Part of the reason I really like series is that I get to see the development of the recurring characters. Especially with mysteries (which are my favorite genre), the continuity and the characters' development over time are very satisfying to me.

The Woman in the Water is a prequel to the Charles Lenox series by Charles Finch. The entire series are classic mysteries. This one is no exception. I enjoyed reading about his family, his complex and bittersweet relationship with Lady Jane, as well as his early collaboration with Graham. There was precisely the right amount of humor (Mrs. Huggins, his housekeeper for example) to balance the murders and investigation.

Period mysteries (especially those set in Victorian England) seem to have become something of a flavor-of-the-moment, so it's unusual for one to stand out amongst the flood of offerings. This series is genuinely well written and entertaining. Relatively clean mysteries, without a lot of overt blood or violence. There is occasional light cursing (never gratuitous) with a few scattered 'hell, damn, blast and/or bloody'. There's nothing which could conceivably shock or offend most readers.

Incidentally, though age is certainly not indicative of writing skill, I admit I was shocked to learn that the author, Charles Finch, is quite young (b. 1980). He's a masterful writer, and I'm inordinately pleased at the likelihood of having new mysteries from him for decades to come.

The Woman in the Water was published by St. Martin's Press - Minotaur and was released 20th February, 2018. Available in hardcover, softcover and ebook formats.

Five stars, top shelf mystery. This one made me want to go and revisit the series.

In this engrossing prequel to the Charles Lenox mysteries, set in 1850, Finch’s amiable aristocratic hero is not yet the distinguished Parliamentarian and private detective who will feature in ten more full-length novels. He has the same brilliantly deductive mind that will serve him well in the future but, as a 23-year-old Oxford grad, he lacks maturity and life experience and is wise enough to know it. Living in a flat on London’s St. James’s Square, Lenox and his valet, Graham, spend their days clipping crime-related articles from newspapers and seeking patterns that may lead to an initial case. He gets his break after spying a pretentious letter to the editor from a writer bragging about committing the perfect crime. When Lenox spots connections others don’t, and links the letter to the month-old discovery of a woman’s body from a waterlogged trunk, Scotland Yard finally starts paying attention.

This novel offers many pleasures, not least of which is the opportunity to puzzle out the solution to this intricate mystery alongside Lenox. Although as a baronet’s second son, he’s a privileged sort who has no material wants, he swiftly gains the reader’s sympathy. Aside from a few close friends, his social circle thinks he’s crazy for wanting to pursue a career at all, while experienced policemen joke about the “young inspector” and his sidekick valet (it doesn’t help that Lenox pronounces that word with a hard “t”). Lenox is also desperately in love with a female friend, and realized this much too late. Gently wry humor emerges through Lenox’s banter with Graham, and in how he evades his redoubtable housekeeper’s lengthy to-do list. On the serious side, Lenox faces devastating family news and the emotional impact of a real-life murder investigation. Both newcomers and series regulars should find themselves drawn in.

(from the Historical Novels Review, May 2018)

Prequel that delivers
Byjody on February 27, 2018
I eagerly look forward to Charles Finch books. I am not a fan of prequels as a rule. However, I will make an exception this case. It was a captivating story, great character development and an all round great read! Great for the plane, beach or a quiet night.

The Woman in the Water by Charles Finch is the prequel novel to his Charles Lenox mystery series.

Right from the beginning we are taken back to a time when Lenox arrives in London and aspires to become a private detective. Our beloved characters are younger and we learn more about their relationships and how they became friends.

While clipping the crime articles from all the newspapers, Graham and Lenox find a letter from a proposed killer about committing the perfect crime. The letter states that he will commit another perfect crime in one month’s time. With urgency, Lenox and Graham report to Scotland Yard. Unfortunately, the Yard does not find the murderer in time. A second body has been discovered.

Lenox is determined to solve this crime and the Yard finally allows him to handle a case. He must now use his skills to find the killer before another dead body is found.

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! I’ve been a huge Lenox fan since I discovered the series three years ago. When Charles Finch announced that he was writing a prequel to the series, I had to read it as soon as possible.

