London 1867 A great addition to this new series that is set in almost a gothic dark setting.
When women from the art world start showing up dead, Julia and Inspector Richard dive on the case.

Mystery, deception and a plethora of situations begin to be uncovered as the journey to find the killer may not end well.

I love historical mysteries and this is not one to miss!

One of the few female doctors registered to practice in 1867 in Britain, Julia Lewis trained in Philadelphia and was able to register as a foreign doctor in Britain through a loophole. Working at her grandfather’s medical practice in London, she also works hard at a clinic she has set up for the poor in Whitechapel. After assisting Scotland Yard Inspector Richard Tennant with autopsies of several murder she is also now a medical examiner for Scotland Yard.

This atmospheric historical mystery immerses us in the world of Victorian artists and their models with many real painters making an appearance. Despite women not yet being accepted as serious artists, a few paintings by women are to be displayed in the Royal Academy’s annual exhibition, including those of Mary Allingham.

Inspector Tennant is investigating the disappearance of several young women, who worked as artists models in London as well as a recent break in to Mary Allingham’s art studio and a suspicious death in her family. Eventually, with the help of Julia and Sergeant O’Malley, he will scrape back the layers of respectable society to uncover a shocking underworld of male depravity at its worst.

The Victorian era is well depicted in this novel, with an authentic feel for the galleries, studios and the struggle of women artists to be taken seriously as painters. Julia’s own struggle to establish her career as a physician are is ongoing, but she is gradually gaining recognition for her clinic. Meanwhile, her relationship with Tennant is moving slowly. While they both admit to themselves their growing attraction for the other, they are both far too busy and socially awkward to do much about it.

With a number of clever twists and revelations, this engaging historical murder mystery will please fans of the series. Ending with somewhat of a cliff-hanger, it will also have fans waiting eagerly for the next instalment.

This was a fantastic read filled with some interesting history [while trafficking is still very prevalent today, it was fascinating to view it through the lends of 1867 and how little they had to work with and little resources as well] that really fleshed out the story [art and murder anyone?], and an excellent mystery that kept me guessing until the well-done reveal that I NEVER EVER saw coming and left me sad, but also wishing for more, or at least another book to dive into. ;-)

If you love really good historical mysteries, then this series is for you; I am so very glad I took a chance on it.

Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Patrice McDonough, and Kensington Publishing/Kensington for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of historical fiction/mystery titles will want to give this title a look. It features (as is often the case but still such fun) an unconventional woman (a medical examiner) and a Scotland Yard detective. They are in London in the year 1867.

The background for this entry in the series is the art world, one that includes some women painters. What is happening to their sitters? What is behind the suicide and murder in this world?

I am a fan Deanna Raybourn’s novels. Those who enjoy her books or this genre will, I think, enjoy McDonough’s books. Characters, setting and plot all are engaging.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

It’s a truism, but also sometimes true 😉 , an author’s second novel doesn’t live up to the promise of the first. This cannot be said about McDonough’s Slash of Emerald, which I loved compared to the strong liking I had for her first, Murder By Lamplight. In the latter, excessive, IMHO, detailed violence is toned down, characterization is heightened in dee-lightful ways (more of that later), an seamless interweaving of historical fact and fiction is maintained, and the inching towards a romance for our two protagonists moves in a satisfying way, if satisfying means “argh, kiss already”…’tis a delicious slow burn McDonough manages. Grudging, admiring kudos from yours truly. To the blurb for some details about the mystery and historical context:

London, 1867: Among the genteel young ladies of London society, painting is a perfectly acceptable pastime—but a woman who dares to pursue art as a profession is another prospect, indeed. Dr. Julia Lewis, familiar with the disrespect afforded women in untraditional careers, is hardly surprised when Scotland Yard shows little interest in complaints made by her friend, Mary Allingham, about a break-in at her art studio. Mary is just one of many “lady painters” being targeted by vandals.

Painters’ sitters are vanishing, too—women viewed by some as dispensable outcasts. Inspector Richard Tennant, however, takes the attacks seriously, suspecting they’re linked to the poison-pen letters received by additional members of the Allingham family. For Julia, the issue is complicated by Tennant’s previous relationship with Mary’s sister-in-law, Louisa, and by her own surprising reaction to that entanglement.

But when someone close to them commits suicide and a young woman turns up dead, the case can no longer be so easily ignored by ‘respectable’ society. Layer after layer, Julia and Tennant scrape away the facts of the case like paint from a canvas. What emerges is a somber picture of vice, depravity, and deception stretching from London’s East End to the Far East—with a killer at its center, determined to get away with one last, grisly murder . . .

