The House on Half Moon Street

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Pub Date 27 Dec 2018 | Archive Date 24 Apr 2019

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Description

The start of an enticing new historical series set in Victorian London; introducing Leo Stanhope: a transgender coroner's assistant who must uncover a killer without risking his own future

Leo Stanhope. Avid chess player; assistant to a London coroner; in love with Maria; and hiding a very big secret. 

For Leo was born Charlotte, the daughter of a respectable reverend. But knowing he was meant to be a man – despite the evidence of his body – and unable to cope with living a lie any longer, he fled his family home at just fifteen and has been living as Leo: his secret known to only a few trusted people. But then Maria is found dead and Leo is accused of her murder. Desperate to find her killer and under suspicion from all those around him, he stands to lose not just the woman he loves, but his freedom and, ultimately, his life.

A wonderfully atmospheric debut, rich in character and setting, in The House on Half Moon Street Alex Reeve has created a world that crime readers will want to return to again and again.

The start of an enticing new historical series set in Victorian London; introducing Leo Stanhope: a transgender coroner's assistant who must uncover a killer without risking his own future

Leo...


Advance Praise

‘It's hard to believe that this is a debut. Alex Reeve writes with confidence, insight and poise, and I was gripped from first page to last. Leo Stanhope got under my skin and has stayed there. He is authentic, engaging and utterly believable, and I felt for him at every step as he walked the streets of Victorian London. I adored this book, for its intricacy, its vividness and its compassionate heart. Please, more!’

Stephanie Butland, author of Lost for Words


‘A wonderfully fast moving drama with a wealth of captivating characters…And yet, below the decadent charm historical issues of women’s rights are threaded so well into the plot - as is the writer’s sense of tenderness when describing the desperate loneliness of feeling ‘other’ in one’s physical body’

Essie Fox, author of The Last Days of Leda Grey

 


‘It's hard to believe that this is a debut. Alex Reeve writes with confidence, insight and poise, and I was gripped from first page to last. Leo Stanhope got under my skin and has stayed there. He is...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781408892718
PRICE £8.99 (GBP)

Average rating from 74 members


Featured Reviews

Leo Stanhope works as a coroner's assistant in Victorian London, spending his leisure time frequenting a brothel on Half Moon Street and playing chess at a club. However, he is hiding the secret that he was born a woman and has fallen in love with one of the prostitutes at Half Moon Street. When she is found dead, Leo has to prove his innocence and seek out the true killer in London's seedy underworld.

I absolutely loved this book! I liked the twist that Leo has his own secrets to protect even as he uncovers everyone else's and the character was so appealing and human. The settings were wonderfully evoked and the supporting characters were interesting and well developed, especially Alfie and Constance who run the pharmacy where Leo lives. The mystery was well plotted and intriguing throughout.

I'd wholly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical crime fiction. I hope that this is the start of a series as I'd like to read more about Leo in the future.

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First of all, I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The House on Half Moon Street has three fundamental sides to it: it's a crime novel, a historical novel, and a character study of its protagonist Leo all in one. This shouldn't feel revolutionary - after all, this combination isn't exactly unheard-of - but the fact that Leo is a transgender man means that the exploration of his character and identity is inextricably linked to the realities of living as a transgender individual, which is something that is, unfortunately, still quite rare in contemporary literary fiction, let alone crime OR historical fiction, much less any other novels which fit into both of those genres. It's so wonderful to see how much more diverse modern literature is becoming, and the variety of voices that are finally able to be heard because of it.

As a crime novel, The House on Half Moon Street constructs an undeniably dark, gritty vision of 1880s London. At first I was quite concerned by how misogynistic the world it depicts is, but as always, there is a world of difference between a misogynistic setting and a misogynistic narrative, and while the novel does use a few tropes I wish it didn't - specifically, the main character's love interest is fridged, and there's a scene involving sexual assault - on the whole, the novel usually steers clear of the latter. I actually found it very interesting how Leo initially harboured some misogynistic convictions of his own, which were challenged and changed over the course of the novel, and it made him a much more interesting, nuanced character. Plus, the supporting cast was absolutely packed with incredible, complex women - Rosie! Constance! Madame Moreau! Lilya! Mrs Brafton! Jane! Audrey! Nancy! - all of whom had their own stories to tell, and the novel was greatly enriched by their presence.