All the familiar characters are there: Lenox, Graham, Edmond, Lady Jane, Mrs Huggins, and even Exeter. We see them in a much younger light and learn more about their relationships. I especially loved the relationship between Lenox and Graham. The reader learns more about how they came to be master and servant, and how much of a comradery they are together. They really are a team when it comes to detecting. And let’s not fool with Graham’s underlining good humor.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Lenox and his father. Being the younger son, Lenox would not inherit the estate or seat in parliament. This leans more for the older son and father to have a closer relationship. But Mr. Lenox did not neglect his youngest son. As the book goes on, the relationship takes on a bigger meaning and it almost brought me to tears.

And of course, let’s not forget about the murder! Finch always does his murders in a very chic and classy way. There’s a method and it’s been great to see that develop over his books. The Woman in the Water is a breath of fresh air and something totally unexpected. You may think you have it figured out, but the twist this book has will blow you away.

The Woman in the Water by Charles Finch receives 5 stars.

(Final Rating: 3.5-stars): The Woman in the Water is a prequel to the Charles Lenox Mysteries series, of which there are currently 10 books. I have read the first book in the series, A Beautiful Blue Death, and enjoyed it quite a bit. When I saw that a prequel was coming out, I figured I would read it before the rest of the series. This was a good book but I did not enjoy it as much as ABBD. For me, the investigative matters were secondary to the rest of the character development and I really think that the murder investigation should have been front and center. I did feel the second half of the book was a lot stronger than the first half and the ending was satisfying.
Prequels to me are either necessary or not necessary. I don't really feel this one is necessary in order to enjoy the rest of the series. I didn't pull too much new information about our protagonist, Charles Lenox, from this that I couldn't have gleaned from the books in the main series. One aspect of this that I did enjoy a lot however was the relationship between Charles and his right-hand man, Graham. I feel that Graham's contribution to Lenox's work and life was really highlighted here and that was nice to see. I also enjoyed the exploration of Charles relationship with his father -some of those details were truly beautiful to read.
Overall, this is a good book, I do enjoy a Victorian mystery, especially with a gentleman detective. However, in my opinion the story could have been stronger if it stuck more to the traditional 'whodunnit' format throughout. I will definitely continue reading the books in the Charles Lenox series! Thank you so much to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this book and share my opinions!

This is marked #.5 yet it is a full book not like the novellas, shorts, or singles that you would expect from the decimal point.

The next thing to note is that this is like a major prequel and it can be jarring if you've read the series in order. Lady Jane is married to her first husband, they don't live near each other or any of the other things that have developed over the length of the series. Charles' father is still alive, meaning his brother is the heir, not the title holder yet....the jarring backward glances go on and on.

This was really Charles and Graham's first case when Charles (23) was still playing with the idea of even bucking the social system he was born into and becoming a private detective.

The mystery itself is interesting and Charles learns a lot about his soon to be chosen profession. Graham is front and center in a way that he wasn't always in the first few books of the series. They are less like friends they will become and more like partners and definitely never the valet that most would expect him to be though he does keep Charles in order and ship shape.

Once I got over the constant...almost flashback of wait a minute, they already did X or know Y, I was completely into a murderer that loves to taunt the press and talk about committing the perfect murders. It reminded me of De Quincey's Murder as Fine Art and therefore a bit of David Morrell's current series that features and riffs off of De Quincey. (Great series by the way.)

Solving the mystery was just as much of a wild ride as the feeling that I was reading the series out of sync, which I normally don't do, or at least not that much out of sync.

You will not be disappointed whether a new reader of the series or old. Just remember what I said about the feeling of being in the Way Back Machine if you have been reading the series.

The Woman in the Water is the eleventh in the Charles Lenox series by Charles Finch, but it takes us back to when Lenox was just twenty-three years old. He’s forty in the first book, so it’s a long trip back in time, but it does suggest there is a lot of potential for more stories.

In The Woman in the Water. Lenox has not established his reputation as a detective and is mostly perceived as a joke. Each morning, he and Graham, his valet, go through the papers looking for crime-related stories. They find one claiming to have committed a perfect crime and announcing their intent to commit another on the month anniversary so they begin to investigate. When they identify the likely first murder, they go to Scotland Yard. Their deductions are soon confirmed by a second body. They begin to investigate, with Lenox officially employed to his chagrin. However, despite their excellent work, Lenox must overcome doubt and contempt by Scotland Yard detective and the shock and disapproval of society.

