London, 1851

While visiting Madame Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors, Charles Dickens crosses paths with Sir Fabian Quarterman, a judge famed for his ruthlessness in court. Dickens reluctantly accepts an invitation to accompany Quarterman back to his mansion, where he claims to keep a gallery of waxworks that surpass Madame Tussaud’s. To his dismay, Dickens finds that they are all effigies of women who were sentenced to death or who died in brutal circumstances. The day after Dickens’s visit, Quarterman is found dead in his gallery, his face frozen in an expression of terror. When Dickens views the scenewith Superintendent Sam Jones of Bow Street, he believes that one of the waxwork women is missing. Though the cause of Quarterman’s death is assumed to be apoplexy, Dickens is convinced that there are more sinister forces at work. And when waxwork women begin mysteriously appearing around London and two more men are found dead in suspicious circumstances, Dickens and Jones must once again embark on a search for a deranged criminal. I have a whole new appreciation of Charles Dickens this. He makes an excellent detective. This was an enthralling mystery and highly enjoyable read. I hope there are more in this series.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

I was really hoping to like this as it seemed, from the description, something I would love. However, this was not the case and I did not like it.

I was not a fan of this novel. I found it probably the hardest one in the series to get in to and I just didn't enjoy it. I felt it had promise but got really wordy and just too much was going on for a good portion of the book.

Just couldn't really get into it.

If you're preparing for Halloween what better way to spend those chilly autumn days with a spine chiller starring the maestro of spookiness Charles dickens.

I haven't read any of this authors previous books in the series so wasn't sure if it would affect my enjoyment but I'm pleased to say it didn't seem to matter.
Much like a Sherlock Holmes mystery, I enjoyed the writing style and setting. There were a lot of characters and details which sometimes felt overwhelming and overly complicated but overall I enjoyed the story and would consider reading more in the series.

An enjoyable historical mystery. I've never read this series before but I'm now intrigued and will be looking up others in the series. Absolutely do not need to read others to enjoy this

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this

Summons to Murder is the 11th Charles Dickens investigation by J.C. Briggs. Released 15th Sept 2023 by Sapere Books, it's 314 pages (print edition) and is 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 and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (along with the rest of the series) is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a engagingly well written and plotted historical mystery series with three dimensional characters and a commendable Dickens vibe in the situations, settings, and characterizations. I've enjoyed these historical mysteries set in the middle of the 19th century in London and environs. Fictional sleuth Dickens is clever, loyal, dogged, and practical and his friendship and cooperative investigation with superintendent 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. Each of the mysteries works well as a standalone with a self contained mystery, plotline, denouement, and resolution.

This installment is quite macabre in places and has a definitely spooky vibe with lots of jump scares and bizarre twists. Waxwork figures are creepy by definition and this volume is *full* of outré characters and events. Perfect for Hallowe'en reading.

Four stars.

Overall, it's a good read and a quality example of the historical-person-as-amateur-sleuth sub-genre. With 11 books extant in the seriesit would be a good choice for a long weekend's binge/buddy read.

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

As usual Inspector Sam Jones and Charles Dickens investigate the seedier parts of London where petty crime abounds, murderers go scot free and both of them fight an unending battle of seeking justice for the poor, the people who have no one to fight for them.

Apart from that, the stories are set in very dismal surroundings - poverty, death, a never ending life of misery. This can be quite an overwhelming background to have constantly in a story but it is a hallmark of the Dickens tradition.

A murder of a disliked judge, witnessed by waxworks figures. Someone not going to be missed by anyone. The case is an open and shut one, till the waxworks figures keep appearing in public places in seeming mockery of the police forces, with a catch me if you can theme attached to it. The newspapers have a field day at the expense of the Police, and all Sam Jones wants is to have it all put away tidily. Then his beloved wife is abducted and things take a sinister turn and immediacy so that the investigators are put under pressure to bring matters to a close.

The story is fast paced and intense. Very well told.

A strange one to be honest. Took a while to get into it, but in the end I did enjoy it, mainly because it was away from my usual reading matter.

This was sophisticated Victorian fiction. It was part of the Charles Dickens Investigations series, and I haven't read any books from this series before, but I would be interested in reading more. I liked the way Dickens was portrayed by the author. This was a historical mystery, with a spooky sort of feel, and I think that was due to the theme of waxworks - in my mind, I was forming images of waxworks that seemed quite sinister.