The mystery at the core of the novel is also well crafted - I was able to figure out some aspects of it before they were revealed, which always tickles my ego nicely, but not all of it, and it was very satisfying when the last pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. I would say that the pacing could have been a little sharper in the middle, when there are a few overly repetitive internal monologues as Leo tries to work out what's going on, but all in all it was a great effort for a debut author, and I thought that there was a nice balance of plot and character development throughout.

Finally, Leo himself is a wonderful protagonist with a very compelling narrative voice - I can't wait to see what other adventures he gets into in the future!

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This is a unique spin on historical fiction! The main character is transgender which I’d never come across before in this type of novel and it was a very unique way of telling a story. The entire novel felt different and more dangerous as the world certainly was back then - for transgender people it must have been unimaginable!

There is a fair bit of sexual intrigue and misogynistic detail in the book which I didn’t always like - a bit too much of anything gets a bit repetitive - but on the whole, it was a unique story to tell.

Leo’s transgender identity makes for an intriguing novel. I don’t begin to understand the hopes, fears of someone like this and in the 1880s, this raises the tension and awkwardness in society. I got to like him and as a character, he’s someone I would definitely like to know more about.

With all this, there’s very much a good plot and great character development and the novel carries itself along with ease.

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An atmospheric historical crime novel set in Victorian London. The protagonist is Leo Stanhope who is transgender and only a few trusted friends know. But Leo's world comes crashing down when the love of his life Maria is found dead and Leo is arrested and accused of her murder.
I really liked this, it reminded me of the Jem Flockhart series by E S Thomson. I
Will definitely read more in this series.

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Atmospheric and descriptive with a main character you really care for, this story as well written and likable. I was intrigued from the very start by it's twisty quirkiness and I especially liked Leo's (the MC) strong, narrative voice. I don't usually read books like this but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'd really like to read more to the series.

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This is a thought provoking historical crime drama with Leo Stanhope, a transgender coroner's assistant, set in Victorian London. Born Charlotte Pritchard, he has 2 siblings, and feels an absolute conviction he is a man, cruelly made to live within the body of a woman, he leaves home at 15 years old, unable to live a lie any longer. He is estranged from his family and only connects with his sister, Jane, although she is not happy to see him. It begins with the arrival of the drowned body of Jack Flowers, a man deemed to be drunk who accidentally fell into the Thames. Leo is a frequent visitor to the brothel on Half Moon Street, to see the love of his life, Maria Milanes, who appears to reciprocate his feelings despite being a prostitute. Leo is horrified, shocked and griefstricken when Maria's dead body arrives at the coroner's office. He vows to find out how she died, unaware of where this will lead him and the danger it will place him in.

It does not take long for Leo to grasp that he barely knew Maria, a woman born Maria Mills into highly impoverished circumstances, which shapes her into a person who will do whatever it takes to survive. Her funeral gives Leo an opportunity to see and meet others from her life, including the brothel owner, James Bentinck, a man who claims family connections with the powerful Bentinck family and his bookkeeper, Miss Nancy Gainsford. Before long, Leo is arrested as the main suspect for Maria's murder by the police, but they are forced to release him after behind the scenes pressure is put on them. Leo encounters midwife and abortionist Madame Moreau, looks into other clients of Maria, feels betrayed, begins to glimpse the covert and depraved trade in human trafficking, and the misery and horror that it entails. As he begins to get closer to Rosie Flowers, pie maker extraordinaire, he begins to discern that there is a connection between Maria and Jack Flowers death. Leo is to be tested to the limits, whilst endeavouring to avoid being discovered as transgender, determined to discover the truth behind Maria's death.

