit more and allowed us to spend more time with our heroes in the end. I guess that just makes me that much more eager to pick up The Harvest Man.
timgrubbs's review against another edition
4.0
A horrible batch of criminals is on the loose…someone planned it that way…
The Devil's Workshop by Alex Grecian is the third book in the Murder Squad series.
This book was easily my favorite in the series so far. I suspect it is likely a mix of the writer developing his mystery writing talents, my growing familiarity with the two lead characters Day and Hammersmith, and the book drawing from prior events in the series so far…
A secret society arranges for several dangerous criminals to escape a prison for their own grim purposes. Unfortunately, things don’t go the way they are planned…
Scotland Yard is sent out into the night to find the escaped madmen, but they may accidentally discover both a dark conspiracy and the fate of London’s most notorious serial killer.
I was a bit miffed that they are drawing on Jack the Ripper for one of the stories, but considering they’ve already established the premise, helped us get to know the characters, and it makes sense from a story telling standpoint, I’m ok with it..:
The Devil's Workshop by Alex Grecian is the third book in the Murder Squad series.
This book was easily my favorite in the series so far. I suspect it is likely a mix of the writer developing his mystery writing talents, my growing familiarity with the two lead characters Day and Hammersmith, and the book drawing from prior events in the series so far…
A secret society arranges for several dangerous criminals to escape a prison for their own grim purposes. Unfortunately, things don’t go the way they are planned…
Scotland Yard is sent out into the night to find the escaped madmen, but they may accidentally discover both a dark conspiracy and the fate of London’s most notorious serial killer.
I was a bit miffed that they are drawing on Jack the Ripper for one of the stories, but considering they’ve already established the premise, helped us get to know the characters, and it makes sense from a story telling standpoint, I’m ok with it..:
nifelia's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
topdragon's review against another edition
4.0
In 1890, a prison break releases several vicious murderers onto the streets of London and all available police are gathered to catch the escapees. The fledgling murder squad is no exception and so previous series regulars Detective Walter Day and Sergeant Nevil Hammersmith join the hunt. They soon discover a mysterious organization has been taking justice into their own hands and their inept actions have not only led to the prison break but also the escape of a mysterious prisoner of their own being held secretly in London’s undercity. None other than Jack the Ripper is loose once more.
I actually enjoyed this one a little more than the first two books in the series despite the Jack the Ripper theme, which I feel has been done to death (no pun intended). Whereas those first two books started out well as fairly straight-forward historical murder mysteries, they tended to go off the rails near the end. This one was engaging throughout and had a couple of sub plots that were also well done, including Walter’s very pregnant wife and her resulting ordeal. The writing was well done, as usual, and I always like the 1890s London setting. The general goriness in this volume is substantially heightened but I suppose that comes along with Jack the Ripper territory. Consequently, one can classify this novel as much "thriller" as "mystery", perhaps more so.
This is the first of several Saucy Jack related novels within the larger series so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of plot strings left unresolved, leading us into the next novel in the series, [b:The Harvest Man|23281833|The Harvest Man (Scotland Yard's Murder Squad, #4)|Alex Grecian|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1417984822s/23281833.jpg|42819758], clearly a reference to one of the escaped prisoners who remains at large at the end of this book. Up till now, this was one series I had considered abandoning but my interest level has risen once again so I’ll be looking for that next book soon.
I actually enjoyed this one a little more than the first two books in the series despite the Jack the Ripper theme, which I feel has been done to death (no pun intended). Whereas those first two books started out well as fairly straight-forward historical murder mysteries, they tended to go off the rails near the end. This one was engaging throughout and had a couple of sub plots that were also well done, including Walter’s very pregnant wife and her resulting ordeal. The writing was well done, as usual, and I always like the 1890s London setting. The general goriness in this volume is substantially heightened but I suppose that comes along with Jack the Ripper territory. Consequently, one can classify this novel as much "thriller" as "mystery", perhaps more so.
