Charles Finch's series featuring the wealthy private detective Charles Lenox is superb, and The Hidden City continues his high level of writing. There are other mysteries set in Victorian London, but Finch is the master at evoking the atmosphere of that fascinating city. In this novel, we delve into the growing complexities of Lenox's personal life while he deals with a long-unsolved murder. The investigation concerns mysterious marks left at the scene of the crime, leading to London's guilds and the city's slums as Lenox works to decode the meaning of the marks left by the killer. Highly recommended. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley.

I have enjoyed and loved Charles Finchs' Lenox series since the day I picked up the first one. It would be hard to beat #14, "Extravagant Death." I thought that to be his very best yet because Lenox was feeling his age, was alone in a different country, and was coming to grips with how his life had changed and how little of it he might have left. It was a tours de force. The inner dialogue was amazing, as if Finch himself were inside Lenox's life looking out. And so, it would be hard to beat that book. I enjoyed "The Hidden City," but not as much as the previous book. It seemed slow at times, and while he carefully built subplots around a cousin he must care for and a wife who didn't agree with him about women's suffrage, I felt the actual mystery was a bit flat. It concerned a cold case he took on at the behest of his former housekeeper. Mysterious symbols were carved into the doorways of buildings, signs that might have something to do with the killer. I loved the cast of characters he brought back, including some of the younger detectives at his agency, and his good friend Thomas McConnell, about whom Lennox worries. It was a twisty story about Charles Lenox, but I'm afraid it wasn't Finch's best. I recommend it, however, and readers will find it an entertaining standalone book. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read the latest Lenox mystery before its publication.

What would cause a highborn British sleuth (recovering from an injury that has lingered since an incident in a past investigation) to flip - from being embarassed by his wife's public protests for the right to vote - to joining her on the picket line with his own homemade sign? It's a complicated midlife story of family change… I was attracted to Charles Finch’s Historic Fiction release, The Hidden City, by the mention of ‘symbols in the architecture’. That trope did not disappoint. But if you are interested in a well paced mystery, with intrigue, quirky relatable characters, and a satisfying ending. this book may be for you. Lenox’ investigations, both professional and for pure personal curiosity, come together to change his world view and expand both his circle and depth of empathy. A satisfying read.

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


Charles is back from America but definitely not yet himself. He’s still quite painful from being stabbed and his mental and emotional status is also in need of rehabilitation. He’s begun working with a Swedish gym expert called “Sven”; all conjured images apply! Sven is loved and hated equally, by Lennox as he drives Charles to eat better, rest, exercise properly and then rewards him with a glorious massage.

THE HIDDEN CITY is a meandering story; much slower than the usual fare offered by author, Charles Finch, in this enjoyable, Historical Mystery series. Altho’ this is volume 15 in the series, it stands alone rather well. The Lenox household grows by two with the introduction of Charles’ cousin, Angela, and her lifelong companion, Sari, These young ladies have a storyline of their own that I would have liked much more of. Infusing the family with young blood and ideas was a good path for the series.

Another new idea brought to life is Lady Jane and her not so quiet foray into politics. She and her closest friends are supporting the Suffrage movement and raising quite a stir in the Lenox family’s social circle. It’s excellent fun to see Lady Jane in a lead role for a few chapters. This is another storyline I wanted much more from.

Unfortunately, that leaves the actual mystery that Charles is trying to solve. Well, there are actually a few of them tangled together all circling around a neighborhood and a poorly attended cold case. Mrs. Huggins, Charles’ old house keeper, needs his help which brings Lenox into the dark, underground of Victorian England. Finding the proper answer will give readers a very interesting look into early naturopathic medicine via apothecaries. The FDA isn’t perfect but it is necessary! While it was good to visit with Mrs. Huggins and get to see some of the younger detectives in Lenox’s office work at solving crimes, the pacing was painfully slow at times and I found myself skimming for important details or looking for the storylines that were more interesting.

Well written, if a bit draggy at times, THE HIDDEN CITY is a good read for fans of Historical Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries or Victorian Fiction📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

The story starts with **** waiting for his cousin's daughter to arrive from India. When she doesn’t get off with the upper-class passengers, he wonders what has happened. He soon discovers it isn’t just his cousin’s daughter but her friend Sari who have arrived. Both are then and dressed in well-worn clothes and not fit for the cool weather. He soon takes them home and settles them in his home with his family. They stay apart of the story but there is a mystery. He has a letter from his old governess who is fearful that someone is trying to break into her apartment. He investigates and after a convoluted investigation he finds the perpetrator, but he is a baron and his story of cruel treatment by many **** chooses not to turn him into the authorities. It makes the story end rather flat.

