Murder As A Fine Art
Author: David Morrell
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date of Publication: May 7, 2013
Pages: 358
David Morrell has written a fantastic historical novel set in London in 1854. The two main characters are Thomas and Emily De Quincey. Thomas was a famous essayist, best known for his 1822 publication "Confessions of an English Opium Eater". Emily was Thomas' youngest and only surviving child who helped care for the "Opium Eater" in his later years. Although born into an aristocratic family, Thomas was never adept at finances and spent his younger years living on the streets of London. In his later years, Thomas was almost always in steep debt, frequently running and hiding from creditors. Emily was quite the non-comformist, refusing to wear the prescribed corsets and hoop skirts of the day in favor of more comfortable (and risque) "bloomers". In a later and even more controversial essay, "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts", De Quincey wrote a detailed account of the factual Ratcliffe Highway murders which terrorized London in the early 1800s. This essay as well as other of De Quincey's writings have been said to have had a profound influence on Edgar Allan Poe as well as British writers such as George Orwell. With this historical background, let's talk about this book!
De Quincey and his daughter are invited to London, ostensibly to promote a new collection of essays. Shortly after their return, a vicious multiple homicide occurs near the scene of the now decades old Ratcliffe Highway murders. The circumstances and details are almost identical to the original crime. Enter Detective Sean Ryan of Scotland Yard aided by a young, ambitious Constable Becker. They become acutely aware of De Quincey's familiarity with the case. Lacking a credible alibi Thomas De Quincey becomes Suspect #1.
The plot leads the police as well as "the Opium Eater" and his daughter through all of London. The city is described in graphic detail, including the homeless and destitute living on the streets and under bridges and the coal dust which covers the entire city including the more prestigious neighborhoods. Like the more contemporary novel The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz, the city of London itself becomes a major part of the novel. It was fun to read these books back to back (especially just after a trip to London) as it describes many of the same areas nearly a century and a half apart!
The minor characters are all well developed as well, especially Emily De Quincey and the young Irish detective Sean Ryan. There seems to be a real chemistry between the two which never really goes anywhere. Maybe this will progress in the two sequels, Inspector of the Dead and Ruler of the Night.
A note of caution to the faint of heart: the violent scenes in this novel are very graphic and disturbing. No details are left to the imagination!
Detective Inspector Sean Ryan and constable Becker
Detective Inspector Sean Ryan and constable Becker
Detective Inspector Sean Ryan and constable Becker
Murder as a Fine Art is a well plotted, fast moving and entertaining mystery novel with excellent writing and engaging characters. It was a fantastic series debut and I can't wait to read the next two installments!
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| Thomas De Quincey |
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