The Last Dickens: A Novel

I enjoyed this interesting and complex "cloak and dagger" novel-- but why would one compare it to Dickens? It never occurred to me to do so, as it did to another reviewer. It is not a scholarly book, but is not presented as such. The author has fun combining actual events and fictional situations, and I learned a lot about Dickens, the cutthroat world of publishing before copy-write laws, and had a good time in general. This novel stands on its own as a well-researched and informative read. It will appeal to you if you like mysteries in general, and reminded me of an early Anne Perry.

Matthew Pearl's The Last Dickens: A Novel is one of a number of books about Charles Dickens' last, albeit unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Penguin Classics). But what sets this novel apart from its compatriots is Pearl's ability to build suspense and extrapolate from historical events to create a palpable underbelly of the publishing world. Charles Dickens' final, incomplete novel--he only completed six installments--caused a great deal of controversy as to whether the author indeed had not finished the manuscript, which in those days were released in installments. Pearl mimics this method by breaking up the narration into separate installments--from the Boston publishing house, Dickens' American tour, Dickens' son Frank in India at the height of the opium trade, and in England as Dickens' American publisher Mr. Osgood with his bookkeeper Rebecca Sand search for the lost installments and the true end of Dickens' final novel. Pearl includes an examination of the historical accuracies in the novel and which characters were pure fiction or modified historical figures. One part mystery, one part historical fiction, and one part crime novel, The Last Dickens: A Novel weaves a complex and detailed story that holds readers rapt attention from beginning to end. While the chapters involving Frank Dickens' time in India uncovering an opium trade are not as prominent as some of the other narratives, it is intricately connected to the main story. However, some readers could find these chapters frustrating because of the gap between those chapters, which could either leave readers frustrated that the tale of Frank Dickens is dropped or anxious for its conclusion. Most readers are likely to err on the side of anxiety, wanting to know more. Osgood is not easily swayed when he is hot on the trail of the missing installments and the end of Dickens' novel, and as each layer of the mystery is peeled back for the reader, the dark, cutthroat publishing industry is revealed. Bookaneers are the bottom feeders of the publishing industry, waiting on the docks for the latest installments from the Old World, while publishing giants from New York, like Harper, are eager to acquire these installments by any means necessary and at the expense of their competitors. The Last Dickens: A Novel is not just about an unfinished novel or the dark side of publishing. It also takes a look at human conviction in the face of adversity and how perseverance and a moral compass can yield surprising results. Pearl is a mystery master, and The Last Dickens: A Novel will not disappoint its readers.

Matthew Pearl has written another winner with the Last Dickens. Taking place in Boston, India and London and interspersed with great literary figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Longfellow and Poe, and the great man himself, Pearl takes us on an exciting ride. In trying to find the rest of Dickens manuscript of the Mystery of Edwin Drood shortly after Dicken's death and how people will kill for that valuable information is nothing short of wonderful. Being from the Boston area myself, I could totally relate to the places he was talking about. Even if you weren't from the area, the descriptions made you feel that you knew exactly what he is talking about and what everything looks like. I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read the Dante Club and the Poe Shadow yet, shame on you! You must read all 3 to get an insight to this talented writer.

Without any doubt, Mathew Pearl is a capable and interesting author. I have yet to read The Dante Club (2002) (my misfortune) but I thoroughly enjoyed The Poe Shadow in 2006. Now comes The Last Dickens, very similar in style and pacing to The Poe Shadow, and well worth your time to read. That is providing you like intelligent, well written, very well researched, mysteries. The Last Dickens is set in 1870, the year of Dickens' death. James R. Osgood, an American publisher handling what turns out to be Dickens' last novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, must travel the world in trying to solve the central mystery of the story, but must also save his ailing publishing business. Pearl manages to sculpt for us a grand mystery and layers it with the scandals of the time. He incorporates historical figures that were contemporaries of Dickens' and does so without becoming unrealistic or comic. The Last Dickens is very "atmospheric" and treats the reader to a wonderful reading experience. Pearl introduces us into a world that is far different from the one we live in today....and not the romantic vision of the Victorians we all seem to hold. Graft and corruption are everywhere. Copyright laws are nonexistent and authors essentially have no protection. Pearl's time researching for The Last Dickens in evident on virtually every page. There are a number of current authors other than Mathew Pearl that capture the essence of the 19th century as well as he does. Of note are Dan Simmons and also Michael Cox. Dan Simmon's last book, Drood, also deals with the last years of Charles Dickens and incorporates historical figures in the same manner as Mathew Pearl. Michael Cox is also at home writing about the 19th century and has done so masterfully in The Meaning of Night: A Confession and the sequel The Glass of Time. Pearl's story is every bit as compelling as anything other fiction story taking place in the 19th century. You won't regret reading The Last Dickens. I highly recommend.