This is the first of several Saucy Jack related novels within the larger series so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of plot strings left unresolved, leading us into the next novel in the series, [b:The Harvest Man|23281833|The Harvest Man (Scotland Yard's Murder Squad, #4)|Alex Grecian|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1417984822s/23281833.jpg|42819758], clearly a reference to one of the escaped prisoners who remains at large at the end of this book. Up till now, this was one series I had considered abandoning but my interest level has risen once again so I’ll be looking for that next book soon.
pickleballlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent dark historical thriller that gives a possible explanation of what happened to Jack the Ripper. Also read about a secret society that dishes out their own brand of justice.
livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
A fast-paced, easy to read, entertaining story.
A fast-paced, easy to read, entertaining story.
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
Third in Scotland Yard's Murder Squad historical mystery series and revolving around Inspector Walter Day. This story is set in London, the spring of 1890.
My Take
I'm torn between Day's justice and the group's justice. I'm all in favor of keeping it legal, and yet too often justice isn't done. That said, this group carried it too far. Kill 'em off before they escape, I say.
Jack makes an interesting point about perspective with his dream of five people whom he transformed and their experiences of the afterlife. It does make sense, in a horrible way. Lord knows, everyone's perspective is unique.
Grecian has definitely studied up on serial killers. He must have, the way he interprets how Jack the Ripper speaks of his "mission", of his desire to transform his selected candidates. It's also a truly disgusting set of murderers he's included with Jack.
It's an interesting trip beneath London, gruesome and yet not as bad as I would have thought. Oh well, I suppose it's because Grecian makes up for the horrible in other ways...urk...
We do hear and experience the thoughts, emotions, and events surrounding a number of the characters including Walter, Claire, Hammersmith, Fiona, the very complicated Saucy Jack, Griffin, Cinderhouse, and Constable Winthrop, as it's a third person global subjective point-of-view.
And it's an odd combination of heroism and stupidity that dragged me down, leaving me with plenty of questions, from why would Claire be sleeping under her heirloom coverlet when she could deliver any time? Although I must grant her some wit for her reasons for choosing a valet's son over someone more in her class. For that matter, why is it so easy to get into the Days' house? Why isn't that fence higher? How lame is Fiona that she leaves the kitchen door open??
A teeny bit of back history on Day's mother, and it was not the impression I had gotten about her having died in childbirth!
The story makes an about-face with one of the heroes. One I had not expected. As for that cliffhanger of an ending, I'm peeved. Why would Sir Edward make such a stupid decision? What will Day and Hammersmith do? How much will they recover? What new crimes will arise from it all...
The Story
A small group of the city’s elite, fed up with the murder rate, have made it their business to capture violent criminals and mete out their own terrible brand of retribution. Now they are taking it a step further: They have arranged for four murderers to escape from prison, and into the group’s hands.
But the plan goes wrong. The killers elude them, and now it is up to Walter Day, Nevil Hammersmith, and the rest of Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad to hunt the convicts down before they can resume their bloody spree.
But the Murder Squad may already be too late. The killers have retribution in mind, and one of them is heading straight toward a member of the Murder Squad, and his family. And that isn’t even the worst of it.
During the escape, one of the killers has stumbled upon the location of another notorious murderer, one thought gone for good, but who is now prepared to join forces with them.
And Saucy Jack has learned some new tricks while he’s been away.
The Characters
Inspector Walter Day is part of the Murder Squad and doing well. Claire is his wife and nine months pregnant. Fiona Kingsley, Dr Bernard Kinglsey's daughter, is helping out as temporary housekeeper...now that her father finally believes that the morgue is no place for a young lady. Arthur Day, a valet, had been Walter's father and not a good father role model.
The Murder Squad...
