This is the sequel to The House on Vesper Sands and It was just as good if not better. We are still following Inspector Cutter and Sergeant Bliss along with Octavia. In this book they are trying to solve the murders of prominent people that were involved in deaths of children in an asylum in 1872. The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell. 4.5 stars

I enjoyed this book. It was perfect for the spooky season. It was a dark and twisted gothic read that I enjoyed very much. I thought the author did an amazing job through characters and story line. I look forward to reading more from O'Donnell. I will definitely be recommending this book to others.
Thank you Net Galley ARC

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.

_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.