i really enjoyed reading this book, it was a great mystery with interesting characters. I enjoyed trying to figure out the whodunnit.

It's 1857 and Lord Jasper Lightner finds himself in New York ostensibly to train New York City detectives to follow the new scientific methods used in England. But the police force in New York City is rife with corruption and Lord Jasper finds that no one wants him there.

There have been a series of murders of wealthy men found outside bordellos. Jasper is given this case with only the assistance of a NYC Detective that he first has to free from The Tombs where he was sent by jealous colleagues. Hieronymus Law couldn't be more different. He was raised in an orphanage after the death of his parents and grandmother. Jasper is the son of a Duke which means he was raised in wealth privilege. But his life wasn't easy. He has a stammer that he was tortured by various tutors and quack physicians to get rid of. He was also despised by his father likely because the Duke's wife was probably unfaithful making him someone else's son. Add in that he inherited a lot of money from an aunt which makes him financially independent of his father who wanted the money to shore up his estates.

Jasper was also wounded while he was in the Armed Forces and took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade memorialized by Tennyson. Jasper was left with a bad knee and a head injury that gives him massive headaches and has made a hole in his memory.

Despite all the obstacles in his path, he is determined to find out who murdered the men. He soon finds himself in the middle of a complicated conspiracy not knowing who he can trust. The story is filled with interesting characters from corrupt politicians to the widows of the murder victims to prostitutes of all sorts.

The story was very much steeped in the corruption in New York City and the growing tensions in the leadup to the Civil War. Lord Jasper uses his talents including his martial arts training to uncover all the mysteries here.

I enjoyed this story and am eager to read more about this new detective duo and the cases they are given.

Absence of Mercy is the first of what I hope will be a very long string of books featuring Jasper Lightner, son of a duke sent to pre-Civil War America and Hieronymus Law, a former New York City policeman Lightner rescues from the Tombs, NYC's notorious prison.

Lightner is a veteran of the Crimean War, having taken part in the charge of the Light Brigade and the best Inspector the Metropolitan Police have. Police reformers in NYC have requested his assistance in solving a string of murders of wealthy men, all found outside brothels. The Home Secretary prefers that he go, but his father - horrified that the son of a duke is working at all - gives him a choice between two positions, neither of which he really wants: go to America for a year to assist them, or take a position that involves being a figurehead and nothing else. Lightner, stubborn, chooses to go to America for a year.

He lands not only in the period just prior to the American Civil War, but in a city already at war with itself, and corruption at every turn. The captain to whom he reports doesn't want him, the rank and file resent him, and the Alderman he first meets seems to have his finger in every pie.

He begins his first case immediately: a wealthy man, killed in the same fashion two others were. As he susses out the case and finds out details of previous cases, he tracks down Law. Lightner's boss has said he can have anyone he wants to assist him, so he basically jailbreaks Law in order to get the information Law has on the first two cases, as the case files for those have been conveniently lost at the precinct.

Together, they go through the mean streets of New York, into the bleakest, hellish basements of the poorest residents, to the posh and spotless homes of the very wealthy - including the widows of the men who had been killed.

As they continue to turn over every rock and put together evidence, they find men with disgusting predilections, men who claim to be reformers, men who actually are reformers helping free blacks flee to Canada (if you have seen 12 Years a Slave (and if you have not, you should) you will have seen at least one story of a free black man captured and sold into slavery; it is the same here in 1857 New York), women who know more than they tell, a plot involving guns, slaves, and money, and corrupt cops looking to get ahead by any means.

Lightner and Law's investigation finally puts them on the trail to determining the culprit, but other factors are at work in the shadowy world of actors behind even the corrupt governing forces of New York. The real truth, when Lightner finally comes to it, is a punch to the gut.

This story takes no time at all to get moving - in fact, on the first page, we are with Lightner as he looks over a grisly murder scene. Lightner has sharp mind, an superb control of his emotions. Unfortunately, he also has a good chunk of his memory missing, a bum knee, gets headaches, and smokes opium-loaded cigars to treat his ailments. Law, for his part, turns out to be a fair detective himself, and tries to follow Lightner's lead - asking questions people don't want to answer, tracking down clues, so he can become a good detective rather than a fair one.

This is an excellent book, although there are a lot of characters, both dead and alive, and with differing loyalties, to keep straight. However, this does not detract from the book at all. The pace is quick when it needs to be, slower when it is appropriate. Overall, a superb read.

