Rated 3.5 stars!

TWs: child sa, child abuse, assault, violent crimes, and murder

November 1866: The grisly murder site in London’s East End is thronged with onlookers. None of them expect the calm efficient young woman among them to be a medical doctor, arrived to examine the corpse. Inspector Richard Tennant, overseeing the investigation, at first makes no effort to disguise his skepticism. But Dr. Julia Lewis is accustomed to such condescension.

After earning her medical degree in America, Julia returns to London with cholera gripping over the city. More and more cases are coming, but she’s unprepared for the most grisly one of all - the recent mutilated murder victim. A very personal attack.

Days later, another body is found with links to the first, and Tennant calls in Dr. Lewis again in what is now beginning to be a methodical killing spree. Can both of them work together in order to solve this case before it’s too late?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝:
▫️it has three pov’s, Dr. Julia Lewis, Inspector Richard Tennant, and the serial murderer
▫️i didn’t guess the killer 😳
▫️Julia and Richard’s relationship development

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤:
▫️the writing itself. The author goes into way too much detail about the mid-1800’s sewer systems several times (why???) 😅
▫️Julia was severely irritating because she always brought everything back to gender inequality. It’s important, obviously, but it was everyyy conversation she has with Tennant

This debut novel lands us squarely in the middle of London in 1866 and it’s not pretty. The city is filthy, with streets filled with muck, so much so that youngsters with brooms earn a living by clearing a path for the well-to-do to cross the street without getting too dirty. Julia Lewis is a female doctor, something rather unusual in those days. She is the granddaughter of a doctor and was educated at the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, the only way for an English woman to get a medical degree at that time.

Because her grandfather is ill, Julia takes his place when he is called on by Scotland Yard to check on a dead body. Thus begins a partnership of sorts with Inspector Tennant. Over the course of the book, they try to find the connection that links a number of deaths, all of whom have a popped balloon in their pockets and all of whom are mutilated in some gruesome way. The details are not for the faint-hearted, but the story is fascinating and pulled me in quickly.

Every time I read a book about London in the nineteenth century, I shudder at the lack of sanitary conditions (unless you were rich, of course), the lack of opportunity and freedom for women, and the suffocating fog. The book also highlights the plight of men who preferred the company of other men; it was totally illegal and very dangerous. I am thankful for our current times, even with all the issues we are facing!

The mystery was excellent. The perpetrator surprised me, for sure.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read. The audiobook was well narrated by Henrietta Meire.

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I enjoy a story with a female lead. Especially one who has to work the odds to get the recognition she deserves. Very often in the past centuries such women have been relegated to the dimmer parts of history and not acknowledged for the trail blazers they were.

Dr Julia Lewis a qualified doctor is one such woman. Grand daughter of a doctor she qualified in America because women were not allowed to study medicine in 1866 England. Now called upon to assist in a gory crime scene, she has to face derision not just from the coppers, but also from Detective Tennant who thinks she is incapable of handling the case.

When murder after murder occurs and clues point to numerous people first those connected to the theatre and especially the drag clubs of the day, the Doctor starts her own investigation of trying to follow sequence and logic. When the suspicions fall on the workhouse, it finds many people linked to the murder, all who are perfectly good suspects.

How it all pans out is ingenious. Not just solving the crime, but the social commentary on the times was very, very good. It gives a setting to the story which enhances the read.

ovember 1866. Detective Inspector Richard Tennant is investigating the death of the Rev. Tobias Atwater. Dr Julia Lewis is called to the scene of crime as the medical examiner. Then another murder occurs. Both murders seem to have connections to a previous murder some years ago where it now seems an innocent man was hanged. Between them can they discover the motive and the killer.
An entertaining historical mystery with its interesting and likeable characters. A good start to hopefully a new series
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! Dr. Julia Lewis had an unusual occupation for this time, that of a medical doctor. She often has to prove to others how capable she is of doing her work. Detective Inspector Richard Tennant comes into contact with Julia due to a murder investigation. Richard also has an interesting background. At first, they don’t get on but as they work together so their feelings change. The murder mystery had me guessing throughout and I had a real surprise at the end. I will certainly look out for the next book. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book: 4 Stars
Narrator: 4 Stars

GREAT. GOOGLY. MOOGLY.
Well, that was a huge surprise and quite the ride. I have had such a hit or miss time lately with ANY sort of mysteries and then to read 2 in a row that were just fantastic was such a balm to this mystery-loving soul! :-)

This was an excellent read that keeps ones guessing right up until the end [I had made a guess early on at who the killer was, never dreaming I was correct, so that when the reveal started, I actually GASPED out loud and then laughed] and then you are not sure if you should be relieved, or angry, or crying, or all three.

