I didn't read a mystery book in a very long time and I am so glad I decided to give this book a chance.

It's a historical mystery book that follows not one, but two murders, and searching to see if they are interconnected or not, while making sure they don't get in trouble and become the next crime scene.

I really liked how the MMC perceives the females and how he treats the FMC, because the society tended to see nurses and single ladies in a very poor light, but he believes in her and her intuition.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion

A brilliant historical mystery that kept me gripped right from the start and hooked all the way through. I couldn't put it down and has reminded me why I love this genre

I enjoyed this SO much! I love a historical mystery and it’s been ages since one has captured my attention as well as this did. Can’t wait for the next instalment in the series (hoping there is one)

This is such a great historical mystery novel! The right amount of suspense, intrigue, gruesomeness and historical setting.
I instantly liked Inspector Bell (a flawed character with morals and brains) and Gemma Tate (a strong woman who doesn't allow cultural restrictions to keep her in 'her place' but is also vulnerable).

I loved everything about this book (but would've liked more set in Highgate Cemetery as its one of my favourite places!).

Fast paced well crafted murder mystery set in London's late 19th century.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

No stranger to historical mystery authorship (I’m sure I have her Redmond and Haze series on my TBR), Irina Shapiro writes an entirely solid novel in The Highgate Cemetery Murder. This was a smooth read with a satisfying conclusion on all fronts. Overall, I give it a 4.5-star rating.

When Gemma Tate’s brother is killed in a freak accident with a carriage, she is devastated. She knows that these things happen but still questions how; her brother was a careful man. At the same time, Inspector Sebastian Bell is assigned to the brutal murder of an unidentifiable woman found hanging from a cross in Highgate Cemetery. However, when he goes to interview the witness who discovered the body, he finds that the witness has died in a freak carriage accident.

Although bereaved, when Gemma meets Inspector Bell, she’s cognizant enough to show him some cryptic notes that her brother made on the day he died. Quickly realizing that these notes hold a vital clue to the identity of the killer, Bell and Gemma bounce ideas off of one another and follow leads to find justice for two deaths.

The Highgate Cemetery Murder was a very solid read. Everything from the characters to the investigation was firm and grounded, which was satisfying. The mystery plot could have been more cryptic, I think, but this was more of a procedural than a dramatic novel. I don’t imagine that all cases end with high-speed chases and fistfights in the real world. So, I think you’re looking in the wrong place if you want a book that will excite you, but if you want a genuinely enjoyable read then you’ve found the right one.

I liked the characters, too. Gemma was a nurse in the Crimean War, bucking the stereotypes of her day by choosing not to marry and settle down. She was a strong, competent character with a sensible head on her shoulders. When she met Sebastian Bell, he recognized a kindred spirit in her, and they treated each other with the mutual respect they both deserved. Gemma was not foolish enough to insist on going on any dangerous errands but took on a couple of safer tasks pertinent to the investigation. The inspector recognized her need to be useful, so he allowed her some latitude and bounced ideas off of her.

I just love characters with common sense. Both the inspector and Gemma showed it in spades, and it was refreshing to see. I also liked that Gemma wasn’t following the typical path of a woman in her day, but she wasn’t out there with a chip on her shoulder about how she was treated because of it. She knew she had value as herself, as a professional, and yes, as a woman. She knew she had chosen a path in life that would be met with resistance, but she went and nursed anyway because she felt like she had to. She led by example and that was heartwarming.

All in all, if you’re looking for a solid read with pleasant characters and nothing too dramatic or violent (the action, anyway; the murder was a little grisly), try The Highgate Cemetery Murder. Shapiro is an experienced writer and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I REALLY enjoyed this book! I love books that are set in England. I haven't read much mystery lately and this was a breath of fresh air because it was so mysterious and yet not cheesy in the slightest. I'm not big into paranormal but I think if it had been mentioned earlier in the book instead of just thrown in randomly then it wouldn't have been too bad. However, I will say that it was a bit unlikely that Gemma would be allowed to meddle in the investigation like she did (by interviewing witnesses and such that were close to the main investigation). I thought that was slightly unrealistic but maybe back in the day it wasn't as unrealistic as it would be now. Also I suppose she could have just been gathering information about something and not necessarily the investigation at the time so it would be possible. I felt that the plot twist could be seen coming but also not. It was alluded to in the middle of the book but then never mentioned so you do forget about the possibility. It was in the back of my mind but then you get sucked into the book that you forget about why that piece of information was relevant until the ending. Overall, it was a great book and I really look forward to reading more by this author! 3.5/5 stars

This was an eerie Victorian murder mystery.

