Under the Dragon's Tail

Maureen Jennings was the recipient of the Heritage Toronto Certificate for Fiction in 1998 for her first novel Except The Dying. Her research and its accuracy are impeccable as she in fact owns an original copy of the Sears catalogue 1895, Canadaian edition. I have laid my eyes on it. As for the Episcopalian Church, it did indeed exist in Toronto during the late 1800's. Not only is Ms. Jennings detail of historic fact completely accurate, but her novels wonderfully bring to life a time that has never been covered in the Canadian Crime Fiction scene. So much so that her books have recently been sold to a Toronto telvision producer. Kudos to Ms. Jennings and her fans look forward to the next installment of William Murdoch's adventures.

A fine mystery in the Anne Perry style, where dark secrets lurk behind respectable facades. This book is better than Ms. Jennings first novel in this series. The lower class lingo seems less "Dickens' English" but still 19th century; perhaps because there's less of it in this book. The streets, and the locations of the police station [and the name of its inspector], the brewery and other public buildings are correct according to the 1895 Toronto City Directory; but the author used "Episcopalian" [U.S. church after the American Revolution] instead of "Anglican" [Church of England & the British Dominions] and refered three times to the Chicago based "Sears catalogue" instead of the Toronto based "Eaton's" or "Simpson's" catalogues [they did exist in 1895 and the Eaton's catalogue became a Canadian icon - like hockey]. Those errors won't affect the story, unless you are a Torontonian. Since I'm fussy about such things, I can't give it a five; but the book is well worth reading.

Under the Dragon's Tail is the second book in a series about detective William Murdoch in the late 1890's. This dark and atmospheric story about the murder of disgraced midwife and blackmailer, Dolly Merishaw builds on Jenning's previous book, Except the Dying. Murdoch's character is fleshed out a bit, and the reader is introduced to other facets of his life, like his bicycle racing, dance lessons and even several promising romances. This story was incredibly enjoyable, and I look forward to another installment very soon.

In 1887 outside of Toronto, midwife Dolly Merishaw helps an anonymous lady give birth to an illegitimate child. Keeping this secret is perfect for Dolly, who is not above a bit of blackmail. However, almost eight years later, Dolly is murdered, a victim of a vicious beating. Dolly leaves behind three foster children, who might be better off fending for themselves than cope with the abuse their guardian heaped onto them. Though still mourning the death of his fiancee due to a typhoid outbreak, acting detective William Murdoch heads the investigation into Dolly's brutal death. He quickly finds himself embroiled in class warfare as Dolly tendered to the birthing or abortion needs of the rich and the poor. As he digs deeper into Dolly's past while training for the upcoming police tournament, William finds himself struggling to open the doors to a silent society that remains closed regardless of which class he visits. UNDER THE DRAGON'S TAIL scores on two fronts. It is a great mystery that will enthrall fans of police procedurals. It is also a wonderful historical novel that brings to light the last decade of the nineteenth century in Victorian Toronto. The lonely William is a great cop, whose philosophical ramblings make for a fantastic understanding of the era and ultimately a lively tale. As with her debut novel (EXCEPT THE DYING), Maureen Jennings provides her fans with a stupendously stimulating historical mystery that will garner new readers for a rising star.Harriet Klausner