Lenox personal life is also in turmoil. His father is dying and he can’t do anything about it. He loves Elizabeth (Jane) but she is married to someone else. Their friendship is strained by his declaration of love and then by complications of the case.

I thought this was a great mystery. It was complex, with multiple layers that needed to be peeled back, with plenty of misdirection and confusion. The villain was as clever as a Moriarty and the somewhat incomplete resolution makes room for more complications in the future.

Series mysteries always have this tension between keeping the detective in a kind of stasis, their personal lives nonexistent, just solving mysteries one after the other. Think of Perry Mason who possibly never went on a date in his life. Lenox is just the opposite, getting married, changing career, becoming a parent, and moving beyond detecting to politicking and back again. Sometimes they can get written into a place where there is nowhere to go. Going back to the past is a brilliant approach to revitalize a character like Lenox. From 23 to 40 gives us decades of untapped potential stories. It’s also fun to read when Lenox is more challenged, less certain, having to prove his worth.

I received an e-galley of The Woman in the Water from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Woman in the Water at St. Martins Press | Macmillan
Charles Finch on Facebook

I read the Beautiful Blue Death which was the first in this series so when I saw this Prequel offered on NetGalley and asked for it and was fortunate enough to receive it for review.

This book chronicles the first case of Charles Lenox and also highlights his personal misgivings about going against his family wishes and starting his career as a private investigator. What I found fascinating was how Charles and his valet would peruse the daily newspapers to find a crime that they would decide needed investigating and then present themselves for that task.

The book was well-written with clues planted strategically for the reader but not making it easy to solve.
The characters were believable and the setting attention grabbing.

It's the Victorian Age, and Charles Lenox, a member of the upper class, is fresh out of Oxford and interested in a career as an investigator with the police department. Being a new profession, he’s having trouble being taken seriously by Scotland Yard. Then along comes a series of letters boasting of the perfect murder(s), and Charles has a case that offers him a chance to prove himself.

As a prequel to the series, I enjoyed getting to know Charles and his valet Graham, as well as his family and others in his social circle. Charles has some challenges in his personal life that brought some tender, heartwarming, and sad scenes. The murder mystery and resolution was clever, while the insights into the early days of crime investigations were interesting from a historical aspect. The old-fashioned detective work was a refreshing change from crime novels set in the current day.

This was my first introduction to Charles Lenox and I’m definitely interested in continuing the series. Highly recommended for fans of historical mysteries.

*many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book for review.

A historical mystery series, set during the Victorian age, that I have read from the first. This though is a prequel, and we meet a young Lennox, when he is only 23, starting out in his crime solving career.
When a letter to the newspapers, boasting about committing the perfect crime, comes to the attention of Lennox, he sets off, with his trusty valet, sidekick, to solve the murder. It will soon be two bodies of women found, each staged in unusual ways.

When reading about the solving of crimes in the past, I am reminded of how difficult it was for those who job this was. Much more traveling, chasing down clues, chasing down witnesses, so time consuming. Took more talent though to piece together all the information, and then decide the who, how and why. In this outing, we get to see a young man of privileged background, fighting for a chance to do what interested him. There is also a personal, rather sad revelation. We also find out how he first met McConnell, who would become a good friend and prove integral to many of the stories that come after.

Well written, tightly plotted, this should bring new readers to this worthy series, or at least I hope so.

ARC from Netgalley.

Dive into 'Woman in the Water' for popular PI's beginnings
By Sandy Mahaffey For The Free Lance–Star Feb 24, 2018
For a number of years, I have tucked Charles Finch’s Charles Lenox mystery series into my mind as something I want to read. The books always sounded so interesting, but I prefer not to jump into a series midway. When I saw that “The Woman in the Water” is a prequel, I decided it was a perfect opportunity to sample one. I’m sure it will be equally satisfying for longtime fans to go back to see just how Lenox and Graham began their careers.

