I got to know Karen during Covid when we spent a delightful afternoon emailing back and forth. I am happy to let readers know that this second in a series is an e book bargain for today. Highly recommended!
September 1878, London.
Michael Corravan, a former thief and bare-knuckles boxer from seedy Whitechapel, is making good as an inspector at Scotland Yard, which is under heavy scrutiny after a trial the previous year convicted four senior inspectors of corruption.
One night, as the pleasure steamer the Princess Alice travels up the Thames, she is rammed by the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier – roughly equivalent to a railway engine hitting a baby carriage. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 650 passengers into the river; only 130 survive. Because it’s a pleasure touring boat – akin to our hop-on-hop-off buses – no one even knows who is on the boat, which throws London into a panic, as worried friends and relatives race around trying to find survivors. Then, the newspapers suggest that it is not an accident but sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring Irish Home Rule.
For Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the case presents a fraught challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion, and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.
Corrovan’s dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe’s Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm’s way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help.
As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.
The author:
USA Today bestselling author Karen Odden earned her PhD in English at New York University and taught at UW-Milwaukee and edited for an academic journal before turning to writing fiction. All five of her mysteries are set in 1870s London. To learn about her books and her writing workshops, or to read her historical blogs or newsletter, visit www.karenodden.com
Some editorial reviews:
Praise for Under a Veiled Moon:
“[An] exceptional sequel . . . Fans of Lyndsay Faye’s Gods of Gotham trilogy will be enthralled.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Victorian skulduggery with a heaping side of Irish troubles.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Will keep readers curious and guessing to the end.”
—Manhattan Book Review, 5-star review
“Fans of Anne Perry’s William Monk series, now completed, will love Corravan’s investigations.”
—Poisoned Pen Bookstore
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 