A fast paced novel, Shamus a American PI living and working in London and it's Christmas 1947. The story starts early on Christmas morning when a nurse "Miss Greer" on getting ready to work goes via St Barttholomew Churchs to light 2 candles on her way to work but it's the light that went out in the door way that she will remember the midst, and the fact it was one of her neighbours lying shot dead but she had lite her candles.
So our hero Shamus Newman has a call from a councillor to step in and help him there are secrets (but when aren't there) that would be very embarrassing if revealed. The dead man but only lived next to the nurse but enjoyed taking photos of men, the sort that today may not bat a eye lid however it was far from legal in the 1940s . Mind today I feel safe to say the wife may not have the same response as Joe Public and would today may still see red if the other half was with another make it female.. however that may not be the reason that the body count doesn't remain at 1 for long and the missing people giving the City Police a headache as well as Newman. .

So Newman does have a great sense of timing and is sat next to who appears to be victim number two as she is murdered but missed the killer all the same. Yes our hero has his faults or weaknesses as he finds does the stand in for the Forensic Medical Examiner Dr Swinford, a lady whom proves more helpful to Newman than perhaps is adviced but our hero has to have some good breaks. And a Lady Doctor at this time in history still needed friends and respect she duly deserved.

It's the 40s and a style a PI from across the pond will understand or associates with that era, well it's the style of the book with a good mix of London elites to add to the spice. The characters are quirky which you want (or I do anyway) fire this type of novel one that would have been hard to sell back then but now things are different, and this book is both entertaining and gripping and I think you may well love it I did and the ending a strike if genius from Janet our other hero the author.

Shamus Dust is one of those unexpected surprises. When you open up this box, don't assume it's just another wannabe-Hardboiled tale. Set in post-war London with a third of the city bombed out ruins and folks still recovering from wartime separation, these dark gloomy streets are a treacherous warren of intrigue. Murder, corruption, scandal are here in force. And, it will take more than just ordinary wits to decipher what's up and who-done-it. Written in rich, thick prose that you could get lost in, this is a spectacular journey. Don't make the mistake of skimming anything, there's a lot on every page and all of it is important. Don't blink or you might miss something important. A very impressive debut indeed.

This is a murder mystery with a difference. It is set in 1947 London, while London is still, to some extent, in post war chaos,
The book is very well written, though the language is very formal, and at times stilted. It is also rather too verbose for my taste, and the detailed descriptions of absolutely everything, from a mean back alley to the potrait picture on the front of a spirit bottle, eventually becomes a bit wearing. It is a slow burn of a book, and patience is definitely needed to read to the end.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Thank you to Troubador Publishing Ltd. And Author Janet Roger for my advance copy of Shamus Dust, in exchange for my review

This is an author that I have not heard of, or read before. I found her style of writing very sophisticated and classic.

The books starts of in 1947, in the post war city of London, with a killing being investigated.

A book that you must read slowly and not rush through. A very impressive debut for this author

Really good debut novel. Everything is really well described. It was easy to immerse myself in post war London.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A writer new to me but this was a highly impressive debut. Well written with lush descriptive prose, an original plot and an atmospheric description of post war London.

Hard to ask for much more - highly recommended.