Dread Murder

A follow-up to "The King Cried Murder," "Dread Murder" may play fast and loose with some historical facts but the book was an enjoyable and fun read nonetheless. In 1820, George IV is King of England, but Major Mearns and Sergeant Denny are still on duty, keeping an eye on the royal household and seeing to it that as many potential scandals get swept under the rug as possible. The last thing either men expected was to receive a gruesome package containing a pair of severed legs. Realising that the murderer has issued them a personal challenge, Mearns and Denny decide to investigate the crime themselves. Soon the pair find themselves knee deep in intrigue and danger, uncovering more murders and coming up against their bitterest of rivals, the Crown Keeper of Peace, Felix Ferguson... "Dread Murder" proved to be an easy and quick read. The book really was a story-driven one as character development was kept to the minimum -- what motivated characters, the reasons behind certain actions, these were all left to the imagination of the reader. So that it was really good thing that the storyline was a very interesting and intriguing one, and that the pacing was swift. However, the period details were fantastic, and added a nice ambiance to the book. All in all, "Dread Murder" proved to be an entertaining and enjoyable read.

This is the second of Major Mearns mysteries, the first being The King Cried Murder published in 2000. Major Mearns and Sergeant Denny are old soldiers, veterans of the Napoleonic Wars, who have served as "watchers" in Windsor Castle during the reign of Mad King George III and King George IV, originally reporting to Sir William Pitt. Charlie, a young boy just off the coach from London, arrives at their rooms in Windsor Castle with two long and heavy packages--which prove to be the legs of an unsavory acquaintance (they recognize them due to a scar). They hide these packages, and keep an eye on further deaths of a prostitute found strangled in the theatre, and a young actress. Charlie lives in the theatre, helping with scene changes and errands, and also shadows Major Mearns' investigation, uncovering a mystery of his own. Mearns and Denny recognize Charlie's skills and come to rely on his assistance. A boy kept prisoner and his pet dog, a buried baby, a malodorous privy, and a cupboard with a dress kept in a house with no women--all play a part in unraveling this complicated tale. Some of the characters in this fast-paced mystery are based on actual historical persons. I love the Coffin series, but was disappointed that this was not the same level of writing--rather choppy, too short, and easy to figure out. NOTE: Butler is the author of over 25 Coffin mysteries, police procedurals set in present day London. She also writes under the name of Jennie Melville. Armchair Interviews says: Easy and fun read for mystery fans, especially if you love historical mysteries.

If you like THE KING CRIED MURDER you might try a little of this one, which takes up Major Mearns and Sergeant Denny a few years later, and embroils them in a mysterious case abd in the welfare of a little boy, Charlie, too cute for his own good. In those days, poor children were forced into factory work from the time they could stand up and move around unaided, and Charlie was no exception. Butler is 85 this year but she hasn't lost a single marble, and the surprise solution of DREAD MURDER shows that, either she wrote it when she was young, or that old age has not slowed down her wits one bit. The only thing I didn't like was its reliance on the old John Dickson Carr "Gentleman from Paris" trick in which the under-surnamed hero, whose past is a bit murky, turns out at the end to be a very famous person indeed! Those of you who can't guess who little Charlie grows up and becomes deserves a sound thrashing with a Regency stove pipe. The "reveal" at the end is a little too charming if you ask me, and why he has to have the world's cutest pup is just icing on the sabot. The case itself is mysterious beyond belief. Those of you who remember the feminism that Butler showed when she wrote under the pseudonym "Jennie Melville" will find her return to Regency values a little disconcerting, but the women of DREAD MURDER shine, right down to Mrs. Fitzherbert, famous as the woman Shelley attacked in several pamphlets and verse dramas. She's done her research, though some have joked that she is so old she just has to look back in her diaries to see what people were wearing in 1820. Fashion note, Mrs. Fitzherbert is beautiful and alluring and wears not a trace of makeup, though she is fat by the time of the events of DREAD MURDER; instead it is her royal (though morganatic) husband who wears the makeup, lipstick, rouge and mascara, which shows at any rate that the more things stay the same, the more they change. Mystery fans who love "cosies" will be interested in learning that "cozy" is little Charlie's favorite word, and a "quality he prized."

Having survived the horrors of the Napoleonic Wars, Major Mearns and his battle brother Denny work and live at Windsor Castle as Watchers who insure the safety of the royal residents especially the recently crowned King George IV. Living at the monarch's abode may seem regal, but for the likes of Mearns and Denny, it is the dreaded Ds: dirty, dusty, and drafty. Still it is a lot easier and safer an assignment than combat was. Meanwhile ten year old former factory worker Charlie stows a ride on a coach leaving London for Windsor. During the ride, Charlie befriends actress Miss Fairface, who is traveling to the city to join the Theatre Royal. In town, Charlie makes some money when he delivers a couple of heavy packages to Mearns at Windsor Castle. However, inside the parcels are the ghastly remains of someone Mearns knew. Stunned, Major Mearns and Denny investigate with Charlie as their sidekick. Their efforts take them to Theatre Royal where a corpse is found and soon other homicidal attempts occur. The second Major Mearns (see THE KING CRIED MURDER -not reviewed) historical mystery is a delightful early 1820s whodunit in which the intelligent street smart kid steals the story line from the two heroes especially with a delightful final twist. The investigation, enhanced by real persona and places such as the Theatre Royal, is fun to follow as the audience obtains a taste of Regency England especially the royal town of Windsor where for instance a professional police force is a new concept. As with her Coffin tales, Gwendoline Butler provides a fabulous investigative tale. Harriet Klausner