Five out of five stars.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

S.M. Goodwin's debut novel, Absence of Mercy, is a fast-paced historical mystery, introducing a pair of detectives I hope will be around for years to come: British Lord Jasper Lightner and New York City policeman Hironymous Law. The novel opens in Lightner's London, but the action quickly shifts to pre-Civil War, Tammany-ruled New York City.

As a younger son in a noble family, Lightner has faced one challenge after another in his life: mockery from his father and tutors because of his stutter; physical and mental injuries as a result of surviving the "charge of the Light Brigade," and opium habit that accompanies those injuries. Before he bought a military commission, Lightner studied medicine in France, where he was also introduced to Eugene Vidoq's newly developed criminology techniques. Readers aren't told the details, but Lightner was apparently recruited into the Secret Service after serving in the military, then moved on to a position training London police in criminological investigation. Lightner's noble father is not at all pleased to have a son doing something as embarrassing as actually working—and for the police, no less. To prevent more family embarrassment, his father arranges to have him shipped to New York City for a year to train officers there.

Law was orphaned young, then raised by his grandmother until her death. After a period living on the streets, he was raised in an orphanage from age seven onward. He's a police detective with an uneven record—which, in the New York of his time, means he's not willing to sacrifice high-quality investigation for the political convenience of higher-ups. When readers first meet him, Law is being kept in total darkness and near-starvation in "the Tombs," New York's worst prison, on charges of corruption and assaulting a superior officer.

This unlikely pair soon find themselves investigating what is either a string of serial killings or a set of copy-cat murders. The victims are wealthy men of questionable ethics—so lots of players are heavily invested in preventing effective investigation. At the same time, New York is in the midst of a power struggle between city and state police forces, both of which seem hostile to any scientific approach to detective work. And this is also the era when the Dred Scott decision has left all Blacks in the city—free and runaways—at risk of being captured and sold in the south.

That's a great set-up—and Absence of Mercy fully lives up to the promise of its set-up. The characters are complicated and presented with nuance. Multiple plot threads are twisted together into a dangerous, difficult snarl. If you enjoy historical mysteries, you are going to want to snap up a copy of Absence of Mercy. Like me, you'll also be hoping for many more Lightner and Law novels to come.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

ABSENCE OF MERCY by S.M. Goodwin is the first book in the Lightner and Law historical mystery / police procedural series. This is the first book that I have read by this author. The main characters are Detective Inspector Jasper Lightner who is the second son of a duke and Hieronymus Law, a New York detective. While the first three chapters take place in England, the rest of the book is set in New York.

This novel takes place in 1857 and New York is very unsettled when Jasper arrives on a year-long assignment to train police detectives in modern (for the times) criminal investigative techniques. Instead, there is conflict everywhere and many that do not want him there. He is assigned to investigate the murder of reformer and philanthropist Stephen Finch. What follows is a complex plot with a lot of characters. The author does a great job of showing a dark and gritty New York City in turmoil. Jasper is a likeable, but flawed protagonist. Is partnering with Hy a mistake? Who can be trusted? Who is the real murderer? Themes include murder, relationships and arranged marriages, infidelity, poverty, racism, prostitution, child abuse, corruption, assaults, false imprisonment, PTSD and much more.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is not your typical historical mystery. Pay close attention to the details as they matter. Which of the secondary characters will show up in future books in the series? I can’t wait to find out what is next for Jasper and Hy. I recommend this to those that like dark and gritty historical mysteries and historical police procedurals.

Crooked Lane Books and S. M. Goodwin provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

The author keeps providing new tidbits of information about the main characters so you continue to learn about them throughout. The plot is intricate -- take notes to keep track of characters and what "side" they're on in the police force conflict this historical mystery novel revolves around. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Brilliant debut novel involving a British peer with battle injuries, PTSD, and an opium habit who goes to New York to train detectives. Be prepared to use a dictionary as the book is peppered with obscure slang and references to things common at the time but unknown now. A disturbing murder mystery is both solved and irrelevant to the outcomes of those incorrectly identified as killers. It is a gritty and vivid novel of a city before the civil war, filled with foreigners and graft by its public officials and warring factions who battle outhitting there differences in the street. This is a rich and detailed analysis of rich vs. poor, compelling in its detail and unique, flawed characters. Can’t wait for future books by this author.

