3.5⭐️

I wouldn’t say this is my favourite of the series so far. I enjoyed it, and it’s always fun following along with characters you are familiar with. I did find it a bit slow, took me a while to really get into it. There was certainly a lot of mystery and elements to pique the readers interest, it just didn’t grip me for some reason.

I really like period books and this one is no exception. The male/female roles make me cringe (and I assume the author was staying fairly true to the time), however there ARE some strong female personalities in here that I am not sure would have been present in reality (and I like those moments!!! Female power!!!)

Thank you to NetGalley, Heather Redmond, and Kensington Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

This latest series entry reminds me why I love it. A murder tied to one of Dickens' works and details of his life and times woven in. Kate and Julie and Lucy actively investigating the murder. The return of the Mudlarks (at least briefly). The treasure map as an element of the investigation. Scenes and talk which show further evolution of Kate and Charles' relationship. Are wedding bells going to ring in the next book?

Quick read. I have enjoyed this series, but just didn’t enjoy this one as much. Murder and fallout could have been avoided. Still have some questions. Nice ending for one of our mudlarks.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am so glad for another book in this series! Charles and Kate continue their adventures in this next installment. I will be careful what I say in case you haven’t read the other books in this series (you can read this one without having read the others first, but it will be more enjoyable, in my opinion, if you read them and get their back story). I like that Heather Redmond does not shy away from the darkness seen on the streets of London during this time. She doesn’t romanticize or downplay how difficult life was for the common man. I feel like her research and attention to detail are spot on. The mystery in this one is quite fascinating and grabbed my attention from the get-go. I am getting used to her style of writing, but even in that, I did not guess the end. As a healthcare professional, I enjoyed the medical emphasis in this one. I highly recommend for lovers of mystery set in the 1800s London.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This is the first book by this author and I found the way the language was written was not what I liked. I will admit I didn’t finish this book because I felt there was a lot of wasted time in the way the search was written. For me, the overall writing didn’t suit me. I like the concept and will try and finish it another day. I received this as an ARC and freely give my review.

CAUTION: Not a cozy mystery due to the nature of a child's death, language, brutal character, and extensive illness details.

William Aga summons his best friend and journalist partner, Charles Dickens, to his father's boarding school; Aga Academy for boys. Some troubling things are happening, and Charles is very good at solving mysteries.

The troubling events are not trivial, but much to William's dismay, they are more covered up than investigated until he arrives. Unfortunately, everyone seems to lose focus on occasion. Maybe the pace of life and travel is partially to blame?

Situation 1: Three charity students the two men have been sponsoring to attend the Academy have disappeared, supposedly run away to the circus, and no one at the school is concerned at all!

Situation 2: A child maid (12 years old) is found murdered, and though sad, again, no one is worried about a motive or the killer! The nature of her death is very disturbing.

Situation 3: Cholera enters the academy. The realism and detail is more repetitious than medical or dramatic, but has a large impact.

Solving the mysteries is a group effort for the characters, although Dickens has a slight lead in cleverness.

Aspects of this story allude to being where Dickens got his story ideas later; names, situations, etc. These parts are amusing to note.

The story was interesting and fairly well written, but at the end, I was not glad I spent the time. There were too many unpleasant aspects to rise above.

2.4/5 Stars

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the temporary digital preview; any review is voluntary and my own opinion.

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A Twist of Murder by Heather Redmond is another of her series starring Charles Dickens as the sleuth. It is a good story although something about it made it tough to hang in. The mystery was the murder of a young girl, the sister of his friend, William. Children are always difficult. This all happens while Charles and William are reporters for a major London newspaper, so they are supposed to be working. Sometimes paths cross. Charles is also about to be married to the daughter of his editor, so that complicates things. He is looking forward to marriage, however. Agnes, the child, is in service and this is a time when people in that strata of society don’t really count, so that makes everything more difficult. Charles and William don’t really count, either, so that makes it all tougher. It was a decent read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Twist of Murder by Kensington, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Kensington #HeatherRedmond #ATwistOfMurder

This was the first in the series for me, but it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed the mystery itself, and I loved the Dickens characters woven into the story in creative ways that pays homage to their novels while still keeping it fresh.

Wowzers! So many twists and turns and unexpected moments in this book. There were several mysteries/events happening seemingly simultaneously, that I really had to pay close attention to each page (no speed reading on this one...LOL). Luckily, everything is made clear, and all of the mysteries are wrapped up, by the end of the book.
Very clever book, indeed. I enjoyed it very much.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Harrow-on-the-Hill, March 1836: In a sense, orphans Ollie, John, and Arthur have always been treasure hunters. The mudlarks have gone from a hardscrabble life scavenging the banks of the Thames for bits and bobs to becoming students at a boarding school outside of London, thanks to the kind and generous intercession of Charles Dickens. But now they’re missing—as is, apparently, a treasure map.

