I enjoy a good historical fiction story every now and then; it’s a nice break from the all the contemporary stuff I typically read. However, I especially love stories with strong, bold, intelligent, and sassy female MC’s and Dr Julia Lewis was perfect in this role. As a 19th century, female doctor in a country that doesn’t educate female doctors, she is most certainly a rarity among the British population and especially among the “coppers” of London. Scotland Yard Det Tennant is a cop with a humongous chip on his shoulder for the way he has been treated since coming home injured from the war.

The story takes place in 1866 during another cholera breakout (there were many back then). The book summary introduces the primary storyline of Dr Julia consulting with Det Tennant on the bodies of the two victims that were brutally murdered and mutilated. Most of the story revolves around Det Tennant and his Sergeant Graves and Constable O’Malley investigating the murders and Dr Julia trying to insert herself in the investigation whenever and wherever she can, much to the public displeasure of Det Tennant, even though secretly he sometimes appreciates it.

The story flips back and forth between Det Tennant and Dr Julia and the killer. The killings continue and the dead bodies get worse and worse and the killer suddenly makes it clear he’s now targeting Dr Julia. McDonough has weaved such a twisted and intricate story that well into the second half, I still have no clue who the killer can be. It can one or more of several suspects. I love it when a writer can do that!

As much as I loved this story and the way it was written and unfolded, one of the things about this story that really bothered me were the constant descriptions of how foul and fetid the streets of London were. The graphic descriptions of the disgusting conditions of the streets and the homes of the poor with hazardous waste flowing everywhere and the detailed descriptions of the overwhelming stench were so over the top. Visualizing this was horrible, even though I found myself becoming more and more invested in the story. It got to the point, somewhere deep in the second half, where I just started to flip through those parts. Enough already!!! London back then was a cesspool of disease and filth! I got it the first 10x times you described it!

Anyway, I liked Dr Julia and based on the ending it seems like this can be the start of a new series. I hope it is because I would definitely read more about her if the author chose to continue her storyline. I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #MurderbyLamplight

I've started the new year with a bit of binge reading of historical mysteries. Murder by Lamplight is Patrice McDonough's second novel—and the first that I've read. One of the challenges of historical mysteries is that, while staying true to their time, they need to be built around central characters who speak to today's readers. I'm frustrated if time setting is full of anachronisms or if central characters feel too much products of our present day who have been helicoptered into the past. McDonough avoids both these traps and provides the kind of engaging reading that leads one to repeatedly promise "just one more chapter..."

The central characters in Murder by Lamplight are ones I'd like to spend more time with, and I'm hoping this will be the first volume in a series. Dr. Julia Lewis had to travel to the U.S. to get her medical license, since no medical schools in Victorian London accept female students. She's back home now, but having great difficulty finding work beyond the practice she shares with her grandfather. Detective Inspector Richard Tennant is a by-the-books sort, who has moved through the ranks swiftly and faces the pressure of living up to the expectations of someone with early success.

One of Lewis' grandfather's responsibilities is being on call for the police in murder cases. But he's been ill lately, and Lewis has arrived in his place at the scene of the brutal murder of a reverend known for his work with London's poor. Though he's dubious about Lewis playing this role, Tennant does allow Lewis at the crime scene and is both nonplussed and rather impressed by her skills. It soon becomes clear that there's a serial killer active in London who is killing seemingly unconnected individuals, so Lewis, Tennant, and the officers working under Tennant are at a loss trying to understand what motivates the killer and what the victims have in common.

The author builds a bit of mutual attraction between Lewis and Tennant, but does it while keeping Lewis a woman committed to her work, rather than a damsel who needs rescuing—which I appreciate because I hate it when a perfectly good historical mystery is turned into a romance novel. The criticisms I've see of the book are those one might expect from an author with just two books in print: an excess of period information and occasionally stilted dialogue. However, the weaknesses are more than compensated for by a plot that offers unexpected twists.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, you'll enjoy Murder by Lamplight. I found the period information (about London's sewers and an ongoing cholera epidemic) fascinating. And, I suspect you'll wind up feeling as I do, that another volume featuring Lewis and Tennant is something to look forward to.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

I'm always happy to come across a new historical mystery series. Murder by Lamplight was an enjoyable, quick read, and I look forward to the author further developing her characters in a second title in the series.

