This next Cutter and Bliss novel opens with a chilling situation: a number of orphans are kept in some undisclosed location, and are taught strange things and punished for mentioning a fire at their previous building. They are placed in an oubliette for particular transgressions, and we meet two of the children (all of whom have been given bird names by the adults): Finch and Nightingale, who are eager to escape. Finch is courageous, while Nightingale is analytical, carefully watching the adults and coming to her own conclusions.

Inspector Cutter is preoccupied with something from his past, and insists that the hapless and loquacious Seargent Bliss get a gun and learn to use it.

They are called to the scene of the murder of a gentleman, and one of his servants. The gentleman cultivated orchids, and was involved with the Home Office in the past. Then, later, they are called to a dolly house to investigate a murdered customer.

Though revealing little of his thought processes, Cutter is increasingly concerned, and enlists Octavia Hillingdon to help them with their researches.

Their investigations lead them to a dolly house, and eventually to buried bones, and more murdered people. And people intent on preserving the reputations and privileges of those involved in some terrible deeds.

I could not put this book down, and finished this second entry in the Cutter and Bliss series in one day. Gideon Bliss has been working with the irascible, exacting and very fast-moving Inspector Cutter for over a year now, and though Gideon has experienced much, this case shocks him and leaves him bereft. He's a sensitive soul, and though still tending to verbosity and excessive politeness, it's clear Cutter has grown fond of the younger man, and has been mentoring him, despite Cutter's impatience. The pair have also engaged Octavia on previous cases, so it makes sense that they would bring her in when faced with the necessity of digging up twenty year old information.

She proves to be remarkably levelheaded and tough when the circumstances necessitate it, and is also not willing to be talked down to or dismissed, whether by Cutter or anyone else. She's sharp, realistic, and is a nice counterpoint to Gideon's fastidiousness, and slight other worldliness.

The case itself if pretty awful, the resolution is tragic.

I listened and read this book, and Charles Armstrong's talent for accents is on display. I could see Inspector Cutter's frustration with everyone around him, as well as Gideon making himself small and polite in others' presence through Armstrong's narration.

I greatly enjoyed this book and hope there are more entries in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Tin House and HighBridge Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

Several years ago, I read The Maker of Swans by Paraic O’Donnell and enjoyed it. So I was pleased to request an early copy of The Naming of the Birds from NetGalley, O’Donnell’s latest novel. It is a sequel to The House on Vesper Sands but it is not necessary to have read that book to enjoy this new one. I have not yet but plan to rectify that oversight.

Set in late 19th century England, this novel involves Sergeant Gideon Bliss and Inspector Henry Cutter of the London Metropolitan Police. Bliss is a relatively new member of the police, having attended university but ultimately failed at a career in the church. Cutter is his mentor, essentially. After an opening segment that should be experienced not explained, the action begins with Cutter and Bliss called out to what is a bizarre, disturbing and somewhat inexplicable murder scene. This will prove to be the beginning of a sequence of murders revealing old sins by formerly important men in British society. And a mysterious killer who seems to be invisible and invincible. Helping Cutter and Bliss is Octavia Hillingdon, who is involved in the newspaper business and was also involved in the earlier named case.

This was a fast moving story with developments that kept me reading and speculating. I am looking forward to reading The House on Vesper Sands and very much look forward to whatever O’Donnell writes next. Recommended to mystery and historical fiction readers.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. This review is my own.

I requested this book and received an ARC from NetGalley because I had read O'Donnell's book, The House on Vesper Sands and enjoyed it, and this one features the same Inspector and Sergeant. And that was where the similarity kind of ended for me. Although both have a very atmospheric setting to begin with, the prior book felt a little more gothic Victorian and this one felt more evil. The subject matter here is dark, so reader beware, and sensitive readers will want to pass this one by - for the subject matter and for some fairly graphic descriptions. 

Maybe it was just the ARC, but there were some places in this one where it seemed as if the characters weren't completing their thoughts enough for me to follow them. The narrative was overly complex in places and left me a little puzzled. The direction we were headed seemed evident, but the ending was somewhat vague. While there is a lot of good writing in this one, it wasn't for me. 3 stars

My thanks to Tin House and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. After reading the first in this series, I was excited for this next. Sadly, I DNF’d at 10%. The opening was far too opaque and mired in the slow build up of mystery around the bird children cult aspect of the plot. I simply was not drawn in. I tried several times and found myself frustrated. I might give it another try at some point, but for now, I hate to admit this wasn’t compelling reading so far.

