✨ Publication date: June 24, 2024✨

Murder at Traitors Gate is the second book in the Victorian crime/mystery series (Tate and Bell) from Irina Shapiro. I read the first one and was happy to get my hands on the next instalment and it didn’t disappoint!

Sebastian Bell is back and investigating the murder of a man left on a meat hook outside of Traitors Gate. This is clearly symbolic and Sebastian begins to investigate the meaning behind it.

As Sebastian learns more about the victim, he realizes that he had many secrets including a whole list of people he was blackmailing for a variety of reasons making it extremely difficult for Sebastian to identify the murderer.

Many of the connections between the victim and the people he was blackmailing stemmed from their time in the Crimea War. Sebastian enlists the help of his dear friend Gemma Tate who was a nurse in the war.

After one of Gemma’s nurse friends is found murdered in much the same way as the first victims, Sebastian fears Gemma maybe next. He races against time to find the evidence and link all the clues together to make an arrest.

I have really enjoyed this series so far! Gemma was not in this book as much as I would have liked, their chemistry is wonderful and Sebastian’s respect for her is incredible in a time where women weren’t meant to be more than wives and mothers.

This is another 4 star read for me and I was pleased with the ending and where their relationship is heading! I can’t wait to read to third and final instalment of this series and see where these two end up!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #irinashapiro #murderattraitorsgate

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Murder At Traitors' Gate", the second book in the new Tate & Bell Mystery series by Irina Shapiro.
Following close on the events is the previous book, "The Highgate Cemetery Murder", Gemma Tate and Sebastian Bell return when the reporter who was a witness to Gemma's brother's murder is himself murdered - in a most gruesome manner (hence the title).
This leads Sebastian to a twisted tale of multiple layers of blackmail, apparently stretching back to Gemma's time in the Crimea, where she was a nurse. A number of Gemma's former acquaintances from her time there do figure in this twisted tale, and Gemma herself is drawn in when one of those friends is also horribly murdered.
Can Sebastian figure out the truth in time to save Gemma from possibly becoming another casualty of the killer? And will they admit their attraction to one another at long last?
The second addictive and atmospheric Tate and Bell mystery is perfect for fans of Andrea Penrose, the Lady Sherlock mysteries, and Miss Scarlet and the Duke. And readers of Ms. Shapiro's other period mystery series will recognize some of the peripheral characters within.

Another twisty and dark historical mystery in this series. Gemma and SEbastian works again to solve crimes and discover betrayals.
Well plotted and gripping.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Great. Googly. Moogly.

Well thought out, well-written, with an excellent mystery [never saw THAT coming], fantastic characters [with character growth present from book one], and a narrator that I really, really enjoyed [which is sometimes half the battle in a book being good or not]. All of these made for a really fantastic read for me.

This is a most excellent historical mystery series [that I am so glad I took a chance on] and I highly recommend it. I am SO looking forward to book three!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Irina Shapiro, and Storm Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A dead body was found hanging at the Traitor’s Gate and Inspector Bell is called to investigate a new, muddled case. When the evidences hark back to the Crimean war he has to ask for nurse Gemma Tate help again.

In this second installment the dynamics between Sebastian and Gemma are different, they know each other better, they trust each other intuitions, they care for each other more, and they are considerate and protective. I've also liked how Sebastian see Gemma true worth, and during Victorian era it's not a given.

Irina Shapiro created a murder mystery with so many credible suspects that I wasn't able to guess the culprit until the very end. The gloomy atmosphere, the morally grey characters and their strong sense of hopelessness add up to the beauty of this novel.

I highly recommend Murder at Traitors' Gate. Get ready to be transported to the Victorian grimy and vicious London, and enjoy the journey.

In the second Tate and Bell Mystery, Irina Shapiro brings Victorian detectives Sebastian Bell and Gemma Tate to life. As Gemma moves on from her Crimean war nursing career, she is forced to deal with her past when Jacob Harrow, a journalist with Crimean ties, winds up brutally murdered. Bell takes on the case alone, but when he realizes that Harrow’s secrets are entwined with the war, he reaches out to Gemma for help. When another murder victim turns out to be a woman who served as a nurse in the Crimean war, Gemma and Sebastian must uncover the truth before the killer strikes again -- especially since Gemma might be a target. Both protagonists are unique and complex, and their different ties to the case are particularly interesting to follow. Alternating between their perspectives, readers see the case unfold from multiple angles, giving them the chance to solve the case before Sebastian and Gemma do. Gemma is a strong and complex character and her personal journey is particularly fun to follow over the course of the novel, while Sebastian is a bit more reserved but equally intelligent. A strong sequel to the first book, fans of the historical mystery genre are sure to enjoy this book and look forward to the rest of the series.