McDonough divested her work from the previous volume’s sensationalism: serial killer, gory details, a pile-up of corpses, and not enough of Julia and Richard together. McDonough, and I write this gently, there’s still not enough Julia and Richard together, BUT of what there is, feelings are coming to the fore and I loved it. The ending is particularly poignant and the moments Richard self-admits his feelings for Julia and, as Julia does the same though they don’t share them, are wunderbar. Also, there’s banter, gentle, amused, but shared between two intelligent protagonists, lovely banter. Most important to the slow burn, there’s yearning.

While McDonough’s Richard and Julia “together” was already a highlight of Murder By Lamplight, what shines in A Slash of Emerald are the moral underpinnings to the story of the crimes. Because the suicides and murders, and some of the victims in particular, are vulnerable. We then see the best of Richard and Julia, and the loveable promoted Paddy O’Malley, now sergeant. In Murder By Lamplight, Tennant seems to be driven by upholding the law, keeping London safe, but in the present volume, there’s a righteousness to Tennant, given the corruption and exploitation that underlies some of the victims, and he takes bringing the criminals to justice personally.

Meanwhile, the art world context, the stodginess of the Royal Academy coupled with the emerging brush-stroke-loose revolutionary impressionistic style as represented by wonderfully drawn female artists and the prejudices against both their gender and style, make McDonough’s novel even better than her previous conventional blah-blah “serial killer” trope. Mary Allingham and a droll, handsome artist-beau are charming characters, ones easy to care about and cheer for. Julia’s grandfather and aunt make appearances and I hope McDonough keeps them around for the rest of the series. The dinners they share with Tennant and in particular the dinner conversations are another highlight to McDonough’s series. An even better book than the first, Miss Austen agrees, McDonough’s A Slash of Emerald offers “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Patrice McDonough’s A Slash of Emerald is published by Kensington Books and released on February 25th. I received an e-galley, from Kensington, via Netgalley. The above is my honest, AI-free opinion.

Patrice McDonough introduces the second Dr. Julia Lewis mystery in a Slash of Emerald. 8167 London Dr. Lewis is learning about the careers of Victorian women artists who could have a successful career but who were regarded as not quite up to the weight of male artists. Mary Allingham is one such artist whose paintings have been vandalized. Dr. Lewis meets the rest of the family but is puzzled by the death of Mary's brother, declared a suicide Detective Inspector Tennant is following a string of murders of art models and was called in to look at Charles Allingham's death. As the investigation deepens, the police find the models deaths linked to the trafficking of young girls and Chinese immigrant women that lead to a men's club The Topkapi. Excellent look at the seamy underside of Victorian society.

A Slash of Emerald is the second historical mystery featuring Dr. Julia Lewis, by Patrice McDonough. Released 25th Feb 2025 by Kensington, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, 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.

A well crafted thoroughly researched historical novel featuring an intelligent and driven young female physician in London in 1866. She's fully licensed (having used a legal loophole to join the register of practicing physicians after finishing her studies in the USA), and has joined her grandfather's practice. She has a very keen eye for detail, and employs critical reasoning and observation to also help the police with inquiries.

It's not really a cozy cozy, there are some gruesome descriptions, but overall, the violence occurs chiefly off-page, so it's not truly horrifying. The author also doesn't shy away from the historically accurate but distressing sexism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, crushing poverty, and other unsavory details. Speaking of detail, the book is written around a framework of actual historical events and people, and interwoven with a lot of interesting real political and social movements of the time period. Ms. McDonough has definitely done her homework.

The characterizations are impressive, and they're three dimensional and believable, with their own motivations and agendas. There's some slow-burn development/potential romance between Julia and Richard, but it's definitely sloooow (2 books in, and there are only glimmers of romance, nothing concrete). This volume works well enough as a standalone mystery, but there are some interpersonal developments between the returning characters which will be spoiled if read out of order.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 9 hours and 15 minutes and is capably read by series narrator Henrietta Meire. She has a light RP English accent, but does a credible job with the varied London accents both male and female. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Worth a look for readers of historical mystery and very well written. Readers who enjoy Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Tasha Alexander, et. al., will likely enjoy this book.

Four and a half stars.

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

I have been exceptionally fortunate to have read books in a row where either the era or setting contributed so much to a story. This was no exception.

1867 London and Dr Julia Lewis a trail blazer. One of very few female doctors in Britain. Richard Tennant a detective with Scotland Yard someone Julia is very close to. The Allinghams, established family of artists and writers. Like every family secrets galore and the bubble burst when Charles Allingham was discovered dead by arsenic poisoning, seemingly a suicide.

No clues as to his mental state, no financial woes but Richard uncovers a web of pornography, prostitution, child abduction and more. Involving the highest in the land, there was no way this was going to be easy to cover up or disclose but the end denouement came as a surprise though with hindsight perfectly logical.

