I enjoy historical mysteries, so I thought I would take a look at this.

This was a sophisticated 1920s murder mystery. I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but the characters and the setting came to life for me soon after I started reading, I invested in the story, and towards the end, there was a turn of events that I hadn't expected, and I was slightly emotional.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn Publishing for the eARC.
This was my first DI Tom Harper and the last in the serie. I would have benefitted from from reading the series from the beginning, but despite that I really enjoyed the book.
Tom is such a superb character, I not only loved how he treated the men he worked with, but especially how he handled the very difficult and heartbreaking problems with his wife. Then there's the loving relationship with his daughter. The description of Leeds after the War, having had so many deaths as well as the Spanish flu epidemic was heartbreakimg. The cases he finished up with were interesting and I must say I felt nostalgic and sad ending the book.
Definitely recommended!

All good things must come to an end, so it is with great sorrow that I say farewell to Chief Constable Tom Harper and his family, in this, the final book in this wonderful series.

Leeds 1920, and Tom Harper is just weeks away from a well earned retirement, but first he’ll have three cases to crack, because there’s no way he’ll leave them unsolved for his successor.

The first case is very much under the radar, at the insistence of married Council leader, Alderman Thompson, who is being blackmailed after becoming involved with a much younger woman. It’s clear he was besotted by her, even sending her love letters, but now the affair is coming back to bite him, and he desperately needs those letters back.

The next case is that of a gang of armed and masked robbers who are targeting jewellery shops in the city centre.

The third and final case is a gang of organised female shoplifters who have already targeted other cities with much success. Leeds is next on their list, but Harper intends to do everything he can to defeat them.

Well of course nothing is that simple and these three cases spiral out of control, with Harper having the devil of a job to bring them all to a successful conclusion.

As ever Chris Nickson has written a riveting storyline with research that is unmatched. He loves Leeds and he knows Leeds, and that adds authenticity to every book in this series. I am going to miss the series like no other.
I’ve always said that I can’t go very long without a Chris Nickson novel to read, and this series in particular has been a favourite - how on earth am I going to manage without Tom Harper, his wife Annabelle and daughter Mary in my life? I honestly don’t know. Thank you for introducing me to the Harper’s Mr Nickson, I shall miss them.

A standing ovation and a crisp salute in the direction of Chris Nickson.

Many are the book series out there. They range from fair to mediocre to eye-catching. But this DI Tom Harper Series falls into the outstanding category. Chris Nickson has created an experience like no other. Nickson knows Leeds.......simple, complicated, and flawed just like his main character DI Tom Harper. He's always pressed consistency and diligence into the character of Tom. And each reading is a memorable experience.

Tom Harper is now Chief Constable Harper. We've watched his footsteps on the beat from dark street corners in Leeds to his present efficient office in the town hall. Harper has risen to the challenge no matter what. He's counting the days until his retirement eager to hand the reigns to someone else. But retirement will not come with ease. Crime waits in the streets.....and it keeps vigil outside his door.

Alderman Ernest Thompson is a brusk individual. He's quite the figure at the town hall. But it seems that "figure" has a different meaning and in a different category now. Thompson is being blackmailed by someone in possession of love letters to a certain young lady. He's married and wants no scandal. A bit too late for that.He begs Harper to investigate the situation and get those letters back. But discretion is key. This will turn into a gnarled effort on all sides.

Leeds is experiencing the aftermath of returning soldiers from the Great War. It's 1920 and the physically and emotionally wounded can be seen on every street. But a new element is raising flags as fast and furious jewelry heists are making their way through Leeds' shops. It appears that these hell-raisers may be former soldiers themselves. Harper and his men are perplexed.

To add to this pressure, bands of women shoplifters have innundated London and Manchester and they're on their way to Leeds. Like no other time before, women constables will be needed to handle situations such as these. Times are changing. These shoplifters and pickpockets are leaving chaos behind.

Rusted Souls is a reflection of the continuity of this remarkable series. Tom and his men have given their all through the years for the betterment of this community. They've lost many in the ranks as they fought crime which has transfigured itself within this changing era. We've sat in the midst of Tom's remarkable marriage and his relationship with his dynamic daughter. The toll has been great, but the movement in making inroads even far greater. And the character of Tom has left a huge imprint on us readers. But most of all, so have you, Chris Nickson. So have you. Bravo!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Severn House and to the talented Chris Nickson for the opportunity.

Rusted Souls is another truly excellent book, the tenth, in the Tom Harper series set over a 40 year period from being a lowly Policeman in the Victorian era through to the 1920s when he has risen to the highest rank possible, Retirement looms for Tom but can he crack one last case. Essentially they`re police procedurals of the era but they also show empathy for the conditions that folk lived in 100+ years ago when life was tough for the general population and life expectancy was short due to pollution, the like modern folk have never seen. Having read them all they are a journey in time to a bygone age which Chris Nickson seems to be able to bring to life so expertly that it shows he`s done his research on his beloved Leeds. You can almost smell the smoke of bygone Leeds on every page you turn. Time travel is definitely possible in Chris`s books. I can recommend them to any reader that truly loves historical novels and wants to curl up in the past for a while.