Murder at Traitor's Gate was a great second installment to the Tate and Bell series. Shapiro creates a well-written mystery featuring strong protagonists and thorough investigative work.
My favorite feature of Tate and Bell are how level-headed they both are. They're cool, calm, and collected under pressure, which is exactly what I like to see. Bell is always cautious, and Tate is sensible when it comes to her role in investigations. Together, they make a great team, and I'm excited to see how their relationship grows throughout the series.

19th century grim, dark, wet Victorian London some time after the Crimean War. Gemma, a nurse, now works in a children's home/hospital, her war-time experience little valued; Sebastian a police officer. A story of murder, vengeance, blackmail with horrible deaths and plenty of suspects. Convoluted but nonetheless a good read keeping one guessing pretty much all the way through. The two strong characters work well together. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Thanks to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for this ARC. After reading the first Tate and Bell i then found the Haze and Redmond series and read the whole series in a few weeks, they were brilliant. I was so excited when i saw a second in this series and was delighted to see Haze mentioned. This series is a step up from the previous. The character development is strong and characters relatable. I really hope this series will continue strong like the H&R series.

You've got to love a murder mystery that keeps you guessing right to the last page. "Murder at Traiters' Gate" by Irina Shapiro nearly does just that.

A historical murder mystery, Gemma and the murder victims are linked by their time serving in the horrific Crimea war. So it is assumed that the perpetrator is also from this group of associates...after all, the means and details of the 2 murders that occur in this book, are very personal and allude to the keeping of secrets. The title also hints at the feeling of a betrayal.

Sebastian twists and turns through the long list of possibly guilty parties. They are all complex and many have motive. It was only very near the end of the book that my suspicions and wonderings (couldn't switch my mind off after putting the book down to go to sleep) were rewarded with the unravelling of the murderers motive and a few home truths about the first victim come to light.

Certainly an atmospheric setting of cold dark London....with plenty of locations and miles on foot or in cabs covered. This time in history is hard for many barely scaping by but contrasts with the well to do who can afford staff. Life is cheap and expendable.

Although the second book of the Tate and Bell Mystery series, you don't suffer unduly by not knowing the main characters Sebastian and Gemma from the previous book. I look forward to reading further additions of the series...keep them coming!

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Irina Shapiro for my copy.

I am so happy to see Sebastian Bell and Gemma Tate back! I enjoyed their first outing and their second outing has not disappointed. This novel finds Sebastian and Gemma a few months later, Sebastian recovering from his injury and Gemma at her new job at the Foundling Hospital. Sebastian is on another murder case, this one involving a body that was hung up at Traitor's Gate at the Tower of London. A second murder happens shortly after, an old work acquaintance of Gemma's. Can the two be connected? And how? Gemma's past as a nurse in Crimea holds a lot of the answers. Gemma and Sebastian's relationship also grows - I am excited for the next installment to see what comes next.

Thoroughly enjoyed this! I would highly recommend reading the first one first (Murder at Highgate Cemetery) to get the full effect. It was well done, intriguing and suspenseful! Seriously, so good!

Dare I say this was on par with the first novel? If not better ?

Fast paced yet descriptive and also took me in for a loop at the end. My only complaint is the cliffhanger ending, but I think that's to get you to read the following novel which I intend to.

Murder at Traitors’ Gate (A Tate and Bell Mystery #2) was the anticipated second book in this captivating and atmospheric series that I had the pleasure of reading. After reading the first book, The Highgate Cemetery Murder, in this series, I was hoping that it would not be long before the second book was written and published. Irina Shapiro was once again able to write another dark yet engaging historical fiction mystery that drew me in right from the very beginning. The setting for Murder at Traitors’ Gate was London during the 1850’s. I enjoyed all the details of the Victorian era that were nuanced throughout the book. It was paced perfectly and kept me engaged throughout.

After burying her twin brother, Gemma had moved out of the apartment she had shared with Victor. Gemma Tate had moved into an all women’s boarding house on Bikenhead Street. She had also secured a position as a nurse at The Foundling Hospital which was a fancy name for an orphanage. Gemma continued to grieve for her twin brother and also had a hard time trying to put the horrors she witnessed as a nurse during the Crimean War behind her. She hadn’t seen Police Inspector Sebastian Bell in quite a while but that was all about to change.

