In London 1882, a new reporter for the Pall Mall Gazette, Alec Londale, comes across a house fire, that is not uncommon in those times, approaches the scene to watch the firemen hard at work to prevent the fire from spreading to the other houses. Looking around for someone to tell him who lives there and how the fire started, he approaches a woman, asking her questions. A body has been discovered. Alex begins to take notes and shortly after speaking with the first woman, another woman, who appears distraught, approaches him and ask him to meet her at a later date. She has information for him that can’t be shared at the scene. Alex is unobservant to her emotions and what she is saying or not saying. It is quite clear to him what she is and he dismisses her from his mind. Alex is young and is portrayed as a naive and green around the quills-if you will- about the ins and outs of being a reporter.

When the post-mortem on the fire victim comes back as something other than an accident, it isn’t long before a second body is found and this time the person’s throat is cut and then the bodies start to pile up.

Alex’s feisty female colleague, Hula Friederrichs is assigned to help him investigate the case. He isn’t happy about it but he needs all the help he can get! The further they investigate, they delve into the mystery and start to uncover a conspiracy so sinister, that it takes them to the upper classes of Victorian Society. The threat of their own lives become a reality as they get closer to the murder plot and they begin to question whom can they trust.

My fascination with the Victorian era’s class-based society, the stereotypes and double standards of the period, journalism, and the murder mystery genre prompted me to read this book. Those elements combined make for a gripping story. There is also the fact, I’m always curious how writers today portray the culture of the period.

Darwin’s theories are introduced in the story and taken to an unspeakable dark and evil height that will have you wondering how far will these people go to advance their objective. I don’t think I have ever been so thoroughly taken back by a theme that pushes the boundaries of this nature. In fact, it makes this story all too realistic and chilling.

Highly entertaining, and a thought-provoking read.

Stephanie Hopkins

In London, 1882, Alec Lonsdale, a reporter for the Pall Mall Gazette, stumbles upon a house fire and investigates in hopes of a good story. Having left the Colonial Service in Africa and in need of making his living, he’s trying to win the confidence of his editor and gain a fulltime position. The burning house proves both fruitful and confounding. The dead body inside reveals something alarming during autopsy: someone neatly removed part of the brain. And then others die and more brains go missing. But the police squelch Alec’s inquiries and they dismiss the connections he’s drawing. This novel is both gruesome and intriguing. If the misuse of Darwin and other Victorian intellectual misadventures captivate your more ghoulish sense of history, then I recommend this mystery. Beaufort weaves together Victorian scientific thought, emerging forensics, the hard realities of poverty in 19th century London, the suffocating roles allowed for women and some sick criminals. That’s quite a brew and it will keep you guessing. Alec is a likeable, upper-class man with broad enough life experience that he thinks in unconventional ways. He treats unorthodox women and others with respect and the villains with a strong fist to the face. Beaufort effectively binds his reader to this amateur sleuth so that the life and death situations keep the pages flipping. An enjoyable, on-the-dark-side, Victorian mystery.
This review appeared in Historical Novels Review May 2018

Simon Beaufort initiates the Alec Lonsdale Victorian mystery series with Mind of a Killer. Alec Lonsdale is a scrappy, honest reporter in nineteenth century London for the Pall Mall Gazette. Bodies with brains removed turn up all over London. Whodunit ?. Gritty atmosphere, corrupt cops and crusading reporters create a great read.

We are in London and it is the Spring of 1862. William Ewart Gladstone is two years into his second spell as British Prime Minister, The Irish Question dominates domestic politics and the campaigning journalist WT Stead is deputy editor of the evening newspaper The Pall Mall Gazette. Among his journalists is Alec Lonsdale, younger son of the Vicar of Raunds and brother of the prominent barrister, James Lonsdale.

Alec, on his way home from an unsuccessful attempt to interview the director of the Zoological Gardens, chances upon a very public emergency. A terraced house is ablaze, and its occupant – a Mr Donovan – has perished in the fire. When his body is hauled from the wreckage his head has been destroyed, but further examination reveals the astonishing fact that part of his brain – the cerebrum – has been surgically removed.