“Murder by Lamplight” features Dr. Julia Lewis who generally treats the working poor in Whitechapel at a clinic that she runs with her grandfather. Because of her grandfather’s illness, she arrives at a construction site where a murder victim has been found. The victim has been…mutilated. Her insights help Inspector Richard Tennant get on the trail of a vicious killer, but there are hints that Julia herself may be a target of the murderer.

Parts of the story, particularly the descriptions of the murder victims, are grittier than I prefer, but they do serve a purpose. First, the brutality of the killings points to an unthinkable motive and second, the descriptions emphasize the fact that Julia is used to seeing horrific things in her work and is not phased by it.

One of the things I really liked about “Murder by Lamplight” is that it is taking place shortly after Dr. John Snow’s work in pinpointing the source of a cholera outbreak in 1850s London. That work marks the beginning of modern public health, but the doctor faced an uphill battle in getting decision-makers to listen to him (in other words, most people still believed that disease was caused by bad smells). Added to this is the exploration of the London sewer project happening at the time. There is considerable discussion in the novel about the changes that are taking place in the medical profession and in public health.

This book is great for those who like gritty Victorian era mysteries.

CW: descriptions of human mutilation, sexual assault, and violence against the LGBTQ community.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Kensington Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I very much enjoyed Murder by Lamplight. The characters were interesting, the mystery fascinating, and the conclusion surprising yet logical. I look forward to reading McDonough's next instalment.

I was super excited to read this book. Female doctor in Victorian times, working to catch a serial killer. Right up my alley!
It was very well written. It was very obvious the It was written by a someone with extensive history knowledge. It fell short for me though. While the trials and tribulations of being a female doctor in that era, as well as the cholera epidemic, are very interesting, It dragged out the story unnecessarily. I quickly lost interest in the mystery.
I would have liked more information on the mystery and possible suspects. There was no way to follow along on solving the mystery.
It all came together in the end , and the murderer was definitely a surpise.
This is perfect for the history buff that enjoys mysteries as well.
Thank you to NetGalley, Patrice McDonough, and Kensington Books for the Advanced Readers Copy.

I enjoyed every moment with this book. If you are a fan of good historical fiction and mysteries, Murder By Lamplight is a great read. In 1866 London, Dr Julia Lewis is a rarity- a female physician. She is in the process of taking over her grandfather's practice when she is called by the police to examine a murder victim. The officer in charge is Scotland Yard Inspector Richard Tennant and he and his constables are shocked when Julia shows up instead of her grandfather. This turns out to be the first in a string of connected murders and she gradually earns their respect while working closely with them to try and stop a killer.
I particularly enjoyed all of the period details in this story. From music hall stages to the cholera-stricken slums, you feel like you are immersed in Victorian London. I would love to read more about Dr Lewis and Inspector Tennant and I hope there will be a sequel. #MurderbyLamplight #NetGalley

I love gritty Victorian mysteries with a hint of romance, but this missed the mark. Too much info dumping, characters hard to connect with, and dull dialogue. This wasn’t “Paris sewers in Les Mis” level of info dumping, but character development would have been a better use of all that word count that was wasted on history lessons.
Julia and Tennant needed to have deeper conversations to get me invested rather than her sniping and him presuming for a few lines, and neither one stood out much more than the supporting characters. The chapters’ sections were short and choppy and it made it hard to get invested in the scene or the characters. Not everyone will have the patience to wade through to the end. If Julia and Tennant were more likable or had a stronger connection, the middle slog might’ve not been so bad. I might read another story if this is a series, but I hope the next is better edited.

This needs a serious trigger warning for CSA.

"Murder by Lamplight" is set in 1866 in London. It's not really mystery genre. From the beginning, scenes from the killer's point of view hint at who he is and what happened to prompt the killings. Eventually we're told in his viewpoint who it is. While there were clues, most could apply to several people. The detective eventually worked out whodunit, but Julia didn't until she was kidnapped by him. Then she was angry that the detective came to capture the killer and try to save her life. After all, SHE was perfectly capable of saving herself from a manipulative serial killer.