In the early morning hours on a cold Tuesday on December 14, 1858, a horrific crime was discovered and reported. A man had been hoisted onto Traitors’ Gate and secured with a meat hook around his neck. Whoever had taken the time to stage this crime scene had thought it through and wanted it to be noticed. Police Inspector Sebastian Bell was assigned to investigate this case. As soon as Police Inspector Bell arrived on the scene, he was quick to identify the victim. The body of Jacob Harrow hung unnaturally above Traitors’ Gate. Jacob Harrow had been a journalist and had been in Crimea at the same time as Gemma Tate was serving as a nurse in the Crimean War. Gemma’s late twin brother, Victor, had also been an acquaintance of Jacob Harrow. As Police Inspector Sebastian Bell observed the body of Jacob Harrow, he discovered that his tongue had been cut off. With that observation, Sebastian Bell began to suspect that whoever had placed Jacob Harrow here was sending a clear and very convincing message to those that found him.

Sebastian had persuaded Colin Ramsey to perform the autopsy. Not long after Sebastian had gotten confirmation from Colin Ramsey, the preferred police surgeon of Sebastian Bell, that Jacob Harrow had indeed been murdered and he began his investigation. Then another victim was found murdered in much the same manner as Jacob Harrow had been. The second victim had also been in Crimea during the Crimean War. Sebastian paid a call to his friend, Gemma Tate. Gemma had known both victims so perhaps she would be able to help Sebastian shed some light on this investigation. After all, Gemma was a great help to Sebastian in the Highgate Murder. As much as Sebastian wanted and needed Gemma’s help, he was also concerned about her safety. He was starting to care a lot about Gemma. Would Sebastian and Gemma be able to figure out who the murderer was and why the murderer had killed both of these victims in the same way? What was the message the murderer was trying to convey?

Murder at Traitors’ Gate was full of twists, turns, lots of suspects, action and danger. It was another dark mystery that led Sebastian and Gemma down dangerous and confusing paths. Every time I thought I had figured out who the murderer was, a new clue popped up and sent me back to re-examine the suspects and the facts. I enjoyed the hint of romance between Gemma and Sebastian that had started in the first book and continued to grow in this one. Originally, I had been worried that Irina Shapiro might have had difficulty writing a second book in this series that came close to the intensity that I felt when I read The Highgate Murder Mystery. Well, I shouldn’t have worried. Murder at Traitors’ Gate was just as intense and gripping as the first book in this series if not more. I can’t wait to read the third book in this series now. I highly recommend Murder at Traitors’ Gate by Irina Shapiro if you enjoy historical fiction mysteries.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for allowing me to read Murder at Traitors’ Gate (A Tate and Bell Mystery #2) by Irina Shapiro through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Murder at Traitor's Gate is the second book in the Tate and Bell Mystery series by Irina Shapiro and it's one that caught my eye as I've recently been on a historical mystery binge. When I read the summary I decided to jump right in but realized this was a book two so I quickly grabbed book one and read that first. I'll say that the books are two separate stories in that they are different mysteries but I would encourage you to read the first book as it truly sets the stage for who Gemma and Sebastian are, how they met, and why they are working together.

This installment picks up shortly after the end of book one and Gemma is in a different situation now. She's living in a boarding house and working in a new job. While she's left the Crimean War behind, she's still crossing paths with several people she knows from that time, and when a journalist with ties to Crimea is found brutally killed, police inspector Bell asks for her help and she can't (and doesn't want to) refuse.

Sebastian Bell usually works alone but when a journalist with ties to Crimea turns up dead, he turns to Gemma for help and what they find is a tangled web of secrets that go back to the days of the war. Unfortunately, one of Gemma's friends, another nurse, happens to be mixed up in the mess, and that potentially puts Gemma in the path of the killer.

I enjoyed this installment. Not only do we get more of Gemma and Sebastian working through these mysteries together but there's a bit more progress on the romance front for these two. I also thought the way Shapiro brought the whole mystery together was done well. The characters are well-developed and interesting and the story kept me turning the pages.

If you're looking for a new historical fiction to check out, consider picking this one up. As I said, I happened across this series and am happy to report I'm glad I did. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series.

I am loving this series! A passionate and decent male lead with his own tragic past, recovering from addiction and a brave and strong female lead with no fear of helping anybody she can in any way. All set in Victorian London with the author shunning rose tinted glasses and telling it like it is with slums, scum and scourges galore.

This story can be a stand alone if you haven't read the first, but if you haven't read the first, you are sorely missing out! A character from the first book becomes a murder victim in this book and Inspector Bell and Gemma Tate are on the case. With a friend in peril and sharing a background with the victims, Gemma becomes involved despite Sebastian's warnings.