I am not really going to write much more about this, because one should experience this with little knowledge of the story because the writer unfolds it in such a way that any pre-knowledge is not needed and you are sucked in from page one [and any more from me would result in spoilers and I don't do that] and if you love a good historical mystery, featuring a strong, independent woman doctor, who doesn't give a FIG about what society thinks about her, along with really excellent side characters, then this is the [new] book for you!!

Very well done.

I was grateful to receive an audiobook ARC for this book and it helped me get into the story a lot faster than I expected.
I often struggle with this narrator in the beginning of the books she narrates, as she has an odd staccato way of speaking, but once I settle in, I really enjoy how she narrates [she does male voices really well] and I love how she brought Dr. Julia Lewis and Detective Inspector Tenant to life [as well as all the side characters] and she helped me keep all the characters straight by infusing such interesting life and accents into each one of them and it made it really a lovely [if not slightly terrifying] book to listen to. Keeping in mind her unique way of speaking, I highly recommend listening to this audiobook should you decide to pick it up to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Patrice McDonough, Henrietta Meire - Narrator, Kensington Books, and RB Media for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

While Covid is still present and acquiring victims, it is not the first virus to overtake a population. In this historical, British mystery, cholera is the illness that is claiming many victims. And, just as life did not stop for Covid, in this story murder and detection still occur.

I enjoyed the team that were following the clues and trying to find out who was murdering those in London, starting with a member of the clergy. There is a woman, Julia, who is a physician (one of few at that time) and, of course, her counterpart in the police.

The killer needs to be found and before a protagonist is killed. Along the way, readers see much of London life in its period, including places such as the dance halls that were popular.

This book is not a cozy and there is some rather messy killing. However, those who enjoy an atmospheric story with a case to solve may well enjoy this novel. It is the first by this author. I hope that there will be a second before long.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

In her debut novel, Patrice McDonough creates an engaging murder mystery. I couldn’t guess the murderer at all, but I thought the characters could have been more robust. Overall, I give the book a 3.5-star rating, but the mystery a 5-star.

Bucking rules, laws, and expectations, Dr. Julia Lewis, through a loophole, is licensed to actively practice medicine in England. While covering her grandfather’s practice after his illness, she hasn’t managed to gain many clients – who’d trust a woman to treat them?/s However, she’s given the chance to consult as a public service when her grandfather is called to examine a body for the police and is still too weak to go.

Mistrustful of her at first, Detective Inspector Richard Tennant is reluctant to use her services, but needs must. He soon finds her a competent professional and a keen observer. As more bodies appear, both the doctor and inspector become convinced that they are linked. The pursuit of the culprit is top priority, but the police seem to be stonewalled wherever they turn. When the killer seems like he’s added the doctor to his list, the inspector must move quickly to save her life.

Let’s talk plot first: it was awesome. I never guessed the murderer, and the twist at the end was fantastic. The plot didn’t move along very quickly; there was a lot of investigative detail, which I appreciated. It was nice to not have the inspector get attacked physically in any way. I also liked following the red herrings and more mundane processes. It was more realistic than dramatic, and that was nice for a change.

There was plenty of suspense, however: the inspector kept receiving threatening notes and McDonough gave us glimpses into the killer’s mind. She did this very well, without giving anything about his identity away. I liked that it was kept a secret until the end. Readers got to see the inspector’s, doctor’s, and killer’s thoughts, which kept them well abreast of the developments, given that the doctor and inspector overlapped so often. She found clues through her observations and clinic work, and he had to ensure her safety. Is it any wonder that a little spark of attraction developed?

I’m not surprised that the inspector was interested in the doctor; competent, professional, opinionated women were not generally created or encouraged in Victorian times. They certainly didn’t work or think for a living. I think the fact that he liked the doctor surprised the inspector, but he adjusted quickly. I’m a little surprised the attraction continued, though, because the doctor was rather haughty. I respected her efforts and the adversities she faced, but didn’t care for her attitude about…anything.