Absence of Mercy (A Lightner and Law Mystery) by S. M. Goodwin
This is an engaging and exciting who done it! A fast pace historical mystery with grit, intrigue, dirty coppers, (dead) rich men praying on young girls, and suspects galore. The complex plot twist you in knots and keeps you guessing, so stay alert or you’ll miss something in all that’s happening.
I loved the brilliant and witty created characters, including their authentic language and great historical world building.
I really liked Jasper and I loved the small awakening when he realized he actually felt enjoyment and anticipation to see the widow again which was out of character for him.
I wish their short affair would have burned up some pages towards the end because, then I would have been even more emotionally charged and connected than I already was, and without making the story a romance. I look forward to the next book!
Happy Reading♥️
Content Note: Adult 21+ including some adult language.
This book refers to and mentions dark material (brothels, prostitution, sex trafficking, rape of minors, murders, etc.) however, the author doesn’t go into explicit descriptive details of the heinous acts. She sent the best detectives to find and expose the despicable evil that surfaced in the streets of New York City in 1857.

This is the first book by this author, although she writes under another name so she is not new to writing. I found it a lovely change from the historical romances that I usually read. I found the story gripping and was pleased I didn’t guess the murderer from the beginning although I did have some suspicions. I did at times find the politics a little hard to follow but for me, that was not a real problem. This was a gritty sad story about how difficult and raw life was being set in the lower end of New York City, in and around brothels. Saying that you have to expect bad language but there was no sex. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to hopefully many more. I received this book as an ARC and freely give my review.

S. M. Goodwin pulled me into Absence of Mercy immediately with her descriptions of Jasper Lightner, a Crimean War hero with post-traumatic stress syndrome and a traumatic brain injury. The second son of a cold-hearted duke, Jasper inherits enough money to become independent of his father and begins working as a Detective Inspector on London’s Metropolitan police. In 1857 Jasper is sent to New York City to train American policemen on investigative techniques. He’s immediately sucked into the case of a grisly murder which appears to be connected with two that occur earlier and another that occurs later.

Goodwin has created some marvelous characters, both major and minor, and populates them in a NYC that rings true to the times with pre-Civil War politics and Tammany Hall. Jasper faces both American fasciation with and prejudices against titled Brits, the latter of which survives though the Revolutionary War ended some 80 years earlier. Though Jasper predates Sherlock Holmes by some years, he too has an addiction: opium helps the headaches generated by his traumatic brain injury.

This fantastic detective novel has plenty of twists and turns, yet there are no loose plot bunnies Eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

I’m amazed, actually I correct myself, I’m not, for I grown to expect great work from this Author (who writes under Minerva Spencer), so I’ll say I’m Thrilled to read the first historical murder mystery by S. M. Goodwin. I started reading last evening and could not put the book down, skipped dinner too:) and was eager to write my review. But I had to Step back to collect my thoughts. I enjoyed every aspect of this brilliant book that I needed to savor it before I penned my thoughts down.

It’s 1857 London and bustling New York, where corruption in rampant in a growing nation, where abolitionists fear for their lives and very young females getting off the boat end up leading perilous lives, where rising wealth and mismanaged business dealings, corrupt power and worse immoral men all coexist and all these vices become a character in the book. Now for the actual protagonists in the book, the suave 2nd son of a British Duke, Inspector Lord Jasper Lightner, who left the medical learning 6 months before completion, is a Crimean war veteran with a brain injury which has wiped out parts of his memory, an acolyte of the french criminalist Vidocq (the founder of modern crime detection), a guy with stutter, a good looking bloke, a rich one at that, (after a large bequeath from an aunt Sarah) and of course the bane of his father, the Duke of Kersey! Lord Jasper grows on the reader as he reveals more of himself, through the writers pen, one can’t help but want more of him (just as all the women in the book).

He arrives at NYC (with his masterful valet Paisley), to train the Metropolitan police force on modern criminal investigative techniques, and walks right into the middle of the third murder of a prominent business man, Mr Alard Janssen. Two other rich and prominent guys have already been murdered and the modus operandi is similar, garrote and stab wounds with a pound of flesh (carved out of the victims, not a pound, a few ounces maybe). The reader is then drawn into the full drama of a bustling city of power struggles, crime, scapegoats, brothels, (the murdered men have a same propensity), widows, and through all this plot twists, Lord Lightner, finds a compatriot in Mr Hieronymus Law, (the condemned detective who worked on the previous two cases). Together they try to piece the puzzle of the crimes which invariably leads to higher authorities involved; who threaten those Who threaten their existence (Like even timing a heart attack)

The author weaves characters, incidents, emotions, and some inanimate objects/places become characters of their own. There are no loose ends and it’s a not a hastily written book, no skipping pages, else the reader will miss out the both the nuances of the character and incident.