Julia assumed all men underestimated her, and she assumed the worse of most men. The detective used her as a medical examiner, appreciated her detailed work, and accepted her input even when it meant reading a book about mental illness. Julia, on the other hand, assumed that the detective didn't appreciate her skills and intelligence and so decided to do his job for him, from searching for clues to lecturing him about criminal madness. Sigh.

Historical details brought the time and place alive with gritty, depressing vividness. I appreciated her extensive historical knowledge, but it disappeared at the end. Julia (with open cuts) jumped into the dirty water yet didn't get sick or an infection when a big point in the story was how filthy the water was. There were no sex scenes, but we're told that objects were shoved up the corpses' asses, how murder turned the killer on, and how children where sexually abused by adults (not in graphic detail). There was a fair amount of bad language.

This book stuck with me long after I finished it. The story is engaging and the mystery was thrilling. There is a slight hint of a romance but it doesn't interfere with the main plot. I'm only knocking it 1 star because it felt unfinished and I wanted more.

Murder by Lamplight was about how a series of gruesome murder unfolds in Victorian London and how Dr Julia one of Britain's first female physician teams up with Inspector Tennant of Scotland Yard to solve these murders. This book was just not for me though because of how much the plot dragged on it seemed and there was way to much information in this book but I can see how other people might like this. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review.

Classical bridgetton vibed murder mystery. Who dun it??? Page turner! I had a cup of tea beside me the whole book!

I really, really wanted to like this because I love the idea of a female doctor in Victorian-era England who works closely with Scotland Yard, but there was an element here that I just couldn't get past. The mystery was pretty solid, and there was great historical detail, and I did like Dr. Julia Lewis, so I would have been into this if not for a problematic thread throughout the story. From almost start to finish, there was an implication that queerness (especially male queerness) basically equates to pedophilia. Adding to that, there was a vilification of male drag performers that felt really pointed in the current US political climate, where many politicians/lawmakers already seem to think that drag = pedophilia. I may have been reading too much into this but I just couldn't get past it.

With her grandfather ill, Dr. Julia Lewis answers the call when a medical examiner is needed at a grisly murder scene of a local clergyman in Victorian-era London. As one of the only female physicians in the city, Julia is used to not being taken seriously—it just smarts a bit more when Detective Inspector Richard Tennant shows his uncertainty in her knowledge and skills. As more bodies turn up in connection to the murdered clergyman, Julia and Richard are drawn closer together as they work together to find the killer. With the killer sending taunting letters to Richard and Julia in his crosshairs, the duo must track down the murderer before one of them becomes the next victim.

While the series of murders and subject matter was interesting—penises are getting chopped off with disturbing frequency—the plot dragged on, the scenes felt disjointed, and it was overwhelmed by multiple info dumps. I love a well-researched novel, but there is such a thing as sharing too much of that research. Overall, MURDER BY LAMPLIGHT was well-written and included some intriguing main characters. It was the dragging plot that left me slogging through the novel. I do see potential in this as a series and Dr. Julia Lewis as a main character.

This is a really good story, especially if you like historical ones that take place in London England with all the gray sky, rain and that feeling of doom and gloom. Dr Julia Lewis is a female physician, her grandfather encouraged her to become one by going to the USA where women could attend university to become a doctor. She returned to Britain to work with her grandfather in his practice. She also ends up being called to examine a death where the dead person is a clergy whose body is badly mutilated. The police inspector, Richard Tennant, is highly skeptical of her abilities, but she gradually wins him over with her observations on the clergy man and other bodies that begin to turn up and are mutilated in a similar manner. Letters and balloons are also being sent to the police, taunting them about future deaths. This has the police running around investigating clues that lead to music halls, work houses and the sewer line being built. In the midst of this there is also a Cholera epidemic going on, Julia is called to assist when people have passed from it, exposing herself to catching it. Overall a very good book, really captures the era. I look forward to the next by this author. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Kensington for the ARC.

I love the discovery of a debut novel. Patrice McDonough’s Murder by Lamplight is a fast-paced, fascinating historical mystery set in Victorian England in 1866. It features two protagonists who have been through rough times. Despite their differences, they’re able to work together as a team to uncover a surprising serial killer.

