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perfictionist19's review against another edition
4.0
The Anarchists' Club, a brilliant price of historical crime fiction set in the revolutionary period of England is a continuation of the Leo Stanhope detective series.
Leo Stanhope, born as Charlotte 'Lottie' Pritchard, the daughter of a vicar finds who now lives a renewed life with her new name and identity finds herself amidst crimes and secrets that are linked to her past and has the potential to reveal her old identity.
The story unravels with an woman named Dora, who is later murdered and her two children Ciara and Aiden visiting Leo's pharmacy and asking for some credit which he refuses. Leo later forgets about the trivial incident but what is shocking is the discovery of Leo's name and address that is found with Dora's dead body. And as Leo tries to steer clear of the homicide, he is further inundated with the arrival of John Duport a.k.a John Thackery, another character from his past that holds the key to his deep secrets. Leo also develops a kind of rekindled companionship with the orphaned kids and as their lives are at probable danger, Leo tries his utmost best to solve the murder and most importantly protect the children.
The protagonist Mr. Leo Stanhope is one that will stay with me for a longtime. Calling Mr. Stanhope a detective won't be justified as he is much more than that. Although he has his own vices and doesn't come off as confident all through out the book, he doesn't give up. Leo, walks on a very thin line through out the book with the risk of his own secrets being spilled out as the case is very closely connected with his once dreadful past life. But that doesn't hamper Leo's investigation in finding who the culprit is. For this he even visits, his estranged father after a gap of ten years and even though their relationship doesn't sweeten, we definetly get to see his emotional side. The plot of the book was quite submersive and also gives an idea of the Vicotrian Era. The expolitation of mill workers by the owners, conspiracies of the radicals against the bourgeois and the dismal treatment of the transgenders find their place in the story.
Every charcater was assigned to their role very well and played their part that built up to an amazing climax. However I felt that the character of John Thackery should've been given a little more lime-light as to what his original plans were.
Although this book can be read as a standalone(which I did), I suggest you read the first book i.e The House on Half Moon Street to get an insight of the relationship dynamics between Leo and Mrs. Flowers, who was another prominent character in the story.
An absolutely enjoyable read for thriller fans and lovers of historical fiction.
Leo Stanhope, born as Charlotte 'Lottie' Pritchard, the daughter of a vicar finds who now lives a renewed life with her new name and identity finds herself amidst crimes and secrets that are linked to her past and has the potential to reveal her old identity.
The story unravels with an woman named Dora, who is later murdered and her two children Ciara and Aiden visiting Leo's pharmacy and asking for some credit which he refuses. Leo later forgets about the trivial incident but what is shocking is the discovery of Leo's name and address that is found with Dora's dead body. And as Leo tries to steer clear of the homicide, he is further inundated with the arrival of John Duport a.k.a John Thackery, another character from his past that holds the key to his deep secrets. Leo also develops a kind of rekindled companionship with the orphaned kids and as their lives are at probable danger, Leo tries his utmost best to solve the murder and most importantly protect the children.
The protagonist Mr. Leo Stanhope is one that will stay with me for a longtime. Calling Mr. Stanhope a detective won't be justified as he is much more than that. Although he has his own vices and doesn't come off as confident all through out the book, he doesn't give up. Leo, walks on a very thin line through out the book with the risk of his own secrets being spilled out as the case is very closely connected with his once dreadful past life. But that doesn't hamper Leo's investigation in finding who the culprit is. For this he even visits, his estranged father after a gap of ten years and even though their relationship doesn't sweeten, we definetly get to see his emotional side. The plot of the book was quite submersive and also gives an idea of the Vicotrian Era. The expolitation of mill workers by the owners, conspiracies of the radicals against the bourgeois and the dismal treatment of the transgenders find their place in the story.
Every charcater was assigned to their role very well and played their part that built up to an amazing climax. However I felt that the character of John Thackery should've been given a little more lime-light as to what his original plans were.
Although this book can be read as a standalone(which I did), I suggest you read the first book i.e The House on Half Moon Street to get an insight of the relationship dynamics between Leo and Mrs. Flowers, who was another prominent character in the story.
An absolutely enjoyable read for thriller fans and lovers of historical fiction.
bookish1ifedeb's review against another edition
3.0
Following his traumatic adventures in book 1 of this series, Leo Stanhope has settled into a mundane existence, working as a hospital orderly, playing chess with his friend Jacob, and living a solitary life in his quarters over the small pharmacy owned by his landlord Alfie and his twelve-year-old daughter, Constance. When a strange woman Leo appears at the pharmacy with two children and tries to persuade him to sell her more of a bromide than she can afford to pay for, Leo politely but firmly sends her away.
When the police alarmingly turn up a few days later and request Leo's attendance at a crime scene, Leo is shocked to find that the corpse unearthed in a back yard is that same mysterious woman. She has been run through, likely with a short sword or knife. But where are her children? And why did she have Leo's name and address in her pocket? Why had she visited the pharmacy?
