Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped. It seemed to take too long to get through the plot and there were far too many characters to keep track of. I did enjoy the main characters and the level of detail was satisfying.

Simon Westow is a thief taker in Regency Leeds, England. He reads the newspaper every day to find rich people who have had something stolen; Westow retrieves the item and sends the thief to the police (such as they are in early England). The dead body of Laurence Poole turns up under a snow melt and Westow is commissioned by the police to try and solve the mystery. Westow uncovers a coded notebook in Poole's room which sets him off on a chase to find the murderer and protect some innocent people along the way. Poole was a petty thief, why was he suddenly fencing very upscale materials? Poole's enemies become Westow's enemies and he has to protect his family and the other people who depend on him. Nickson writes excellent books, the research is meticulous and he writing is always entertaining.

Chris Nickson’s Simon Westow series is atmospheric historical mystery writing at its best.
Set in Leeds in the early 19th century, Simon Westow, a thief taker, his wife Rosie, and his assistant Jane roam the gritty neighborhoods and country. These are violent times, and Westow is not averse to using violence to accomplish his goals. The characters are very alive, the plot is engaging, and the setting is colorful.

I’m enjoying this series a lot! 3.5 stars rounded up.

For fans of Anne Perry and Charles Finch.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Simon Westow, thieftaker of Leeds, in 1822 has to track a murdered thief and keep his family out of trouble. Two officers have set up a business with a thief who steals for them and then ends up dead. Connection? What about the missing goods? Simon has assistants in the community who are also under threat. Gritty look at life for people on the edge of the community.

As the snow melts a body is revealed, a man murdered and thief-taker Simon Westow knows exactly who he is. The man is a petty thief and his fence, Harker, is terrified that he will be next. Westow is engaged by the local constable to solve the murder and quickly finds out that two soldiers for the Leeds barracks are responsible, but bringing them to justice will not be easy.
I really enjoy Nickson's various novels as they are all set in Leeds. In this Westow series the date is 1822 and Leeds is expanding rapidly, becoming the industrial powerhouse of the late 19th Century. It is fascinating to read about areas such as Kirkstall being referred to as in the country. Here the plot skips along nicely with a couple of parallel plots to add interest, it isn't all wrapped up too neatly which I also like as questions can still be asked.

First Sentence: She sensed him there, behind her in the fog.

Simon West, with his assistant Jane, and wife Rose, is a thief-taker. When petty thief Laurance Poole, who robbed Alderman Sir Matthew Fullbrook, is found dead, Simon is worried he may be arrested. Instead, he is surprised to be hired by Constable Williams to find the killer. After Simon finds a notebook written in code, he is drawn into the dangerous job of exposing those behind a rash of burglaries. It is up to Simon, Jane, and Rose to keep a priceless item safe, find a killer, and stay alive.

It is always a relief when an author draws new readers into a series yet makes them feel right at home, especially when there is suspense from almost the first page. Even better is when it is the third book in the series, and one feels no lack for not having read the previous two. Nickson sets the tone with his descriptions of Leeds, a city he calls home and whose history he knows extremely well. He depicts an industrial-age city chocked by smoke, dirt, and grime all in the name of progress—"I don't think Leeds will ever be clean again,…"

This is not a book set in gentile drawing rooms, but in the homes, streets, and alleys of the working, and non-working class, just trying to survive as best they can—"He had no one to look after his mother while he was gone. No money to pay for a companion for her. He had no choice but to tie her in the chair to stop her from wandering." Yet the author's voice conveys caring and compassion.

Nickson's characters are alive and fascinating. One learns their backgrounds, often through memories, fleshing them out but still leaving a shadow around them, especially the character of Martha. An unreliable character always heightens the suspense. Watching how the three main characters use their contacts to track the clues, one step at a time, adds a sense of constant tension. Nickson's female characters are anything but minor characters or ones waiting for a man to rescue them. Jane gives as good, if not better than she gets. She is somewhat feral and works on grit. Rose, Simon's wife, is his partner in life and in craft. She depends on guile, intellect, and having the right wardrobe.

As the story progresses, suspense builds at a heart-stopping pace, aided by excellent plot twists, and an unanswered question at the end. One really can't help but wonder why this very prolific author is not better known than he is.

