I just loved this book from page one to the last page. It’s Has not only a page turner Plot, but also very believable characters. The story’s rich and detailed and fast-paced. I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.

A slow start, but it really picked up the pace at the end! And, this was a lovely look into his “youth” and how he started as a private detective.

This was a good Victorian Mystery. I loved the characters and the setting. I am happy to have discovered this series and look forward to more installments.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the first book I read in this series and I found it engrossing and entertaining.
I loved the well researched historical background, the fleshed out cast of characters, and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I will surely read other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is an awesome book set in the Victorian era. You get to see how Charles Lenox, raised in the upperclass and just graduating from Oxford becomes a private investigator. I loved seeing how he gets to be involved in investigating and includes his valet, Graham. I will be looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

The first prequel in the Charles Lenox Mystery Series is Woman in the Water by Charles Finch. Lenox is turning 23 and just starting out being a detective, such an occupation is beneath a man of his standing but it's his heart's desire. As he is reading the morning newspaper he spots a letter stating that the previous month the perfect murder had been committed, but since no one had bothered awfully much over it, there would be another on the anniversary. Lenox pulls out his files of crime around London and realizes which murder was the perfect one and then tries to stop the next one from happening. Things unfold from there, while Lenox struggles with his peers, Scotland Yard, and his own feelings about him being a detective. An enjoyable book, filling in more information about Lenox's earlier life. Well written characters and engrossing plot.

The Woman in the Water is the first prequel book in the Charles Lenox Mysteries series by Charles Finch. I'm usually not a big fan of prequel books, but this book and the next one (The Vanishing Man) has changed my opinion of them. Since this is a prequel book - and the first one -, it totally stands alone. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley; however, I am basing my review on the audio book version of this work which I purchased for myself. I listened to the audio book of The Vanishing Man (which also can stand alone) and it was superb, so I wanted to listen to this one also. James Langton, the narrator, is truly magnificent; he's one of the best I've heard.

Charles Lenox is a young detective in 1850 London. Being the son of a Baronet, "work" is looked down upon by Society. However, Lenox, a very intelligent young man, is determined to make a career out of detection. He, along with his valet Graham, reads the papers every morning and clip out articles that catch their interest. They come across an interesting one: a man boasting of committing the "perfect crime". From the timeline, it appears that the murderer is planning another one. He takes his ideas to Scotland yard, but they don't take him very seriously...until he proves to be right. After another murder occurs, it becomes a race against time before the killer strikes again.

Though I've only "read" two books in this series so far, it is now one of my favorites. Charles Finch truly draws you into young Lenox's world. You can sense Lenox's frustration in attempting to set up a career as a detective when he is looked down upon by most in Scotland Yard. I thought the mystery here was rather brilliant; I did not see any of the truth coming until Lenox revealed it. Red herrings continually threw me off track. One of my favorite things about this book, however, dealt with Lenox's relationships with those in his sphere: his dying father, his mother, Graham, brother Edmund...and Lady Elizabeth. That one got to me most of all; Lenox risks his friendship with Elizabeth by declaring his love for her, though she is married and he knows his affection can't go anywhere.

I am so grateful the publisher has granted me the ARC of the next book, The Last Passenger. Do not let this absolutely brilliant series pass you by!

Although this book was not the first one the author has written in this series, it does describe the beginning of Charles Lennox’s career as a “gentleman” detective. The portrayal of Lennox as a young, recent Oxford graduate is very realistic, He comes across as somewhat awkward, slightly immature, and a bit socially naive. We are treated to stories about his family background, (as the second son of an earl his ambition to be a detective is pretty much social suicide.) The only way he can get Scotland Yard to even listen to him is to use his aristocratic connections. Even then, he is considered a nuisance. However, with the help of his valet (and friend), Graham, he perseveres. The mystery is solved but it comes with some hard lessons for Charles.

I enjoyed this novel very much. We are treated to glimpses of Charles life and relationships, and we meet some of his family, his household staff, and friends. I think this book would appeal to a broad range of readers.

