London In The Dark
Light of London series, #1
written by Victoria Lynn
288 pages // published in 2017 // Christian historical mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION
London, 1910
Budding Private Detective Cyril Arlington Hartwell has a conundrum. London is being ravaged by the largest run of thefts in recent history. His hunch that it is all tied together may put him and those he loves in more danger than he could have reckoned.
Olivia Larken Hartwell is just home from boarding school for the summer anticipating time with her adoring parents.She misses her absent brother, Cyril, hoping for the day he will finally come home. But tragedy strikes, causing upheaval for all concerned and changes her life in a way she never could have imagined.
Olivia, Cyril, and their friends must bring the hidden to light, seek to execute justice, and dispel the darkness that hovers over London… and their hearts.
London, 1910
Budding Private Detective Cyril Arlington Hartwell has a conundrum. London is being ravaged by the largest run of thefts in recent history. His hunch that it is all tied together may put him and those he loves in more danger than he could have reckoned.
Olivia Larken Hartwell is just home from boarding school for the summer anticipating time with her adoring parents.She misses her absent brother, Cyril, hoping for the day he will finally come home. But tragedy strikes, causing upheaval for all concerned and changes her life in a way she never could have imagined.
Olivia, Cyril, and their friends must bring the hidden to light, seek to execute justice, and dispel the darkness that hovers over London… and their hearts.
Debut author Victoria Lynn has spun us a reverberating detective story straight from the streets of London 1910.
First off, (it has to be mentioned)... Obviously the author is a Sherlock Holmes fan! Other Holmesians, just like myself, will notice all the fine details interwoven into the story that are inspired by The Great Detective himself. Many times I thought to myself, "I wonder if the author meant to have this-or-that to resemble this-or-that from the original stories?" And the answer is probably yes for all my questions.
The setting is perfect. Victorian England, complete with all the right social customs, and overall well-written historical environment that seemed accurate to the time period for me. Nailed it.
The plot was intriguing, and I found a couple of really good passages in which I relished a good laugh at. Dudley is probably my favorite character (the Watson-type friend in the story). He's just a good egg and hangs in there for the long run. Cyril comes off as a bit cold (but what kind of Holmes-type character doesn't?). To quote from the book: "He enjoyed the unusual and wanted to be able to choose his jobs." Honestly, I didn't really connect well with Cyril (and I usually love the type of character he portrayed in the plot), but it was not to be this time for me. Now, to discuss Olivia, Cyril's sister. I deeply felt for this girl -- not to give away a key turning point in the plot, but she goes through a huge amount of grief and sorrow. Her faith stood out though, and one prayer in particular really resonated with me. She whispers these words to her Savior: "Help me, help me to say that I bless you, even in this darkness, even when it's so hard." Also, I rather fell in love with Olivia's pets. It's not too often you meet a character who truly enjoys spending time with her wide assortments of animals, and it was rather cute to read about.
There is a quality Christian theme running throughout the plot. It definitely wasn't an afterthought to have the religious element into the plot, because it's so natural for it to be there. I truly appreciate how the author added it in, because I felt like the faith element is really the glue to the whole story, and I probably wouldn't have liked the book as much without it.
I like that there didn't have to be a romance in order for the story to be interesting. I get aggravated a lot when just about every book you pick up is more or less a romance novel (even in disguise). This one stands in the gap though. A good mystery, plus some stirring drama or emotion, is all you really need for a clincher.
Who would enjoy it? Well, anyone up for a good Victorian mystery, I'd say. I could even recommend it for some kids/teens. Just as a caution, there is some violence (including some gunshots) and vaguely mentioning drinking/smoking. Still, I'd consider it a "clean" read. And an enjoyable one too.
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London In The Dark
by Victoria Lynn
Giveaway ends March 17, 2017.
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Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she's not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.
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The title and cover of the book have me in chills. Love it!
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