Scan barcode
sandranir's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic read!!! As much as I love crime novels, the historical ones are not my forte but this one swept me off my feet, made me travel around the world and discover a very complex 19th century English society.
I really, really loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
I really, really loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
eserafina42's review
4.0
Devoured is set just a few years before Darwin published The Origin of Species, when England was in the grip of a mania for collecting specimens of fossils and forms of life from all over its far-flung empire. The unconventional Lady Bessingham, a wealthy, attractive widow who is a patron of the new scientific ideas about evolution, is murdered in her bedroom and a packet of letters sent to her by a friend on a collecting expedition overseas has disappeared. Adolphus Hatton, a doctor and practitioner of the new science of forensics, along with his diener (morgue assistant) Albert Roumande are called in to consult on this high-profile crime. Soon other bizarre murders follow, and Hatton, Roumande and Inspector Adams of Scotland Yard must follow a dark and convoluted trail to discover the connection, and the killer.
Devoured contains several different plot threads that all eventually converge, but it may be too meandering for some tastes. It conveys the ferment of the times - the excitement as well as the danger (as perceived by established institutions such as government and religion) of the new ideas - very well. Hatton and Roumande work well together, and Roumande is much more than a "Watson" - he has strengths and knowledge that complement Hatton's, and while Hatton is the focus of the narration, they are a true team. Excerpts from the missing letters, interspersed with the search for the killer, provide a nice contrast between the South Seas and Victorian London, as well as convincing the reader that the dark secret for which someone is willing to kill is more than a scientific insight.
Devoured contains several different plot threads that all eventually converge, but it may be too meandering for some tastes. It conveys the ferment of the times - the excitement as well as the danger (as perceived by established institutions such as government and religion) of the new ideas - very well. Hatton and Roumande work well together, and Roumande is much more than a "Watson" - he has strengths and knowledge that complement Hatton's, and while Hatton is the focus of the narration, they are a true team. Excerpts from the missing letters, interspersed with the search for the killer, provide a nice contrast between the South Seas and Victorian London, as well as convincing the reader that the dark secret for which someone is willing to kill is more than a scientific insight.
bev_reads_mysteries's review
3.0
D. E. Meredith's Devoured struck me as an incredibly interesting historical mystery when I started seeing reviews of it strewn about the blogosphere. I felt like everybody but me was reading this novel which features an early Victorian-era forensic detective and his assistant. That being the case, I ordered it up from the library to add to my "Everybody But Me" Book Bingo reading list.
The mystery begins with the death of Lady Katherine Bessingham--a bohemian and a free-thinker, who collects specimens and fossils and who subscribes to the rather dangerous new theories of evolution. Inspector Adams, the well-known hotshot detective from Scotland Yard, calls in Adolphus Hatton and his morgue assistant Albert Roumande--two early forensic practictioners--to examine the crime scene and perform the autopsy. Their investigations will take them from the sewing room work house where fine lady's garments are created by the extreme poor to the well-appointed rooms of the wealthy; from the shop of an out-of-the-way bookseller to the British Museum.
The story alternates between a narrative of current events in London and letters written while one of the main characters was on a specimen-collecting journey in Borneo. It becomes clear that the events which took place in Malaysia are firmly tied to the spate murders that have thinned the ranks of Britain's scientific community. But are the radical views held by these botanists and specimen-collectors really the catalyst? Or is there a more basic motive driving this killer who seems able to stay one step ahead of the police and the forensic investigators?
This one is a bit of a mixed bag for me. It is quite obviously a well-researched novel. Lots of excellent detail about the period--particularly the conditions for the working poor. The letters detailing Ben Broderig's trip are quite interesting (if a bit heavy at times with descriptions of various collectors pouncing on specimens and rattling off the Latin names....). The premise is an interesting one...but a bit unevenly told. And I quite liked the motive behind the murders (well...most of the murders...but an explanation of what I mean by that would be a thundering spoiler). BUT I don't like the protagonists much. I particularly don't like Inspector Adams....for such a celebrated detective, he's awful slow on the uptake. It seems evident that he didn't rise in the force based on his skill and the second half of the novel would seem to bear this out. Hatton and Roumande could have been more interesting if their forensic detective work had been given more scope. It seemed to me that most of the time they were just brought along to show how non-effectual Adams really is without moving the investigation along nearly as much as they should. The denouement shows them in their best light--but more as men of action than as men of science.
All in all, a decent debut novel that is solid enough to make me interested in reading the next installment (The Devil's Ribbon). I hope that Meredith builds on the strengths of her debut and I hope to see Hatton and Roumande used more effectively in their chosen profession.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks!