...is new to Scotland Yard and led by Sir Edward Bradford. The sloppy yet quick-to-act Sergeant Nevil Hammersmith is Day's partner and the man Fiona loves. Day's fellow inspectors include the methodical Jimmy Tiffany and Michael Blacker, who is quick to make jokes. The retired Adrian March had been Day's mentor (Jane is his wife). Augustus McKraken is another highly decorated former inspector. Both were key in the Ripper case. Sergeant Kett will coordinate things at the Yard. Constable Rupert Winthrop is assigned to protect Claire. Constable Bentley is one of the men sent out to Phoenix Street.
HM Prison Bridewell
The escapees include Griffin, Napper, Cinderhouse (The Yard, 1), Hoffman, and the "Harvest Man". Warden Munt is in charge. Folger is the clerk. Mallory is the warden who died. Dr Bickford-Buckley is on night-duty at University College Hospital. (The skeleton in the corner is Bruce.)
Eunice Pye is a widow since her husband Giles died. She's quite interested in why Mrs Michael left and Mr Michael, who will become Elizabeth, continues with his routine. The Anderson girl is quite rude; Miss Bonnie is the Andersons' housekeeper.
The Kartsphanomen are...
...a society of men from all levels of society dedicated to meting out justice...with eye-for-an-eye punishment along the way. Members include Lusk and Aberline. Willie is the fireman.
Jack the Ripper is...
...also known as Saucy Jack, and his victims include Annie Chapman, Nichols, Stride, Eddoes, Tabram, and Mary Jane Kelly. Constable Pringle was one of Cinderhouse's.
The Cover and Title
The cover hits you in the face with the orange background of Westminster Palace and London Bridge, birds flying overhead. An angled banner splits the top and bottom with the orange continuing but beneath the city of London in those ancient stonework tunnels, the back of a man in top hat and overcoat walking in with a bright torch. The banner is a deep, deep red creating a background for the embossed silver-outlined letters for the title that are filled in with horizontal lines of gold against that red background. An inner picot border of silver lines both edges of the banner. At the very top is an info blurb in cream with the author's name below it in the same cream but outlined in silver. At the very bottom framed above and below with doubled silver lines with a fleur-de-lis on the left ends is the series information, also in cream.
The title refers to The Devil's Workshop that has been created in those catacombs that lie beneath London.
My Take
I'm torn between Day's justice and the group's justice. I'm all in favor of keeping it legal, and yet too often justice isn't done. That said, this group carried it too far. Kill 'em off before they escape, I say.
Jack makes an interesting point about perspective with his dream of five people whom he transformed and their experiences of the afterlife. It does make sense, in a horrible way. Lord knows, everyone's perspective is unique.
Grecian has definitely studied up on serial killers. He must have, the way he interprets how Jack the Ripper speaks of his "mission", of his desire to transform his selected candidates. It's also a truly disgusting set of murderers he's included with Jack.
It's an interesting trip beneath London, gruesome and yet not as bad as I would have thought. Oh well, I suppose it's because Grecian makes up for the horrible in other ways...urk...
We do hear and experience the thoughts, emotions, and events surrounding a number of the characters including Walter, Claire, Hammersmith, Fiona, the very complicated Saucy Jack, Griffin, Cinderhouse, and Constable Winthrop, as it's a third person global subjective point-of-view.
And it's an odd combination of heroism and stupidity that dragged me down, leaving me with plenty of questions, from why would Claire be sleeping under her heirloom coverlet when she could deliver any time? Although I must grant her some wit for her reasons for choosing a valet's son over someone more in her class. For that matter, why is it so easy to get into the Days' house? Why isn't that fence higher? How lame is Fiona that she leaves the kitchen door open??
A teeny bit of back history on Day's mother, and it was not the impression I had gotten about her having died in childbirth!
The story makes an about-face with one of the heroes. One I had not expected. As for that cliffhanger of an ending, I'm peeved. Why would Sir Edward make such a stupid decision? What will Day and Hammersmith do? How much will they recover? What new crimes will arise from it all...
The Story
A small group of the city’s elite, fed up with the murder rate, have made it their business to capture violent criminals and mete out their own terrible brand of retribution. Now they are taking it a step further: They have arranged for four murderers to escape from prison, and into the group’s hands.
