This is a great series and the latest book does not disappoint I found the story engaging and couldn't put the book down until I finished it.

This book was not engaging at all. It was a real challenge for me to be able to read all of it. I didn't really feel the mystery nor did I really care about any of the characters. It also didn't have a good historical feel..

This is a perfect blend of old London, Charles Dickens and murder. The Thames River police are called to a murder. The victim is a friend of a shop keeper named Kit. Kit is a good friend of Charles Dickens. Piece by piece the author puts together a list of interesting characters that add to the flavor and depth of the story. Dickens must find his friend while a murderer continues to terrorize the area. Soon more are lost and the guilt weighs heavy on the hidden shopkeeper and Dickens. Both must wait for Superintendent Sam Jones, who is also a friend of Dickens, and his police force to do their work while both want to go into danger and help the cause. This author knows Dicken’s work and uses the works to add to the thoughts and doubts of the character Dickens. This series will not disappoint readers. I look forward to the next.

The Redemption Murders is the 6th book in the Charles Dickens historical mystery series by J.C. Briggs. Released 6th July 2020 by Sapere Books, it's 372 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book and the rest of the series are currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

I've really enjoyed these historical mysteries set in the middle of the 19th century in London and environs. Charles Dickens is clever, loyal, dogged, and practical and his friendship and cooperative investigation with superintendant Sam Jones makes for engaging and entertaining reading. The plots are always convoluted and well engineered, full of twists and surprises. The story itself is written around a framework of real historical events and people and so well entwined that it's not always apparent where reality shades over into fiction.

Whilst an entertaining read, I did find myself struggling sometimes with the plethora of secondary characters and keeping all the sailors, hostlers, drudges, shopkeepers, and servants straight was taxing. I found myself having to check back in the story to remember which family was which, especially since there were lots of minor children who were orphans in the care of other people. It's a relatively minor problem though, and considering the high quality of the writing, worth the occasional confusion.

Overall, it's a good read and a quality example of the historical-person-as-amateur-sleuth subgenre. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones are at it again. Yet another murder and the pair are now on the case on a ship called The Redemption. The ship's captain has been murdered, but evidence and clues are sparse. Something odd, however, is the fact that one of Dickens' novels was found near the body.

Charles becomes quite concerned when his friend Kit appears to be tied to the murder. Is he guilty of the stabbing? Charles certainly cannot believe that he is, and Charles will do anything to clear his friend's name. Per usual for the Charles and Sam, during the course of their investigation, more than one murder takes place, thus time becomes a factor. As always, there is a bevy of suspects as Charles and Sam try to stay one step ahead of the killer.

I love this series! I can imagine a cold winter weekend and gobbling them up all over again. J. C. Briggs is a fabulous writer and I love how she brought Victorian London to live through the pages of this remarkable series. I am truly hoping that this series will continue.

Many thanks to Sapere Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones make an excellent team in Victorian London. Dickens reputation smooths the way into many households but also can find him in trouble in the back alleys of Limehouse. The murder of Captain Valentine recently returned to London on The Redemption. A voyage that had seen death at sea. Dickens only became involved with the Captain’s death as it connects on the same day to the disappearance of his friend Kit Penney. There will be more death of young and old before this very twisting mystery will lead Dickens to letters sent from the West Indies. You really see life in day to day London from the docks to Limehouse slums with many hard living characters which really flesh out this story. Part of a series which introduces the main characters but can be read alone as a really engrossing mystery. I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When a ship's captain is stabbed to death, Charles Dickens aides the police.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the sixth book in the Charles Dickens & Superintendent Jones series. As it has a new cast of suspects and victims, I didn't feel at a disadvantage for not having read the rest of the series.

The Redemption has travelled the world, transporting goods for trade, under the command of Louis Valentine, a man who all seem to like.
The captain starts to think that his voyage is cursed, when one traveller dies and another disappears; but he probably didn't see his own death coming.

Unfortunately, I did not get on with this book.
I've tried a few times over the last month, but I just can't get into the writing style.
I felt like I was being talked at by a variety of characters who shared every inconsequential detail of their lives.
Having the captain spend a couple of pages musing over the different sorts of knots he used in his life, did nothing to add to the story or world-building.

I did not find the writing style engaging, and all of the characters blurred into one interminable episode of telling.
There are deaths and disappearances within the first few pages of the book, it should have been a gripping start, but I was merely bored.

London 1851. As the captain, Louis Valentine, of the ship The Redemption, has been killed Inspector James Bold and Constable John Gaunt (nephew to Superintendent Jones) go onboard to investigate.
The only clue is a copy of The Old Curiosity Shop, inscribed to Kit. Kit Penney a friend of Dickens is a suspect and but is unfortunately missing. Superintendent Jones and Dickens investigate only to find this is not the first death. And there will be more, and also people start going missing.
An enjoyable and well-written historical mystery, another good read in this series with its cast of likeable characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The year is 1851 and the police have been called to London's Blackwall Reach where a death has been reported on the ship The Redemption. The captain, Louis Valentine, has been brutally stabbed to death, the only clue left behind being a  copy of The Old Curiosity Shop, one of Charles Dickens' books. The book has been inscribed to someone called 'Kit' who Dickens immediately recognises as his friend Kit Penney. With his friend now a murder suspect, Dickens sets out to find him, only to discover that he is missing. Is he involved or is he in fear for his own life? As the death toll rises, Superintendent Jones and the famous writer find themselves uncovering a series of dark secrets...