I'm going to be the odd one out. The one who just couldn't finish this. Couldn't make it past the weapons training. I was enjoying this early on, enjoying the gothic vibes for Nightingale and Finch but then it moved forward into Sergeant Bliss and DI Cutter and it just bogged down for me. I just didn't care. I flipped through because I was curious how things would link up and gotta say that I wasn't surprised. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. While this clearly wasn't for me, I'm certain others will find it an immersive experience.

I have to confess up front that I didn't like "The Naming of the Birds" as much as "Vesper Sands" but CAN O'DONNELL EVER WRITE AWESOME DIALOGUE. The characters and their banter are more than worth coming back for again and again. His endings are super-suspenseful as well. Were it not preceded by an utterly epic gothic mystery with an absolutely terrifying ending I would be already crowning this novel one of the best of 2025.

For me it's sort of like reading "The Moonstone" after "The Woman in White." "The Moonstone" is excellent but "The Woman in White" is an all-time favorite. Cutter & Bliss belong on the big screen right alongside Morse & Lewis and Rhinehart & Leibermann and dare I say Sherlock and Watson? Hillingdon is the icing on the cake, adding a terrific third perspective and rolling her eyes.

Please, BBC, get on this. And O'Donnell, give us a third!

Someone is killing powerful men in London. These men are supposed to be untouchable and yet, someone is able to get close enough to murder them and vanish into the night. The only clues Inspector Henry Cutter and Sergeant Gideon Bliss have been able to turn up are clues the killer wanted them to find. Paraic O’Donnell’s chilling new novel, The Naming of the Birds, takes us deep into a secret that was supposed to be dead and buried. This book is the sequel to The House on Vesper Sands.

After an extended introduction set in 1872, which reveals a sinister school for orphans named only for birds, we jump ahead to 1894 to meet Inspector Cutter and Sergeant Bliss. The pair are very much an odd couple in the Scotland Yard of the 1890s. Cutter is a gruff man who gives off “too old for this shit” vibes while the much younger Bliss seems like he should be a vicar somewhere in the country. (He did study theology for a time.) Cutter is street-smart. Bliss is book smart. The only reason they’ve been partnered together, I think, is because Bliss is the only officer forgiving enough to put up with Cutter. Bliss takes notes and runs to keep up with his superior while Cutter follows his whims as much as the clues he finds.

Cutter is the man the Met call in for cases that need discreet handling. (For all his faults, Cutter knows how to keep his mouth shut when necessary.) So he is not surprised when a highly placed man, Sir Aneurin Considine, is found dead in his home, a fist clutched around a child’s finger bone. For most of the novel, Bliss has very little idea what’s going on. Fair play mystery readers may get annoyed with Cutter, who clearly knows more than he’s letting on. I’m usually a fair play reader but I was intrigued enough by the characters and that introduction to stick around and let the plot play out–especially once Bliss ropes in an old friend, Octavia Hillingdon, a journalist who knows her way around archives and documents. I found her investigative technique—looking for what’s missing as much as what’s there—very interesting, and her ability to brush off Cutter’s attempts to keep her safe very entertaining.

The Naming of the Birds is a wonderfully gothic and highly original historical mystery. There’s plenty of chases and fights to leaven scenes in which witnesses are questioned and documents read. What really makes this book shine are the vibrant characters who constantly defy expectations.

I have to say I almost gave up on this novel and I am so glad I did not. Although it could be considered a slow burn with twisty dialogue, I hung in even though the beginning left me bewildered. As I finally got the hang of the prose and style, a very intriguing and engaging story emerged. A mysterious orphanage at fire in the 1800's leads to secret societies and dangerous assassin all blended with a modern style. As eminent elderly men begin to be murdered in highly sophisticated and complex way, a pattern begin to emerge that leads out head detective and his young protege on a dangerous hunt to find the killer.

O’Donnall’s twisty Gothic mystery sequel to The House on Vesper Sands is a wonderful second outing for Inspector Cutter, Sergeant Bliss and Octavia Hillingdon. The crimes, a string of ritualistic murders among a group of older citizens tied to a dark past. Is this retribution? And as the publisher asks, what matters most—solving a case or serving justice?

"Something is troubling Inspector Henry Cutter. Sergeant Gideon Bliss is accustomed to his ill-tempered outbursts, but lately the inspector has grown silent and withdrawn.

Then, the murders begin. The first to die is the elderly Sir Aneurin Considine, a decorated but obscure civil servant who long ago retired to tend his orchids. If the motive for his killing is a mystery, the manner of his death is more bewildering still. The victims that follow suffer similar fates, their deaths gruesome but immaculately orchestrated. The murderer comes and goes like a ghost, leaving only carefully considered traces. As the hunt for this implacable adversary mounts, the inspector's gloom deepens, and to Sergeant Bliss, his methods seem as mystifying as the crimes themselves.

