The excellent second book in a series of six YA novels set in Victorian London featuring orphans Alfie and his friends. A book which I am sure will appeal to children and adults alike.

‘No-one will miss a slum kid like you.’

This is the second in a series of six YA novels set in Victorian London. Alfie looks after his brother Sammy, their cousins Jack and Tom and their faithful dog Mutsy. He works hard to try to keep a roof over their heads and food in their mouths. But he’s also keen to obtain some education. Which is why he insists that Tom and Jack attend the Ragged School at St Giles with him in the evenings where Mr James Elmore is teaching them to read.

But one night, the building in which the school is held is burned, and Mr Elmore is killed.

Was Mr Elmore’s death an accident? Inspector Denham of the Bow Street Police Station thinks so, but Alfie doesn’t agree. Alfie can think of a few people who wanted Mr Elmore out of the way. So, he sets out to investigate. He’s convinced that Mr Elmore has been murdered. Alfie’s investigations lead him and others into danger and is complicated further when Inspector Denham is admitted to hospital with pneumonia.

In telling the story, Ms Harrison provides plenty of detail about the squalid conditions in which the poor lived: the stench, the fog, the continual struggle for survival. Poor children like Alfie and his gang did not enjoy the luxury of childhood.

I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the next instalment. While this novel could be read as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the novels in order.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I love Cora Harrison's books and I loved this one. It's engaging, entertaining and well written.
I appreciated the well written and fleshed out characters, you cannot help liking them, the well researched and vivid historical background and the mystery.
It's a fast paced read that you cannot put down.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.