This, the sixth in the series is possibly the most complex plot to date, with a great deal going on, all linking together to create a huge web of intrigue. If you haven't read any of this series yet, you may wonder how Charles Dickens finds himself involved in this shady underworld and, although this is explained in previous books, you don't need to have read them to enjoy The Redemption Murders. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.


One of the things I enjoy most about this series is the descriptions of Victorian London. Although we do get to experience the richer part of society, I particularly like reading about the lower classes and the environment they are forced to live in. J C Briggs writes this extremely well and you can easily picture these downtrodden people, living in squalid conditions through no fault of their own. Dickens has great sympathy for these people and there several links made to the author's own life which, as many people will know, was not a bed of roses.


Children feature quite strongly in this series and there was one moment with a particular child in this book that was truly heart-wrenching. Throughout the book, we see how these children have to grow up fast, often doing things that they should not be doing at their age.


If you are a fan of historical mystery or are someone who enjoys the books of Charles Dickens, then this is a great series. A superb atmospheric read.

Greed is a powerful motive for murder. Charles Dickens will tell you that, and does, in “The Redemption Murders,” the sixth in the series by J.C. Briggs in which the Victorian novelist plays detective.

A ship’s captain coming back from his final voyage from the Caribbean is murdered before he can come ashore. In his cabin a book inscribed by Dickens is found, and that’s how our novelist gets involved at the beginning. Then immediately a close friend goes missing, and Charles gets even more involved, with the help of Superintendent Jones and a host of others, police and otherwise.

The book is full of description. You can “see” the Victorian world of Dickens on every page, so take time to savor what you’re reading while enjoying travel across London, from the docks, to Dickens’ home, even to the Isle of Dogs, that ghostly, eerie place of legend. Readers also get references to the fictional stories of our Victorian author, to mention of the man’s own life – a hard, unhappy one to start, that figured in his stories. The author’s word pictures are fascinating. You might find them dazzling, and maybe a bit confusing, finding that it takes a little too long to get through it all. Trust me, it’s worth it.

On these pages is a good explanation of why he involves himself, why being an amateur detective is important to him. There’s more to this than just being a historical mystery, part of the author’s gift in bringing the words to life.

From far across the ocean comes notice of what has brought all this about. “…greed… the desire to have at all costs….” In more ways than one, as Mr. Dickens and his compatriots will find.

There’s a note to the reader at the end that discusses the historical places mentioned in the book, and an author’s note that details more information about the docks and the place of women in industry that makes for interesting reading and will underscore the research behind a part of the plot. And if you need help, there’s a list of characters, too.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

After a Captain is found dead in his cabin following his return to England, the presence of one of Charles Dickens’ novels by the body leads to the inclusion of the great man himself in the police investigation of the murder. This is the first in this series of books, in which Charles Dickens investigates various crimes around Victorian London, that I have read, and I do feel as though I was missing some of the nuances of the relationships described. The author didn’t go into details on characters’ back stories, and this made me warm to them less than I perhaps would have had I read the previous books and gotten to know them more. However, I got to grips with who everybody was (with the help of the list of characters) and was able to enjoy the story as a standalone book.

This tale has a lot to sink your teeth into… mysterious murders, family politics, affairs of the heart, all in the setting of Victorian London. Not being the biggest Dickens fan, I feel as though some of the references to his books were a little lost on me, but they are sure to appeal to any fans of his work. The action was reasonably slow-paced, since so much detail is packed in, and this made the ending feel a little rushed in comparison. Overall, though, this is a solid murder mystery novel.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

A good mystery in a cool time/place/setting. I'm late to this party, and this is my first book by this author.
I'm going to have to circle back to the earlier books. This is well written with good twists and interesting characters. Recommended for mystery fans.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

A historical novel set in London with Charles Dickens as a sleuth. I don't know if he really was one. The descriptions of the places are vivid and the dialogues and vocabulary are amusing. I wish some history of the places were included, that would bring some flair to the narrative. The suspense is well maintained but the conclusion felt rushed compared to the initial two thirds of the story. A slow starter with a quick ending. 3.5 stars

‘A man with murder in his heart.’

London, 1851. The Redemption is docked at London’s Blackwall Reach. Captain Louis Valentine has been found dead, stabbed in the neck. The Thames River Police are called in to investigate. There is no murder weapon in his cabin. Checking further, Constable John Gaunt notices a book. Flung, face down, in an otherwise neat cabin is a copy of Charles Dicken’s ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’. The book is inscribed ‘To Kit, the
original. For all that we were. Yours very affectionately, Charles Dickens.’

How did this book end up in Captain Valentine’s cabin? Was Kit the murderer?

Charles Dickens is approached by the police. He knows he inscribed the book to his friend Kit Penney and is certain that Kit would not be Captain Valentine’s murderer. But Kit Penney has gone missing.

What follows is a very satisfying murder mystery. There is no shortage of suspects: from missing seamen, to others who might have benefited from Louis Valentine’s death. And there were other suspicious deaths as well.

Charles Dickens joins forces, once again, with his friend Superintendent Jones. Strictly speaking, the case is not within Superintendent Jones’s jurisdiction, but there is plenty of investigation required to solve this case. And, sadly, there will be other deaths before the case is solved.

This is Ms Briggs’s 6th book in the Charles Dickens Investigation Series and the fifth I have read. I enjoy the series because Ms Briggs brings 19th century London to life with her finely described people and places.

If you like Charles Dickens and enjoy well-plotted mystery fiction set in and around 19th century London, then I recommend this series.

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 like this series and I liked this book.
It's well plotted, the characters are fleshed out and the historical background is vivid.
The solid mystery kept me guessing till the end.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.