I respect someone who’s fought for where they’ve got to, and the doctor certainly had. She had to go to America to even get her medical degree, and most of her father’s patients wouldn’t see her because she was a woman. However, in every conversation with the inspector, she was challenging and debating him, and I’m not sure he deserved that. Sure, he doubted her when she first appeared, but who wouldn’t for something so out of the norm? After he received her first report he was assured of her competence and never questioned her or her skills.

I felt that acceptance of the doctor’s professionalism was a big enough mark of respect from the inspector, however, the doctor didn’t think so. Every chance she got she was needling him about his/society’s opinion of women – she never bothered to ask his opinion, so why should I make a distinction between them – even though he didn’t lecture her on her inferiority, tell her off for not having a career, or impugn the value of women in any way. It was like she was fighting against accusations and arguments that he hadn’t even made. She wanted him to see past her femaleness to her medical training, but wouldn’t allow him the same courtesy of looking past his maleness to the inspector.

I think the doctor came on much too strongly in this book; the feminist agenda was way too overt and I found it offensive to the inspector, who seemed like a thoroughly decent man. I’m not denying that the doctor should be working to the advantage of women who want careers, but I think she should be speaking to someone who needs convincing. Other than her surety of the feminist cause and her own lack of fallibility, I’m sure she’s quite nice. She certainly seems competent. All in all, I give the mystery plot for Murder By Lamplight five stars, but the pomposity of the doctor and overt feminism brought my overall rating down to 3.5. Other readers may not mind it as much, but this is a bone that irritates me, and that I’ve picked with books in other reviews. Regardless, if you’re looking for a good mystery with a great twist, give this a try!

London 1866

I am addicted to historical mysteries and always excited to find a new author and explore the history included.

A female doctor and an inspector join forces to find a murderer who is viscous and escalating..
But when it seen the killer has his sight on the Dr, it gets really interesting.

Looking forward to more from the author!

November 1866: The grisly murder site in London’s East End is thronged with onlookers. None of them expect the calmly efficient young woman among them to be a medical doctor, arrived to examine the corpse. Inspector Richard Tennant, overseeing the investigation, at first makes no effort to disguise his scepticism. But Dr. Julia Lewis is accustomed to such condescension. In four years, however, she has seen nothing quite like this, a local clergyman’s body sexually mutilated and displayed in a manner that she and Tennant both suspect is personal. Days later, another body is found with links to the first, and Tennant calls in Dr. Lewis again. The murderer begins sending the police taunting letters and tantalizing clues though the trail leads in multiple directions
A new author to me & I believe this is her debut. A very well researched book which did get bogged down in detail at times. Overall I enjoyed the book. I liked Julia who had travelled to America to study medicine & then returned to work in her grandfather’s practice. I also liked Richard even though he was dour & a private person. The plot has twists & turns & I found myself drawn into the mystery & my interest was held until the end. I hope there will be more books
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

BOOK: MURDER BY LAMPLIGHT
AUTHOR: PATRICE MCDONOUGH
PUB DATE: FEBRUARY 2023
👩🏼‍⚕️👮🏼‍♂️
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
👮🏼‍♂️👩🏼‍⚕️
This book had an amazing list of characters from the female doctor, Julia Lewis, to Inspector Tennant. I liked them both and how realistic their situations were. I liked the side characters, too, and the setting.
👩🏼‍⚕️👮🏼‍♂️
I liked the storyline, but it took a long time before I finished the first few chapters. But when I got to 20% of the book, I literally couldn't stop. I just kept turning the pages so I could know what connected the victims and who the culprit was. I was so so surprised to discover who the culprit was. I loved solving the case with the detectives. I liked that Julia's presence added some new flair in the solving of the case.
👮🏼‍♂️👩🏼‍⚕️
The victims definitely deserved what they got, I didn't feel a ounce of pity for them. I just wished the culprit hadn't gone psycho. I liked learning about cholera and its effect on the poor in Britain. It was heartbreaking to read. People were suffering because they couldn't afford better and because those in charge didn't do what they were required to do.
👩🏼‍⚕️👮🏼‍♂️
I liked this book and I'd definitely read the next book in the series. I want more of Julia and Tennant, I can already see some spark flying. This book is worth a read
👮🏼‍♂️👩🏼‍⚕️

A strong, atmospheric and gripping debut of a new historical thriller. There's a sense of dread, there's strong characters and a solid plot that kept me on the edge and guessing.
I can't wait to read the next in this series, this one is very good
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Julia Lewis is a her best here as a strong heroine showing both determination to succeed and tenaciousness to be accepted and respected as a physician. While the damaged Inspector Tennant shines as we all love a broken hero The plot is well constructed and moves along at a good pace the suspense building nicely along the way. The villain is unexpected when unmasked. All in all a great start and I can't wait for more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance reader copy of “Murder by Lamplight.” All opinions and comments are my own.