When I first started reading, it seemed the style was different from what I'd usually expect when reading a historical mystery, but I think that was just a first impression. This book had intriguing characters that the author brought to life in a simple, uncomplicated way. There was some gruesome imagery related to the murders, but not in excess. I really liked Sebastian and Gemma as characters, and I would be interested to know if they might be featured in anymore books in the future. I would probably read something else by this author.

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

The start of a new historical mystery series starts off well with this first story.

A murder of an heiress seems to tie in with the death of a nurses brother and she is determined to find out what happened. A cryptic message leads Gemma and a police inspector on the hunt.

Well written with engaging characters and a winding journey in search of a killer leads this one to a satisfying end!

this is a very intense intriguing read! I could not put it down! Captures you on the very first page! Unpredictable and haunting, wonderful complex characters and so detailed I felt i was there with the characters! I love this author, she writes with such descriptive narratives and powerful events! I loved this book so much and you will too! A real page turner and a must must read!

I really enjoyed this book! Sebastian Bell was a kind of character I don't read about much. I also really enjoyed the little bit of romance that came in with him and Gemma Tate without it being a primary force in the novel itself. I read a lot of thrillers, but it's hard for me to find mysteries that I find enthralling enough to want to keep up with. This was one! I'm very much looking forward to read more about Bell and Tate in the next books Shapiro puts out about them!

*contains spoiler*

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Got potential

1858, London
Gemma Tate, a nurse, is shocked to hear of her twin brother’s death in an accident. Soon, she realizes he could have been murdered based on his last-minute notes in the pocketbook.
Inspector Sebastian Bell is assigned to handle the murder of a young woman in the Highgate Cemetery. It doesn’t take him long to realize that the stakes are high.
Gemma and Sebastian find a common point in the cases. However, Sebastian is worried that Gemma wants to investigate. After all, it could put her life in grave danger. But the case needs to be solved and the killer caught.
The story comes in Gemma Tate and Sebastian Bell’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
I like Victorian mysteries dealing with the darker side of London. This one belongs to the same category. Geema is a twenty-seven-year-old nurse who previously worked with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea. Her twin brother, Victor, is a writer and a journalist.
Inspector Sebastian Bell isn’t who he was before tragedy struck. Now, he relies too much on alcohol and opium to numb the pain. This case could make or break it for him. Despite the not-so-appealing introduction, it is easy to like Sebastian. He is dedicated to solving the crime without taking shortcuts.
Since this is the first book in the series, we are introduced to characters likely to feature in the coming books. Even otherwise, the cast is quite large. We can follow the case without confusion. However, talking multiple times about a character that isn’t active anywhere in the book doesn’t help. Not likely that all readers will remember him for the next one.
The content is dark and deals with triggering topics (check TW). There’s some fluff in the middle, which leads to a rushed ending and sudden confessions. Spacing this would have helped.
I was rather surprised by the direction the case took. While it does show the ugly side of things, I wasn’t sure if the connection was realistic. The conclusion is decent, though I’m not impressed. (So, some people from one Abrahamic religion show interest in converting to another monotheistic religion, while the culprits 'use' pagan rituals to satisfy their lusty cravings. Ugh!)
Gemma and Sebastian don’t meet until we cross the first third of the book. However, that is a natural progression of the plot. Of course, it’s clear that Gemma has a good brain and uses it. She is also someone who can put people in place and stand firm despite her grief.
Given the setting and the period, the case is mainly handled by Sebastian. I did expect this. However, halfway through, the book feels more like the MMCs while the FMC becomes a side character. If the series is named Tate and Bell, the Tate lady has to have an equal role!
Moreover, the chemistry between the two is non-existent at this point. That’s okay since both have different immediate concerns. But there seems to be a slight progress that happened off-page and is casually mentioned in a line. That can be an issue if the trend continues.
There’s a lead for the next book, so I will read it and then decide. I like the easy writing style, so despite the hard topics, the book doesn’t feel overwhelming.