The mystery begins with the death of Lady Katherine Bessingham--a bohemian and a free-thinker, who collects specimens and fossils and who subscribes to the rather dangerous new theories of evolution. Inspector Adams, the well-known hotshot detective from Scotland Yard, calls in Adolphus Hatton and his morgue assistant Albert Roumande--two early forensic practictioners--to examine the crime scene and perform the autopsy. Their investigations will take them from the sewing room work house where fine lady's garments are created by the extreme poor to the well-appointed rooms of the wealthy; from the shop of an out-of-the-way bookseller to the British Museum.
The story alternates between a narrative of current events in London and letters written while one of the main characters was on a specimen-collecting journey in Borneo. It becomes clear that the events which took place in Malaysia are firmly tied to the spate murders that have thinned the ranks of Britain's scientific community. But are the radical views held by these botanists and specimen-collectors really the catalyst? Or is there a more basic motive driving this killer who seems able to stay one step ahead of the police and the forensic investigators?
This one is a bit of a mixed bag for me. It is quite obviously a well-researched novel. Lots of excellent detail about the period--particularly the conditions for the working poor. The letters detailing Ben Broderig's trip are quite interesting (if a bit heavy at times with descriptions of various collectors pouncing on specimens and rattling off the Latin names....). The premise is an interesting one...but a bit unevenly told. And I quite liked the motive behind the murders (well...most of the murders...but an explanation of what I mean by that would be a thundering spoiler). BUT I don't like the protagonists much. I particularly don't like Inspector Adams....for such a celebrated detective, he's awful slow on the uptake. It seems evident that he didn't rise in the force based on his skill and the second half of the novel would seem to bear this out. Hatton and Roumande could have been more interesting if their forensic detective work had been given more scope. It seemed to me that most of the time they were just brought along to show how non-effectual Adams really is without moving the investigation along nearly as much as they should. The denouement shows them in their best light--but more as men of action than as men of science.
All in all, a decent debut novel that is solid enough to make me interested in reading the next installment (The Devil's Ribbon). I hope that Meredith builds on the strengths of her debut and I hope to see Hatton and Roumande used more effectively in their chosen profession.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks!
gawronma's review
3.0
I found Devoured to be a worthy first effort. The book had a very interesting plot and it was well developed. I hope to see more from D. E. Meredith.
trusselltales's review against another edition
2.0
Slow pace and stilted characters. I did find the letters fascinating, but overall this book failed to hold my attention. Looked very promising, but failed to convince me.
irrlicht's review against another edition
5.0
GEIL! Sofortige Kaufempfehlung!
Keine unnötige Lovestory, nur ein spannender, interessanter Fall mit netten Charakteren, wiedermal angesiedelt im viktorianischen London. (Man könnte meinen, es wird langsam langweilig, aber nein!)
Ein fantastischer Roman, der einem wirklich bewusst macht, dass es Tatortermittlung und Pathologie (also, die Forensik im allgemeinen) noch gar nicht soooo lange gibt und dass es der Darwinismus und die Naturwissenschaften anfangs alles andere als leicht hatten, sich gegen Gottesglauben und Kirche durchzusetzen.
Davon abgesehen geht es am Ende tatsächlich doch irgendwie um etwas ganz anderes als es am Anfang aussieht und es schaffen wirklich nicht viele Bücher, mich so auf’s Glatteis zu führen und zu überraschen.
Bravo!
Keine unnötige Lovestory, nur ein spannender, interessanter Fall mit netten Charakteren, wiedermal angesiedelt im viktorianischen London. (Man könnte meinen, es wird langsam langweilig, aber nein!)
Ein fantastischer Roman, der einem wirklich bewusst macht, dass es Tatortermittlung und Pathologie (also, die Forensik im allgemeinen) noch gar nicht soooo lange gibt und dass es der Darwinismus und die Naturwissenschaften anfangs alles andere als leicht hatten, sich gegen Gottesglauben und Kirche durchzusetzen.
Davon abgesehen geht es am Ende tatsächlich doch irgendwie um etwas ganz anderes als es am Anfang aussieht und es schaffen wirklich nicht viele Bücher, mich so auf’s Glatteis zu führen und zu überraschen.
Bravo!
smellbelle's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this immensely because, unlike so many other Victorian crime novels, it doesn't pretend to be something it isn't and its original! I loved the fact that the plot revolved around 'botanicals' and the ideas perpetrated by Darwin and his contemporaries. It's easy to forget in this day and age what a storm those sorts of things caused and it was such an interesting premise to base the plot on. Also, this book didn't try and make either Hatton or Roumande Sherlock or Watson, which made this even more enjoyable and original. I quite liked it and while I didn't rush to read it every day, I certainly enjoyed the experience.
More...