This is my first book in this series, a mystery in the Victorian era. The author brings the city and the country side vividly in front of our eyes, the ways of the high society.The detective work is so contrasting to the present day with no modern technology.. This gives a refreshing feel to the story. Reminds me of the Sebastian St Cyr series. I liked it very much and will be reading the series.

This is a enjoyable Victorian historical mystery from Charles Finch featuring the aristocrat and Oxford man, Charles Lenox set in London in 1850. It's a prequel to the series, but my first taste of the detective, having not read any others, but since it's portrays the start of Charles's career path where his youthful ambitions to be a consulting detective at the tender age of 23 are derided, it works very well as a standalone. His opportunity to prove himself comes with an anonymous letter from a killer in a paper, claiming to have committed the perfect murder and that there will be more to come. A woman's body is found in a trunk in the River Thames, Aided by his able valet, Graham, Charles finds a obstacle ridden case, one that is to push him to his limits, providing character development for his character, as he faces danger as do those close to him. I very much liked my first dip into this series and hope to read more. Finch provides rich descriptions of the Victorian period with its class distinctions, and a wide array of characters including Charles's family and friends, with a Scotland Yard that is far from welcoming of his contribution. This will appeal to those who like historical fiction and historical mysteries in particular. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for a copy.

In which I'm introduced to a Victorian gentleman detective!

London, 1850. Charles Lenox is obviously intelligent. At first I thought he was a tad awkward socially. Later I realized it's just his way, after all he's only 23 and just beginning his life as a detective. Apparently Charles has let the girl he loved slip away due to his own inaction, not recognizing that what he felt for Elizabeth (who is later called Jane) was more than a childhood friendship. Between establishing himself in the detecting arena and losing his love before it could become a reality, Charles doesn't seem to be as yet comfortable in his own skin
Charles' companion and valet Graham, is a partner in this cohort of investigation. We are told that Graham has a mind that absorbs and holds onto information. I love the scene of them both cutting out newspaper articles and then comparing notes to discover where things might be amiss, where their skills might be needed.
Charles has a hard time being taken seriously by Scotland Yard, even when he discovers things they miss, such as this latest case which seems to link to another murder. A body has been found in a naval locker. Another body has been floated Ophelia like down the Thames to come to rest on mud flats. Charles feels they're connected. The police are more than sceptical, if not downright disdainful.
We are introduced to Charles' family who are incredibly likeable. I feel that Charles just can't help being as he is, given these special people who care so deeply for him.
I was hesitant with this Sherlock and Holmes type pairing, even though these two are very different from that famous duo--although there's a lingering familiar air.
All in all, an immensely enjoyable read!

A Minotaur Books ARC via NetGalley

Charles Lenox is the second son of aristocracy, and he has decided to make his career as a detective, much to the derision of the police and the disapproval of his family and friends. Supported by his valet (with a 't') Graham, they scour the morning papers, noting all crime in the hope that some of this information will become useful. They then become involved in the macabre discovery of a young woman pulled from the Thames in a trunk, and reluctantly Scotland Yard accept that he has some clever insights and allow him to work the case.

The characters are very appealing - Charles Lenox, with his naivety of youth, his passion for a woman he cannot attain, his lovely relationship with his family is a very likeable character. Graham is a little more mysterious and we hope to learn more about him in future books.

The story is told very well, it is pacy and keeps the reader's interest all the way through, with some good twists and turns played against the back story. I did spot a couple of anachronisms, but they didn't deter from the story itself.

Overall a good read, and I am looking forward to starting the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In 1850 London Charles Lenox is an aristocrat and recent Oxford graduate who is trying to become a private detective. He is assisted by his manservant Graham. Lenox has just turned 23, as we are told repeatedly. This book is a prequel to the Charles Lenox series. I imagine that my appreciation of the characters might have been increased if I knew how their lives developed in the later books. However, the only other book in this series I have read was the first one, “A Beautiful Blue Death” and I remember nothing about it. So this book was essentially a standalone for me and it worked fine as a standalone. Lenox tries to track down a murderer who has been sending taunting letters to a newspaper. Two side plots involve a man who has been receiving mystery cash gifts and Lenox’s relationship with his married friend Elizabeth. The secondary plots were less interesting to me.