To summarize, The Highgate Cemetery Murder is an intriguing mystery and a decent series starter. I had greater expectations and felt the book could be better.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***
Review rounded to 4 stars on Amazon

This book grabbed my attention from page one. It's 1858 and Inspector Sebastian Bell of Scotland Yard is investigating a heartbreaking murder "tableau" discovered in a cemetery. Gemma Tate, a nurse who served with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea, is drawn into the case as her beloved twin brother Victor initially discovered the murder while visiting the grave of his wife, and (accidentally?) was run over by an omnibus on the way to alert the police.

Inspector Bell is hanging on by a thread - with his job, his health, his sanity - and believes he is assigned this case as the means to boot him from the force once he fails to find the killer. The author gives us a very nuanced and careful unveiling of the evidence and the very human emotions that transcend time and place. When making a death notification:

"He wore an expression Sebastian had seen so many times before, and not so long ago on himself - shock, utter disbelief, and the realization that something infinitely precious had been lost and life would never be the same again, this agonizing pain a lifelong companion one hadn't yet known this morning but would walk with for the rest of one's days."

Both Bell and Gemma Tate are richly developed and fleshed out intelligent characters, as is Colin Ramsey, the doctor who aids Sebastian with autopsies and forensic information. Gemma is a great character - all alone after the death of her brother, and a woman in a time where "... an unmarried woman was treated no better than an orphaned child who lacked a father to tell them what to think and how to behave." - Gemma is strong and resourceful and determined.

Tate and Bell unofficially team up to gather evidence and information and solve this case, and I look forward to many books about their crime solving, and maybe them becoming something more than colleagues? 5 stars.

Victor was a journalist. A quiet man but with attention to detail. When he was found dead, pushed under a cart and had died, his sister Nurse Gemma knew her cautious brother could not have been so careless. His notebook had a cryptic sentence. “Milky Way and red streaks” Gemma knew her intuition would be met with skepticism until she met Inspector Sebastian who did not brush her feelings aside.

The setting of the 1850s, the number of aristocrats and rich involved in this murder and then you get the middle class like Gemma, Victor and Sebastian trying to find justice and being coerced and ridiculed by society and worse by their peers who side with the rich covering up all their sins of both omission and commission.

This has been a recurring feature in books set in this era. How even questioning an earl or a son of a viscount was considered out of bounds and they got away with murder, rape, abuse of women.
The setting was gothic almost and very descriptive.

Detective work was not easy and bringing the culprits to book was going to be either the saving of the Detective or his end.

The Highgate Cemetery Murder is the first book in Irina Shapiro's historical mystery series Tate and Bell Mysteries. I have a number of books by this author, but I haven't read them yet. When I had the opportunity to read this ARC, the first in a new series, I know this was the perfect book with which to get to know Ms. Shapiro's work. All I wonder now is, just what the heck was I waiting for?! I inhaled this exciting story. I have found many new favorite authors since I started to read historical mysteries during the last couple years, and now Ms. Shapiro has been added to that list.

In London in 1858, nurse Gemma Tate is waiting for her twin brother Victor, a newspaper reporter, to arrive home, but he never does. Gemma is soon notified that her brother was killed in a horrible accident - he was run over by an omnibus, after having witnessed a horrendous sight at Highgate Cemetery: a dead woman hanging on a cross with a bloody heart strung around her neck. When Gemma goes to the morgue to identify her brother she is given his possessions. Among them is his notebook in which Victor had hurriedly made notations about the grisly scene he came upon in Highgate Cemetery, and his belief that he was being followed. Gemma begins to believe that Victor may have actually been murdered, so she contacts the Scotland Yard police inspector who is investigating the murder of the young woman. Sebastian Bell, a troubled man, is under enough pressure to solve the case of the murder of the young woman, a member of the aristocracy, without Gemma becoming involved. But the clues in Victor's notebook could very well be crucial to finding the killer. From the mansions of Mayfair to the slums of St. Giles, Gemma and Sebastian are determined to find justice for the dead.