Dr. Julia Lewis went to medical school in Philadelphia, one of the few places to teach women. Now, she’s one of Britain’s first female physicians, in practice with her grandfather. Inspector Richard Tennant is a Crimean War veteran, now with Scotland Yard. He’s appalled when Dr. Julia Lewis shows up at his crime scene when he was expecting her grandfather. The victim is a clergyman, “The Saint of Spitalfields”.

Dr. Lewis has to work “harder than any man”, but she knows what she’s doing, even at the crime scene. Tennant successfully solved the “Railway Murders”, but, this current case leaves him stymied, and notes from the killer tease him that he hanged the wrong man for the “Railway Murders”. He needs the medical advice Dr. Julia Lewis can provide.

As the deaths pile up, as the newspaper and the killer taunt the police, they’re led first in one direction, and then the other. How are the victims selected? What do they have in common?

McDonough doesn’t write like a debut author. Through Dr. Julia Lewis’ eyes, she exposes the poverty-stricken and working class neighborhoods of Victorian London, the sections affected by cholera, typhus, and other diseases. Although the Lewis family has money, Julia Lewis sees the streets of London through a doctor’s eys, and McDonough allows the reader to see that as well.

With two well-developed characters, a fascinating setting, and a surprising killer, I’m hoping Murder by Lamplight launches a new series.

When I tell you that Murder by Lamplight made me miss my tram stop not once, not twice, but THREE different times because I was so absorbed in it, I mean it. The mystery is so twisted and gruesome, I was fascinated the whole time. I could not believe that this is Mcdonough's debut.

This certainly isn't a book for everyone: pretty much every trigger warning I can think of applies here. I had to put it down a few times and take some deep breaths because it is A LOT. But for me, it was so well-executed--never voyeuristic or over the top, but the right amount of realistic and sensational for a novel. I think the same goes for the characters. They all felt so realistic for the time period. Even the possible love interest is flawed, but appropriately so for the time period.

When the second one comes out, I will be acquiring it however I can. I am obsessed.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the ebook ARC. All opnions are mine alone.

I am a big fan of historical fiction set during the Victorian period. I’ve studied the time period quite a bit, and I also enjoy reading Victorian literature, but I’m also very interested in Victorian historical fiction.

This book follows Julia, a female doctor who, in addition to seeing patients, also takes on her grandfather’s role as a medical examiner for Scotland Yard after he is forced to step down due to health issues. Julia and DI Tenant must work together to catch a serial killer. It definitely had Jack the Ripper vibes and I was more than a little intrigued by the premise.

Unfortunately, this let me down a bit. A big part of that was the writing, which was somewhat choppy and disjointed in spots. It’s clear a lot of research went into this, but it felt a little infodumpy in spots as well. It read more like a history book than a historical fiction.

I also found Julia to be a bit soapboxy and preachy. She has a lot to say about women’s rights and while she wasn’t necessarily wrong, it felt like she was lecturing everyone she came into contact with and judging them as well.

I loved the atmosphere of Victorian England. With Jack the Ripper vibes and references to everything from Charles dickens to child labor in workhouses, the time period really came to life.

Overall I enjoyed this one and I would recommend it to readers who like to read about Jack the Ripper.

I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end! The author does a masterful job of setting up multiple red herrings to the point where you can come up with your own predictions but not be fully sure if you are on the right track. I loved following Julia and Tennant's investigations and how they pieced together the connections between victims ultimately figured out who the killer was. There were also a lot of tense moments when you weren't sure of a character was about to get killed or not. I thought for sure one of the police officers was going to get killed for getting too close to figuring out the mystery. I also enjoyed following the evolution of the relationship between Tennat and Julia - from him thinking of her as less capable for no other reason than being a woman to fully accepting her as a colleague. I am very much looking forward to seeing what is next for these characters.

Research was done for this book, and it shows! This was an extremely well-written historical mystery novel that seamlessly transports the reader into the grime, back alleys, and injustices that was 19th century London. Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper will be instantly enthralled by this story!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the digital ARC.