Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I am a huge fan of the Lucy Campion series, and the installment did not disappoint! The mystery was very solid and well-crafted! I didn’t know who the murderer was until the end! I also the atmospheric setting of 17th century England! Overall, this is a fan mystery series for fans of Tessa Harris!

As with all of the Lucy Campion mysteries, The Sign of the Gallows does not disappoint. While I did occasionally find the more modern take on dialogue to be somewhat distracting in this 17th century setting, Calkins's ability to spin a tale almost entirely distracted from this minor issue.

For whatever reason, this entry in the series did not grab my attention. I have found that reading during the pandemic has been hit or miss, with focus a continual challenge, so that fault my lie with that and not the novel itself, as I have enjoyed previous entries in this series.

It's the first book I read in this series and hope to read others soon as I liked it.
It's a gripping and highly entertaining story, a bit slow at time but it kept me hooked.
I loved the strong female MC and the vivid historical background.
The mystery is solid and it kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Lucy Campion is a strong female lead, and London in the aftermath of the 1666 Great Fire is a fascinating historical setting. Lucy is an informal apprentice to a printer. (The guild doesn’t accept women.) A former maid, Lucy has little formal education, but a great thirst for knowledge and adventure. In this, the fifth in the series, that thirst gets her involved in a murder investigation, and not for the first time.

While there was much to like in this book, the plot moved a little slowly, and I didn’t feel like the tension between Lucy and the two men interested in marrying her was developed as much as it could have been.

Historical mystery that transports the reader to another place and time. Well written, characters you will recall long after the book is finished, and a mystery that keeps the reader engaged.

SUMMARY: London, 1667. Lucy Campion is traveling to market when she’s almost run over by two men with a handcart. Subsequently, she discovers a dead man hanging from a tree. As she goes to report her find to the constable, Lucy runs into Adam Hargrave, who’s freshly returned from the New World, a man she’s still sorting out her feelings for. After all, she was a servant in Adam’s household for years and of lower standard. Yet, Adam has feelings for her too. After the man’s body is reported and brought to the morgue, a strange cipher is discovered in his pocket, leading everyone to believe he didn’t commit suicide. Was he murdered by the men who ran into Lucy? If so, she could be in great danger if the mysterious message isn’t decoded in time.

REVIEW: After the first chapter, I sensed this book was part of a series. However, it was easy to catch onto the character dynamics without the necessity of lengthy recaps (despite this being book 5). The historical setting is beautifully nuanced. This is a London that’s been ravaged by the plague and the Great Fire, and the cultural implications of both are well-explored. Lucy is an intriguing, hard-working woman whose spirited curiosity propels the investigation forward in organic and character-developing ways. She plausibly holds her own in a male-dominated world. Clues are uncovered through a variety of surprising twists and turns. Thus, I kept wanting to read “just one more chapter” to see what was discovered next. Lucy’s trade as a printer’s apprentice and traveling bookseller is enjoyable to read about, an opportunity due in part to the reduced pool of male apprentices. There’s also a lovely appreciation for the printed word underlying the narrative. This is a delightful character-driven, suspenseful murder mystery. Recommended.

A thrilling mystery, with a strong female lead set in 1660’s Restoration London. Printer’s apprentice Lucy Campion whilst delivering papers to a new market beyond the fringes of the usual places stumbles upon a body dangling from an old hanging tree near a crossroads. Rough treatment by a couple of fellows, and other factors convinces Lucy this is not a suicide.
That supposition opens the way to a deeper mystery, and a riddle that will involve mathematical deductions, leading Jane and her erstwhile suitors Constable Duncan and Adam Hargreaves, the magistrate’s son, an intriguing and dangerous chase. But where Lucy’s heart leads her is another matter.

A Severn ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I love this series set in 1660’s London, featuring former maid turned bookseller Lucy Campion. London has weathered both the plague and the great fire, and the upheaval finds some women able to take work usually reserved for men. While Lucy is not technically a bookseller’s apprentice, she does everything an apprentice would do. In the 1660’s, bookselling also meant publishing, so Lucy works as a typesetter, a sometime writer of murder broadsheets, which were often sold at public executions, as well as working as a seller. Her intelligence and connections to the wealthy Hargreaves family, her former employer, get her into some places the police cannot go. She’s also torn between two suitors – Constable Duncan and Adam Hargreaves.