"To the Dark" is an exciting book filled with twists and climax after climax, but still leaving questions unanswered at the end. With female characters as clever and capable as the men, the author created a tense, suspenseful tale in a city he so obviously loves.

TO THE DARK (HisMys-Simon West/Jane-Leeds, England-1822) – VG+
Nickson, Chris – 3rd in series
Severn House, Feb 2021, 238 pp.

Simon Westow is a thief taker: he recovers stolen goods for a fee. He is ably assisted by his wife Rosie and a young lady named Jane, who has a dark history, which even Simon and Rosie aren't privy to. Simon, also, has a past moulded by time spent in a workhouse as a young lad. All are familiar with the grimy streets and atmosphere of industrial Leeds, its poor and its criminals.

When Laurence Poole's body is uncovered by melting snow, Simon is asked by Constable Williams to track down the murderer of the petty thief. Williams and Simon have an uneasy relationship and Simon is wary, but the payment offered for this job is too tempting for Simon to pass it over.

With clues revealed in a coded notebook, Simon, Rosie and Jane uncover what Laurence was involved in and why a well-known fence has skipped town fearing for his life. With his own freedom in jeopardy - hanging or transportation a possibility - Simon follows through with his plan to bring the murderer to justice. But this brings reprisals and, to finally bring the investigation to a satisfactory conclusion, both Simon and Rosie must risk their lives further.

To the Dark is a great historical mystery that will keep you enthralled page after page. Chris Nickson's descriptions of 19th century Leeds, gripped in the throes of the industrial revolution, makes you feel you are there amid the grime and the polluted air.

Simon is an intriguing character. He is the father of twin boys and takes great pleasure in his family. To provide for them, he earns a living by associating with criminals and occasionally has to break the law himself without being caught. Hence his relationship with Constable Williams, who is all to eager to slap him in irons. Simon's family man persona is at odds with his role as thief-taker, but makes this man a very likeable character.

Jane, too, is intriguing. As mentioned before, she has a dark history. She also bears the scars of self-mutilation. Her full story has yet to be revealed, but she is very capable of looking after herself and her knowledge of the streets and the people, plus her ability to seem invisible, are a great asset to Simon's work.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first Chris Nickson mystery and look forward to reading more of this series.

It’s the second half of the Regency Era in the United Kingdom. King George IV has held the throne in his own right for a little over two years. The Napoleonic Wars are over, and the French Emperor is dead. So is Jane Austen, whose books have given us a romantic and elegant view of the times which has been copied multiple times since then. But Chris Nickson is not Jane Austen, and his Leeds is a long way from Pemberley.

To The Dark is the third in Nickson’s Simon Westow series. Westow is not a northern version of Fitzwilliam Darcy, not by a long shot. He’s done well, certainly, for a lad that grew up in a workhouse. He has a wife and two sons, a solid roof over his head, and food on the table. But his choice of work isn’t welcomed by all and makes him a target for others. Simon Westow is a thief-taker. In the days before an established police force, a victim of theft would hire members of this profession to seek out their stolen property and return it. Westow has established a reputation for getting the job done, and has gathered an extensive variety of contacts, on both sides of the law.

The first book in this series had me hooked, and Nickson hasn’t let me down since. His descriptions of life in Leeds fill the senses. One hears the mills and the people conducting their business and smells the stench of the smoke and the rubbish piled high in the streets and closes. I even heard the Yorkshire voices of the characters as they interacted with one another. (They sounded like people I once knew in the area.) The tension increases throughout the narrative. Nickson has a liking for chapter ending cliffhangers. The B story regarding Westow’s assistant, Jane, weaves expertly with the main plotline. At the end, I got the impression that neither’s life will be the same. Too much happens for them not to change.

When it comes to Yorkshire and history, it’s easy to bring the city of York to mind. When I lived in Yorkshire, Leeds was a city for shopping. But the descriptions of Leeds in To The Dark are making me rethink. Whenever I can finally return, I now want to explore Nickson’s city from Swinegate to The Headrow. I want to wander by the river, hear the gentle splash of the water, and imagine what might lurk beneath the surface. I want to walk out to Woodhouse Moor, just as Westow does with his boys, and I want to stand in Green Dragon Yard and visualize Jane as she fights her demons and other, more corporeal, things. Perhaps, once our world emerges from the great pandemic, Leeds should contemplate walking tours of Chris Nickson’s Leeds. I’d sign up in a heartbeat.

Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Severn House for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “To The Dark.” All opinions are my own.

Simon Westrow is a “thief taker,” one that finds stolen property for a fee. He’s been doing so for a while. A man that Simon recovered goods from turns up murdered, and to keep the constables from thinking he did it (for no good reason, but that won’t stop them), Simon sets out to find the real culprit in “To The Dark,” part of this continuing series, set in 1820s Leeds.

As luck would have it, Simon’s hired to find the murderer, for the constable reasons that Simon would not be stupid enough to kill the man. So he has a job! Crooked cavalrymen are involved; but can Simon prove their involvement? It’s going to be difficult. And politics are involved, too. The author is going to have to work to make us care about it all, probably. But Simon remains someone to root for.

In a side plot, Jane, his helper has acquired a helper, a child from the streets. Where will this be going, one wonders. While this is happening, Jane is fighting her private battles, an enemy who is determined to kill her. There are strong women in these books, including Rosie, Simon’s wife.

Simon also comes across something the murdered man has stolen, something very, very valuable. Something not reported missing; a mystery in itself.

There’s a final confrontation, and a twist that no one would have foreseen. At least Jane can breathe easier, and Simon, too. And Jane gets a gift.

In amongst all this the city is described, noisy, covered with a constant soot it seems, from all the factories that are its lifeblood now. Simon and Jane prowl these streets, characters in themselves. Good historical mysteries have their settings as characters, and Leeds in “To the Dark” is no exception.

Dangerous opponents for the thief-taker!

A different hunt for thief-taker Simon and his cohort—his wife and love, Rosie and his helper Jane. Silver spoons have been stolen and the thief tracked by Simon. Now the thief's turned up dead and the game takes a turn. Powerful people in the Leeds of 1823 are involved. Constable Williams is a player and things are changing.
But Jane! What is it about the feral girl Jane that calls to me? She is a killer when the need arises, swift and merciless. Yet she is that innocent waif robbed of childhood. And a new addition, Martha. What is it about the child Martha and why does Catherine Shields, the woman who’s taken Jane in, warn Jane about the girl child? Jane sees her younger self, but what does Catherine see? Alongside this is, a subplot of Jane being threatened by and in turn threatening a bully, Big Tom. This too plays into the overall story.
There’s the death of a thief, a sniff of the army and some mysterious articles, indeed startling objects are discovered.
Things are coming out of the dark and being revealed, others remain a mystery or the property of the dark they’ve always been.
Once again this Nickson mystery series set in Regency / Victorian Leeds is a tightly woven, stimulating and addictive read.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers.

To The Dark By Chris Nickson.
A riveting, impeccably written historical crime novel.

Leads England 1823 after two weeks of being snowed in the snow has started to melt.
The industrial revolution brought about factories that spew heavy smoke into the air, and jobs means a steady influx of people. Simon Westow, a thief-taker and his assistant Jane. Both making their living on rewards for the return of stolen goods. A profitable occupation to be sure, as theft is a constant occurrence in Leeds.
When the snow melts, a body surfaces, that of Laurence Poole a thief. Poole was involved in the Fullbrook robbery, and Simon was able to recover the goods stolen that Poole had taken. In close inspection Westow and Jane retrieve a coded notebook from Laurence’s Pooles room, just before the Constable has any time to search for clues. The notebook mentions a notorious fence Charlie Harker, but most of it is in code. Relying on information from Harker Simon and Jane find themselves plunging deeper into a dangerous mystery.

An absorbing plot line, with highly realistic details makes for an intense crime thriller. The novel starts off like a steam roller and didn’t let up. Right from the beginning you are immediately hooked. Chris Nickson excels beyond comparison, and I have to say he one of my favorite authors. The cast of characters are so well depicted with his outstanding narration. The book is at contant brisk pace making it absolutely un-put-down-able.
Jane is an outstanding character, able to blend into shadows almost undetected. A clever girl who can be a force to be reckoned with. Stealth with a past habitual habit of cutting herself for her failures. She adds so much complexity to the storyline. She is incredible and I see why she has a vast reader following.

