London in 1856 is gripped by a frightening obsession. The specimen-collecting craze is growing, and discoveries in far-off jungles are reshaping the known world in terrible and unimaginable ways. When the glamorous Lady Bessingham is found murdered in her bedroom, surrounded by her vast collection of fossils and tribal masks, Professor Adolphus Hatton and his morgue assistant Albert Roumande are called in to examine the crime scene - and the body. In the new and suspicious world of forensics and autopsy examinations, Hatton and Roumande are the best. But the crime scene is not confined to one room. In their efforts to help the infamous Scotland Yard detective Inspector Adams track down the Lady's killer, Hatton and Roumande uncover a trail of murders connected to a packet of seditious letters that, if published, would change the face of society and religion irrevocably. D.E. Meredith's measured prose and eye for exquisite detail moves seamlessly from the filthy docks on the Isle of Dogs to the jungles of Borneo and the drawing rooms of London's upper class. Her slow-burning mystery builds to a shocking conclusion, consuming Victorian London - and victims - as it goes.
Devoured (Hatton & Roumande)
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This debut novel by Denise Meredith is an entertaining read. It reminded me of Masterpiece Mystery... The author does a good job of bringing the wintry streets of Victorian London and the steamy jungles of Borneo to life as she tells her story. - -Historical Novel Society
Devoured steeps us in the danger of Victorian London and the discovery of modern forensics, combining classic storytelling with a finely-executed historical moment. Meredith packs her debut with charm and wit enough to carry us into any adventures to come with these sparkling characters. - - Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Dickens
Devoured is an absorbing mystery, with an atmosphere that captures wonderfully the contrasts of science and superstition, of domesticity and imperial exoticism, that made the Victorian era so richly interesting. Hopefully a sequel is already on the way! - - Charles Finch, author of The Fleet Street Murders
Lovers of Victorian mystery will delight in Denise Meredith's terrific debut, where murder, the science of specimen collecting, and early forensic medicine combine into a riveting adventure.
--Stefanie Pintoff, Edgar Award-winning author of In the Shadow of Gotham
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Devoured steeps us in the danger of Victorian London and the discovery of modern forensics, combining classic storytelling with a finely-executed historical moment. Meredith packs her debut with charm and wit enough to carry us into any adventures to come with these sparkling characters. - - Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Dickens
Devoured is an absorbing mystery, with an atmosphere that captures wonderfully the contrasts of science and superstition, of domesticity and imperial exoticism, that made the Victorian era so richly interesting. Hopefully a sequel is already on the way! - - Charles Finch, author of The Fleet Street Murders
Lovers of Victorian mystery will delight in Denise Meredith's terrific debut, where murder, the science of specimen collecting, and early forensic medicine combine into a riveting adventure.
--Stefanie Pintoff, Edgar Award-winning author of In the Shadow of Gotham
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
Meredith' TMs debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review
If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books. Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done. --Crime Spree magazine
About the Author
D.E. Meredith has travelled far and wide to some of the remotest places on earth which has fuelled her imagination and continuing lust for travel. After reading English at Cambridge University she became a campaigner for the WWF, and spent ten years working for the environment movement. She has flown over the Arctic in a bi-plane, skinny-dipped in Siberia, hung out with Inuit and Evenki tribespeople and dodged the Russian mafia in downtown Vladivostok. Meredith later became a spokesperson for the British Red Cross, spending six years travelling through war zones and witnessing humanitarian crises. The experience strongly influenced her crime writing, with its themes of injustice and inequality. She currently lives on the outskirts of London with her husband and two teenage sons. When not writing she runs, bakes cakes and does yoga to relax. www.demeredith.com
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
`Devoured' is a stunning book with all the elements of a Victorian mystery. Set in London in 1856, Ms Meredith transports the reader to the most compelling and often seedy parts of the city, beginning with the morgue at St Bart's, which is described in gloriously evocative detail with flickering candles and eerie shadows. This is the workplace of early forensic pathologists, Adolphus Hatton and Albert Roumande.
The main characters are skilfully drawn with entirely credible mannerisms and foibles. The chemistry between them, as they work together, is palpable. They are a great duo, with enormous potential for further tales. Following the murder of Lady Bessingham, we journey with Hatton and Roumande as they investigate the underworld of Victorian London in search of the killer. The plot is complex with many twists and turns. It is cleverly interwoven with intriguing letters from exotic Borneo. The dénouement was completely unpredictable; the mark of a true crime writer.
