Very underwhelming mystery. It felt much longer than it needed to be and overly complicated. There are better books out there.

Old Scores by Will Thomas is book #9 in the Barker and Llewelyn series brings the past back to haunt Cyrus Barker as his time in the Orient shadows a murder in his own backyard. But is Barker's time in Japan a reason to turn to him or a reason for Barker to commit murder.

"...I suppose it all began with the garden. Cyrus Barker's garden, I mean. It was a particularly good year for some reason. Everything came together perfectly. The gardeners were working, hard-pressed to keep the growth from getting out of hand, and anything attempted for the first time grew and flourished. It was too perfect, if you know what I mean. One cannot have the ointment without the fly, the yang without the yin.

When a Japanese diplomat is murdered, and Cyrus Barker is the prime suspect, Barker and sidekick Llewelyn must work against the clock to find the real killer. The mystery will take them down the dark alleys in London, to the sinister machinations of the government and the history of Cyrus Barker.

Old Scores delves into the history of Cyrus Barker his time in Japan. His ward and how she came to be with him and his dealings with London's Asian culture and criminal underground. The character of Barker is enigmatic throughout the series, the reader is given hints to the past and these hints are expected to explain many of his actions and his range of knowledge. A greater glimpse into Barker's past reveals a man haunted by his actions and the responsibilities he has left behind.

Llewelyn has come to a crossroads in his own life. His love and his responsibilities, denied to him may finally be available. But will he move forward, against convention and wisdom.

But underneath it all is what one reads Barker and Llewelyn for. A mystery set in a time and place that breathes. London in the late 1800's is a horrible place. Dark and cruel with a sense of self-righteousness that oppresses the poor and weak.

This may not be the best book to start the series with, there are loose ties that come together here that will leave a new reader confused. Yet overall, it is a very good addition to the series.

I’ve been a fan of this series since the first book, and Will Thomas continues to shine. What may have started off as a Holmes homage, has turned into a great, solid series, with its own character, as we follow the adventures of Llewelyn, the apprentice to private detective, Barker. Barker still manages to have lots of secrets in his past to be dug up to haunt him in the future, so is still an intriguing character, and I enjoy Llewelyn’s cheeky sense of humor. He and Barker are more likable than Holmes and Watson, and Thomas’ writing style is more approachable and modern,which makes this series an easy and pleasant read.

I found this novel pretty simplistic, and the main characters, Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn, stiff and cliched. More problematic, however, is the plot itself. It is too contrived, leaving me, in the second half of the novel, thinking that it was too much too believe possible. This kind of plot might appeal to those who are prepared to accept, and be entertained by, a plot that takes as its central organizing principle an incredible coincidence. But for those looking for something more complex and less a novel that uses Sherlock-and-Watson replicas, I recommend looking somewhere else.

Published by St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books on October 3, 2017

After showing his garden to the Japanese ambassador, Cyrus Barker disappears for a few hours. Thomas Llewellyn searches for him and is promptly arrested. He discovers that Barker was arrested earlier for shooting the ambassador through an open window at the embassy. Llewellyn, having committed no provable crime, is released, but Special Branch thinks it has a case against Barker. It turns out that Barker does, in fact, have a motive, if he were the type to settle old scores with a pistol.

Barker’s ward, a young Chinese woman who has married a man with questionable business enterprises, is also peripherally involved with the ambassador’s death. There is no shortage of other suspects, including the Ambassador’s bodyguards (who were selected by the Japanese military), local Chinese criminals, and officials of the British Foreign Office. Identifying the true killer becomes the reader’s mission.

Old Scores delves into Barker’s past, revealing secrets about the time he spent in Japan (hint: there is a reason Barker knows so much about traditions of the samurai). The novel starts as a mystery but by the end, it is Barker’s story. The philosophical question Will Thomas poses is whether it is better to settle old scores or to promote the healing of old wounds by understanding the motivations of those who have wronged us.