There are a few female characters who play a role in moving/filling the intricate crime drama but Hetty Dunburton, the very petite widow of the late (murdered) Henry Dunburton is the lead female protagonist. A direct, brittle but honest woman who genuinely cares for the welfare of downtrodden young girls. She runs many schools/charities for the underprivileged young women aptly called New Beginning School for Young Ladies, and leads the crusade to solve the crime of the husbands! There is romantic tangle with Lord Lightener who begins to enjoy the rapier wit of Hetty. More murders, the final one of Stephen Finch, setting the pace for the final denouement.

It’s not the usual who done it!! You got to relive the era. I went back and read about the Surete, and the author keeps the narrative true to the era, using the right verbatim/language.

And of the many memorable characters in the book, be it the much maligned lanky detective Hieronymus Law (with a conscience), Hetty Dunburton, Emma Sedley, Lorie, Blanche, Lizzy Horgan, Mary, young Amy, the coerced confessed accused dead murderess Caitlyn Grady, the brute policeman Ryan, Lord Jasper Lightner’s valet Paisley, is a force to reckon. (He would not let his lordship’s Cave baggage be transported in a rickety shabby cab and rides along with them, albeit with much disdain, such is his care and loyalty to his master). Cate, Hetty’s butler is another memorable character, even young street urchin John (another with a stutter:)) pitches in his worth.

Without giving out the final who-done-it and WHY; I hope some of these minor characters will show up in future books in the series!

SM Goodwin is an author to reckon with and YES I’m fan of HERs, having read all of her published historical books. Her characters don’t fade after one read, and her writing does not mock the intellect of the reader. She writes narratives which are compelling and characters who are fierce, flawed, damaged, beautiful, shades of gray, complex, and utterly brilliant.

Cheers to rocking start to Lightner and Law series🥃

Absence of Mercy is a stellar debut, and a most welcome additional to the historical mystery genre. Lord Jasper Lightner is a Crimean war hero who suffered a grievous head injury in that conflict, one that left gaping holes in his memory--but not in his formidable intellect. He puts that intellect to excellent use as an inspector for the London Metropolitan Police, which puts him on a collision course with his abusive snob of a father, the Duke of Kersey. Under pressure from the duke, Jasper's superiors ship him off to New York City, ostensibly to teach modern investigative methods to the New York police. Pitched headlong into the gritty and sometimes lethal politics of Tammany Hall, a corrupt police service resisting reform, and a city seething with social tensions prior to the Civil War, it's clear Jasper has been set up to fail. But with assistance from Hieronymous Law, an Irish-American, working class copper and an honest man in a corrupt department, Lightner takes on a case involving the bizarre murders of high-profile, powerful men. From the dining rooms of New York's elite to the most dangerous streets of the city, Lightner and Law doggedly pursue justice. Absence of Mercy is fast-paced, suspenseful read with a complex hero who engages the reader's sympathy. Although beset by many personal demons, Lightner is a man of unshakeable integrity, which, in a city as corrupt as New York, puts him in mortal danger. The city itself comes alive as a character in its own right, with a careful attention to evocative detail. The pacing is swift, the plot complex but riveting, and the secondary characters well drawn. At the core of the novel is the working relationship between LIghtner and Law, two very different men who, underneath it all, are kindred spirits. Absence of Mercy is a terrific mystery that will surely appeal to fans of Anne Perry. As a devoted reader of the genre, I look forward to more Lightner and Law, and the very talented S.M. Goodwin.

Before starting to read it may be interesting to look at the period. The story takes place in New York, in spring and summer of 1957. That is about the period depicted in the movie “gangs of New York” and 4 years before the American civil war started. Emotions around slavery were riling up already as runaway slaves (freedman) were rumoured to take jobs of white people. On top of that, they could be picked up and brought back to their owners even in those states without slavery. In New York City, there was a power struggle between the newly founded Metropolitan police run by the State and municipal forces run by the mayor.