I read an ARC of "The Hidden City" on NetGalley, and thoroughly enjoyed it. When I started, I was unaware that this title was one of a series of novels. However, it reads perfectly well as a standalone novel in its own right.

Charles Lenox, wounded in a previous adventure, is slowly recuperating as he awaits the arrival of his recently deceased cousin's only daughter. Furthermore, although tired in body and spirit, he yet has the energy to begin a new case as well which has more twists than a London alley. Who killed the chemist, Martell, these seven years past? And why?

Set against a larger backdrop of societal change, Lenox and his friends must solve several intertwined mysteries as they navigate from the lowest opium dens of London to the highest reaches of British aristocracy.

In addition, Lenox faces the fact that he's turned 50, no longer a young man. Instead, now a middle-aged veteran detective, he must deal with physical weaknesses as his convalescence endures many months.

In the ARC, I noticed several typos and some inconsistencies. I don't need to mention them here - I imagine they will be thoroughly edited out by the time this novel comes out. I also thought that there were some abrupt changes between scenes, none of which reduced my enjoyment.

Would recommend this novel, and I'll be reading more stories about Charles Lenox in the future.

This historical fiction detective novel is great if you like slower paced reads. It sits in the details and gives you an amazing ambient feel of the time period. The language and the setting all felt believable and historically accurate. I found it a bit difficult to connect with our main character. This is number 12 within a series and can be read as a standalone, but I wonder if I would have a better connection if I spent more time with Lenox. There is also an aspect of racial understanding for that time and how England felt about India and people of class and caste. It was all around well rounded. If you're feeling Sherlock Holmes, meet your new favorite British detective, Charles Lenox.

Why didn't I give it five stars?

I really think this was well written, just not a book entirely for me!

I really enjoyed this book despite not having read any other in the series. The story and characters are so well done that I was able to read it as a stand alone. The author does a great job of immersing the reader in London of the late 18oos, a city with one foot in the past, the other in the future. The crime was complicated and left me guessing. I enjoyed all the minor characters and side stories, esp, the wife and her suffragette activity. All i all a very good read.

The characters in this book lend a royal yet mysterious slant to the story. I enjoyed the ideas of a whole different view to the bustling city. It was an enjoyable read but took a bit to keep track of the characters. I enjoyed the book and will seek out others by the author. It had some interesting twists and discoveries that made the book exciting and engaging.

The Hidden City
by Charles Finch
Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Against the vividly drawn backdrop of Victorian London, amateur sleuth Charles Lenox must unlock a mystery concealed in the architecture of the city itself, in this new novel from acclaimed author Charles Finch.
This was my first book in the series. The publisher had indicated that this would be a great book to start with and no prior reading of the series was needed. That was somewhat true. There were a lot of references to previous books. At times I felt a bit lost. I would recommend reading the series in order for the most enjoyment.

The book’s title and description made me think it was going to be more of historical fiction suspenseful novel. I was excited. I finished the book because I wanted to see what happened. I was disappointed. For me, the actual mystery didn’t get exciting until about 80% of the way through the book.

Another suspenseful and interesting book in the Charles Lenox series. Charles is taking in the daughter of his cousin who was living in India to live with them after his cousin Jasper passes. Meanwhile, in the city Charles is investigating an incident at the home of his former housekeeper, Mrs. Huggins. And Lady Jane decides to join the protests for women't rights. So much going on in this book, but it is another solid mystery.

Charles Finch does it again!! A suspenseful Victorian mystery with great twists and turns. Vibidly plotted and well-executed. Excellent character development..

A well written enjoyable historical mystery. Lenox is on the case again and struggling with healing from injury sustained while on a job in America. This particular book of Finch’s seemed a little harder fought than others. While still a good read and always fun to immerse myself in Victorian England it was much harder to tie the separate parts together. While the mysteries finally merged together at the end well, if not rather curiously, it was a good out of the box conclusion. However some of the pieces of the book with the nieces and history of Jasper I feel should have been tied in smoother or made been to make better sense it seemed like fluff rather than a substantial part to the tale. Then there was Jane’s situation left open and it has me wondering will we get some of the answers in the next one. Over all a good read that I enjoyed and would recommend to those who like a good historical fiction with a quaint mystery added into it.

The Hidden City is the latest entry in the Charles Lennox series by Charles Finch. Lennox is a private detective in Victorian London who gets a letter from a former housekeeper, asking for his help. Lennox starts investigating and runs into murder, the marriage mart, mysterious symbols, and an underground world he’s never experienced in his beloved London. This is all set against the changing times: suffragettes are agitating for voting rights for women, immigration from across the Empire is changing the face of England, and the old guard feels threatened and reacts by tightening ranks. 