The story has some poignant moments. As usual, Will Thomas mixes action and humor into the plot (the humor primarily stems from Llewellyn’s ongoing frustration with Barker), but the glimpse into Barker’s past gives Old Scores more depth than some other entries in a series that has always been surprisingly entertaining. I’m not generally a fan of Sherlock Holmes clones, but Will Thomas tells his stories in a distinctive voice that I have grown to appreciate.

RECOMMENDED

Another strong entry in the Barker and Llewelyn series, though this struck me as more of a "novel" novel than a mystery; it's an expansion upon well-established characters (we get lots of backstory, however unbelievable, of Mr. Barker) with a murder attached to it, rather than a proper private inquiry agent story. To Mr. Thomas's credit, that's no grounds for complaint. He has built of wonderful world here and one, if a reader can make a suggestion, I would hope that in upcoming novels he also expands upon the female characters as, currently, they're all angels and saints (with dirty faces or no) and that is tiresome. I wouldn't strongly suggest this for an entry point in the series as I think a level of familiarity is presumed, but that's probably easily fixed with a wikipedia search. A definite recommend.

Will Thomas enmeshes Barker and Llewelyn in the murder of the first Japanese ambassador to England in 1890.
Old Scores must be settled before the murder is solved and Barker's past involvement in Japan is laid bare. Chinese, Japanese and official British foreign office skulduggery fall over each other and the bodies keep dropping. High adventure and low society. A tale told with wit and cunning; if you liked Sherlock Holmes you will love this story.

3.5 Stars

I hate picking up a series midway. I didn’t realize Old Scores was a series until chapter 3 but by then I was hooked and didn’t want to put the story down. This book makes a great stand alone, there was only a few times that a person was mentioned who I didn’t know or wasn’t given a good background on. I’m interested in starting the series from the beginning now. I do think the language was a little off for the time period the book was set in. For example a character said are you serious in response to a statement once in the beginning and I don’t think that fits the time period. I enjoyed the characters, Mac and Thomas best. Baker was a little closed off for me as a reader but I think if I had read the whole series I wouldn't feel that way. I did get a little confused towards the end of the story during the wrap up of the case. There seemed to almost be too many people and too much going on at the end that all needed to be wrapped up. Thomas has created an interesting Sherlock-ese world that I enjoyed. Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this eARC of Old Scores. This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

OLD SCORES (Hist Mys-Barker and Llewelyn – London – VG
Thomas, Will – 9th in series
Minotaur Books – October 2017

First Sentence: I suppose it all began with the garden.

A delegation of Japanese diplomats are in London to discuss opening an embassy. Enquiry Agent Cyrus Barker, who lived in Japan, is asked to show the gentlemen his garden. When Ambassador Toda is murdered later that night, and Barker found across the street, he is arrested, interrogated, and finally released. Scotland Yard isn’t convinced of his innocence, but the new Japanese ambassador implores Barker and Llewelyn to find the real killer.

One would be hard pressed to find a more delightful story narrator than Thomas Llewelyn—“’Is there anything I can do?’ I asked, … ‘I could help with the penjing trees…’ ‘No, no, lad, you just go ahead and read.’ Very well, so I’m not an expert gardener. Some wag, probably our butler, Max, expressed the belief that bonsai (to give them the Japanese name) Scream at the mention of my name. England has been called a nation of gardeners, but no one said anything about Wales.”

The author is very good at providing background as one goes and throwing in very effective plot twists. He also tosses in small bits of philosophy and/or perspective--
Berker gold me once that when someone criticizes you, you must take it to heart, and try to see yourself from his or her point of view.”

We are given a look at Japan’s politics during an interesting time of history, and politics between the traditionalists and the progressives. As usual, it was the US which throw things into turmoil.
The dialogue is wonderfully done. One looks forward to the humorous—“’How do we know anything without asking’ “Seen and ye shall find: knock and the door will be opened unto you.’ Barker smiled. ‘Well, well,’ he said ‘So he can quite scripture.’ ‘As Shakespeare said, ‘The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.’”