I liked the twists and turns in the plot and I did guess at the reason for the murderer's ire in advance. Superbly written with no flowery filler, Irina Shapiro is an author that I endeavour to read more from. I would love to see what her other series' are about.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

It’s great to see Gemma Tate and Inspector Sebastian Bell back in a new Victorian murder mystery. They first met when Gemma’s journalist brother Victor, was murdered because of something he witnessed. With her sharp mind and ability to talk to people, Gemma was able to help Sebastian solve the case. Now with her brother gone, she has had to give up the cosy house they were leasing and is living in a soulless room in a boarding house for women. She was a nurse in Sevastopol during the Crimean war and is now nursing at the Foundling Hospital in Bloomsbury, trying hard not to become attached to the children there.

The murder of a journalist who was also at Sevastopol during the war, leads Sebastian to seek out Gemma again for information on him and those he knew there. With all his investigations pointing to Crimea, Sebastian must unravel what happened there in the past to lead to murder. Dark and gritty, with engaging characters, this atmospheric mystery is sure to appeal to lovers of historical crime novels.

4 stars
One Liner: Better than the previous book!

Police Inspector Sebastian Bell is back on a new case. Someone had hung a dead body with a meat hook outside the Traitor’s Gate. The victim turns out to be a journalist Bell encountered in the previous case. Moreover, he was a war veteran. Bell realizes Gemma might help him find more information.
After her brother’s death, Gemma Tate moved into a boarding house and got a new job. She is more than happy to leave the dark past of the war behind. But when Bell asks for help, Gemma knows she cannot refuse.
Soon, they realize there’s a lot more than what’s known. Can Bell and Tate solve the case before it is too late?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Sebastian and Gemma.

My Thoughts:
So, I went into this book with a better understanding and it worked well. Despite the series title, this will be Bell and Tate’s investigation, with Sebastian getting more chapters. Gemma’s contribution is limited.
The case and the setting are dark like the previous book. It deftly uses the local weather and living conditions to create a sense of discomfort and danger.
This is a dark mystery but not too gruesome. It has a few graphic details, only to the necessary extent. I appreciate this since it keeps the focus on the plot. Not much humor, though. Don’t expect light-hearted stuff from this one.
The pacing feels better this time. Though the page count is the same, the narration and action are steady. This keeps the plot moving even when there is little to no progress in the investigation.
The mystery is solid with enough suspects. There aren’t many red herrings but it does take a while to guess the killer. I got it right based on certain clues, so the reveal aligns with the details provided.
However, there are quite a few characters to track. Not all of them are major, so it is easy to ignore the ones that simply move the plot forward.
Yet again, I’m not convinced by the chemistry between the lead couple but it is better than before. Hopefully, I can feel it more in book #3 or #4. There’s already a lead for the third book, so I am curious to see where it’ll go.

To summarize, Murder at Traitors' Gate is an engaging mystery that’ll keep you wanting to read more. The main characters, especially Bell, make this a worthy read. While the book works as a standalone, starting with the first might be a better idea.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

3.25/5 stars

This is the second in series and as I gave the initial one a 4.25/5 stars I was looking forward to this next one. Unfortunately, I just didn't get the same excitement factor from this one.

I think part of my dissatisfaction is not getting more from the female protagonist here. I feel that Sebastian is a well-fleshed out hero, but Gemma needs more "airtime" and more of a chance to contribute to the overall storyline.

Also, as I was not surprised to learn, there is a romance angle here, but it felt rather rushed up to me. It went from a slight teaser in the initial book to a full-blown declaration here, and I felt like I had missed something vital and was a bit let down not to follow the progression of a slow-burn romance. Is the reader to infer that the two are in love or is this rush just to stave off their loneliness (his with the loss of his family and her with the loss of her brother). I wanted more oomph and detail as they moved forward, and honestly, I felt a bit cheated.

It is well-written, and the mystery itself is OK, although I did feel that the denouement came out of left field and though I understood the motivation for the murder(s), it didn't seem quite enough to me to resort to the villain's dastardly deeds.

I will probably give the next in series a try and hope for a better read like the first book.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing the free early arc of Murder at Traitors' Gate for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I really enjoyed this book, and the series as a whole. Gemma Tate and Sebastian Bell have become dear to my heart, and I love their burgeoning romance. The book is very fast paced, but there is still substantial character and plot development. This one seems more character driven than the first entry, but the mystery is still "meaty" and satisfying. There's no convolution or unnecessary twists. Overall, it's a great story, and I'm looking forward to the third book! Big thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for access to the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.