But the plan goes wrong. The killers elude them, and now it is up to Walter Day, Nevil Hammersmith, and the rest of Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad to hunt the convicts down before they can resume their bloody spree.
But the Murder Squad may already be too late. The killers have retribution in mind, and one of them is heading straight toward a member of the Murder Squad, and his family. And that isn’t even the worst of it.
During the escape, one of the killers has stumbled upon the location of another notorious murderer, one thought gone for good, but who is now prepared to join forces with them.
And Saucy Jack has learned some new tricks while he’s been away.
The Characters
Inspector Walter Day is part of the Murder Squad and doing well. Claire is his wife and nine months pregnant. Fiona Kingsley, Dr Bernard Kinglsey's daughter, is helping out as temporary housekeeper...now that her father finally believes that the morgue is no place for a young lady. Arthur Day, a valet, had been Walter's father and not a good father role model.
The Murder Squad...
...is new to Scotland Yard and led by Sir Edward Bradford. The sloppy yet quick-to-act Sergeant Nevil Hammersmith is Day's partner and the man Fiona loves. Day's fellow inspectors include the methodical Jimmy Tiffany and Michael Blacker, who is quick to make jokes. The retired Adrian March had been Day's mentor (Jane is his wife). Augustus McKraken is another highly decorated former inspector. Both were key in the Ripper case. Sergeant Kett will coordinate things at the Yard. Constable Rupert Winthrop is assigned to protect Claire. Constable Bentley is one of the men sent out to Phoenix Street.
HM Prison Bridewell
The escapees include Griffin, Napper, Cinderhouse (The Yard, 1), Hoffman, and the "Harvest Man". Warden Munt is in charge. Folger is the clerk. Mallory is the warden who died. Dr Bickford-Buckley is on night-duty at University College Hospital. (The skeleton in the corner is Bruce.)
Eunice Pye is a widow since her husband Giles died. She's quite interested in why Mrs Michael left and Mr Michael, who will become Elizabeth, continues with his routine. The Anderson girl is quite rude; Miss Bonnie is the Andersons' housekeeper.
The Kartsphanomen are...
...a society of men from all levels of society dedicated to meting out justice...with eye-for-an-eye punishment along the way. Members include Lusk and Aberline. Willie is the fireman.
Jack the Ripper is...
...also known as Saucy Jack, and his victims include Annie Chapman, Nichols, Stride, Eddoes, Tabram, and Mary Jane Kelly. Constable Pringle was one of Cinderhouse's.
The Cover and Title
The cover hits you in the face with the orange background of Westminster Palace and London Bridge, birds flying overhead. An angled banner splits the top and bottom with the orange continuing but beneath the city of London in those ancient stonework tunnels, the back of a man in top hat and overcoat walking in with a bright torch. The banner is a deep, deep red creating a background for the embossed silver-outlined letters for the title that are filled in with horizontal lines of gold against that red background. An inner picot border of silver lines both edges of the banner. At the very top is an info blurb in cream with the author's name below it in the same cream but outlined in silver. At the very bottom framed above and below with doubled silver lines with a fleur-de-lis on the left ends is the series information, also in cream.
The title refers to The Devil's Workshop that has been created in those catacombs that lie beneath London.
ladyphoenixqueen's review against another edition
5.0
At first I was skeptical about yet another Jack the Ripper story, but I was quickly impressed by the way Alex Grecian successfully made Jack the creepiest person imaginable. I cringed and squirmed through the descriptions of his antics. It was extremely well written! Highly recommend!
sam_vimes_75's review against another edition
4.0
Another solid entry for Grecian's Scotland Yard Murder Squad series as DI Walter Day investigates a prison break conspiracy and ends up against Saucy Jack himself. I wish Grecian had developed the conspiracy a bit more and allowed us to spend more time with our heroes in the end. I guess that just makes me that much more eager to pick up The Harvest Man.