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

This was my first time reading what is obviously a very successful series of books since this is number 11! I was intrigued by the idea of Charles Dickens being involved in investigating crime, especially since he was so obviously interested in the lives of others, particularly the poor and unfortunate, and the author brings him and London to life very well. I especially enjoyed the references to Dickens' books, such as talk of Fagin's gang and the court case dragging on like Jarndyce and Jarndyce in Bleak House. I found it a little hard to get into at first (perhaps it's easier if you've read the previous books) but there were plenty of twists and turns and it was an entertaining read - an interesting idea very well executed.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy in return for an honest review

. #TheWaxworkMan #NetGalley

Charles Dickens investigates. Who would not want to visit the original Madam Tussauds and The Chamber of Horrors in Victorian London. Dickens finds more than he bargained for when he meets Judge Quarterman down below.
Judge Quarterman is subsequently found dead surrounded by his own waxworks. This will be one of Dickens and Superintendent Jones most puzzling cases. The grime narrow alleyways of Victorian London give’s you great atmosphere to this story. This is a well told tale in the series which you will want to revisit.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher, Sapere Books) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In "The Waxwork Man" author J C Briggs masterfully combines history, mystery, and the inimitable wit of Charles Dickens in a captivating literary concoction. Set against the backdrop of Victorian England, this novel seamlessly weaves together the world of fiction and real-life intrigue.

The story kicks off with the sudden demise of a prominent judge under bizarre circumstances that lead to suspicions of foul play. The twist? The primary suspect is not a flesh-and-blood individual but a lifelike waxwork woman. To solve this perplexing case, the indomitable Charles Dickens is called upon, not as a novelist but as an amateur sleuth.

What makes this book truly enthralling is its ability to transport readers back in time, immersing them in the bustling streets of 19th-century London. The author meticulously recreates the era's atmosphere, capturing its essence with vivid descriptions of Victorian society, manners, and customs.

The character of Charles Dickens himself is brilliantly portrayed. His razor-sharp intellect, his keen eye for detail, and his witty observations are all on full display as he delves into the heart of the mystery. The interactions between Dickens and the colourful array of supporting characters provide both humour and depth to the narrative. Although there are a lot of characters and sometimes hard to keep track.

As the investigation progresses, the plot takes numerous unexpected turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The author expertly constructs a web of intrigue and suspense that keeps the pages turning.

In conclusion, this novel offers a delightful blend of history and fiction, inviting readers to embark on a thrilling journey through the streets of Victorian London alongside the incomparable Charles Dickens. A must-read for fans of historical mysteries, offering an imaginative exploration of what might happen when one of literature's greatest minds turns detective.

This is such a satisfying series of books and this one is just as good as the previous offerings. I did not see the twist coming in this one which made it even better.

I really enjoyed this addition to the series, I wasn’t expecting the twist to come! The flow and writing of these books makes them so quick and easy to read, an easy escape

‘The rain was coming down as if a barrel of water had been emptied in heaver — several, in fact.’

London 1851. A rainstorm sends Charles Dickens into Madame Tussaud’s on Baker Street. He’s seen it all before but is hoping the rainstorm will pass. Charles Dickens, having paid the extra sixpence, ventures into the Chamber of Horrors ‘that shrine of profound and awful misery’ which he entered by navigating ‘a dark passage under the guillotine scaffold’. And here he encounters Judge Fabian Quarterman, known as the hanging judge. Dickens reluctantly accepts an invitation to Quarterman’s home, where he claims his own gallery of waxworks surpasses Madame Tussauds. Dickens is dismayed to find that each of Quarterman’s effigies depict women who were either sentenced to death or died in brutal circumstances.

The following day, Quarterman is found dead in his gallery, with a horrified expression frozen on his face. While the cause of Quarterman’s death is assumed to be apoplexy, Dickens believes other forces are at work. When Dickens viewed the scene with Superintendent Sam Jones of Bow Street, he was sure that one of the effigies was missing. Dickens is further convinced that sinister forces are at work when, after Quarterman’s death, waxwork women start appearing around London, and two more men are found dead.

Was someone seeking revenge on Judge Quarterman? Who is behind the deaths?

This is the eleventh mystery in Ms Briggs’s Charles Dickens investigations series and features several characters from the earlier books (especially Scrap, Inspector Jones and his family). There are several twists, and while we learn relatively early on who is responsible there is plenty of tension as Inspector Jones and the police (assisted by Dickens and Scrap) try to find them.
I
’ve read most of the books in this series and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I enjoy the reminders of various characters from Dickens’s work as well as Ms Briggs’s finely drawn descriptions of London during this period. My one minor quibble is that Tasmania would have still been known as Van Diemen’s Land in 1851.

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

Another great story in this series with lots of twists and turn to keep you guessing and lots of people involved in certain parts of the mystery. There is a twist in that for about a third of the book we know who the villain is and it's all about finding him. ?I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.