Fierce Poison, hopefully, signals a return to the stories pre-marriage for Llewelyn. Rebecca has been a drag on the story and is an awful character. Totally unreasonable in her expectations, she harkens to the much copied, “I love this country. I want to fundamentally transform this country.” She “loves” Llewelyn but wants him to be someone other than he is. Ugh! That character would be a good candidate for the next murder victim. She does play a role in this story, although more limited than the previous two. But even with a diminished role, she drags the story down and makes Llewelyn look bad. HOWEVER…

Thomas weaves a story worthy of his previous tales. The story flows well and is full of surprises, particularly the twist as to who the murderer is. It is not one the reader would figure out – which does take some of the fun out of it.

Readers who know and enjoy Barker and Llewelyn will enjoy the book.

While I enjoy Anthony Ferguson as a narrator, he and Thomas should discuss the realistic existence of an accent for Barker (who was raised in China and then returned to England as a world-weary adult) who sports a heavy Scottish accent. Hmmm…

Water, Tea, Brandy, Tarts, Wasps, and Witches.... This is the thirteenth installment in the Llewelyn Series, however, not being familiar with the series, I felt it was incredibly well done. There was enough information that the reader didn't have to be well versed in the works or know the characters yet.
I thoroughly enjoyed this visit to Victorian London, 1893, when Roland Fitzhugh, Member of Parliament (MP) enters the offices of Private Enquiry agent Cyrus Barker (and his partner, Thomas Llewelyn, and promptly dies. He'd been poisoned after eating a tart from a young peddler on the street. Soon after, an entire family succumbs to a poisoning in an oddly related incident.
We're introduced to several suspect characters, all with varying degree of potential motive. In the end... oh, well, I can't tell you what happens, but at times, you'll find dark tales of the characters' past, light hearted banter between friends, even some knife waving in an apparent ritual of rivals.
Fortunately for me, I've been introduced to this author and these characters and am very much looking forward to rewinding the series and spending more time in their world.
The unabridged audio version of this title was narrated by Antony Ferguson, who became easy to listen to after the first chapter. A nice performance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Will Thomas, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of this title; opinion and review provided is my own.

Receiving my first introduction to the Barker & Llewelyn series via book thirteen was much less ominous than it sounded at first!
Although I'm sure reading books one through twelve first would have added depth to the characters and settings, I never felt as if I were lacking key details or unable to follow the story. The book has strong Sherlock Holmes parallels, but feels more socially aware than I remember Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories being. The variety of settings and characters broadens the scope of the story and makes it come alive. For fans of the historical mystery genre, Fierce Poison will be a winner!
Plus, Antony Ferguson's narration makes the audiobook experience worth a listen.

Great historical mystery! Stating at book no. 13 in a series is probably not the best way to go but I’m glad I did because I enjoyed it so much. This one of those those books that you hate for it to be over. I was slightly suspicious of the culprit but not so much that it ruined it for me. I never knew that telephones were so prominent in 1893. I plan to go back and read these books from the beginning. Lots to anticipate.
Narrator was very good also.

FIERCE POISON is my first Barker and Llewellyn Whodunnit and I feel as though I have missed out.

I find I really like listening to period British stories! I never get the accents correctly, and this audio was superb. Antony Ferguson brings Will Thomas's words to life just as they should be. A solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐ audio for me!

This murder literally comes crawling through the duo's door in this 13th installment. A Parliament member comes to seek the duo's help and falls dead in their office, followed quickly by a boy and his entire family. When their butler is poisoned, it becomes clear there is more at stake, confirmed when traps are discovered in their home.

This was a very smart mystery. I enjoyed the all the aspects of case and had no idea of the outcome. I really liked the motivation of the killer in this one which was not disclosed until the end unless you are more clever than me and figured it out! I found myself chuckling at some of Llewellyn's comments, and wished for a bit more of those witty quips.

Thank you @NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for the advanced audio of this clever sleuthing pair! Fortunately for all, this tale is available now!