The characters were pleasant, although I think that 23 year olds might have been a little more mature in those days, having assumed responsibility somewhat earlier than Lenox did. I enjoyed the interplay between Lenox and Graham. The plot was well constructed and held my interest, but near the end of the book there was one case of mistaken identity that seemed extremely improbable. I’ll probably read more of the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Fabulous and captivating! This book will hold you from the beginning and not let you go!

Go back to the beginning of the Victorian mystery series, and see how Charles Lennox got his start. A batch of letters, the perfect murder, and a chance to prove that he is worthy of becoming an inspector.

I loved this book! I don't want to give away the entire book! I could sit here and go on and on!

It kind of reminded me of Sherlock Holmes. Old-fashioned whodunit detective story, with our hero Charles Lennox.

This is a prequel to this series. It is the story of just how Charles began his career as a private investigator. He is young...only 23...and living on his own for the first time. He wants to travel and he wants to solve crimes. He is dealing with losing the love of his life, his father’s illness and a diligent housekeeper intent on making him crazed...oh...and cats! He is not a cat lover. He has Graham...his valet/butler. Graham seems to know what Charles needs even before Charles does. The murderer in this case is clever...very clever...but Charles is very clever, too!

"This chilling new mystery in the USA Today bestselling series by Charles Finch takes readers back to Charles Lenox’s very first case and the ruthless serial killer who would set him on the course to become one of London’s most brilliant detectives.

London, 1850: A young Charles Lenox struggles to make a name for himself as a detective…without a single case. Scotland Yard refuses to take him seriously and his friends deride him for attempting a profession at all. But when an anonymous writer sends a letter to the paper claiming to have committed the perfect crime―and promising to kill again―Lenox is convinced that this is his chance to prove himself.

The writer’s first victim is a young woman whose body is found in a naval trunk, caught up in the rushes of a small islets in the middle of the Thames. With few clues to go on, Lenox endeavors to solve the crime before another innocent life is lost. When the killer’s sights are turned toward those whom Lenox holds most dear, the stakes are raised and Lenox is trapped in a desperate game of cat and mouse.

In the tradition of Sherlock Holmes, this newest mystery in the Charles Lenox series pits the young detective against a maniacal murderer who would give Professor Moriarty a run for his money."

Oh, Charles Finch is coming relatively near me on his book tour, must try to make that!

Charles Finch’s writing is eloquent and civilized and tangibly evokes England during the Victorian Era. So, I welcomed the chance to review book #11 in his Charles Lenox series. If you, too, are a fan of the series, this prequel describing Lenox’s first case should be a must read. If you have never read one of the books in the series, this would be a great place to start. His writing is strong on characterization and evoking a setting full of interesting (and accurate) historical details and weak on profanity and violence which makes them wonderful reads.

Charles Lenox is an interesting and likable main character—a gentleman who becomes a private detective. Yes, this would have been rare in that era, for the second son of a titled family to choose such an avocation ( no private detectives only police detectives in that era), but that very fact enables the reader to see the different worlds of Victorian Era London.

As the novel begins, the year is 1850 and 23-year-old Lenox and his valet and right hand man, Graham, are searching the morning papers for crimes to solve. They are looking for a case that will make their names and gain them entrance into the enclave of government law enforcement that would be loathe to let a private citizen investigate one of their cases. With his social standing as the son of an earl, his family and friends are also likely to not understand his interest in crime solving. Lenox and Graham notice a letter in a newspaper in which an anonymous writer claims to have committed a perfect murder, and warns that another will soon follow. They tie together two separate cases of two dead women found near the Thames, their prediction pans out, and Scotland Yard begins to allow him limited entry into the cases in which we get a picture of the docks of London. Here is an example of Finch’s prose: “It could be argued that the Thames hadn’t changed in 7,000 years. Or — that it changed at every second, and in every decade, and in every century, while remaining eternally itself.”