That’s the background of the stories, and you need not have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one, as Calkins is an excellent storyteller and draws the reader into Lucy’s world effortlessly. The book opens at a crossroads – Lucy is passing a well known hanging tree on her way to sell tracts at a marketplace. She’s been knocked down by two men in a cart before she reaches it, and to her horror, she discovers a very recently hanged man at the tree. She’s pretty sure the two men who knocked her down are responsible in some way and she hurries back to town for the Constable.

The hanged man provides quite a puzzle: was he a murder or a suicide? If he was a suicide he cannot be buried in hallowed ground. The threads unraveled by Lucy, the Constable and Adam Hargreaves (recently back from the New World), depend upon a cipher found in the man’s pocket.

As Lucy attempts to figure out the cipher she heads to the house of a well known mathematician, a friend of the Hargreaves, who introduce her as they ask the man to help unscramble the code. Duncan is frustrated both by her access and the amount of time she’s spending with Adam, and Lucy is frustrated when the mathematician is a dead end.

This book has excellent pacing, and the story unfolds organically, as one piece fits seamlessly into the next. Calkins also skillfully creates a feeling of 1667 London, with the many layers of class, the way of life for ordinary people, even to the medicines taken and the food eaten. Calkins really puts the reader inside Lucy’s world.

Lucy is a wonderful character. She’s intelligent, stubborn and relentless as she pursues answers to the many questions that arise throughout the book, some of which involve discerning the character of those she meets and attempting to sense if they are telling her the truth or not. The details of bookselling in 1667 are especially fascinating (especially to this former bookseller), as it’s a profession that’s changed mightily, though happily, still exists.

I loved Lucy’s personal “crossroads” as she attempts to decide what’s best for her moving forward. She’s a strong character and a believable one. She doesn’t feel like an historical anachronism. This is a wonderful series, a really wonderful array of characters, and best of all a great mystery at the center of things.

Restoration London, still recovering from the horror of the Great Plague and the chaos of the Great Fire. Lucy Campion works for a printer and bookseller, an opportunity she would not have had but for the disasters of the last two years.
There is a strong plot set in a fascinating period of history, beautifully written and full of twists and turns. This is historical crime fiction of the highest order. I eagerly await the next novel in this series.

The Sign of the Gallows is book five in the Lucy Campion historical mystery series set in 17th-century London. I LOVED books one and two, but somehow never got around to reading books three and four, even though I own them (a situation that needs to be remedied, pronto!) I wouldn't start this series without reading at least book one (A Murder at Rosamund's Gate), or the uniqueness of Lucy's situation won't make sense.

In this book, Lucy is a printer's apprentice (an upgrade from her former station as a chambermaid) on her way to sell some papers at the market, when she comes upon a dead man hanging at a crossroads and two men fleeing the scene. There's a mysterious ring, secret codes, murders, and threats in the dark, and Lucy handles it all brilliantly, while also navigating the hazards of being a "lower class" woman in a restrictive time.

Susanna Calkins is such an excellent researcher, and I love the blend of historical detail, mystery, murder, CODES (!!!), and romance. Lucy is such an interesting character, and I can't wait to see what she gets up to next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC for review!

Fans of historical mysteries should give this one a try- and it's fine as a standalone. Set in 1667 UK, it features. Lucy, a printer's apprentice, who apparently has an uncanny ability to stumble onto dead bodies. Now she's found a man hanging from a tree. She also saw two men leaving the scene. While others might turn away, she turns in and, along with Constable Duncan, sets out to find answers. I liked the period atmospherics and that Lucy is a strong independent woman who stepped away from her life as a maid to do what she really wants to do with printing and books. There's a romantic element to this- a love triangle- which was less interesting to me but I'm sure fans of the series have a favorite between Adam and Duncan. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast good engaging read.

Seventeenth Century, London was a calamity to say the least! With the century brought the Great fire of London, the plague and co-conspirators plotting to blow up the Houses of Parliament including the King. My word, I’d say that in itself is brutal enough. However, there are other dark forces at work.
Author Susanna Calkins brings the century to life through her Campion series of murder, mayhem and intrigue. Lucy, finds herself in the center of another murder investigation and the search for the murderer reveals that there are darker forces at work.

