Only a few months after setting up his own investigating agency along with three friends, Charles Lenox is at a loss. The former Scotland Yard detective is not getting any new cases, unlike his colleagues, and he can't fathom why that is, until a shocking headline in the Telegraph comes to his attention: Scotland Yard Inspector Thomas Jenkins has publicly proclaimed that Charles' agency is dangerous and that it should be shut down.

As he is pondering why his former friend and colleague Jenkins would utter such nonsense to the press, Charles receives an unexpected visitor from the Yard with some startling news: Inspector Jenkins is dead, murdered, and his body was found nearby the infamous Marquess of Wakefield's estate. Throughout the years, the friendship between the former Yard colleagues had been slowly eroding, mostly from Jenkins' side, however most surprising is that the late Inspector had specifically told his emissary that, should anything happen to Jenkins, Charles should be the one to inquire into the matter. And to our enjoyment, he acquiesces. THE LAWS OF MURDER is the eighth book in the Charles Lenox Mysteries series, which should not deter anyone who hasn't read the prior instalments, as plenty of background details are supplied by the author. Once again, Charles Finch does not disappoint. THE LAWS OF MURDER is an intricately woven mystery, where plot twists abound, and where betrayal and treachery surface in various strata of society. But what makes THE LAWS OF MURDER even more special, as is the case with every Charles Lenox Mystery, is the elegant prose so evocative of the Victorian era in which the novels are set, and the dialogues that sound so authentic.

The author's attention to detail, especially where historical accuracy is concerned, is truly astounding: he pays much care to oft forgotten facets of everyday life, and detecting procedures and Mr. Finch also provides nuanced pictures of all the characters. It is such a treat to feel completely immersed in another era, which makes THE LAWS OF MURDER a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.

Book Summary

It’s 1876, and Charles Lenox, once London’s leading private investigator, has just given up his seat in Parliament after six years, primed to return to his first love, detection. With high hopes he and three colleagues start a new detective agency, the first of its kind. But as the months pass, and he is the only detective who cannot find work, Lenox begins to question whether he can still play the game as he once did.

Then comes a chance to redeem himself, though at a terrible price: a friend, a member of Scotland Yard, is shot near Regent’s Park. As Lenox begins to parse the peculiar details of the death – an unlaced boot, a days-old wound, an untraceable luggage ticket – he realizes that the incident may lead him into grave personal danger, beyond which lies a terrible truth.

With all the humanity, glamor, and mystery that readers have come to love, the latest Lenox novel is a shining new confirmation of the enduring popularity of Charles Finch’s Victorian series.