Fierce Poison AUDIO by Will Thomas is another Barker and Llewellyn mystery, the story of a set of very different partners in an enquiry agency . Thomas Llewelllyn is married and the two of them share Cyrus Barker's home. In that home there is a cook and a male factotum who manages everything else. One morning a man rushes into the office and asks for a glass of water says, "Help me," and promptly drops dead. Llewellyn rushes to Scotland Yard, which is nearby and returns with Inspector Poole who identifies the man as Roland McHugh, MIP. He knows this because McHugh had just visited him for help. He believer he was being poisoned. Apparently he was correct. Barker, being the man he was, assumer the inquiry into this man's death and started by notifying Gladstone, at the Whitehall, who promptly hired them, with the promise of payment being made upon completion of the investigation. This took the duo to many place and meeting many people, including McHugh's fiancée, who was rude and belligerent; his previous law partner; several people he had successfully prosecuted and sent to prison; his best friend, a priest and his man servant; et al. It was a thorough investigation with multiple leads but not much substance. Sadly, McHugh's death was not the only one by the poisoner as he tries to cover his tracks. An interesting mystery.

Cyrus Barker is an interesting man who has lived a full life, traveled the world, been in the military, and so much more. Thomas Llewellyn is twenty years younger, spent a time in prison, from which he is reformed, and had a wife. Thomas was a partner in the agency but he knew that it was Cyrus Barker who had all the contacts, and all the experience. He was and had been nothing more than a trainee. This is the 13th book in the series and is always a good read. It takes place in London, in 1893, that is a changing time for England and the world. Barker is a huge fan of Chinese medicine and is aware that his body is aging. He is not happy about it, at all. This is an inspiring series, one that tests the reader's observation skills as the story unfolds. I highly recommend it.
The reader was Anthony Ferguson and I took a dislike to his rendition almost immediately. I felt he was too heavy, too gruff. While that may have worked for Barker, it did not for the rest of the characters, Plus, he confused accents/characters toward the end. I have never listened to this series in audio, and I don't believe I will again.

I was invited to listen to a free e-ARC of Fierce Poison by MacMillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #macmillanaudio #willthomas #fiercepoison

Very interesting historical mystery. This is part of a series but can be read as a standalone (I may or may not have known this was a series) the characters back stories won’t be clear but you can catch on quick enough.

I loved the historical accuracy and the relationships. I’ll definitely be looking into reading the rest of the series.

Fierce Poison is the 13th book in the Barker & Llewelyn series by Will Thomas. Many series lose their magic after just a few books, but that's not the case here! I'm 57 years old and have read an unbelievable amount of books in my lifetime, but honestly, this is one of my favorite series ever. I both read and listed to the audiobook version of this story; you'll enjoy both, but listen if you have the opportunity. Narrator Antony Ferguson is absolutely phenomenal and brings this book to living, breathing life.

It's 1893 in London England. Private enquiry agents (NOT detectives!) Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn have seen just about everything, but even they never had a possible client drop dead in their office...until now. Roland Fitzhugh, a Member of Parliament, comes into their office to consult them, but after uttering the words "help me", he collapses and dies. They learn that Fitzhugh was poisoned with a raspberry tart containing cyanide. A tart also kills an entire family in the East End, except for the baby. The press, always giving nicknames to killers, labels the poisoner the Mad Pie Man. William Gladstone, the former Prime Minister, hires Barker and Llewelyn to find out who killed Fitzhugh, who was the newest member of the House of Commons. Soon both men are targeted by the poisoner; it begins with Barker's butler Mac being poisoned by digitalis and his dog Harm being drugged. They also find boobytraps throughout their home. They have got to find out who is perpetrating these dastardly murders before they find themselves 6 feet under. As it turns out, the danger is closer to home than either Barker or Llewelyn realize.