This was quite an exciting but gruesome mystery. Be warned, gentle reader, that there are descriptions of brutal murders, autopsies and sexual assaults. If that doesn't offend your sensibilities, dive right in! I was hooked on this story from page one. The mystery was fantastic - I was never able to figure out whodunit until all was revealed - but it was the engaging characters who made the book so special. Gemma Tate was a nurse who served with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. She saw some of the worst violence imaginable, but it was the death of her beloved twin brother that almost brought her to her knees. When she read his hurried scribbles he wrote before he was killed, she just knew it wasn't an accident. She was determined to assist Sebastian Bell in his investigation, whether he wanted help or not! It didn't matter if she was scared; she was made of sterner stuff than that. Sebastian's situation was even more heartbreaking than Gemma's. His wife and unborn child were murdered, and he blamed himself for their deaths. After hunting down the killer and obtaining justice, Sebastian tried to ease his unbearable pain with opium, alcohol and other intoxicants. When he was assigned the case of the murdered young woman, he was located in an opium den. He knew he must pull himself together; if he didn't solve the case, he would lose his career at Scotland Yard. Sebastian didn't want to accept Gemma's offered assistance, but not helping him wasn't an option for her. When they had dinner at Gemma's home, she seemed to be a calming influence on him. Also, when he wasn't working he was giving into his grief and vices, so spending time with her eased his loneliness. He saw in her someone who could save him. Colin Ramsey, a surgeon who did autopsies at the morgue and also taught young surgeons was a friend to Sebastian, and he was a great addition to the story; I hope he will return in subsequent books. I also adored Gustav the cat, who belonged to a neighbor who died, and Sebastian took him in. As a cat mom, I'm always happy when cats make an appearance. There were many intriguing red herrings flung throughout the story which kept me guessing throughout the whole book. I look forward to the next book in this series, and I hope to see Gemma and Sebastian's relationship evolve. And I'm very excited I have Ms. Shapiro's entire body of work to catch up on!

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

Gemma Tate’s brother dies only hours after witnessing a murder discard a body, and she’s determined the two are linked. Inspector Sebastian Bell is the man assigned the case of the Highgate Angel: the women murdered and displayed in a cemetery on All Hallows Eve. When Gemma approaches Inspector Bell about the link between her brother’s death and the body found in the cemetery, they start to work together toward a common goal: catching a murderer.

This book definitely has you putting puzzle pieces together once the investigation starts, and it came to a very satisfying conclusion. It felt like Shapiro was spoon feeding the readers a bit along the way. If a character is nervous during an interview, shifting in his seat or not making eye contact, leave it up to the audience to interpret what that means. There was a tendency for both characters, Gemma and Sebastian, to over explain every clue to make sure the reader picked up on it. This is also a book that had a lot of “gut instincts”, whether it was that a witness was telling the truth or where to look for a clue, it felt a bit much, and I would’ve liked a little bit more deduction from the detective. I usually like to end mysteries by looking back at the clues I missed, but I didn’t have with this one.

I didn’t know going into this book that there would be such explicit detail about sexual assault cases, so here is a warning to future readers incase that is something you would like to avoid.

I don’t know if I felt the connection between Gemma and Sebastian like I was supposed to, but can appreciate a slow burn and look forward to what Sharpiro has in stall for the next book.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this arc!

This is a gripping novel. It has a dark and atmospheric tone, with truly horrifying and despicable villains.

The story begins with a shocking early double murder in Victorian London which introduces us to Gemma Tate, a young woman who served as a nurse in the Crimean War, and Inspector Sebastian Bell, a policeman.

As more details emerge about the murdered young woman and the suffering she endured before she died it is clear that the police are hunting seriously evil and depraved individuals.

Both Sebastian and Gemma have endured personal losses, tragedy and grief. Gemma was touched by her experiences as a wartime nurse and Sebastian lost his wife and unborn child in tragic circumstances causing him to turn to opium to numb his pain.

The chance to solve a very high-profile murder and help Gemma with solving the mystery of her brother's death becomes a timely distraction and the beginning of a new friendship.

This is a fast-paced story with twists I didn't see coming and has a satisfying conclusion where justice is meted out.

Gemma and Sebastian's friendship is subtle and low-key with hints of something more towards the end. I'm looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops in the next book which is set to be released in June 2024.

I read this book in a day as it was such a tense and twisty thriller I couldn't put it down.

Thank you so much for your allowing me to read The Highgate Cemetery Murder. I was hooked from the very beginning of this book.

Irina Shapiro enriches the details of the setting engaging all five of the readers senses. I felt I really was strolling down the streets of mid 1850's London as I was transformed to another era in time.

She paints vivid description of the two main characters - Sebastian and Gemma. The reader is instantly rooting for both. I liked the fact that the clues leading to the murderer were difficult to decipher; both to the detective and the reader. Well done!