Simon Beaufort provides an exhilarating and madcap journey through the contrasting mileus of Victorian London. We experience gentlemen’s clubs with their subtle ambience of brandy and fine cigars, the visceral stench of low-life pubs and doss houses and the clatter of the hot lead printing presses of a vibrant daily newspaper. Lonsdale – with the assistance of Hulda Friedrichs, a fiercely independent early feminist journalist – painstakingly uncovers a nightmarish plot hatched by scientists who are obsessed with eugenics, and believe that the future of the human race depends on selective breeding and the suppression of ‘the undeserving poor’.

Alec Lonsdale is a thoroughly admirable hero who is as handy with his fists as he is with his pen. Most of the staff at the Pall Mall Gazette are actual historical figures, beautifully researched and described. We have gore, mortuary scenes, fights a-plenty, scrupulous period detail and also a sly sense of fun as we observe the elaborate formal minuet of courtship, particularly between Alec and his future sister-in-law Anne. Eventually the conspiracy is exposed by Alec and Hulda, but not before we have an exuberant reprise of the ‘mad scientist’ trope.

Simon Beaufort? Simon is a ‘they’ rather than a ‘he’. Beau Riffenburgh is a Californian born and bred, an expert in polar exploration, and an American Football coach. His wife – and writing partner – is none other than Liz Cruwys, better known as Susanna Gregory, best-selling author of many historical novels featuring medieval investigator Matthew Bartholemew. Mind Of A Killer is published by Severn House, came out in hardback just before Christmas 2017, and is now available in Kindle.

3 sometimes scary, but often hard to follow stars

Alexander Lonsdale has acquired a job with the local paper, The Pall Mall Gazette, in London. He lives with his brother an important barrister and together with a female reporter, Hulda Friederichs, embark on what turns out to be quite the sinister story. There have been a number of fires, a number of train accidents, and a number of people's cerebellums missing that spark the desire of Lonsdale and Hulda to get to the bottom of this mystery. What has happened and why would a part of a person's brain be missing? What sinister plot is happening and why are the police seemingly hesitant to investigate.

This discovery of missing brains leads these two intrepid reporters on a merry chase to find out who and what is behind this horrific event of the taking of one's brains. There is a conspiracy afoot and of course there are higher ups trying to prevent the information being found and printed in the news. Can Lonsdale and Hulda unmask the conspirators without losing their lives and of course their brains? Will they too, become part of this sinister and macabre plot?

While the actual book incorporated many real elements and some fantastic conspiracies, it left this reader a but less than enthused about the overall writing of this story. It was at times very long winded and often had some confusing elements which one guesses were incorporated to throw the reader off the path of the culprits of crime. I did like how it used real people and historical events to forward the story however. Overall, it was a good story, certainly not an engrossing one, but for those who enjoy conspiracy theories this might be a book for you.

Thank you to Simon Beaufort, Severn Publishers, and NetGalley for providing this reader with a copy of this novel for an unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers who me the opportunity to read this book
Enjoyable gripping read set in Victorian London , Alexander Lonsdale is the primary character a reporter for The Pall Mall Gazette who happens to come across an unfortunate murder victim with part of brain removed.

London, 1882 and Alec Lonsdale now works as a reporter for the Pall Mall Gazette. While travelling in London he notices a house fire which he further investigates only to find that a victim has had his brain removed before he died supposedly in the fire. Then more bodies are found, and with fellow reporter Hulda Friederichs they invesitagate.
An enjoyable and interesting, well-written story with some well-drawn characters.

What a great historical mystery by author Simon Beaufort (pseudonym of a husband and wife writing team). Mind of a Killer is the first installment in The Alec Londale Victorian Mystery Series. The story takes place in London in 1882.