Lucy is an apprentice-of sorts for a printer and bookseller, Master Aubrey. While all his staff are important to his business, I find Lucy to be the most spirited and undoubtedly clever at telling stories and selling book. I believe Aubrey know Lucy’s value and its why I think he gives her a pass quite to bit to aid in the investigation. She is quite the social warrior and truly cares for people.

I’m really pleased with the support system Lucy’s has among her friends and formal employees, the Hardgraves. I admire the Hargraves respect and affection they have for Lucy despite their class distinction. What lively, caring and intelligent people.

Every single character in the story is fascinating and fun to read about, even the villains. Calkins does a marvelous job in showing the reasons people act on things due to their own situations in life. Regardless if we agree with them or not, its important to know the reasons. The human mind is an extortionary and often times, dark place. We can learn much from it.

The investigation in the murder at the crossroads had lots of great twist and turns and it was an enjoyable read and one feels caught in trying to figure out who done it right along Lucy and the others.

The two men she ran into before making her way to the crossroads are something else. While their actions are suspicious at best, their grievance is understandable as the story unfolds.

I appreciate the story-line of Aubrey’s print shop and the reading material he sells. It has inspired me to look further into how books were printed during the 17th century.

I started this series at book four because I agreed to review it and find myself wanting to go back and read the first book and on…Despite that, I believe from the two books I’ve read, they are good stand-alone stories.
Calkins is a creative and imaginative story-teller and she weaves a story marvelously at a wonderful pace that keeps you engrossed. -Stephanie Hopkins

November 1667. On her way to market, Lucy Campion, printer's apprentice, comes across a body hanging from the 'hanging tree' on Drury Lane. Did the two men she had recently saw be involved. Who is he, and what is the motive, and what have ciphers to do with his death. Lucy and Constable Duncan investigate. Though it does take Lucy overly long to work out the guilty party.
Overall an enjoyable historical mystery and romance.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really pleasant surprise - A great historical mystery series featuring a female amateur that I'm not already familiar with! I love when I discover a new series to binge on. While this particular one is several deep into the series, it is the first one I've read (and while it references previous relationships/cases it does not give away any of the previous mysteries). I loved the historical setting, its an unusual time period (1660's) you don't see as much and of course I loved the idea of her being the apprentice to a printer/bookseller.

It was a reasonably fast-paced mystery and read quickly. I liked the subplot of the returning love interest/love triangle, and issues of class differences/distinctions. They mystery itself was unusual with the addition of the Cypher's being used, which again I don't usually associate with that early of a time period, so that was really interesting and cool learning about the beginnings of codes etc - and there were enough suspects/red-herrings to keep you on your toes, and a good twist with the culprit (I guessed it but it was still good).

I would definitely recommend, especially for those who like Tasha Alexanders Lady Emily series, Anna Lee Huber's Lady Darby series, and Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

My review of this title is very much based in my genre preferences. I love period mysteries. I loathe period romances. The Sign of the Gallows is both. If, like me, you enjoy your mysteries "straight," this probably isn't a good title for you. If you enjoy mysteries that include a central female character chossing among suitors while solving a mystery, you should find this title quite enjoyable.

Now I will have to read the beginning
of the Lucy Campion mystery series, as I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
Lucy is a woman before her time, as she was quite independent and had two men vying for her attention. But she was far too busy, solving murders, writing stories and selling books and papers for her boss.
She put herself in danger on multiple occasions. All of this in 1667!

I was excited to be approved for an advance copy of The Sign of the Gallows from Net Galley because I'm a big fan of this series. The fifth book features messages written in cipher, but main character Lucy Campion is able to crack the code. The story has twists and turns all the way to the end. I highly recommend this title, as well as the whole series. Each book can be read as standalone, but I suggest reading them in order from the beginning as there is some continuity in running story lines.

I’ve come to realize how much I enjoy a good series, particularly if it is a historical fiction one. I was so excited when I recently came across the upcoming The Sign of The Gallows on Netgalley as it is the 5th book in the Lucy Campion mystery series.

Set in London during the 1600s the series has followed Lucy as she has lived through the plague and survived the Great Fire while also charting her own path in life. And while the historical aspects of each book has been fascinating, it’s Lucy and her never ending sleuthing that have captured my attention.

I found The Sign of The Gallows to be an excellent addition to the series. The mystery was well done and balanced with what was taking place in Lucy’s personal life. And how lovely it was see her finally come to a conclusion on the man in her life. I hope there are more books in the series because I am so curious to see what happens next for Lucy!