Hidden City is a well-written, complex story with engaging characters. Finch does a terrific job of weaving together the central mystery, social commentary, and political intrigue. 

I very much enjoyed this book and was surprised by the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Good characters. I’ve enjoyed many of the Charles Finch books and this didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed Charles’s willingness to change his mind on the point of women’s suffrage. It’s great to see a character change and grow.

The Hidden City by Charles Lenox is #12 in a series. I had no problem getting into this book and reading it as a stand alone.
It takes place in 1879. It is a victorian mystery taking place in London.
The characters were likable and the writing was enjoyable. It is a story of family, the suffrage movement and of course prejudice because of the color of one's skin all handled wonderfully. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others

I received an ARC of the book. This is my honest and unpaid review.

This was my first book in the series. The publisher had indicated that this would be a great book to start with and no prior reading of the series was needed. That was somewhat true. There were a lot of references to previous books. At times I felt a bit lost.

The book’s title and description made me think it was going to be more of historical fiction suspenseful novel. I was excited. I finished the book because I wanted to see what happened. I was disappointed. For me, the actual mystery didn’t get exciting until about 80% of the way through the book. There was a parallel story about Lennox’s two cousins and his wife, Lady Jane, political activities. Those two story lines are what kept me interested.

I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. I will be passing on other books by this author in the future.

Charles Lennox is 50 years old and wondering why he cannot muster the energy to read his mail or return to the private energy agency he founded. The stab wound from six months ago in a Newport, RI case remains painful. He's avoiding his closest friends. After a session with a physician ordered trainer, he returns home to find an urgent request from his former housekeeper. A strange man has been sleeping in the front hall of her flat. She is frightened and asks Lennox for assistance. This request will mark the beginning of a convoluted series of events: murder, opium, political maneuvering, women/s sujfferage, and ethical decisions. As Lennox pursues the reasons behind a stranger sleeping in the front hall he will need all of his skills in detection, along with assistance from his closest friends, colleagues and his knowledge of London to solve the mystery.

Fans of this series have a lot to look forward to in this 15th book. I'm already counting the minutes until the 16th comes out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the advanced reader copy. As always, my opinions are exclusively my own.

The Hidden City is a masterful conclusion to Charles Finch's Charles Lenox prequel trilogy - elegant, suspenseful;, and emotionally satisfying. Finch has always had a talent for blending classic detective fiction with rich character development, and here he's at the top of his game.

This installment finds a more seasoned, but still evolving, Lenox facing his most personal and high stakes investigation yet. The mystery is gripping, with layers of political intrigue, social commentary, and emotional depth. Finch's depiction of Victorian England feels vivid and immersive, without ever overshadowing the human heart of the story.

A lovely added piece of writing is how The Hidden City ties together threads from the previous books while standing confidently on its own. Lenox's moral compass, quiet courage, and growing sense of purpose make him one of the most compelling detectives in historical fiction today.

Fans of the series will be thoroughly rewarded, and newcomers might just be inspires to start from the beginning. Highly recommended if you enjoy thoughtful mysteries with a strong emotional core and impeccable prose.

Devoted readers of the Charles Lennox book series will feel as if they are visiting with old friends after 3+ years since the publication of the last installment. This book however, picks up months after the events of the last book where Charles was drawn into a murder investigation and was stabbed…almost fatally….in Newport, Rhode Island. Charles is back home in 1870’s London and dealing with the physical and psychological aftermath of those events when he receives word that his dear boyhood friend and cousin, Jasper Lennox, has died. Jasper and Charles had lost touch over the years while Jasper served in the British army in India. The once charming and fearless boy’s many years in India had culminated in large debts and alcoholism before his death. Nobody in the Lennox family knew that Jasper had married, lost his wife and fathered a daughter. This book opens with Charles in Portsmouth waiting for the arrival of a ship bringing Jasper’s daughter, Angela, to London and into Charles’ family as his ward. These events impact Charles and his family, Lady Jane and his 2 young daughters. Charles is also contacted by his retired housekeeper and asked to investigate strange happenings and people around her house and neighborhood. This, seemingly, innocuous request launches Charles on a investigation that expands well beyond the initial mystery. In both is private and professional challenges, Charles encounters many of his friends, family and colleagues from previous books. Charles handles everything in his path with his usual insight, humor and aplomb. What a joy it is to visit with old friends.