Reeve writes a compelling piece of historical fiction, outlining the risks women have to endure and the powerless and precarious positions they face in Victorian London and creates a mesmerising central character in Leo. Reeve gives a psychological portrayal of the vulnerable Leo, having to live with the risks and dangers of being transgender in unenlightened times, it is scarcely much easier in today's world. Very few people know the real Leo, and he is forced to reinforce a self protective barrier between himself and the world. I should warn readers that they may find the brutality, abuse and rape outlined in the novel too much for them. One of my favourite parts of the novel is the growing close relationship between the strong and indomitable Rosie and Leo. A fantastic read which I recommend highly. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.

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I do like a good dose of historical fiction every so often. I especially like the cerebral investigative process rather than the main protagonist merely relying on technology. This book obviously has that as it is set in Victorian times, in London to be specific. But, what it also has is a main character who is transgender. I know that this practice was quite prevalent in these times due to woman needing to pose as men to gain employment or education, especially in certain circles, but here Leo is actually more comfortable and indeed identifies better as a man rather than the women he was born as. I found this to be quite illuminating, especially given the times, and some of his inner musings were quite eye opening too.
So, we have Leo who, at the start of our story, is working in a hospital morgue. He plays chess sometimes in the evenings and also has a standing weekly appointment with Maria, a lady of ill repute. She being one of the very few people who know the truth of his identity. They are in love. One day though they have an appointment outside of the brothel but she stands him up. Leo is devastated and thinks she could betray him but then she turns up at his place of work, dead. Due to her profession, the police find it hard to find out who murdered her and, clutching at straws, the finger soon points at Leo. Desperate to clear his name, and retain his true identity, and determined to find the killer, Leo takes it upon himself to investigate. But what secrets will he uncover and, in doing so, what harm will befall him?
Firstly, the book is set in the 1800s and so the values, opinions, laws, actions and attitudes are akin to this time. Pretty brutally in some places in the book. Some things were quite shocking by today's standards but it was totally what you would expect for the era in which the story is set.
Leo was a very interesting and obviously complex character. He plays his role to perfection however, even if some of the things he had to do were painful. He also developed well over the course of the book. Starting off as quite vulnerable and timid but blossoming into a fine upstanding man towards the end. We also got to hear his backstory in flashback. How he struggled with his identity as a child and the way he left the family home.
The rest of the cast were just as well described and all had their parts to play within the story, which they did, and very well too. I won't go into any further detail here as it is better to meet and get to know them as the author intended.
The plot was very well crafted and had me spinning around trying to get to the truth before Leo. I did manage to suss a few things out early but I think that's probably more due to the fact that I read far more mystery novels than Leo and thus have more experience than him!! You can't expect a character with his background to suddenly become a first class detective at his first outing; a fair dollop of floundering is only to be expected. I didn't get it all right all the time though and there were a fair few things that I really didn't see coming.
It doesn't mention it here that I can see but I have seen on other sites that this is actually the first in a series. This news excited me very much as I definitely though that Leo has a lot more to give as a character and I for one will be happy to continue that journey with him
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

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London, 1880. The body of a man is washed up by the Thames and delivered to the hands of Leo Stanhope, a coroner’s assistant. He appears to have drowned, a bottle of ale in his pocket and five pennies and a farthing in his wallet. There is nothing particularly sinister about this vaguely tragic event, but Leo is quickly embroiled in a mystery filled with murder, intrigue and shocking revelations. The House on Half Moon Street should not be limited to the reductive category of Victorian crime fiction, however; this is a uniquely engaging, imaginative and emotionally rich novel. At times, it is easy to forget that this is Alex Reeve’s debut, it is so intricately plotted, intelligently weaving fascinating characters and complex issues with vivid period detail.