Very well written, detective work impeccable, the mix of feelings encompassing the whole story was excellent reading.

I found the characters interesting, as well as the historical setting. I enjoyed the information regarding artists of this time. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was another fab mystery. I loved the dynamics between Inspector Tennant and Julia. They are both so intelligent and so dedicated to their work and justice. The killer was pretty obvious, but the underlying motives and stories were very intriguing and had quite a bit of twist and turns and were pretty brutal. The ending was also a surprise and I am eager to read the next book.

#netgalley #ASlashofEmerald

Second in the series of Dr. Juliette Lewis and Inspector Richard Tennant, living in Victorian London and solving crimes. Dr. Lewis was brought on initially to handle police cases involving inspections of suspected sex workers but she has also handled a few postmortems. Both are from upper class, though Tennant's father was involved in scandal. The second book revolves around painters, art, and sex trafficking, handled well with details that are clear but not overly detailed. Juliette and the Inspector are amazing characters with wonderful independent storylines that intertwine on both a personal and professional level. There are also many great secondary characters, such as Sgt 'Paddy' Murphy and Lady Aldridge. Author Patrice Mcdonough included real artists from the Victorian era and interesting details about suffrage in the art world, as well as the medical field. Most important, both Dr. Lewis and Inspector Tennant represent the best of what was starting to happen in Britain during the late 19th century. Highly recommend starting with Murder by Lamplight and then reading A Slash of Emerald!

1867. In the female artist world, the painters are receiving threatening letters demanding money, and their sitters are disappearing. Then bodies are discovered, and a suicide occurs. But this is just the beginning. Is there a link between the two. Inspector Tennant and doctor Julia Lewis investigate. But what will they uncover.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its likeable main characters. A good addition to this series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. Julia Lewis once more finds herself embroiled in murder.

Inspector Richard Tennant, of Scotland Yard, calls on Julia where he can to act as the coroner In his inquiries
This time he does it out of deference to a young woman’s feelings who’s been brought in under the Contagious Diseases Act, as she’d been walking home from her work via St James’s Park, a dodgy part of London at night, and near to the barracks. Annie O’Neil is a hat maker who’s also been working as an artist’s model. However neither the Act nor the constabulary in this time of 1867 discern between everyday workers and prostitutes.
A doctor is needed to examine Annie to determine if she’s a prostitute. Julia is livid with the law. Her opinion is that, “forced examinations are medical rape.”
This is just the opening barrage in the murder of some respected members of society, apparently united until now, the puzzling disappearance and murder of young and respectable working women, threats being made against women painters who are holding a major exhibition, and the recovery of traumatized young Chinese girls who’d thought they were being sent to North America as brides, but ended up in London in brothels.
There’s more than one thread of occurrences but are they in anyway linked?
Another intriguing mystery from Mcdonough, one to get your teeth into!

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A Slash of Emerald by Patrice McDonough
Dr. Julia Lewis #2

Excellent addition to the series and seamless return to a wonderful series ~ Couldn’t put it down.

What I liked:
* Dr. Julia Lewis: physician, trained in Pennsylvania, raised by her grandparents, strong, dedicated, professional, intelligent, compassionate, skilled, observant, feels something for Richard
* Inspector Richard Tennant: employed by Scotland Yard, retired Army captain, wounded at war, PTSD, intelligent, from a good background, good leader, strategist, rather taken with Julia
* Sergeant Paddy O’Malley: constable, works with Tennant, Irish, ex-boxer, family oriented, honorable, strong, good at his job, hope to see more of him in the future
* The supporting characters I hope to see more of: Dr. Andrew Lewis – Julia’s grandfather, Lady Aldridge – Julia’s Aunt Caroline, Julia’s head nurse – Clemmie, Dr. Gregory Barnes – part-time physician at the clinic, Reverend Owen Lloyd – handsome, charming, kind missionary who returned from China due to illness
* Returning to Julia’s world with her work and interactions with Richard and his work – and the potential budding romance that may eventually come to fruition
* The supporting characters
* The Allingham family dynamics and where they led – was happy that the Miss Allingham found her future partner
* The glimpse of the disparity in how male and female artists were treated
* The police investigations dealing with crimes of murder, human trafficking, “French” postcards and volumes of similar images
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* All of it except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how difficult it was to live then – for so many reasons
* Having to wait for the next book

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

A Slash of Emerald by Patrice Mcdonough is Historical Mystery Fiction. The author McDonough is new to me. Her characters are not the norm for the mid 19th century and lead intriguing lives. Women not at home but rather have unusual careers, murder, mystery, and a lady medical examiner. What could be a more interesting read. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 4 Stars

A Slash of Emerald (Dr. Julia Lewis #2) by Patrice McDonough is an engaging mystery set in the fog-laden streets of 1867 London. Dr. Julia Lewis, Scotland Yard's first female medical examiner, with her sharp intellect and unwavering determination, is brought in to examine a troubled young woman who has been arrested. Detective Richard Tennant and Dr. Lewis unravel a complex web of connections between this young woman, a daring break-in, a series of malicious poison pen letters, and a suspicious death.

