- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Robert Hale Ltd (30 May 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0709085745
- ISBN-13: 978-0709085744
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,291,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
It is 1887, the year of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and London is in turmoil, particularly at the dead centre, Trafalgar Square. Here, the angry unemployed gather daily to protest and nightly to sleep. The police are worn out by endless duty and bitter about the accusations of brutality from the protesters and blame from others for not doing more to prevent the disorder.Adding fuel to the fire, a prominent member of one of the new socialist organisations leading the protests is found dead at the foot of Nelson's column and Detective Inspector Earnest Best catches a fleeting glimpse of Stark a man he knows was guilty of a dreadful crime in Whitechapel. Tension builds. Something terrible is about to happen.
About the Author
Ex-Nurse and policewoman, Joan Lock, is the author of eleven non-fiction police/crime books. These include two on Scotland Yard's First Detectives and the history of the British Women Police - a subject on which she is an authority. Joan has also written radio plays and documentaries, plus many features for Police Review, the leading police magazine, and Red Herrings, the journal of the Crime Writers Association. The CWA awarded her a Red Herring for her services and the Leo Harris Award for the best contribution. Since Joan turned to crime fiction she has produced one modern crime novel, Death in Perspective, and seven of a Victorian series featuring the charismatic Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Ernest Best. Dead Centre is the latest of these.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Set at the time of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887, the `dead centre' refers to London's Trafalgar Square where the disgruntled, angry and often hungry unemployed gather daily to protest. And with many of them now also sleeping in the square, the police are tired of the constant battle to keep order. In this turmoil of humanity Detective Inspector Ernest Best catches sight of Stark, a man wanted for a brutal murder in Whitechapel.
When a prominent member of the new socialist organisation leading the protest is found murdered, Ernest Best finds his time divided between finding a killer and hunting for Stark. His search for the murderer provides the reader with interesting background to these troubled times, with which I am not familiar but found fascinating, particularly as several of the prominent people of the time are brought into the story. With the complexity of his investigation and his heavy workload we see little in this book of Ernest's artist wife Helen, but although the conversations between Ernest and Helen are few the reader is still very conscious of her strength and support for her husband.
But forefront in this story is Florence Bagnall, a young member of the Salvation Army, as she makes her calls on the sick, poor and unfortunate, bringing solace and where she can, food to supplement their meagre rations. Joan Lock paints a very bleak picture of what life was like for many people in London a hundred years ago. Apart from Ernest Best, Florence is the only other person who knows what Stark looks like having been unwittingly a witness to his evil deeds. But Florence is sure that Stark is long gone and is unaware that he is in the vicinity. An endearing part of the story is the growing love between Florence and PC Albert Roberts. But with the disorder in central London Albert finds it difficult to get to see that much of Florence, and I admit to reading with my heart in my mouth as she makes her rounds feeling her way in the dark and fog of Whitechapel.
This is a marvellous entry in this excellent series. Highly recommended.
------
Lizzie Hayes
When a prominent member of the new socialist organisation leading the protest is found murdered, Ernest Best finds his time divided between finding a killer and hunting for Stark. His search for the murderer provides the reader with interesting background to these troubled times, with which I am not familiar but found fascinating, particularly as several of the prominent people of the time are brought into the story. With the complexity of his investigation and his heavy workload we see little in this book of Ernest's artist wife Helen, but although the conversations between Ernest and Helen are few the reader is still very conscious of her strength and support for her husband.
But forefront in this story is Florence Bagnall, a young member of the Salvation Army, as she makes her calls on the sick, poor and unfortunate, bringing solace and where she can, food to supplement their meagre rations. Joan Lock paints a very bleak picture of what life was like for many people in London a hundred years ago. Apart from Ernest Best, Florence is the only other person who knows what Stark looks like having been unwittingly a witness to his evil deeds. But Florence is sure that Stark is long gone and is unaware that he is in the vicinity. An endearing part of the story is the growing love between Florence and PC Albert Roberts. But with the disorder in central London Albert finds it difficult to get to see that much of Florence, and I admit to reading with my heart in my mouth as she makes her rounds feeling her way in the dark and fog of Whitechapel.
This is a marvellous entry in this excellent series. Highly recommended.
------
Lizzie Hayes
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