The Complaint of the Dove: 6

Hannah March has the talent as a writer to place the reader right in the middle of London in 1760. Her descriptions of the sights and smells of London of the time are fantastic. I also love the vernacular of the characters. There is nothing worse than reading a "period" book when the characters sound like they're in the 21st century. If you enjoy period mysteries full of perfectly described details, don't miss this book!

I took a chance and picked up Hannah March's THE COMPLAINT OF THE DOVE with no prior knowledge of the author or her work. After reading several historical mysteries, I chanced upon this copy and read it and enjoyed it very much. My grade is based on the fact that the author recreates the time period very well, the characterizations were top-notch, the plot had twists and turns that were not expected and after an initial slow start, the book does gain some momentum for the climax. If your a fan of historical mysteries, don't pass this one up. There are currently three books in the series that is published in the US. I promise you, that you when you finish reading this book, you'll want to find the other two novels and devour them. Authors who I think are similar: Ashley Gardner, Tracy Grant and P.B. Ryan and authors that I usually enjoy: Karin Slaughter, Michael Connelly, Steve Hamilton, Anne Frasier, and Julia Spencer-Fleming.

He once had a bright future ahead of him but when his father committed suicide, his estate and fortune was forfeited to the crown. Now Robert Fairfax, after a period of dissipation, has finally got his life together and is working as a tutor for Matthew Hemsley, a young man who comes from a powerful and rich family. To give the student some polish, he is taking him to London to introduce him to the people who will one day be a part of his future.Matthew finds himself more interested in the social whirl of London and finds himself in love with the toast of the London Theatre Miss Lucy Dove. When she sends him a letter asking him to meet her at her home, he sneaks away from Robert to meet her. When Robert tracks him down, he finds Lucy dead and Matthew unable to remember what transpired. Matthew is bound over for trial and sent to Newgate while Robert, who believes his charge could never commit homicide, does everything in his power to track down the real killer.The hero of this cleverly written historical mystery is not fighting to clear his student's name because he wants to keep his job but because he genuinely likes the lad and believes in his innocence. As an amateur sleuth, Robert embarks upon an investigation that is as well thought out of as a twenty-first century police officer would conduct. THE COMPLAINT OF THE DOVE is a very picturesque and atmospheric novel that brings to life Georgian England in the minds' eyes of the readers.Harriet Klausner