The book starts with the murder of a rich businessman by 2 women, one is almost still a child, and the other one is older. That’s information the reader has, long before the detective fins out the real truth. Keep this in mind while reading.
Lord Jasper Lightner has become an embarrassment to his father since his success as a police inspector is widely covered in the newspapers. He gets the choice, accepts a promotion into a titular position with nothing to do or go to New York, and become the instructor in new scientific detecting techniques for the newly founded modern police force. He only sets foot on shore when he’s asked to help investigate the murder of an influential, rich reformer. His body is found in the rubbish alley behind a brothel. Apparently this crime bears resemblances with 2 previous murders for whom a woman arrested. His new captain won’t have anything to do with this English aristocrat, he’s very hostile and even bears a grudge against his father the duke on who’s land he used to be a tenant. He gives the investigation of the murder in Jasper’s hands but refuses to give him other detectives as help. He has to do with the help of a young patrolman who’s hardly more than a boy as well as enlisting the help of a former detective that fell out of grace and was incarcerated in the Tombs (the worst imaginable prison at the time).

The characters in this story are delightful. Lord Jasper Lightner is a veteran of the Crimean war that ended a year earlier. He studies in Paris under the founder of the Sûreté and makes a name for himself as an excellent detective in London. He suffers from amnesia after being wounded at Balaclava and wrestles with a stutter since he was a child, another thing his father the duke despises. There’s no love lost between them, more hate. He’s a moral and honourable man but not made from wood and has his own vices (women and opium) that he keeps hidden for the world.
Paisley, Jasper’s valet is a real character of his own. He’s haughtier than his boss and prim and proper at every hour and all occasions. In this story I get the impression that a valet is more than a servant, he’s a confident and personal assistant. He’s very attached to Lightner.
Hieronymus Law turns out to be a far better detective and friend than one would have expected. Jasper frees him from prison and he could easily have absconded, but his pride makes him stand by the aristocrat. In the end, they appreciate each other and even become friends.
I also have a weak spot for Mrs Dunbarton. Her honesty and directness, as well as her genuine care for the poor, make her stand out. I had my suspicions about her but hoped also that she might get together with Lightner. I thought they’re well suited.

The hypocritical attitude towards sex at that time is a major theme in this book. How can they raise ‘women of standing’ with the ideas that they must be prudish and loyal wives and child-bearers that ignore the extramarital affairs of their spouses, while boys and men, certainly those with money, think that they can have (literally) any female anytime and everywhere?
There is a strong social angle in this book. It focuses on practises that poor people were driven to do that we can hardly imagine ourselves now; stripping dead bodies not only of valuables but also of shoes, socks and clothes, selling of children were the ‘lucky ones’ ended up on orphan trains (and we know what some of them endured), deadly abortions, judgemental nuns. It might come as a shock to some readers but our past is very dark and dirty at times. This is a time when children as young as 12 could be bought and sold to work as full-time prostitutes and nobody would think twice about it.
Every modern-day human would not even survive a day on the streets of five points, I think. Not because of the violence but because of the stench from waste and excrement t that was riddled with bacteria and germs. There’s a lot of attention on depicting this side of the city.
This is a great historical murder mystery, but it’s so much more than that. It’s also a critical social and political portrait of an era and highlights some dirty aspects that most historians rather avoid. The historical accuracy is very strong. The people in power at Tammany Hall, The chief of police and mayor are all real people and there can be more. Also, the acclaimed slave riot of 1841 and the police riot have really taken place. Of course, I didn’t check each and every detail, but I’m convinced Mr Goodwin did a great deal of homework and must be congratulated with this fantastic book. There is an opening for a sequel, so I hope that this is the first in a longer series. I’m impressed.
I thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free ARC they provided me with; this is my honest, unbiased review of it.

I couldn't put this book down. My wife had to take the kindle away from me so I would eat dinner.

This is what I'd call an old fashioned hard-boiled detective novel. I expect a lot of people who read fluff will find this not to their liking as it doesn't engage in any sugar coating. Life was rough in 1857 and the weaker you were (women and children and the poor) the more miserable it could be. I'll admit I was stunned to learn the age of consent in New York at the time really was 10 years old. If this sort of realistic depiction of the past bugs you, you should move along to something else.

If you like laugh out loud dry wit and lots of action and character development--with a brain twisting mystery mixed in--you will get all of those and more.

The two detectives, Hy Law and Jasper Lightner are thrown together, each of them wanting something different from the partnership. There are a some lies between them, but their trust grows slowly and realistically.