To The Dark is the third book in Chris Nickson’s historical crime series featuring thief-taker Simon Westow. Even though it’s in a series, please don’t let that shy you away from venturing into its dark corners. The author is that good, he gives just enough backstory that it’s an easy standalone.

A masterfully written historical crime novel that is a rewarding read!

TO THE DARK is the third book in the SIMON WESTOW series. It’s a historical mystery set in Leeds in the early 1800s and it’s the first book in the series that I’ve read. The characters have a depth to them and there’s a mystery of a death to be solved so the murderer can be brought to justice. Will goodness prevail?

Simon is a thief-taker. He gets hired by those who have been robbed to find and retrieve the stolen items. But in this story, he goes well beyond that to help solve the murder of a thief but also to ensure the law is involved. All does not go to plan as he and his assistant, Jane, try to bring the murderers to the law. There are twists and turns to the story and we go to some very unsavory spots although where Simon and his family life is not in the best area either. We get a glimpse of his home life but also see him focused on his jobs but also in staying alive and keeping his family safe. Jane has an unfortunate past that I don’t learn much about but is good at what she does until she’s injured. Simon is fully focused on his jobs except when he gets distracted if he feels his family is in harm’s way. Both he and Jane are good with weapons, knives being their preference.

There are a multitude of stories being told and they are woven for the most part seamlessly together. There are treasures, stolen items, strategizing, plotting and plans, deaths, fights, family, and friends along with the lonely and downtrodden. There is some closure but the story ended very abruptly although with some happiness.

Mr. Nickson is a new to me author. I’d like to read the first two books of this series along with others he might pen.

If you like realistic historical fiction, atmospheric with sometimes grim details of daily life, you might want to try the third Simon Westow mystery, Chris Nickson’s To the Dark.

When the snow melts in the dirty factory town of Leeds, England in February 1823, the body of a thief, Laurence Poole, is found near the mill. Thief-taker Simon Westow doesn’t get along with the local constable. He and his wife fear Constable Williams will accuse him of killing Poole. Williams hates Simon who often recovers stolen goods and gets paid for it when the constable fails.

Westow knows the only way to save himself is to find the actual killer. He and his assistant, a young girl of the streets named Jane, search Poole’s house, finding nothing that helps in the search for answers. Then, Williams shocks Simon by hiring him to find Poole’s killer. Williams knows he’ll be better off politically if the actual killer is found.

Simon learns Poole was involved in a dangerous situation, and a terrified fence actually leaves town so he doesn’t have to get involved. Poole was working with several military men, men used to killing. And, they don’t mind killing anyone who gets in their way when they want to make a profit.

While the mystery is intriguing, Jane is actually the most interesting person in the book. She’s used to being invisible on the streets, and she’s finally found a home after living with Westow and his family. But, Jane is being hunted. She attacked a man who was abusing women, and now he’s after her. And, there’s a young waif who is following Jane everywhere.

Simon and Jane both must protect people they love before they can find justice for the dead man. To the Dark is an interesting book, a mystery of survival skills needed by ordinary people in a manufacturing town in England in the early 19th century.

Leeds in the early nineteenth century, an urban metropolis shrouded in dirt and fumes from it's vast factories and mills.
Laurence Poole was a thief. Now he is dead. Simon Westow and his assistant Kate are looking for his killer. Simon is a thief-taker. In a city full of poverty and crime there are many dangerous suspects.
Chris Nick son is a dab hand at this type of historical crime novel. The plot and characters come to life in a stark reminder of how city life was two hundred years ago. Interesting and intriguing.

Unfortunately the murder mystery aspects struggle to take off in this thriller set in Leeds at the beginning of George IV's reign. While on the one hand I appreciated the descriptions of a city moving towards the great industrial revolution of the 19th century, I never managed to find the characters engaging nor the story interesting.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Severn house for the opportunity to read this novel prior to its release date

Fans of historical crime fiction will find much to enjoy in Chris Nickson’s absorbing new mystery featuring thief-taker Simon Westow: To The Dark.