`Devoured' gives a tantalising insight into Victorian forensics at the very beginning of this fascinating science, within the context of contemporary superstitions and opinions. It is a gripping début and I can't wait to read the next instalment of Hatton and Roumande's adventures.
The main characters are skilfully drawn with entirely credible mannerisms and foibles. The chemistry between them, as they work together, is palpable. They are a great duo, with enormous potential for further tales. Following the murder of Lady Bessingham, we journey with Hatton and Roumande as they investigate the underworld of Victorian London in search of the killer. The plot is complex with many twists and turns. It is cleverly interwoven with intriguing letters from exotic Borneo. The dénouement was completely unpredictable; the mark of a true crime writer.
`Devoured' gives a tantalising insight into Victorian forensics at the very beginning of this fascinating science, within the context of contemporary superstitions and opinions. It is a gripping début and I can't wait to read the next instalment of Hatton and Roumande's adventures.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Sarah Laver
Format:Hardcover
I opened the pages of "Devoured" hoping for a good murder mystery but in fact it is much more than that. This is an excellent thriller beautifully written within a perfectly drawn setting of Victorian London in the mid-19th century. The characters are vivid and the attention to detail extraordinary. In addition to the main story, I was fascinated by the world of the newly-discovered forensic science and the wider attitude towards it - the author never gets too bogged down with the detail of this but the reader nevertheless discovers all sorts of fascinating historical detail along the way. Make sure you read this one - a real gem!
By tdwalsh13
Format:Audio Download
I've just returned from spending a few days in the mid 19th century in the company of some fascinating characters and a cleverly constructed plot. I have to confess that until a few weeks ago I was unaware of D E Meredith and her work. I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of The Devil's Ribbon and was keen to read it, so I consulted fantasticfiction.co.uk and found that the author's previous novel was Devoured. Ignoring an assurance from the author herself on Twitter that her novels can be read in any order (thank you!) I purchased Devoured for my newly acquired Kindle app on iPad. Despite the incongruity f reading about Victorian London using the latest technology, and once I had stopped trying to catch out the author in any anachronisms, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any crime fiction fans. My usual book choices are modern day, psychological thriller, serial killer type but I enjoyed the change and look forward to following up with The Devil's Ribbon soon. Thank you to "Crime Fiction Lover" @crifilover for the Facebook competition that introduced me to D E Meredith.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting and bit different
But overall very Sherlock Holmes / Bones...Good storyline, can be bit confusing so needs to be read in chunks rather than little by little.
Published 4 months ago by SueB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Research and a fascinating story
I read this book some time ago, and have just been reminded how good it is. The research is impeccable, the writing, somehow, bautifully within period. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lesley Cookman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good read
I had read quite a number of reviews of this book and was really looking forward to reading it. I wasn't disappointed but at the same time at the end there was a quiet little voice... Read more
Published 5 months ago by lovereading
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sars book
I bought this book for my daughters birthday as she had seen a review for it in another magazine. She was really pleased with it and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Published 6 months ago by Fred
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's ok, nothing out of the ordinary
This was a gift for someone and at start he enjoyed it. With the development of the book it started to be less interesting
Published 6 months ago by Sérgio Marques
5.0 out of 5 stars
An intense, dark story to relish
I thoroughly enjoyed D.E. Meredith's DEVOURED, and cannot resist saying that I did indeed devour it. Read more
Published 7 months ago by K. Mayfield
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it! When can I read the next one?
As I began to turn the pages of Devoured, one of my first thoughts was to marvel at the depth of research undertaken by D E Meredith in order to immerse us fully in Victorian life. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Karen Guttridge
2.0 out of 5 stars
Just OK
I struggled with this. The premise is exciting, but for me the writing was stilted and uninteresting and the dialogue flat. Its not bad, but its not that good either. Read more
Published 7 months ago by richteafinger
3.0 out of 5 stars
Devoured
I quite liked this book, especially the pathologist and his assistant. I felt the book became less convincing when it focused on the sexual plot line... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Quercus
5.0 out of 5 stars
Atmospheric and riveting, gory and polished - a thoroughly enjoyable...
In the mid 1850s, the churches and parlour rooms of middle and upper class Great Britain were reeling under the onslaught of science. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Kate
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