Among the watchers at the murder scene is someone Leo recognizes. Worse, he recognizes Leo, from the days when Leo was Lottie Pritchard, a vicar's daughter. John Thackeray coerces Leo to give him an alibi for the murder or he will expose Leo's secret.
Leo feels compelled to find the children of Dora Hannigan, the murdered woman, to which end he eventually enlists the help of Rosie Flowers, his companion from book 1. Rosie and Leo have not
healed their relationship: Leo has been unable to tell her she was the cause of the death of Leo's lover.
Still, Rosie tries to help Leo as he learns how Dora's life was intertwined with the Thackerays. Sir Reginald Thackeray is a wealthy industrialist; Dora worked with anarchists and unionists, trying to help the workers at Thackeray's mill. But her son Aiden bears a striking resemblance to the other Thackeray son, Peter. Meanwhile, Ciara Hannigan may have witnessed her mother's murder, but describes the killer as looking like a lion, walking upright like a man.
As Leo becomes attached to the Hannigan children, he worries whether his feelings are paternal, or maternal, a piece of that other person he left behind. And he learns his own father is dying from his estranged sister; can he bear to see the old man as Lottie, or can he brave the visit as his present self?
The "villains" in this outing are no more believable than in book 1. The villains tend to be "types" cut to fit the plot--in this case, a hard-hearted manufacturing mogul who scorns his workers as barely worthy of notice, let alone care or consideration. There isn't a great deal of complexity to the bad guys. It is the many supporting characters who are of greatest interest, including a fiery anarchist, a bi-sexual theater manager, and of course Constance, Alfie and Rosie. Given how enjoyably fully formed the supporting characters are becoming, I feel a bit like when I find a TV show where I love the cast, but wish the writers gave them more interesting stories.
I'll keep an eye peeled for more books in the series all the same. Leo bears revisiting, as do the other regulars, and it looks as if Leo may find himself becoming a detective in name as well as by chance, if the final chapter of the book is any indicator.
When the police alarmingly turn up a few days later and request Leo's attendance at a crime scene, Leo is shocked to find that the corpse unearthed in a back yard is that same mysterious woman. She has been run through, likely with a short sword or knife. But where are her children? And why did she have Leo's name and address in her pocket? Why had she visited the pharmacy?
Among the watchers at the murder scene is someone Leo recognizes. Worse, he recognizes Leo, from the days when Leo was Lottie Pritchard, a vicar's daughter. John Thackeray coerces Leo to give him an alibi for the murder or he will expose Leo's secret.
Leo feels compelled to find the children of Dora Hannigan, the murdered woman, to which end he eventually enlists the help of Rosie Flowers, his companion from book 1. Rosie and Leo have not
healed their relationship: Leo has been unable to tell her she was the cause of the death of Leo's lover.
Still, Rosie tries to help Leo as he learns how Dora's life was intertwined with the Thackerays. Sir Reginald Thackeray is a wealthy industrialist; Dora worked with anarchists and unionists, trying to help the workers at Thackeray's mill. But her son Aiden bears a striking resemblance to the other Thackeray son, Peter. Meanwhile, Ciara Hannigan may have witnessed her mother's murder, but describes the killer as looking like a lion, walking upright like a man.
As Leo becomes attached to the Hannigan children, he worries whether his feelings are paternal, or maternal, a piece of that other person he left behind. And he learns his own father is dying from his estranged sister; can he bear to see the old man as Lottie, or can he brave the visit as his present self?
The "villains" in this outing are no more believable than in book 1. The villains tend to be "types" cut to fit the plot--in this case, a hard-hearted manufacturing mogul who scorns his workers as barely worthy of notice, let alone care or consideration. There isn't a great deal of complexity to the bad guys. It is the many supporting characters who are of greatest interest, including a fiery anarchist, a bi-sexual theater manager, and of course Constance, Alfie and Rosie. Given how enjoyably fully formed the supporting characters are becoming, I feel a bit like when I find a TV show where I love the cast, but wish the writers gave them more interesting stories.
I'll keep an eye peeled for more books in the series all the same. Leo bears revisiting, as do the other regulars, and it looks as if Leo may find himself becoming a detective in name as well as by chance, if the final chapter of the book is any indicator.
motherofladybirds's review against another edition
4.0
Really good hopefully a new Victorian thriller series. Great characters and an interesting premise.
callosaurus's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
2.25
mrsa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
marsremijn's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
businesscasualcowboy's review against another edition
It pains me to stop reading a book so far in, but I simply do not find the mystery at the center of the story compelling. Life is too short to force yourself to finish a book you aren’t enjoying. The plot felt slow going and one note without enough emotion to get me invested. I did accidentally pick this up without reading the first book in the series, so maybe it does a better job of building the world and fleshing out the characters. Unfortunately, I’m just not interested in finding out. 🥱
hxnnah_ku's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
miloblue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0