When Charles arrives at the school, he’s hit with another twist—the servant girl who was allegedly in possession of the map has been strangled in the icehouse. Unbeknownst to them on their spirited adventure, his young friends may be in mortal danger. Now Charles and his fiancée Kate Hogarth, who has come to join him in the search for the runaways, must artfully dodge false leads and red herrings to find the boys and the map—before X marks the spot of their graves. (Goodreads synopsis)

I have read the previous novels in Heather Redmond’s Charles Dickens series prior to this one except book 4, The Pickwick Murders.

I honestly thought that Kate Hogarth and Charles would have been married by now, but that is one very small detail that I was not fond of. The only other one was that Charles was not the detective in this novel. The detective was actually Kate and Julie Aga.

I enjoyed being introduced to William Aga’s family. They were different from William in many ways, but I also understand why he was such a good match for Julie. I also can’t wait to see William and Julie as parents. William and Charles had already done so well with the mudlarks, I can only imagine what they will be like with their own.

I thought the parallels with the cholera pandemic and our current COVID one was interesting and relatable. The conditions of the those in poverty as well as society’s views may have slight changes but not many, and I am very glad for the newer more progressive acceptability for women. I thought Julie and Kate pushing those boundaries was very well written. However, Kate’s constant second guessing as well as her attacks on Julie’s “outlandish” behavior still made her an unbearable character for me.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Author does a superb job of using a famous person to be the protagonist in an historical fiction book. characters are also well written. Thanks to #NetGalley and ATwistOfMurder for advanced digital copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “A Twist of Murder.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Charles Dickens is both detective and lifesaver in “A Twist of Murder,” the fifth in the “Dickens as Detective” series by Heather Redmond. In this entry he’s called away from London by his friend, William Aga to help him find a murderer, one who’s killed William’s cousin Agnes, a young maid at a school that Charles supports financially. In fact, he’s supporting three young boys there, three orphan “mudlarks,” and that’s another thing he’s been tasked to do: find them, because they’ve gone missing.

Eventually, Kate Hogarth, Charles’ fiancé and Julie Aga, William’s wife joins the scene. Kate wants everything to get settled so their marriage can hurry up and happen and Julie just wants to have her baby. Believe me, these two are master detectives, doing most of the work here. Kate may think that a lot that Julie does is outside the norm as far as late-Georgian society goes, but both of them push a lot of boundaries. But boy, they get the job done.

And it’s a good thing, too, because eventually, a deadly illness descends upon the school. Charles has his hands full with that while still trying to solve the mystery of who killed poor Agnes. Was she done in for the so-called “treasure map” that she kept waving about? It would appear that “the map is the key,” says Charles. There’s a host of suspects, and getting through them all may require some doing.

And all the while Mr. Dickens picks up tidbits for his stories -- writers gotta write, doncha know. Have fun picking out references to those characters, too.

A killer is confronted; never underestimate irrational feelings as a motive for murder. And the “secret” of the map is revealed. Readers must remember that England is an ancient land, with ancient stories. Ollie, one of the mudlarks (yes, they’re fine) has a future unfold for him. So, we get a happy ending for some, although the school may or may not continue. “A Twist of Murder” is a competent story, although a lot of tooing and froing goes on, and actually, the solving of the murder almost seems like a let-down with everything else that is going on. But Julie can relax and have her baby, and Kate can haul Charles back to London -- and a wedding, which happened in 1836. Unfortunately, when we go by “real life,” Catherine Hogarth came to regret this marriage. Ah, but there were no crystal balls then.

When missing children lead to a murder investigation…

After the last book which really put Kate under the limelights, I did not know what new hindrance to expect for Dickens and Kate before their long delayed wedding.
And while this new investigation should not have any impact for them, it could have come with a heavy price.
Charles summoned by his friend at the boarding school housing his three protégés in hope to offer them a better future than mudlarking and what comes after.
But it is not the missing kids that made him stay but the body of his friend’s cousin.

From there it is a sort of wild goose chase, having to find the motive and the culprit for the murder all the while looking for the missing kids.
Until everything is even more messed up with a strike of cholera, blurring the lines between the villains and the innocents as any one can fall under such a disease.

The story highlights the deficiencies, different views and limited options for the poorest at that time, for whom a life of drudgery was the only choice with its companion : illness, hunger, fatigue.
And how they were easy preys from those seeking to take profit of their weakened position.
The guilty party was a surprise but at the same time obvious.
The end of this book leads to many open paths for some of the side heroes, which will they choose and how the event of this book might alter their avenir.
4 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

My goodness...what a lot of tendrils to follow in A Twist of Murder, the 5th book in the 'A Dickens of a Crime' series by Heather Redmond.

Mudlarks, getting a chance for a better life courtesy of Mr. Dickens, but now missing. Are they searching for a treasure?

A young woman strangled and left frozen in the ice house. Was the treasure map she said she had the reason for her demise?

Cholera, a killer, and now part of the story.

Two women, Dickens' fiance, who just wants to get married and Aga's wife who just wants to have her baby, are another tendril and the ones who help with solving the mystery.