This was an exciting story with many twists and turns, and I was caught up in a web that wouldn't let me go. The book is written from Llewelyn's point of view, which makes this story amusing as well as thrilling. Llewelyn, you see, is a bit of a wiseacre. My kind of man. He lent humor to a serious plot. He was a young Welsh widower just out of jail when he was hired by Barker 10 years previously. He's now a partner in the firm and is married to Rebecca, who is not pleased with the danger Llewelyn meets on a daily basis. He's dedicated to his job, however, even though he is still sometimes referred to as "Lad" by Barker, who seems to forget that Llewelyn is now 30. Barker is a rather unique man. A Scotsman, he lived in China for a good amount of time and sometimes seems to be stuck between two different worlds. He's nearing 50 and is dealing with a severely injured knee, and he's beginning to feel his age. He's a gruff man of few words and is a brilliant enquiry agent. I absolutely love the relationship between Barker and Llewelyn. They can be at odds, as Barker is a hard taskmaster and Llewelyn mouths off; but you can see the respect and dare I say the affection they actually have for one another. I was happy to be reacquainted with the supporting characters who have become like friends to me: Jacob "Mac" Maccabee, Barker's fastidious butler, Harm the dog, cantankerous chief Etienne, firm clerk Jeremy Jenkins, Barker's Chinese friend Ho, Barker's lady friend Philippa, Llewelyn's wife Rebecca and Terence Poole of Scotland Yard are all here. As to the plot, it was a great mystery with twists and turns everywhere! I kept thinking I knew who did it, but apparently I didn't have a clue. You can feel the frustration and worry that more people will die if our private enquiry agents couldn't identify the killer, and soon. They were in the poisoner's path as well. When the poisoner was revealed, I was just shocked at who it was! I never would have guessed. That makes for an entertaining mystery. I hope the whole crew will be back soon.

Narrator Antony Ferguson is one of the best in the business. He voices Barker and Llewelyn just perfectly. When I'm reading the book and not listening to the audio, I clearly hear the characters' voices in my head. I hope he is NEVER replaced as narrator, as no one could ever top his work. He IS Barker and Llewelyn.

I received and ARC of this book and audiobook courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I discovered Will Thomas's Barker & Llewelyn mystery series last year when I read book 12 Dance with Death. While I wasn't keen on the mystery, I loved the characters so I thought I would give another book in the series a try. This time I listened to the audiobook of Fierce Poison and I didn't stop listening.

As I mentioned, I haven't been reading this series long so I think you can just start with this book and enjoy it just the same.

The mystery this time was much more engrossing to me. A man stumbles into the offices of private detectives (though they aren't called that in Victorian England) Barker & Llewlyn and promptly dies. He has been poisoned and he is just the start of a long list of victims. I was as stumped as to who was the poisoner as the detectives. I did have a passing thought that it might be one person but quickly dismissed it. So it was fun following the investigation all the way to when they finally realized who the person was.

The characters are still great. Barker is somewhat of an enigma. He is portrayed as a rather gruff man but he is constantly helping people - like giving a 100-pound note to a struggling public garden. I loved Llewlyn and his wife in the previous book so I was happy to see them together in this book. She is such a capable woman and I love that Thomas knows how lucky he is for having married her.

I have some books that I prefer listening to and I think this is one of those series. Antony Ferguson is perfect as the narrator and the story is so easy to listen to. It passed so quickly. It would feel like I had only been listening for a few minutes and then I would realize I was a third of the way through, then two-thirds, and then I finished it in just a matter of days.

If you are looking for a fun mystery that will keep you guessing and has great characters, then get this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Sunday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/04/fierce-poison-by-will-thomas-review.html

This is #13 in the Barker & Llewelyn series.
This historical mystery is set in London in 1893. Private Investigators Cyrus Baker and Thomas Llewelyn have been working together for ten years however, there are still things they don’t know about one another.
In this story there appears to be a poisoner (yes poison as in “Fierce Poison” that has causes multiple deaths. It seems to be have been hidden in a raspberry tart.

Have to admit this got my attention. I did have concerns about it being #13 in the series. I do enjoy reading books in a series in order ~ as you get to know the characters and have certain expectations.
Although true this can be read has a standalone but it is ‘just not the same’.
I enjoyed it but would have enjoyed it more if I had read others in this series first.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 12, 2022.

Really wonderful, possibly Thomas' best Barker and Llewelyn yet. The pacing was excellent, and the culprit was a surprised in a way that made sense without the author pulling a deus ex machina. I loved how Thomas involved Jeremy move in solving the mystery and added to his character development after we saw his relationship with his father and their joint forgery skills in a previous novel. The interactions with Ho and Etienne were hilarious and heartwarming, and I love when those characters are more heavily featured. I do miss Harm a bit though, maybe we will see him more in the next book!

We realistically see Barker aging and coming to grips with this, and Llewelyn's internal monologue about what the future will look like, both personally and professionally. Thomas has expertly allowed Llewelyn to grow into a competent inquiry agent and find his place with the help of Barker.

Excellent narration as usual. Great production quality, perfect pacing, and great differentiation in voices.