It is the coldest winter on record for the citizens of Leeds in 1822, but little do they realise that the temperature is about to drop even lower when the body of petty local thief Laurence Poole emerges for the melting snow by the river at Flay Crow Mill. For thief-taker Simon Westow and his young assistant Jane, this mystery is one which they simply cannot resist, but this case continues to get more and more complicated with each passing day as they discover when they begin to dig deeper. Will Simon and Jane get to the bottom of this puzzling mystery? Or will there be further shocks and surprises in store for the two of them?

A coded notebook is found in Laurence’s room that mentions notorious fence Charlie Harker and three mysterious words which plunge Simon and Jane into further peril: To The Dark. What is the hidden meaning behind these three words? What is the connection between Laurence and Charlie? With Charlie having absconded from Leeds afraid that his life was in danger, Laurence had ended up meeting a most tragic fate which makes Simon question just what was Laurence hiding? Did his secrets cause his death? As Simon searches for the truth, he finds himself going down one perilous path after another and with plenty of enemies willing to do whatever it takes to protect their secrets, will Simon’s quest for answers prove to be his undoing? Or will he end up solving yet another case?

A deftly crafted historical mystery spiced with danger, tension and mayhem, To The Dark is a superbly constructed thriller full of red herrings, shocking revelations and dastardly villains featuring a clever, intuitive and intelligent sleuth readers will thoroughly enjoy spending time with.

Chris Nickson writes with plenty of assurance and flair about Victorian Leeds and will leave readers completely and utterly gripped by the pages of his latest mystery, To The Dark.

1823 The thawing of the winter weather reveals a body. That of thief, Lawrence Poole, a man that thief-taker Simon Westow retrieved goods from quite recently. Westow is concerned that Constable Williams will use this as an excuse to arrest him. Poole's fence is Charlie Harker, and what does Harker mean by 'To The Dark'. Soon danger comes to their lives.
Another entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its well-developed and likeable characters. A good addition to the series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Simon Westow is a thief taker in 19th century Leeds, living with his wife Rosie and family, and working with an assistant - Jane. A man is found murdered when the snow melts and, lacking any paid work, Simon tries to find out what happened to him. He finds a notebook in code which leads him to a trail of thefts committed by this man, who appeared to have nothing. Simon then works with his arch-enemy the constable to find the murderer and bring justice to Poole. Meanwhile Jane is attacked and makes a serious enemy of her own, and tries to help a young girl.

The plot swirls around the early industrialised town of Leeds, and the characters are portrayed very clearly - the reader can see Leeds in their eyes, as well as understanding their emotions and conflicts. A very readable and enjoyable story, and I shall look forward to more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This historical crime mystery is atmospheric, menacing and realistic. It brings the crime-filled streets of nineteenth-century Leeds vividly to life. The third book in the series it provides adequate character backstory and relationship dynamics to make it readable as a standalone. The characters are shady even the protagonists have pasts and secrets. The story has many twists.

Seamlessly woven historical details immerse the reader in the place and time.

I received a copy of this book from Severn House via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

r/suggestmeabook: I’d like a mystery with a strong sense of place and pacing set in Leeds in 1822.
This murder mystery is definitely atmospheric, as the darkness, pollution, and smell of industrial Leeds is hammered home. The pace is like a thrum of a machine, the beat of it steady and measured. Chris Nickson does an excellent job of creating a sense of place.

Simon Westow and Jane are living through their slow season when they are enlisted by the unfriendly constable to investigate the murder of the small-time thief. The phrase “to the dark” is repeatedly used, but the mystery is not solved—not in this book, at least, which is disappointing when it is built up as part of the focal point of the story.

The characters are not all that well-developed. Simon and Jane are explained by the significant traumas in their pasts, but not much else. Rosie, Simon’s wife, is mostly a placeholder. The bad guys are pretty much all stock characters. Perhaps there will be more in later installments, but there was little depth or growth from the characters.

Despite these shortcomings, the murder mystery and the atmosphere are enough to carry the book, making it worth finishing, and the writing itself is strong enough that I’d check out another installment.