Read as part T of the “Along the Library
Shelf” reading journey
Chosen because
It seemed to promise a classic Victorian
mystery with a cast drawn from the various layers of society, maybe in the vein
of Wilkie Collins with a dash of Dickens.
The Review
The classic Derby horse race attracts the
interest of all classes in Victorian England from the gentlemen owners, through
the working poor who like a spectacle, to the disreputable bookies and petty
criminals who grub around anywhere that money changes hands.
Representatives of these social strata
permeate the book as they orbit, at various distances, one of the big race
favourites – Tiberius. Most of these characters seem fairly stock - the widowed
owner with an impoverished estate, troubled daughter and a new young governess;
the scheming ‘gentleman’ of modest means but high ambitions to marry money and
own the Derby winner, with a shady sidekick in tow to do the dirty work; the
lady he has targeted but whose own scheming is a match for most; and a master
safe-cracker who has a no-nonsense police detective on his trail – but they are
all well developed into individuals with stories to tell.
Over the months leading up to the race the
plot develops and thickens slowly like a pot of stew on a Victorian range as
the diverse ingredients are stirred and mixed to deliver up a tasty concoction.
As Derby day at approaches events accelerate and all head to Epsom with more to
resolve than whether Tiberius wins the race.
The measured, laconic style with the odd
wink to the reader worked very well for developing the characters and building
the plot but was less effective in describing the climactic events of the race
day itself. A minor issue though in an enjoyable read.
Read another?
Maybe give “Kept” – another Victorian
mystery - a go.
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