“Murder by Lamplight,” the debut novel in a new series by Patrice McDonough, is a “no holds barred” look at a serial killer. Indeed, Dr. Julia Lewis, our protagonist, is called to some quite gruesome crime scenes. Being that we have a female doctor assisting the police in Victorian-era London, the prejudices of the time form a great part of the narrative, and finding mutilated dead bodies doesn’t help much, either. And there are other complications present here, concerning the good doctor and the inspector on the case. Author McDonough ensures that readers have plenty to work through.

The killer taunts the police with clues and letters. And as the bodies pile up, it’s becoming clear that there’s some kind of revenge angle in play.

Did I mention the history of prejudice against pretty much everyone that’s presented in this book? Women doctors aren’t the only ones; predominately, homosexuals and men who dress up as women get represented on these pages. It’s a lot to take in, but Ms. McDonough handles it well, working it into the investigation.

“Murder by Lamplight” offers up two characters with striking personas, well-researched backgrounds and a plot that is not for the squeamish; there are scenes (with modern-day implications, perhaps) that require an open mind. It might not be for everyone -- but the ending is quite a surprise, and alongside everything else, readers should find themselves hastening to the last page.

A serial killer in Whitechapel!

A feisty female doctor, and an emotionally wounded Crimean soldier, now a Detective Inspector with Scotland Yard. A serial killer stalking victims in Victorian London, seemingly centered around the Whitechapel area. Targeted, mutilated victims who all have to have some sort of link but what it is has Detective Inspector Tennant and his constables floundering, playing catch-up.
Dr. Julia Lewis and Tennant first meet over a body and an autopsy. All clues point towards a Whitechapel connection but the clues are mired in nursery rhymes. The perpetrator taunts the Inspector with Notes written in purple ink. Along the way he targets Dr. Julia!
McDonough gives us a more than thorough background look at life for the ordinary person at this time (maybe too much) Cholera and typhus are rampant, work house conditions disgustingly rabid, and the lives of those living in these areas less than sanitary.
With these living conditions somehow central, with more victims appearing, the doctor and the inspector race to find the killer. What do the victims have in common?
Inspector Tennant has his superior, Chief Inspector Clark, demanding the impossible. It seems he feels Tennant was foisted upon him. Tennant and his men are run ragged trying to solve the murders and keep their chief happy. Well, keep Tennant in his position also.
The end was totally surprising!
I’m looking forward to more from this debut author.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

As many others have stated, the intense info-dumping and episodic, choppy chapter style made this a slog. Although the author clearly did their research, I don't necessarily need it all to be communicated to ME in the middle of an investigation. I love the characters and the idea of a woman physician working with the investigator rather than the often-used 'dueling detectives.' However, as an avid reader of the genre, this one fell flat for me in an ocean of fast-paced, well-edited historical mysteries.

4.25/5 stars

As the first in the Dr. Julia Lewis mystery series, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one and how much I’m looking forward to more.

Set in 1866 London, after studying in America, Julia Lewis is one of Britain’s first female physicians and finds herself having to prove herself in a man’s realm. As a stand-in for her ailing grandfather, she is called to the scene of a grisly murder and finds herself working with the skeptical Scotland Yard Inspector Richard Tennant. As the bodies mount up and taunting messages for Tennant are left at each scene, they must work together, each with their own expertise, to uncover the murderer.

Julia shines here as a strong heroine, determined and tenacious to be accepted and respected as a physician. The plot is well constructed, the suspense building until the surprise villain is unmasked.

