ondon, 1921. Lord Johnny Fairfax has been found dead in his study, along with a second victim, a mysterious American who arrived unannounced the previous evening. For DCI Paul Stark, the case is personal: he's in a relationship with Lord Fairfax's former wife, Lady Amelia.

The dead man had no shortage of enemies. Winston Churchill, his former colleague at the War Office, is convinced the murder is revenge for the disaster at Gallipoli. Lady Amelia herself is accused of the crime. And who was the American visitor? What was his connection with Lord Fairfax - and could he have been the real target?

As Stark digs deeper, he uncovers evidence of a shocking conspiracy that strikes at the heart of the British Establishment.

Enjoyed it but found it a little tough going in some places - still worth looking at.

Following on from the first DCI Paul Stark novel, we find Stark, who is romantically involved with Lady Amelia Fairfax, investigating the brutal murders of Lord Fairfax – Amelia’s estranged husband – and an American, Carl Adams.

Stark and his upper-class-connected Detective Sergeant Robert Danvers find their way obstructed on many levels. However, Winston Churchill, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, is convinced that the murders have something to do with Gallipoli, with which he and Fairfax were involved. Stark is not so sure and determines that, whatever the cost, he will get to the bottom of the case. At every turn, it seems that he is being thwarted, to such an extent that it seems clear that a conspiracy is being conducted.

This is another good novel by Jim Eldridge and is a really easy read. Not only does it involve a credible plotline, but Jim manages to bring into the case many facets of history, perhaps with a little bit of writer’s licence - for the British Union of Patriots read the British Union of Fascists?

I thoroughly recommend this book. You will find it rewarding and entertaining, and again, I look forward to the next in the series.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review

When I first read this novel, I was unaware that it was the second book in a series. However, that wasn't too much of an issue as the author provided enough detail about everything that I didn't feel like I missed out on much. This was an interesting historical mystery in that it involved more detail than many historical fiction novels I've read. There was a lot of name-dropping of historical figures, which at first was cool but eventually got tedious, especially since they weren't always that important for the story. I also found that this book was more about DCI Stark's private life than the mystery itself, which isn't always a bad thing, but in this case, it made me lose interest in the story. So while the novel had an intriguing plot and was well-written, it just didn't do it for me. I'd give this a 3/5 stars and recommend this to someone who is really interested in historical fiction (like... REALLY interested)!

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House Publishers. Thank you.

This is the second installment in the Detective Inspector Stark mystery series set in 1920s London taking place between the official end of World War I and the rumblings of a German leader coming into power with radical ideas. In this one DI Paul Stark becomes involved when the ex-husband of his (now) mistress is found dead in his flat with an American acquaintance also dead. The manner of death is particularly horrible - even just to think about - and the race is soon on for Stark and Detective Sergeant Robert Danvers to find the killers and the motive. It doesn't help any at all for an anonymous note to reach Scotland Yard saying that the woman Stark is secretly involved with is implicated in the murder.

I had hoped that this series would veer away from so much emphasis on the personal life of DI Stark, but in this second novel not only does it not veer away, it increases hugely. As if that wasn't enough now DS Danvers and his family are pulled into the story. For my personal taste, that is just too much personal involvement in a detective novel. I now know that this series will simply not be a good fit for me so I will leave it at this point. That doesn't change the fact that the writing is good, because it is, but I'm also seeing real life people being pulled into the story for what seems to be just name dropping. This story just had too many aspects which I consider obstacles for it to become a favorite. Better for me to abandon it now.

Another enjoyable instalment of the Stark and Danver series, it picked up more or less from where the first book finished. The cameo appearances of Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George made this book all the more enjoyable. There are so many things to look forward to in the next chapter from the blossoming relationship between Paul and Lady Amelia to Churchill's involvement in another case, I can't wait.

In Shadows of the Dead, early hints of fascism in England are beginning to show. The author brings this forward by 5 or 10 years and gives the group the name British Union of Patriots or the BUP, which is a slight change in title from the group that actually did begin to gain influence in the 1930's under Sir Oswald Mosely, the British Union of Fascists or BUF.

(The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters which I read last year gives a great deal of information about the BUF and Diana Mitford's marriage to Oswald Mosely.)

The plot begins with the murders of Lord Fairfax and an American visitor. The American was an undercover American Bureau of Investigation agent who was keeping an eye on an American member of the Ku Klux Klan who was reaching out to fascists. (I could find no evidence that the Klan reached out to British Fascists in the 1920's, but it would not be inconceivable as they shared many goals.)

DCI Paul Stark, the main character in Assassins, is on the case, but has a number of complications involving family and his lover. Special Agent Donald Noble arrives from the States and is allowed on the case since one of the victims was not only an American, but a colleague.

One of the places the story fell down for me is Special Agent Nobles explanation of his hatred of the Ku Klux Klan. His recounting of a terrible racial incident when he was about 13 feels like a combination of mushy and pedantic. While it is important to emphasize Nobles' commitment to his cause, this section felt preachy rather than heartfelt.

The other place where the novel failed for me was the conclusion. Although it would have been interesting if people had begun to recognize the threat Hitler was becoming as early as 1921--it was not until later that Churchill became almost a lone voice in his concern about German rearmament. I will avoid giving the spoiler about the event that didn't feel realistic to me.

So...this could have been a great cautionary tale about the rising nationalism that we are seeing now in so many countries, but the effort had flaws for me. I didn't like it as well as I liked Assassins, but as with his previous book, Eldridge kept me engaged.

It was amusing to see Noel Coward in a kind of cameo appearance as someone to turn to for theater gossip, but who also had a keen insight into a suspicious character.

Digression: Noel Coward, known for his flamboyance and wit, played an important role during WWII.
With the outbreak of the Second World War Coward abandoned the theatre and sought official war work. After running the British propaganda office in Paris, where he concluded that "if the policy of His Majesty's Government is to bore the Germans to death I don't think we have time",[62]
Had the Germans invaded Britain, Coward was scheduled to be arrested and killed, as he was in The Black Book along with other figures such as Virginia Woolf, Paul Robeson, Bertrand Russell, C. P. Snow and H. G. Wells. When this came to light after the war, Coward wrote: "If anyone had told me at that time I was high up on the Nazi blacklist, I should have laughed ... I remember Rebecca West, who was one of the many who shared the honour with me, sent me a telegram which read: 'My dear – the people we should have been seen dead with'."[66]
I hope Mr. Eldridge will add Mr. Coward to his list of characters in his next novel and give him a larger role.

Read in Feb.; blog post scheduled for April 10

NetGalley/Severn House

Historical fiction/Police Procedural. May 1, 2017. Print length: 224 pages.