Why is he digging through dusty archives while the murderer stalks further victims? And as hints of past wrongdoing emerge - and with them the faint promise of a motive - why does Cutter seem haunted by some long-ago failing of his own?

To find the answers, the meek and hapless sergeant must step out of the inspector's shadow. Aided by Octavia Hillingdon, a steely and resourceful journalist, Bliss will uncover truths that test his deepest beliefs.

Hypnotic and twisty, Paraic O'Donnell's The Naming of the Birds will ensnare you until the final pages and leave you questioning what matters most - solving a case or serving justice."

People who wonder about solving a case or serving justice are often on the vigilante spectrum.

The second book from Paraic O'Donnell featuring Inspector Henry Cutter does not disappoint. It may even be better than the first, House on Vesper Sands, which was excellent. In the later 1800s prominent men are being murdered in ways meant to send a message. The assassin is as elusive as a ghost. What connects these men? Is a long ago fire in an orphanage a clue? Inspector Cutter with the assistance of Gideon Bliss and Octavia Hillington follow a twisty trail to justice.

Struggling with how to rate this book! Sometimes, the plot was gruesome and gripping and I could not look away. Other times, I felt like we lost the point a bit and I found myself skimming through pages to reach the conclusion faster.

The characters definitely drive this gothic mystery. The inspector's dry and cutting remarks had me laughing out loud at points, and Bliss and Olivia brought much needed humanity to this story as well. All the stars are for them! I wish the conclusion had been a bit tighter but the writing was beautiful.

_The Naming of the Birds_ by Paraic O’Donnell is a suspenseful and dark historical fiction mystery read with well-developed characters. The second in the series, it continues to follow Inspector Henry Cutter, Sergeant Gideon Bliss, and journalist Octavia Hillingdon as they investigate a string of murders that seem to relate to Inspector Cutter’s past. The writing is detailed, and will appeal to fans of historical fiction and mystery.

"The Naming of the Birds" reunites Inspector Cutter, Sergeant Bliss, and Octavia Hillingdon from "The House on Vesper Sands" in a chilling historical mystery set in Victorian England. The story begins in the past, narrated by a young girl who narrowly escapes a devastating orphanage fire with a handful of other children. Taken to a new, mysterious residence, they find themselves under the rule of enigmatic men known only by titles—The Chancellor, The Dean, The Prior—who insist the children abandon their old names for bird names assigned to them. The girl, haunted by a terrible act she committed during her escape, senses an ominous shift. Her fears are confirmed when a fellow child vanishes, revealing the sinister undercurrents of their new life.

In the present day, a high-ranking government official is found murdered in a grotesque and peculiar manner, drawing Inspector Cutter into the case. As more victims surface, the evidence points to secrets from Cutter's past—secrets he would rather keep buried. The investigation strains his partnership with Bliss and Hillingdon, challenging their trust in one another.

O’Donnell masterfully weaves a compelling tale of power, corruption, and the devastating cost of ambition. His vivid descriptions create a lush, atmospheric backdrop that contrasts with sharp, witty dialogue, adding moments of levity to an otherwise grim narrative. The crimes and their far-reaching consequences leave Cutter, Bliss, and Hillingdon grappling with the elusive meaning of justice. A must-read for fans of historical suspense with a touch of gothic intrigue.

The Naming of the Birds, Paraic O’Donnell’s sequel to The House of Vesper Sands, hooked me from the beginning. I will say, though, that Inspector Henry Cutter was a little too pedantic for my taste. Although I read almost all of his lengthy lectures, I really just wanted to tell him to get on with it.

Sergeant Gideon Bliss has only worked with Cutter for thirteen months, but even he can tell that his supervisor is upset about something. Cutter received a note that seemed to unnerve him, and the murders that followed seemed to be connected. The first victim was an older man, Sir Aneurine Considine, whose niece was was waiting to meet the police. But, Considine and subsequent victims were all killed in unusual ways. And, there were unusual messages left behind.

While Bliss despairs of his supervisor ever telling him what he’s thinking about the murder cases, Cutter hides his investigation from interfering officials. And, he sends Bliss to search through old records in archives, and, then, finally sends him to meet with Miss Octavia Hillingdon. Octavia is a journalist and newspaper owner, a shrewd researcher. She’s the one who connects the current murders with a fire twenty years earlier.

As I said, I was hooked on The Naming of the Birds because of my interest in characterss. Bliss and Octavia were fascinating, both orphans. Bliss failed when he studied to be a minister. Octavia was luckier in the “grandfather” who took her under his wing, and taught her to be a journalist.