I have always loved reading books set during the Victorian time period. <i>Simon Beaufort’s</i> rich and descriptive writing brings the story to life, especially the city of London and its different social classes. The main character was Alexander Lonsdale, a reporter for The Pall Mall Gazette. Lonsdale spent most of his adult life as one of Queen Victoria’s faithful representatives in Africa. He returned to London and announced to his family he was going to be a reporter. Needless to say the family wasn’t happy about his new career move. Lonsdale wishes to be hired full-time at the Gazette and he begins investigating what he believes are a series of connected murders.

Lonsdale is a well-developed character, very smart and witty. I love the interactions and dialogue between Lonsdale and the other reporters at the Pall Mall Gazette. I especially liked Hulda Friederichs, the only female reporter for the paper. Hulda is a strong aggressive female character who speaks her mind usually without thinking it through first. She does not let anyone or anything intimidate her. Hulda and Lonsdale have an interesting working relationship…sometimes even posing as husband and wife while trying to solve the mystery. Hulda’s personality is to just wing it while Lonsdale prefers to be more cautious. They make a great team!!

I felt the mystery itself was original and creative. The author had me guessing until the end. 4 out of 5 stars for me. I would definitely read more from this series and would recommend this book to everyone who loves historical mysteries and stories from London’s Victorian Period.

Thank you Simon Beaufort, Severn House, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read.

I liked this one a lot. I added this book to my reading list on a complete impulse. I liked the cover and when I took a closer look at the book's description, I thought it sounded like something I would like. That impulse worked out well in this case. I did take me a bit to really get into the story but once I was hooked, I didn't want to stop reading. I am so glad that I made the decision to read this book.

I really liked that the book was set during the Victorian period. I thought that the era was well represented in the story and I really liked seeing how a crime might have been solved with the resources that they had on hand. I found the scenes from the mortuary really interesting and found myself wondering how many crimes were missed. There were a lot of descriptions that really made the period come to life so it was really easy to visualize what was happening.

The mystery in this book is very solid. I usually read a book's description once when deciding if I want to read it and then promptly forget any details. I was shocked when the discovery was made about what was taken from the murder victim. I couldn't figure out what the killer's motive might have been and I had no idea who might have been behind the crimes. This is a book that kept me guessing until the very end.

The characters in the book were very well done. Londale was determined to find out what had happened and I liked the way that he went about finding out. He was smart and resourceful. I found myself liking him more and more as the book progressed. Hulda was such a fun character. She is the only female reporter working at the newspaper and she doesn't seem to worry if she is acting like a proper lady most of the time. When she needs to play a part to get someone to open up, she can quickly fit into just about any role and you never seemed to know what she might say or do. Londale and Hulda made a really good team and I liked the way they interacted with each other.

I would recommend this book to mystery fans. This had so many wonderful elements that came together to tell a rather thought provoking and entertaining story. I do hope to see more books featuring this amazing group of characters very soon..

I received a digital advanced reader edition of this book from Severn House Publishers via NetGalley.

Pall Mall Gazette reporter Alec Lonsdale is working on a fatal house fire when he is accosted by a woman telling him that there have been more deaths and she has information on them. After a post-mortem reveals that the victim, Patrick Donovan, was murdered and that part of his brain had been removed, Lonsdale is determined to put his journalistic skills to good use and investigate what has happened. Assisted by his colleague, the feisty female reporter, Hulda Friederichs, when more bodies are found, their attempts to uncover the truth are thwarted at every step. Exactly who is stopping them from uncovering the truth?

One of the things I enjoy most about well-written historical crime fiction is the ability to transport the reader back in time, giving you the opportunity to experience the sounds, sights and smells of the era. Mind of a Killer certainly does this, evoking images of downtrodden Londoners, doing anything they can to make ends meet. In stark contrast, we see how life differed for the upper classes, and how vast the divide between the two groups was. Simon Beaufort certainly takes you back to Victorian London to a time when people were distrustful of the new underground rail system and how journalists were reluctant to print celebrity stories!