Charles Lenox, recently graduated from Oxford, has a common decision facing him in Victorian London: he is the second son of a baronet and his older brother, Edward, will step into their father’s footsteps in Parliament and in taking over the family home, but what will Charles do with his life? He has limited acceptable options, and the family is not thrilled that he wants to be a detective.
He and his valet, Graham, are just not quite sure how to get started. They faithfully cull the daily papers for articles on crimes to learn more about criminals and solving crimes.
The perfect opportunity arises when they connect a letter written to one of the papers boasting that the writer has committed the “perfect murder” and is planning to do it again.
They connect the letter to an unsolved murder and head to Scotland Yard with their premise.
Needless to say, the inspectors give little credence to the 23-year-old amateur and his sidekick, but persistence eventually pays off.
Sadly, while they are totally engrossed in detecting, Charles receives devastating news regarding a family member.
I have every confidence that Lenox and Graham become much more efficient and confident as investigators with each case they take on.
“The Woman in the Water” was a perfect introduction for me—I have always enjoyed mid-19th century novels and mysteries and now know that I enjoy Finch’s characters, love his writing and will definitely be going back to the beginning and following their adventures.

There are a number of poignant moments in this book, but one of my favorites shows Finch’s way with words:
“The hardest part of losing a person, Charles, is that grief is only an absence. There is nowhere to go to touch it.”
Sandy Mahaffey is former Books editor with The Free Lance–Star.

I could not get into this book. It failed to hold my attention.

Very fast paced and very intriguing. I enjoyed how it kept me hooked and it was an original story. Nowadays so many books read the same. Highly recommend

Charles Finch is that somewhat rare and highly-prized bird, a mystery author whose literary craftsmanship shines on every page. His plots are intricate and usually confounding; only rarely can I untangle even part of the solution without being told. His prose is precise and perceptive, slightly formal, cool but never cold; its flavor is Victorian without the floridness sometimes associated with Victorian writers. It’s a perfect match for Finch’s detective, Charles Lenox, a gentleman and the second son of a baronet: reserved, sensitive to nuance, highly observant, and possessed of both compassion and a deep-seated sense of justice, as well as a deep loyalty to his family and friends.

The Woman in The Water is the 11th Finch has written about his detective, but chronologically it falls first. Here, Lenox is barely 23, still trying to establish himself in the career he is inventing for himself, and at the same time attempting to get Scotland Yard to treat him seriously. Too much of a gentleman to consider actually entering the Force (as his literary “cousin,” Roderick Alleyn, does in Ngaio Marsh’s mysteries set in the 1930s-60s), Lenox doesn’t draw back from the unpleasant aspects of detection, but is highly uncomfortable with the idea of making money from it.

All the major characters of the “later” mysteries appear in this novel, from Lenox’s indispensible valet, assistant, and friend, Graham, to his childhood friend Lady Jane (here called Elizabeth at the behest of her new husband’s family.) We meet Charles’s brother Edmund and both his parents, along with Inspectors Field and Exeter. There’s a short encounter with Dr. Thomas McConnell, a good friend in the main part of the series but here a new acquaintance. Even the older Charles’s young apprentice, Lord John Dallington, makes a very brief appearance—at the tender age of four.

These glimpses and more than glimpses of familiar characters are a delight, of course, but The Woman in the Water is first and foremost a mystery—and what a mystery! Two unidentified women, killed a month apart, their bodies found on the banks of the Thames, but with little else to link them except a letter sent by the killer to one of London’s many newspapers. There is almost nothing to go on, but piece by piece, small flash of insight by blinding revelation, Charles digs away at the few clues they have, coming at last to a most surprising conclusion.

If you enjoy matching wits with the best crime writers, you’ll find in The Woman in the Water a puzzle to sink your teeth into. I can almost guarantee you will not solve it on your own, not because Finch withholds clues (he is scrupulously fair with those) but because the mystery and its solution are convoluted, precisely crafted, and fiendishly difficult to figure out. If you like accuracy in your historical mystery, you’ll find that here as well; as far as I can tell, Finch gets both the larger picture and the small details right, and has a well-honed sense of the English class structure and social behaviors and expectations. And if you are a fan of Lord Peter Wimsey and/or Roderick Alleyn, I can assure you that Charles Lenox is cut from much the same cloth, though without Wimsey’s silly-ass mask and penchant for both quotes and witty banter.