But, I felt at times as if the author was trying to not only set the book in Victorian times, but write in flowery Victorian language. And, that became a little too much. O’Donnell’s message was clear. The conclusion of a case is not always in the name of justice. But, he took a little too long to get there.

The Naming of the Birds picks up where The House on Vesper Sands left off with another eerie case investigated by Inspector Cutter. The book begins in 1874 after a fire in an unnamed orphanage sends the surviving children to someplace even more isolated and grim. Although the author is intentionally vague about the specific horrors being perpetuated, it is almost worse because he allows you to imagine them yourself. 20 years later, the murders of several prominent men come to the attention of Scotland Yard. Inspector Cutter and his apprentice Sergeant Giedon Bliss are called to investigate and from the outset Cutter seems to know more about the case than he is saying. Eventually they enlist the help of journalist and researcher Olivia Hillingdon to dig into old records to discover the connection between these men and to a tragic asylum fire years ago. This is not a fast-paced read. It is written in a way that makes you want to read every word because the author has a fantastic way of perfectly describing thoughts and details and adding in sharp bits of sly humor where you aren’t expecting them. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in this dark story and hope that there will be more books with Cutter, Bliss, and Hillingdon to come. #TheNamingoftheBirds #NetGalley

This is a dark tale, and O’Donnell doesn’t shy away from showing the evil lurking in us. It’s a sequel to The House on Vesper Sands, which I have not read but has been on my TBR. It was fine, for me, as a stand-alone but I’m sure I would have gotten more out of it if I knew the history and backstory.

There’s an Inspector, Henry Cutter, and a Sergeant, Gideon Bliss, living in London and solving crimes in the 1840’s. There are a string of disturbing murders with a history that goes back decades. Bliss teams up with journalist Octavia Hillingdon to find out what is going on before there’s another victim.

Haunting and mysterious, at the core was the question of Justice and how it is served. Who is truly good and who is evil? Can the victim also be the perpetrator? At times almost theatrical in style, this slow paced thriller really came together at the end. To be honest, the middle was less thrilling to me and I considered not finishing it. But I’m really glad I stuck through it until the end. There was a slow build up and a thoughtful finale. Worth the read.

This book was a bit of a paradox. I loved some things and disliked others. Sometimes, it was both. The prose for instance. It was beautifully written, when it made sense. Sometimes it didn't and that pulled me out of the story. I didn't like that. Less would have been more.

I loved Nightingale. This book wouldn't have been worth reading without her. I think she was, by far, my favorite character. And the way she spoke was inspired.

The setting was beautiful and the characters were well written. However, they did not speak or behave in appropriate ways. The F Bombs and swearing for instance. I seriously dislike swearing. I can overlook some but I won't read a book if it's too graphic or common. In this case, there was a bit much for my liking and it was completely inappropriate for the time period. A double negative.

If plot holes were actual holes, this book would look like Swiss Cheese. A good mystery is supposed to answer most, if not all, major questions. Or at least provide enough information the reader can make a reasonably satisfying assumption. This book failed on both counts.

It was an enjoyable read but not a satisfying one. 2.5 stars rounded down. Okay, 3 stars because Nightingale.

Also, it was slow pacing. Exceedingly and unnecessarily so.

The Naming of the Birds is the second book by the author Paraic O'Donnell featuring the verbally bombastic Inspector Cutter and his awkward, timid Sergeant , Gideon Bliss. I loved the first book, The House on Vesper Sands and you should definitely get your hands on it as well if you missed it. In this second book, Cutter and Bliss become caught up in an investigation of a series of ritualistic slayings of some of the British Empire's most prominent elder citizens. The chilling case is doggedly pursued by Cutter, whose colorful dialogue is highly entertaining even if it does go on at some length at times. Sergeant Bliss whose mind is sharper than his reflexes more often than not, joins in as well as fearless newspaper reporter Octavia Hillingdon. The trio will unearth a shocking history of cruelty, brutality, depravity, and madness that define the very word Empire itself. The definition of Justice is perhaps more elusive.... I loved this book. The author has a wonderful gift for dialog and his characters truly come alive like flesh and blood from the page. I do occasionally want to tell Inspector Cutter to shut the hall up and felt as a reader that the story was bogged down in his Minolta at times. The conclusion of the book quite honestly left me stunned and awed by the power of storytelling. No are facts history book can do this, no matter how shocking and grim those facts are. Only powerful storytelling can knock the breath out of you in this way. Although the events of this book are fictional, they are True.

Love this book! It's suspenseful and will keep you hooked. I was not a fan of the repeat cover. There are at least two other book that have this same cover.