By having journalists as the main protagonists, Mind of a Killer moves the story away from it being a typical police procedural. Lonsdale is a great character but he is usurped in every scene by the inimitable Hulda, a strong woman if ever there was one! I was fascinated to read that the character was based on a real journalist who worked for The Pall Mall Gazette. Obviously, the author has taken some artistic licence, but after reading that she was the first female journalist to work on the same pay terms as her male counterparts, there is certainly an element of the fictional firebrand there!

The mystery is a particularly gruesome one with people being found murdered, horrifically disfigured with their cerebrum removed. It soon becomes apparent that there is more than one killer on the loose and that there are several other conspirators bound to keeping the operation secret. Despite the nature of the crimes, the actual murders are mainly kept off the page meaning that it never becomes too much to read for anyone of a nervous disposition.

Mind of a Killer is a great read which will hopefully become part of a series. Lonsdale and Friederichs definitely have more to offer.

In Victorian London, Alec Lonsdale, a reporter working for the Pall Mall Gazette, stumbles across a fatal house fire. It is anything but straight-forward, however, the post-mortem points to murder, and it may not be the only one. Alec, along with colleague, Hulda, investigates the case but it seems others want to stop them at all costs.

I'm a fan of historical murder-mysteries and I really enjoyed this one. It had a well-thought out plot, lively characters, and enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. The author used an excellent mix of fictional and historical characters, and used the science of the time to good effect. I would definitely be interested in reading a sequel. I would recommend this one to readers who like the books of Anne Perry or Alex Grecian.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Severn House, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

Interesting historical fiction that includes some topics we don't normally think of as being Victorian-eugenics for one. Alec Lonsdale has more or less stumbled into both reporting and a big ugly mystery. He enlists, happily, I think, Hulda Friedrichs, as his side kick as they try to determine why brains are being removed from murder victims. The mystery isn't too complicated, you'll learn a bit, and the characters (well, Alec and Hulda) are appealing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This would make a fine series.

A very original look into journalism in Britain in the 1800s, based on actual people who paved the way for the newspapers we know today.

These two reporters, Alex and Hulda (who is way ahead of her time), do more than just write and, as they creep closer to the horrific truth, it's very clear they are in danger. They become very suspicious about what seems to be strange random deaths and the game is afoot when autopsies reveal the cerebra were taken from the victims.

There are some interesting suspects - it is after all the time of Darwinism… but who would kill so many different people just to obtain cerebrally? The two reporters lead the reader into the backstreets and the underbelly of London, where people lived in total misery, to the affluent suburbs of lords and ladies. The killer could be anyone.

I really loved how the author builds his characters, especially Hulda. She is a woman who is a lady but not quite, and not quite not a lady either. Hulda is a rare specimen and I often found myself giggling at her wit and improvisation.

Alex finds himself stuck with Hulda, nicknamed “The Prussian Governess” and at times he cannot decide whether he should be scared of her or hug her. Although she leaves him bemused and confused, can he depend on her to save his life? Now that is an interesting question!

The book starts off a bit slow but as the two reporters manoeuvre closer to the truth, it's very difficult to put down. The author transports the reader into the time of gaslit streets, filled with fog. The atmosphere is brilliantly done.

Well deserved five stars - be sure to read the epilogue. Fascinating stuff.

Elsa

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

This had everything I need in an historical thriller: good research and detail of the time (in this case late Victorian), interesting characters, gruesome crimes and a criminal I didn’t suspect. The ending was complete in itself but left room for a continuation. Very enjoyable read!
Thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a well written mystery-thriller set in 1882. The pacing was good, the plot is compelling and the characters are well written. The mystery was an intriguing one and the twists and turns will keep you engaged. The author did a good job of creating Victorian London and I really enjoyed this setting. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read and would recommend it, especially if you enjoy historical fiction mixed with mystery-thriller.

Amazing read! This kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing until the end. Really engrossing and well written. I can't rave enough about it. 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for a digital galley of this novel.