The scene in the Tombs is one of the best chapters I've read in years. I have to admit that I found myself identifying more with Hy (not going to try and spell his first name) who is a rough and tumble sort raised in an orphanage. I hope to learn more about his background in upcoming books.

Lightner is not like any character I've read. He is not easy to know because he has lost so much of his memory he doesn't seem to know himself. As the son of a duke, he has the sort of rarified background that most people can only imagine. As Hy learns throughout the book, being born an aristocrat doesn't mean life is easy.

The Crimean War battle scene described in the book is wrenching and violent and so real you can smell the smoke from the guns.

A great mystery that I admit I didn't figure out. A mystery wrapped in an enigma sort of thing.

This is a book for adults who appreciate realism. It reminded me a lot of the HBO show DEADWOOD (which was tragically cancelled too soon!) If you didn't like that because of all the grit and rude language, you probably won't like this.

LondonDetective Inspector Jasper Lightner is "offered" a position in New York City to modernize the structure of their police department. Afflicted with stuttering, he also has memory loss of his life before his injury from the Crimea War. Murder, prostitution, rape, abuse, secret societies, politics and a lot of animosity become a tangled weave that challenges the detective's ability to find the truth. Set in 1857, this is a prelude to a nation that will be divided by war.
An inkling of Sherlock Holmes crossed my mind, but Lightner is more charming and has a fascinating way of protecting himself. I look forward to reading more books with Detective Inspector Lightner, a most interesting character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

What a glorious historical fiction murder mystery. I loved the main character, Detective Inspector Jasper Lightner, who in 1857 is sent from London to New York to train detectives. He finds a huge mess. Not only do most of the detectives not know what they're doing, but the political dynamics put Jasper in immediate danger. Not everyone wants him there, and they certainly don't want him getting mixed up the the current murders of society gentlemen. I loved wading through the muck (literal and figurative) with Jasper, and the twist at the end was completely unexpected. An exciting read!

The wounded war hero in “Absence of Mercy”, by S.M. Goodwin (Crooked Lane Books), is fascinating dreamy, an English beautiful man with a delightful stammer and memory loss from a brain injury sustained in the Crimean War. The contrast and balance between the beauty and charm and the damage/”defects” is riveting.
In the beginning, Jasper Lightner’s issues are wonderfully portrayed: his defective memory, the migraines, the constant stammer, to which the hero seems well adapted and never embarrassed, facing the situation with humor.
Jasper and Law’s relationship is interesting, but I hope the American will lose his subservience towards the English lord in the next installments.
It’s interesting that the hero’s aristocratic background is both so ingrained in the character and such a strong perception by others.
I liked the historical setting, the characters, and the mystery, although I felt there was too much dialogue to explain the plot twists.
The plot seemed a bit convoluted sometimes, and the resolution took way too long.
Still, this hero, annoyingly perfect, beautiful, kind, and damaged, with his layers of complexity, makes me wish for a love interest strong enough to be his match. And I hope he will not turn to be a “stranger to romantic love”.

This is a difficult book to review. First off, in the prologue, the repeated references to “she’s just a girl” were distasteful. Yes, I know he was murdered and that kicked off the story but it just wasn’t my cup of tea on how to start a story.

Jasper, the second son of a duke, comes to train detectives in New York and ends up trying to solve a murder mystery that is solidly written and has lots of plots twists. The book was gritty and while that doesn’t bother me, I felt sone of the language was forced. I’m not particularly offended by it, but it felt like it was trying too hard.

So let’s get to the characters: they were pretty well developed. That being said, let’s talk about Jasper’s stutter. Totally awesome that it was included. Seriously. With a speech therapy background, I love that it’s included. But stuttering isn’t just repetitive syllables, it’s also prolonging words and just having blocks where you just can’t say anything, usually with some sort of physical struggle. So I would have liked to have seen a bit more of a realistic picture but I also understand it’s probably incredibly difficult to write.

I know it sounds like I didn’t like the book, and I didn’t love it, but the characters have potential and the mystery aspect was was plotted out.

Thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to read and review this book. This is a good debut mystery that takes place Pre-Civil War in New York. Two detectives, Jasper Lightner and Hieronymus Law, pair up to solve a string of grisly murders. This story was well written and contained a lot of action.
Just a warning-this story does contain the f_____ word quite a bit, and one of the main settings is a brothel. I didn't really like the use of the f____ word so much. That is just my own personal preference. Other then that, it was a good mystery.