Everything is made clear in the end, but this book requires some time to sit and read without interruption.

I've read one of the other books in this series, but reading the series in order, or reading all of the books, is not necessary to enjoy this very, very busy book.

A Twist for Murder is the fifth in the addictive and enchanting A Dickens of A Crime series. And what a story it is! Set in 1836, there is murder but also more twists than you can throw a stick at, sweet romance, stark reality of harsh life and class division in the late Georgian-Victorian era and an ongoing thread of the importance of education. Secrets, a treasure map, cholera and shenanigans engage and reader until the last word.

Charles Dickens is a twenty-three-year-old journalist who is not afraid to experience and write about the unsavoury side of life. He is an aspiring author writing Pickwick Papers and engaged to marry his beloved Kate Hogarth. He is on his way to a wee village outside of London at a boarding school where he is a sponsor and mentor to three young boys who are orphans. But when twelve-year-old servant goes missing Dickens knows time is crucial. Her body is soon discovered and locals and servants trust each other even less. Murder must be expunged but at what cost?

What I love most is the painstaking historical detail in specific scenes, details which elevate this book for readers like me who eat them up. Amongst my favourite are the descriptions of the servants' rooms containing their pitiful scraps of personality, the stagecoach, courthouse scenes including choosing jurors and the depiction of the icehouse. Such details fired my imagination...what a joy to get utterly lost in the era with its sights, smells and tastes without physically getting involved in the difficulties. Author Heather Redmond writes gorgeously and obviously digs deep to find more than the usual historical bits.

Do read this book and series if you are (or not!) fans of Dickens, this fascinating era and are seeking a scope for further stories attached to people and happenings of the time. Oodles of possibilities.

My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this arresting series!

A Twist of Murder by Heather Redmond is a fun tale of mystery with Charles Dickens at its center. Charles, his fiancé Kate, and their dear friends William and Julie, must find a killer and discover a treasure that may have been the reason for a murder. The story is good and it kept me guessing until the end! I especially enjoy the Dickens twist, as it adds some literature Easter eggs from his novels! Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington books.

3.75 Stars
Harrow-on-the-Hill, March 1836: In a sense, orphans Ollie, John, and Arthur have always been treasure hunters. The mudlarks have gone from a hardscrabble life scavenging the banks of the Thames for bits and bobs to becoming students at a boarding school outside of London, thanks to the kind and generous intercession of Charles Dickens. But now they’re missing—as is, apparently, a treasure map. When Charles arrives at the school, he’s hit with another twist—the servant girl who was allegedly in possession of the map has been strangled in the icehouse. Unbeknownst to them on their spirited adventure, his young friends may be in mortal danger. Now Charles and his fiancée Kate Hogarth, who has come to join him in the search for the runaways, must artfully dodge false leads and red herrings to find the boys and the map.
The fifth book in the series but it could easily be read on its own. A well written book but not a light read & you need your wits about you as there are a lot of characters & I did get muddled at times. I did love how the author conveyed life in late Georgian England. An interesting read & all ends were tied up at the end. The characters had depth, the pace was slow at times but it did hold my attention all the way through
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I have read all the books in this serious and found some are better than other's. This was an enjoyable story which just meandered about too much so is on the less favoured side of this series. As a positive I liked several of the characters and the topic of Cholera was detailed although perhaps was an unnecessary details as there was enough going on with the mystery and treasure map although all the plot lines were tied up neatly by the end the mystery more or less solved itself. I received an early review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Heather Redmond for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Twist of Murder coming out October 25, 2022. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The place is Harrow-on-the-Hill in March of 1836. Ollie, John, and Arthur were born treasure hunters. Growing up as orphans on the rough streets of London, they’ve had to scavenge for food and a better life. With the generosity of Charles Dickens, they become students at a boarding school. But now they’re missing along with a treasure map.

Charles arrives at the school and finds out that the servant girl who was allegedly in possession of the map has been strangled in the icehouse. He realizes the three boys may be in danger. Charles and his fiancée Kate Hogarth must race against time to find the boys. Will they be able to dodge false leads and red herrings before it’s too late?

I didn’t realize this was book 5, so I bought the other books to read, haha. I haven’t read all of Charles Dickens’ books, but he’s one of my favorite classic writers. I love the idea of him solving murders and that each book is based on one of his books. Oliver Twist is definitely a fun story and it was fun to see pieces of it throughout this book.

Overall, I loved this story! Historical mysteries are one of my favorite genres. I love literary works tied in. I do wonder if the cholera storyline was needed. I know it’s part of the times, but there seemed to be enough going on with the treasure map and murders. I probably would’ve liked the story to be a little tighter.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries with famous literary authors!

This is part of a series. I haven't read the prior books, and this one did make sense, so I believe it could work as a standalone novel.

I enjoy Charles Dickens, so that, along with the cover, caught my attention with this story. I liked the gothic angle to the story, which made the mystery more interesting. The writing, overall, was good, but I did have trouble staying engaged at times. Thankfully, that improved as the story unfolded.