Besides the gritty world of the docks, we also deal with crises that Lenox’s upper class family and friends are dealing with. And this portion of the novel is even more interesting and endearing to me. Lenox discovers his 61-year-old father is ill before his time and only has a few months to live. He is also in love with a friend, Elizabeth, who just happens to be married. And happens to be a woman in an era where women had no rights. “There was that Gioconda smile in her eyes: It was how Lenox had always pictured Jane Austen, actually, deep brown eyes that missed nothing, took it in, saw the humor and irony in it, and refused to pass judgment.” Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book and for allowing me to review it.

Part of the reason I really like series is that I get to see the development of the recurring characters. Especially with mysteries (which are my favorite genre), the continuity and the characters' development over time are very satisfying to me.

The Woman in the Water is a prequel to the Charles Lenox series by Charles Finch. The entire series are classic mysteries. This one is no exception. I enjoyed reading about his family, his complex and bittersweet relationship with Lady Jane, as well as his early collaboration with Graham. There was precisely the right amount of humor (Mrs. Huggins, his housekeeper for example) to balance the murders and investigation.

Period mysteries (especially those set in Victorian England) seem to have become something of a flavor-of-the-moment, so it's unusual for one to stand out amongst the flood of offerings. This series is genuinely well written and entertaining. Relatively clean mysteries, without a lot of overt blood or violence. There is occasional light cursing (never gratuitous) with a few scattered 'hell, damn, blast and/or bloody'. There's nothing which could conceivably shock or offend most readers.

Incidentally, though age is certainly not indicative of writing skill, I admit I was shocked to learn that the author, Charles Finch, is quite young (b. 1980). He's a masterful writer, and I'm inordinately pleased at the likelihood of having new mysteries from him for decades to come.

The Woman in the Water was published by St. Martin's Press - Minotaur and was released 20th February, 2018. Available in hardcover, softcover and ebook formats.

Five stars, top shelf mystery. This one made me want to go and revisit the series.

In this engrossing prequel to the Charles Lenox mysteries, set in 1850, Finch’s amiable aristocratic hero is not yet the distinguished Parliamentarian and private detective who will feature in ten more full-length novels. He has the same brilliantly deductive mind that will serve him well in the future but, as a 23-year-old Oxford grad, he lacks maturity and life experience and is wise enough to know it. Living in a flat on London’s St. James’s Square, Lenox and his valet, Graham, spend their days clipping crime-related articles from newspapers and seeking patterns that may lead to an initial case. He gets his break after spying a pretentious letter to the editor from a writer bragging about committing the perfect crime. When Lenox spots connections others don’t, and links the letter to the month-old discovery of a woman’s body from a waterlogged trunk, Scotland Yard finally starts paying attention.

This novel offers many pleasures, not least of which is the opportunity to puzzle out the solution to this intricate mystery alongside Lenox. Although as a baronet’s second son, he’s a privileged sort who has no material wants, he swiftly gains the reader’s sympathy. Aside from a few close friends, his social circle thinks he’s crazy for wanting to pursue a career at all, while experienced policemen joke about the “young inspector” and his sidekick valet (it doesn’t help that Lenox pronounces that word with a hard “t”). Lenox is also desperately in love with a female friend, and realized this much too late. Gently wry humor emerges through Lenox’s banter with Graham, and in how he evades his redoubtable housekeeper’s lengthy to-do list. On the serious side, Lenox faces devastating family news and the emotional impact of a real-life murder investigation. Both newcomers and series regulars should find themselves drawn in.

(from the Historical Novels Review, May 2018)

Prequel that delivers
Byjody on February 27, 2018
I eagerly look forward to Charles Finch books. I am not a fan of prequels as a rule. However, I will make an exception this case. It was a captivating story, great character development and an all round great read! Great for the plane, beach or a quiet night.