If you want to start with The Woman in the Water, be aware that the main part of the series begins 15 years later, in 1865. On the other hand, there’s a lot to be said for starting with that first book, A Beautiful Blue Death (review), and reading at least some of the subsequent books before turning to this prequel. While it’s not strictly necessary, I think my enjoyment of The Woman in the Water was heightened by my familiarity with the recurring characters, and the opportunity to see what they were like in their younger years. Either way, you won’t be disappointed; I’ve yet to read a Charles Finch book that didn’t impress me with its perfect craftsmanship and excellent prose.

I'm a newbie to this series but reading the prequel was highly enjoyable! If you are looking for a great murder mystery with a Sherlock Holmes kind of feel I think you would find this series highly entertaining! These books are definitely going on my TBR so I can embark myself into this delightful adventure.
I want to thank St. Martins Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
This book was o.k., but I had a hard turning getting into the whole story. The language was sometimes confusing for me, and I'm not a big fan of books like Sherlock Holmes

After spending time following along with the intuitive, Victorian era, middle-aged detective and his friends, I was more than eager when I discovered that this latest release would take readers back to the early days of Charles Lenox's first celebrated case.

The Woman of the Water is a late prequel to a long-standing series and works just fine as a beginning read to the series or for taking it in release order.

The story opens with a much younger Charles leaving his university days behind and choosing to stun polite society with the news that he is going to be a consulting detective. Two provocative letters in the newspaper and a dead body give him the break he needs to assist the London police and show he can do it. It's a particularly poignant time because he waited too long to tell the woman he loved his feelings and she accepted someone else whom she loves and he is made aware that his father only has a few months left after a growth is discovered.

From the first book in the series, I have been taken with Charles Lennox, Graham, Lady Jane, Thomas O'Donnell, and others in Charles' circle. I loved that this book goes back to the beginning when they were all much younger and how things came to be the way they are. Lennox was written with his brilliance and heart, but more of a touch of youthful fire and confidence that the difficult murder case threatens to dampen and put out entirely.

The historical detail and how it blends into the plot was done amazingly well. I always feel like I'm right there in Charles' Victorian world when I read this series and this book was no exception.

The mystery is clever and twisting. I loved following along and discovering the significance of the clues. I totally missed on the solution, but had a great time trying.

The depth of friendship, family, and personal growth that melded with the mystery for this one was probably more compelling than the cunning murder. My emotions were engaged several times even beyond my mind on the mystery. I had the urge to go back and re-read the series after this one.

I heartily recommend this book/series to those who particularly enjoy historical mysteries.

I rec'd this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first excursion into Charles Finch’s series about Charles Lenox, the son of an Earl who resides in an apartment in the fashionable St. James Square area, Lenox; a private citizen possesses great powers of deduction and is unwavering in his desire to become a “consulting” detective. (Think TV series such as Castle or Psych or even Monk). In Victorian England, however, where the novel is set, his career choice is not only unusual for a man of his social standing but appalling to both his family and those in his milieu.

There are 10 other books in this series and this particular offering is a prequel featuring a 23 year old Lenox along with his valet Graham, in the early stages of their sleuthing, getting their leads by searching the morning papers for likely crime prospects.

In this offering, the discovery of the remains of an unknown young woman stuffed in a sailor’s trunk and discovered washed ashore on an island on the River Thames coupled with an anonymous letter to a local newspaper from a person purporting to have committed “the perfect crimes” piques the interest of the duo and they are ‘on the hunt” for the clues that may lead to the identity of the killer.

Finch has a great eye for time and place as well as a talent for malevolently intricate puzzles. Those items coupled with the amusing exchanges between Lenox and Graham, the dialog between Lenox and his indomitable and intimidating housekeeper Mrs. Huggins, not to mention Lenox’s thwarted ardor for the married Lady Elizabeth and his relationship with his brother Edmund and their father all add to pure gold in this carefully constructed concoction of murder, love, and humor. This reader is “head over heels” for the charming and intelligent Charles Lenox and looks forward to spending other pleasant afternoons/evenings reading of his ongoing deductive exploits.