There are a couple of characters those who follow the series will be pleased to see; Rebecca Cowan, Llewelyn’s intended, and Fu Yung, Barker’s ward. The meeting between the two women is delightful. Moreover, it’s a pleasant reminder of how well-developed are all of Thomas’ characters, include those who are female. Barker’s story of his time in Japan is enlightening and tragic. It explains quite a bit about the character. Thomas is someone followers of the series have seen grow and change. This is not a series where the characters stagnate.

Between Barker’s French-trained chef, and his Chinese friends and restaurant owner Ho, food always plays a role. From eggs in truffle butter, to bacon sandwiches, noodles with prawns, and even fugu, the poisonous puffer fish, it is delectably described.

Just when one may think there is a lot of talk and not a lot of action, one is proven very wrong. There is a nice twist in that the bad guys don’t always die. Too, there is a wonderful reference to the Battle of Culloden.

“Old Scores” is a pleasurable balance of well-done characters, dialogue, and suspense along with fascinating lessons of history.

This is one of the best in the series, I think. I'm always happy when there is a new Will Thomas book making the rounds. There is something quite uplifting about returning to familiar characters that I've grown to admire throughout a series and I find myself eagerly anticipating the camaraderie between Cyrus and Thomas. I love the way they interact with one another and this book is a perfect example of why I enjoy them so much.

I always find the glimpses into the past that this author reveals to be interesting and there is a lot to be learned in this novel, especially about Cyrus. With each new book that comes out, I feel like the characters have grown, become more solid and I find myself wanting to know more about them. I was pleased with the way this story played out and the exciting mystery at the heart of it. I can't recommend this series enough for anyone who likes compelling mysteries. I haven't been let down yet by these stories and they seem to keep getting better with each new novel.

This is one that you don't want to miss out on. If you haven't read this series yet, you are missing out. The language the author uses is authentic for the period the books are set in, the mysteries are difficult to solve and the characters will stay with you--all good reasons to pick up a copy. Can't wait for more!

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

1890 London and the new Japanese ambassador has arrived with his entourage. One of their schedule visits is to the gardens of Cyrus Barker. Later that night when Ambassador Toda is kiled , Barker who was in the vicinity is the prime suspect. But the new ambassador, General Mononobe, employs them to find the murderer.
A stand-alone story, and an enjoyable mystery with political intrigue, a bit of romance, and where we also find out more about Barkers' history.

Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.

This mystery is even more thrilling, life-threatening, and secret spilling than ever before. I love how this series evolves and keeps going deeper with every book.

A very cool historical mystery! If you like novels set in Victorian London, this ones for you. You'll fairly quickly see the parallels between Barker and Llewelyn and Holmes and Watson but that wasn't a deal breaker for me as that sort of symbiotic relationship always makes for a good read. I read this as a standalone so the background on Barker which came out as he investigated the murder of the Japanese Ambassador was surprising to me. This is a clever well written piece of entertainment, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC- try this one for an intelligent take on rotten guys in London during the 1890s.

Old Scores is the 9th book in the Barker and Llewelyn series. Set in Victorian London, it's a mystery rich in atmosphere and intrigue.

Reading this book was my second experience with the series, having read book 7 last year. I felt it was well worth rediscovering these characters, because of how well they play off of one another.

The story is told from Cyrus Barker's point of view, as he observes and works alongside his mysterious boss, Thomas Llewelyn. Llewelyn is a Private Enquiry Agent as well as a wealthy a pious man, but his past is multilayered, having spent time at both Oxford and in prison.

As Old Scores begins, Thomas is accused of killing the Japanese diplomat he had just played host to. As things play out, we see more details about Thomas' past come to light, and we also see Cyrus develop his personal life to a satisfying extent.

This story is nicely balanced with both politics and a traditional murder mystery, along with a cast of complex and curious characters. Its atmospheric feel makes it a perfect café read.

Available: Oct. 3, 2017!

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for giving me a review copy of this book.