The Highgate Cemetery Murder (Tate and Bell Mystery #1) by Irina Shapiro was a captivating historical fiction duel murder mystery that took place in London during the Victorian era. Surrounding the murder mystery investigation, secrets, danger and and suspense lurked throughout. I was drawn into the mystery immediately and took to both Sabastian Bell and Gemma Tate without any hesitation. Irina Shapiro did an excellent job developing and making these two flawed characters so believable and relatable. The Highgate Cemetery Murder was fast paced and well plotted with a hint of romance to come. Even though it was my first time reading a book by Irina Shapiro it will not be the last.

On the eve of All Hollows, a horrific scene was discovered at the Highgate Cemetery. A young woman of good breeding was purposefully displayed upon a cross with a heart draped around her neck. Journalist Victor Craven had chosen that day and time to be at the cemetery. Victor had been at the cemetery paying his respects to his late wife who had died far too young when he heard a woman scream. When Victor attempted to seek out the source of the scream, he was appalled by what he saw. There was a woman secured to a cross with a heart hanging around her neck. As Victor rushed off to find a constable, he scribbled in his notebook, that he always carried with him, as only a good journalist would, what he had seen. Victor had also seen someone fleeing the scene that was wearing a caped coat. He wrote that he thought he was being followed, something about the Milky Way and something about detecting red streaks. Unfortunately, Victor met his death shortly after he located a constable and alerted him to what he had witnessed. Somehow, Victor was killed when he fell under an omnibus. It was ruled an accidental death. There was no evidence to prove it otherwise.

Victor was survived by his sister, Gemma Tate. The two of them had shared an apartment together. Gemma had recently returned from studying nursing under Florence Nightingale and was privately caring for an elderly woman in the home her patient shared with her grown son. A constable arrived at Gemma’s apartment a little after she had arrived home from work to inform her about her brother’s fate. Gemma was required to go to the morgue to identify Victor’s remains. That was one of the hardest things Gemma had ever been asked to do. After Gemma identified Victor, she was given his personal effects. Among the things that Gemma was given was Victor’s notebook. When Gemma got back to the solitude of her apartment that she had until recently shared with her brother, she began looking through Victor’s notebook. Gemma discovered the hastily written notes that Victor had written just before he had met his death. Gemma began to suspect that her brother had been murdered and not been accidentally killed as she had been told. Gemma went to the police station to report her suspicions but she was not taken seriously. Victor’s death had been deemed accidental and that was how it would stand. The constable in charge was not taking anything that Gemma was relating seriously. She was more than frustrated.

As Gemma was ordered to leave the police station, she met the medical examiner who listened to her suspicions and promised to put her in touch with the constable in charge of the murder that occurred at the cemetery. Detective Sebastian Bell of Scotland Yard had been assigned to investigate the murder of the young woman who had been found on the cross at the cemetery. Sebastian Bell had his own demons. He had lost his wife and unborn child in gruesome circumstances. Sebastian was still grieving for his wife and felt it was his fault that she had died the way she did. As a result, Sebastian had come to mask his grief with alcohol and opium. It was the only way he was able to escape his pain and suffering. He was in jeopardy of being fired from his position if he could not find a way to cope without opium and alcohol. Sebastian knew his superior had put him on this case for a reason. If he failed to solve this case, he would most likely be fired. Sebastian knew that he had to solve this case.

When Sebastian arrived at Gemma’s home and heard her suspicions, there was something about Gemma’s version about her brother’s death that piqued Sebastian’s curiosity and interest. Could the death of Gemma’s brother, Victor, been reported and confirmed wrongly? Was it a murder or had he accidentally fallen below the wheels of the omnibus? Could the two murders be linked to the other one? Did one have anything to do with the other?

I really enjoyed how the relationship between Gemma and Sebastian grew throughout the course of the book. It was admirable and bold how Gemma insisted on helping Sebastian with his investigation. At some point, even Sebastian realized that Gemma had proven herself to be a real asset in the investigation. Their developing relationship was something that I was rooting to happen. I appreciated that Gemma had been portrayed as a very determined, strong and insightful woman with good instincts and that she was quite intelligent. She defied the role that was expected of her. The Highgate Cemetery Murder was a really good beginning for this series. I am looking forward to seeing how Gemma’s and Sebastian’s relationship continues to develop and on how the two plan on continuing to collaboratively work together. The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro was quite an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for allowing me to read The Highgate Cemetery Murder (Tate and Bell Mystery #1) through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

This was such a beautiful book the author paints such a beautiful picture for the reader I enjoyed reading this very much an will definitely be recommending it to other readers