Aside: Fans of Peter Lovesey’s Sergeant Cribb, Anne Perry’s William Monk and Thomas Pitt series or Lynn Shepherd’s Charles Maddox collection should definitely add this book to their want list. 4 1/2 stars
“

THE WOMAN IN THE WATER (Hist Mys-Charles Lenox-London-1850) - VG
Finch, Charles – Series Prequel
Minotaur Books – Feb 2018
First Sentence: For a little more than an hour on the May morning in 1850, the only sound in the flat in St. James’ Square was the rustling of newspapers, punctuated occasionally by the crisp shear of a pair of sharpened scissors through newsprint.
Twenty-three-year-old Charles Lenox is trying, with the assistance of his valet Graham, to establish himself as a detective, but is having little success until an anonymous writer’s letter appears in the newspaper. The author claims to have committed the perfect murder, and that he will kill again. After insinuating himself into the Yard’s investigation, and with locating a second victim, the killer threatens directly threatens Lenox and those he holds dear.
Establishing a sense of time from the start moves one from being a reader, to feeling part of the story—“There were two men at the highly polished breakfast table by the window… Both were too intent upon their work to glance out…at the panoramic view of the soft spring day; the shy sunlight; the irregular outlines of the two nearby parks, lying serene within the smoke and stone of the city; the new leaves upon the trees, making their innocent green way into life, on branches still so skinny that they quivered like the legs of foal.” The introduction of Lenox and Graham defines their relationship and expands on the feeling of being a participant. One is also introduced to Elizabeth, Lenox’ friend, and to Finch’s wonderful voice and wry humor.
It is nice getting to know the young L enox and his family. The banter with is mother and housekeeper allow for lightness against the darkness of the plot. It is also nice to see how he developed as a detective.
The information on the distinction of the classes is worked in very cleverly through a tactful conversation with Graham—“We were smacked on the hand if we wrote crookedly, at Harrow, with the chalk. In its chalk-holder, a great long wooden rod.” “Sir?” Lenox elaborated. “Well, it’s only at the free schools that one is taught to write line upon line.” Learning how the name of Scotland Yard came to be is an interesting bit of history. Still, one has to be amused at Lenox’ irritation at the ungrammatical headline—“Nevertheless, the headline had managed an error in its scant seven words. On the Thames River – doubtful, Lenox thought, that anyone had been murdered on the Thames River.”
The case itself is intriguing, particularly with the second victim. There is an interesting twist related to the killer and the victims. The climax is exciting and very clever.
“The Woman in the Water” was a delightful look into how it all began. Finch played fair with the reader, but the clues were subtle and easy to miss, particularly with the emotional aspect of the story demanding our attention.

The Woman in the Water by Charles Finch is a prequel to his popular Sir Charles Lennox series. Sir Charles is an early detective along the lines of Sherlock Holmes but unlike Holmes fits quite well into the Victorian society in which he lives (most of the time.) He is a canny detective who solves crimes by thinking them through rather than jumping to conclusions easily. His valet, Graham, is his partner in detecting, assisting quite ably often working independently of Charles.

In this book Charles is a young (22 years) man just out of school and struggling to find his place in life. Seeing his future as a choice between detecting and traveling, Charles and Graham have rooms in a house in London and a housekeeper recommended by Charles' mother, both of whom are determined to see Charles live as the young gentleman he is. Every morning, Charles and Graham sit together and read each of London's newspapers, cutting out articles which relate to crime or point to it and spend enjoyable time comparing what they are retrieved and discussing it. One morning they discover (in one of the more tabloid-like papers) a letter written, proclaiming that the writer has committed the perfect crime and being disappointed that the authorities are not trying hard enough, is giving notice that there will be another. Meanwhile his housekeeper wants to do some spring cleaning and wants his participation (approval) in that matter and his mother arrives to inform him that his father is dying. Rather a full plate for a young man.

Finch places his red herrings and foreshadowing so well that even an astute reader misses many of them. Before things are finished there are three murders and the murderer has escaped. Charles is exceedingly unhappy with these results and is determined to retire before his career gets started, but there are many twists and turns along the way. The last few pages are a beautifully written homage to Charles's father and the good life he has given to his son. Charles Lennox is a good man. that is plain in this book and that conviction grows as one reads further.

I strongly recommend this book. My plan is to reread the others.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.