The mystery unfolded at a satisfying pace, with clues sprinkled throughout the narrative. The clever twists and turns led to a genuinely surprising reveal, showcasing the author's skill in crafting a compelling mystery.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and mysteries who appreciate strong female characters and rich historical references. A Slash of Emerald is a worthy follow-up to The Murder by Lamplight series, leaving me eagerly anticipating Dr. Lewis's next intriguing case!

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

BOOK: A SLASH OF EMERALD
AUTHOR: PATRICE MCDONOUGH
PUB DATE: 25 FEB 2025
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This book was worth every second I spent on it because of the unexpected ending. I was totally distracted, and I was expecting something completely different. I loved the twist.
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The book started off with a simple, not so simple murder case, but it leads to a vibrant art world of painting, artists and models, and even human trafficking. The detective just kept uncovering new evidence. Even Julia, the FMC, the coroner, was able to uncover clues apart from her main duty. The storyline was perfectly paced, and I loved reading it. I'm still shaken by the plot twist. I should have suspected the person, but I just didn't see it in them.
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Apart from the cases being solved, we also got insight into the MC's lives. Although, I still don't know much about Tennant. I want the author yo focus on his past more in the next book. I have enough of Julia's personal life, even her private practice. She's a phenomenal woman. I also like the way the author portrays the issues of gender inequality present at that time.
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I loved reading this book and I can't wait to see more of Julia and Tennant and a improvement in their relationship. A wonderful read. it's the second in the series, but you don't have to read the first one to understand this.
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Painting is an acceptable pastime among the ladies of London society in the 1860s, but no one considers it more than just a hobby. The women who sit for these painters are held in even lower regard, so when they start disappearing, nobody really seems to care. But when one of these women turns up dead and someone else commits suicide, Inspector Richard Tennant, with more than a little nudge from Dr. Julia Lewis, begins to dig deeper. They more they learn, the more they uncover deception and depravity – and a killer.

I have been waiting for the second book in this series almost from the moment I finished the first one. Julia is an amazing woman, especially for her time, and doesn’t hesitate to prod people around her to do the right thing, regardless of society’s mores. I like that Richard takes her suggestions and comments seriously rather than simply brushing them under the rug, and Sgt. O’Malley is coming around as well.

There were several murders in this book, and it seemed obvious that they were all committed by the same person. I thought I had it all worked out, but once again, I was wrong. I wasn’t entirely surprised when the culprit was identified, but that character was not very high up on my list.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see what Richard, Julia and Sgt. O’Malley have to figure out next.

I thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance reader copy of “A Slash of Emerald.” All opinions and comments are my own.

What starts out as a seemingly straightforward attack on female artists turns into something oh so much more sordid in “A Slash of Emerald,” the second in the Dr. Julia Lewis Victorian mystery series by Patrice McDonough. The author takes the dark underpinnings of society, in this case human trafficking, and deftly uses the subject in a way that illustrates the moral failings of the practice while providing a book that keeps readers turning the pages.

Dr. Julia Lewis, after the traumatic happenings of the first book (“Murder by Lamplight”), is recovering and ruminating on her relationship with police inspector Richard Tennant -- or perhaps it’s the other way around. In any event, she soon becomes involved in this case, especially now that she is officially one of Scotland Yard’s medical examiners. And when the bodies of shop girls and models and young Asian women start to turn up, and a husband suicides, it’s apparent that there are dark dealings afoot.

This is a story with many plot strings to follow along with, and you will have plenty to capture your attention. When I say that even James McNeil Whistler (yes, he of “Whistler’s Mother” fame) has a (small) part to play, I’m not kidding. Some may find the middle a bit slow going, but author McDonough has a lot to say and she needs you to pay attention. One crime has a tragic solution; others, what justice there is is justice delayed, true to the times, with an ending that bodes well for a future book.

An Author’s Note references the real people used in the novel. “A Slash of Emerald” will entertain and anger you in equal measure in its telling of the treatment of certain young woman at this time in England. It is always good to be reminded.

As with the first book in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The mystery was well-constructed - unlike others I've read recently, I didn't solve it several chapters before the characters. I really enjoyed the character development and appreciated how McDonough handled the disturbing subject matter of the crimes. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.