Historical mysteries are favorite reads for me and having one set in Victorian London should have added to my pleasure. I didn't, however, enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped. The research done in preparation for this story into newspapers and reporting of the news by those papers in 1882 is used extensively throughout this novel, even down to using true historical figures as characters in the novel. There was so much factual information included that it left me with the feeling of distant and unemotional characters who remained solely fact finders through the novel. The story is told from the viewpoint of Alexander Lonsdale, a reporter for The Pall Mall Gazette, an evening London newspaper. Lonsdale happens upon a story concerning a possible six murders but his confidential source is killed before he can find out any facts. Now there are definitely two murders for him to investigate and by the time he's resolved all the questions the numbers grow to almost unbelievable proportions. Well, it is fiction after all.

It is 1882 London and reporter Alex Lonsdale is drawn to a deadly house fire. To the police it seems a clear case of accidental death, but neighbor's statements lead Lonsdale to wonder. But even he is surprised to learn that not only was the death murder, but the killer took part of the victim's brain. Ablely assisted by the newspaper's first and only female reporter, Alex and Hulda learn that there may be other similar deaths. But why would anyone want to collect human brains? The book is based on actual events and people from the time and a clever story built on these newspaper accounts. This is the first in a series of planned Alec Lonsdale mysteries and it is a good start. I was drawn to the characters and the descriptions of the world of the newspaper reporters. The book is well researched and presents an excellent portrait of Victorian London. I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ashes to ashes..........

A raging fire in 1882 in an upscale neighborhood of London bring Pall Mall Gazette journalist, Alexander Lonsdale, onto the crowded scene. People begin milling about in the course of confusion. A woman neighbor falls prey to Lonsdale's random questioning skills and devulges that the owner of the house ran outside to alert everyone and then ran back into the burning building. Later, his body was found on the floor with one side of his head bashed in. The front door seemed to have been locked from the inside as well. Strange........

Lonsdale, a long-time member of the Colonial Service, resigned his previous post in Africa over the mistreatment of the Boers. His newly found profession has been less than challenging as an article reporter until now. Suspicious by nature, Lonsdale believes there's more than smoke and charred wood leaning against this newspaper story.

Lonsdale side-steps orders from his editor and takes off to the Metropolitan Police Morgue to view the body himself. He's taken along Hulda Friederichs, a feisty and outspoken female reporter who bears the name of the "Prussian Governess". They meet with Dr. Bradwell whose usual bedside manner is reserved for the deadly silent. The dark humorous banter here is priceless. Beaufort interlaces this sharp dialogue continuously throughout the storyline which elicits some laugh-out-loud moments.

Lonsdale alerts Dr. Bradwell that the fire victim's head is quite misshapen. Upon closer inspection, Bradwell makes the gruesome discovery that the dead man's cerebrum is missing. A real case of unlawful entry, wouldn't you say?

When other bodies begin to show up with their cerebrum missing, the police and the newspaper editors try to squelch the stories so as not to panic the community. But Lonsdale and Hulda work together presenting quite the street skills. Both reporters know that the more they can reveal, the greater the prize will be in their eventual news story. But their lives will definitely be put in jeapardy while in the crossfire of events.

Simon Beaufort lines this story with the snap of true events and real individuals of the time period. It is a fascinating read injected with powerful scientific methods and discoveries. We as readers see how the puzzle pieces of popular/unpopular thinking float to the surface with likes of demographics, statistics, eugenics, and Darwin's Origin of the Species. We will see how the newly introduced science of fingerprinting with its arches, loops, and spirals come into play.

A highly entertaining read that will certainly light the flame of interest, Mind of a Killer will ask for a penny for your thoughts.........cerebrum or not.

I received a copy of Mind of a Killer through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Severn House and to Simon Beaufort for the opportunity.

1882 London and someone is killing people and stealing their cerebrum. Alex Lonsdale is a reporter trying to find answers along with Hulda Friederich, the first female reporter at the newspaper. A very good mystery that I'm sure is the beginning of a new series. Well written with great twists and turns
and some thought provoking ideas.