It was fascinating to read this novel about the crossing of Japanese, Chinese and British cultures in London at the end of the 1800’s. Along with a compelling history, Thomas brings to life a large cast of characters, including Barker and Llewellyn, private inquiry agents, and their household, Barker’s adopted daughter and her husband, and the Japanese embassy to London. I look forward to filling in the back story with the previous books in the series.

OLD SCORES was a wonderful detective story. My kind of mystery book: London town, 1890 year, a couple of sassy detectives and a mysterious murder.

An intriguing plot, full of secrets, lies, betrayal, and some funny humor. This is my first time being introduced to Barker and Llewelyn, and let me tell you - Llewelyn is one funny lad. I did enjoy the read and storyline. B&L team has caught my attention and I am going to read previous Barker & Llewelyn books.

I will recommend this book to anyone who likes Sherlock & Watson and Poirot & Hastings detective teams.

A good, solid historical mystery. Old Scores is book nine in the Barker & Llewelyn historical mystery series by author Will Thomas, and this book takes us back to London and deals with the beginning formation of the Japanese embassy in London. A lot of this book dealt with various history regarding Japan, China, England, and the United States, and a lot of this history I was unfamiliar with, and I wrote lots of items down to look up online. With so much history being discussed, this entry felt a bit slower than other books in the Barker & Llewelyn series. It isn’t that the plot wasn’t moving along or interesting, it was more like I mentally slowed down and thought about all of the different items being mentioned instead of just racing through the book.
After the Japanese delegation arrives, the Ambassador is killed, and Cyrus Barker is arrested for his murder. The book is told from the point of view of Thomas Llewelyn, Barker’s assistant, and Llewelyn is again, a great narrator. He’s not always serious, and he voices his frustration with Barker’s secrecy, and he’s just an all-around likeable guy. You get a bit more of Barker’s background in this book, namely his history in Japan, and I thought this aspect was well done and fitting.
The one problem I had with Old Scores is that I had trouble connecting to any of the red herrings and various characters that arise during the murder investigation. I don’t know if it was a matter of too many characters, or if it was that the characters were all too similar. I didn’t recall any distinguishing characteristics, so was constantly forgetting who was who and what job that person had.
One of my favorite scenes in this book involved a dinner hosted by Ho, an old friend of Barker’s who runs an underground Chinese restaurant in London. At the dinner that Ho is hosting for the Japanese delegation, he serves fugu, and I’ve been fascinated by this fish and the preparation for years, so I was really happy to see this mentioned in the book.
I’m so glad that this series keeps going, as I really enjoy the characters of Barker and Llewelyn, and the various regular characters that appear every so often. While this entry wasn’t my favorite of the series, due to not being able to connect to or keep track of all of the suspects, I still enjoyed it and recommend it to those who enjoy historical mysteries.

Bottom Line: A good and solid entry in the Barker & Llewelyn historical mystery series.

I always enjoy this series. Thomas Llewelyn has come a long way under the tutelage of Cyrus Barker. In this outing, we learn more about the background of the mysterious Mr, Barker, and see Mr. Llewelyn trying to balance a personal life with that as an enquiry agent as the duo search for the assassin of the Japanese ambassador in London.

Old Scores by Will Thomas is a Barker & Llewelynn installment set in 1890 in London. Shortly after the Japanese delegation visits Cyrus Barker's Japanese garden, the Japanese ambassador is murdered. Barker is arrested and roughly interrogated by the Special Branch before being released.

Thomas Llewelynn, Barker's assistant, learns a little more about Barker's background in the search for the true murderer of the ambassador.

This is the 9th book in the series, and I've only read one other, but I have enjoyed them.

Read in July; blog review scheduled for Aug. 3.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books

Historical Mystery. Oct. 3, 2017. Print length: 304 pages.

I love this series. Barker and Llewelyn are a great team, and two of the most unique and interesting characters in today's fiction. I'm never disappointed and Will Thomas just keeps getting better and better