In the Kingdom of Mists

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not great either
Review: This is a pretty standard police procedural type of novel, with the twist being that Claude Monet is added into the mix, and it's set in London circa 1900. He's more a peripheral character than anything, though, and considering the Monet connection was the reason I picked the up the book, that was something of a letdown. The main characters here are really a young man by the name of Oliver Cranston and a police inspector called Garrett. Both had the potential to be interesting characters, if only they had a better plot.

The series of paintings Monet did during his stay in London have a bigger role than the man himself, serving as the basis of the rather strained conceit that the story is built upon. The reader is privy to the killer's identity from near the beginning of the book, with some chapters even written from his point of view, so for those of you who like to guess whodunit, this isn't the book you want to be reading. There are some interesting subjects explored here, the most compelling of which was the second of the Boer Wars. The factoids about Monet were actually quite boring to read, maybe because I'm too familiar with them, I don't know, but I just found it read like quotes taken from a very dry academic essay or standard biographical material. It's like the author did some cursory research, without any real depth of understanding or insight of her own. One thing I did enjoy about this book was the ambiguous ending, that saved it from being on the other side of average... although in a way, even that felt contrived.

Rating:
Summary: Great historical mystery
Review: When a woman of quality is fished out of the Thames River in London, the police are quick to see that she was murdered, a knife wound through the heart. A second woman is taken out of the Thames also with a knife wound through the heart and the police are eager to keep these killings quiet. Both women had professional abortions before they were killed The year is 1900 and Londoners have not forgotten the Ripper murders and if they know a serial killer is on the loose, panic would ensue.

Oliver Craston, who is just beginning his career as a diplomat in the Foreign Office, found the body. He tells the police the only reason he was kept on after calling attention to himself is his friendship with the painter Monet who has contacts with radicals living in England. Inspector Garrett is in charge of the case but although he has some clues to the killer's identity, it is Oliver who can break the case wide open if he has the courage to go against his superiors and risk his job.

It is the start of a new century and Jane Jakeman expertly captures the atmosphere of England as she engages in the Boer Wars. The hero of IN THE KINGDOM OF MISTS is Oliver who always tries to do the right thing even though the repercussions for him might be costly, both financially and emotionally. Some of the scenes are told from the point of view of the killer and his perspective makes for a chilling historical police procedural.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Great historical mystery
Review: When a woman of quality is fished out of the Thames River in London, the police are quick to see that she was murdered, a knife wound through the heart. A second woman is taken out of the Thames also with a knife wound through the heart and the police are eager to keep these killings quiet. Both women had professional abortions before they were killed The year is 1900 and Londoners have not forgotten the Ripper murders and if they know a serial killer is on the loose, panic would ensue.

Oliver Craston, who is just beginning his career as a diplomat in the Foreign Office, found the body. He tells the police the only reason he was kept on after calling attention to himself is his friendship with the painter Monet who has contacts with radicals living in England. Inspector Garrett is in charge of the case but although he has some clues to the killer's identity, it is Oliver who can break the case wide open if he has the courage to go against his superiors and risk his job.

It is the start of a new century and Jane Jakeman expertly captures the atmosphere of England as she engages in the Boer Wars. The hero of IN THE KINGDOM OF MISTS is Oliver who always tries to do the right thing even though the repercussions for him might be costly, both financially and emotionally. Some of the scenes are told from the point of view of the killer and his perspective makes for a chilling historical police procedural.

Harriet Klausner