An entertaining, satisfying and suspenseful beginning for Dr. Lewis.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing the free early arc of Murder by Lamplight for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

If you happen to be looking for something that has a Ripper vibe to it Murder by Lamplight by Patrice Mcdonough is the book for you. Set in the streets of London a copper named Tennant is called to the scene of a grisly murder where the body has been sodomized and a balloon left as a calling card.

One of Britians first female doctors takes the lead on the case as forensic examiner. More bodies begin to pile up and letters arrive written in purple ink to torment Det Tennant and flaunt the fact that he has yet to be caught.

I loved Murder by Lamplight and hope that a sequel is in the works, if so I can't wait to read the next book.

I want to thank #Netgalley for the chance to read #MurderbyLamplight by #PatriceMcdonough in return for a fair and honest review.

Pick up Murder by Lamplight as soon as you can!!

Anne Perry fans take note: Murder by Lamplight reminds me of her early work, down to the (mostly) historical accuracy. Add in a lady doctor and a world-weary detective and you have an engrossing mix of Anne Perry with Bones, the tv show. It's grim reading in parts-as a lot of Victorian history is grim reading-but overall a very good read. This appears to be the start of a series.

If you took the character dynamics of Miss Scarlet and the Duke, the gritty Victorian East London setting of Ripper Street, and added the perspective of a taunting serial killer, you'd get Murder by Lamplight by Patrice McDonough.

London, 1866. Dr. Julia Lewis has recently returned to London after studying medicine in Philadelphia - though women aren't allowed to study medicine in England, a legal loophole means her American medicine license is valid. Julia has started her own clinic in Whitechapel while also working with her doctor grandfather, hoping to prove herself as a capable physician despite her gender.

A local clergyman's body is discovered - murdered, assaulted, and violated - Detective Inspector Richard Tennant summons Dr. Andrew Lewis to the scene and is surprised when he gets Dr. Julia Lewis instead. Tennant has never heard of anything as ridiculous as a female doctor, but he has to admit that Dr. Lewis proves capable at her job, and the more they run into each other, the more intrigued he is by her.

When more and more bodies turn up around the East End with the killer's calling card - and both Richard and Julia start receiving taunting messages from the killer - they end up working together to uncover the mastermind...before they become the next ones on his hit list.

This was an enjoyable first in a series and I rather enjoyed it. I liked Julia and Tennant and their interactions. They have a sort of verbal sparring match going on, with Julia at times needling Tennant and Tennant being simultaneously baffled by a female doctor, but also not able to get Julia out of his head. By the end of the book, they've developed a closer bond and left things off in a nice place. The character of Tennant is also suffering from what we'd now call PTSD due to his service in Crimea. I think that will be an interesting plot thread to follow in potential future installments.

I will warn readers that the crimes in this book are violent. I think the only other historical mystery I've read with a similar level of sexual brutality is The Hanover Square Affair by Ashley Gardner and I wasn't expecting the crimes to be so gruesome. Content warning for (view spoiler). Most books I've read in this genre are relatively gore-free so some readers may want to steer clear of this one if they're a bit squeamish.

I did like how this book touched on many of the relevant Victorian social issues, including sexist laws, workhouses, poverty, cholera epidemics, and homophobic and xenophobic sentiments. One thing I love about historical fiction is how it gives us a vehicle to explore relevant issues from the past and what it might've been like if you experienced it. This book touched on a lot of interesting things.

My biggest complaint would be that throughout their investigation, Julia and Tennant conduct a lot of interviews, and a lot of names are thrown at the reader. (I think there are four or five men named 'William' or 'Willie' alone, which is realistic for a time period when a lot of people were named 'William' or 'Henry' or 'Elizabeth' or 'Jane,' but confusing when you're trying to remember who's who.) Because I was meeting so many people, I had a hard time knowing who was worth remembering, and who was only going to be in that one scene, never to be seen again.

(There was also a bit of corset slander, which I did not like. Dear historical fiction writers, stop talking about how oppressive the corset is. If your heroine is not wearing a corset, what is she wearing? The brasserie hasn't been invented yet. Also, corsets aren't that painful if they're fitted properly, and tight-lacing was not common. Love, Jackie.)

I did guess who the murderer was, but when I got to the reveal, I wasn't disappointed. I was excited that I'd guessed correctly and - I must admit - cheered in my bedroom at 11:30 p.m. Sorry not sorry.

4 stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 I hope to join Dr. Lewis and Inspector Tennant on their next mystery.