Leo Stanhope is a fascinating, complex and empathetic protagonist. He is entirely human, flawed and charming in equal measure. He spends his days working at the mortuary under the watchful eye of his belligerent superior, playing chess at a gentleman’s club and engaging in witty exchanges with the precocious daughter of his landlord in their pharmacy. He also frequents the brothel on Half Moon Street, a pastime not uncommon for men of his social standing. However, it is at this brothel, spending time with the endearing and beautiful Maria Milanes, where Leo is at his most vulnerable, but where he feels truly himself.

Leo has a secret that he is desperate to keep, for fear of his life. He was born Charlotte, the daughter of a respected reverend, but was aware from a young age that this was not his true identity. Despite the evidence of his body he knew that life as a man was the only possible path. Sadly his family did not accept this, and he fled his home at the age of fifteen, never to see his strict father and beloved mother again. The sensitivity with which Reeve depicts Leo’s internal struggle deeply resonates throughout the novel. His body dysmorphia is painfully apparent; there are frequent passages where Leo muses on how much he despises his female body, the physical weakness he resents and the monthly menstruation he suffers through in secret. He envies the bodies of men, their inherent strength and the passport their biology gives them in life. They can move through social circles and situations with ease, treated with respect, their opinions valued. As a transgender man, Leo is always on the sidelines, determined to find a place in London society but always afraid that his secret will be discovered. This fear is tangible throughout, never more so than when tragedy strikes and Leo loses the one person he has been able to confide in, find hope in, plan a future with. As Leo is dragged into the spotlight, the fragility of his identity is revealed and the life he has carefully constructed threatens to crumble around him.

Reeve uses Leo’s personal struggles with gender identity as a platform from which to explore the dark underbelly of Victorian London. The true position of women in this period is starkly laid bare by Reeve’s thoughtful yet forthright prose. Women within the novel, and historically, are either wives, widows or workers, confined within these roles by their biology. They are either submissive child bearers or provocative pleasure-givers, never admired for their intelligence, wit or personality. They are limited by the male gaze to objects, discarded when they are no longer of use or begin to think above their station. In this regard Leo has an advantage; he is able to move below the radar between the worlds of men and women, understanding on an emotional level what it is to be a woman but recognised physically as a man. Reeve explores the idea of gender as a performance that only thinly veils the reality of being a man or woman. Leo’s sister, for example, is wealthy and educated, but she is unable to live up to her potential because of her position as mother and wife, living at the behest of her husband even when he is not at home. This is poignantly framed by Leo’s own struggles – the pair cannot reconcile as Leo has denounced his female identity, abandoning his sister to the fate they once shared as women. Being a woman is dangerous; women are targeted by men, expected to accept their insalubrious advances with no complaint. Their own bodies often turn against them; Reeve explores the necessary evil of underground procedures, offering women the chance to escape unwanted pregnancies, but also asking them to dice with death as they lie, exposed and vulnerable, on a stranger’s kitchen table. There is a subtle, unspoken collusion between women in the novel; an understanding passes between them, a loyalty shared and called upon in times of need. Although he tries to escape this life, Leo feels an unexpected connection with many of the women he encounters as they continue their silent resistance against their prescribed roles.

Reeve’s London is evocative, not shying away from the smog and cobbles of the city in the Victorian era. Leo’s role as a coroner’s assistant brings him some less than savoury tasks, all of which Reeve delves into with wicked delight. The cast of characters Leo encounters are charming and authentic, each individual stepping vividly off the page, their intentions and motivations surprising the reader as the novel progresses. The intricacy of the plot does not hinder its pace. As Leo descends ever deeper into a shadowy mystery with his life balancing on a knife edge, the reader walks alongside him. It is impossible not to become invested in this novel and the fate of its characters, particularly Leo. It is so compelling and thoughtful, challenging perceptions on gender and historical truths with a passion and intellect that transcends its identity as a Victorian thriller. In The House on Half Moon Street, Alex Reeve has written a masterful debut full of heart, compelling mystery and vivid prose.

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The House On Half Moon Street is a debut novel and #1 in the Leo Stanhope series. This series is set in Victorian London 1880. What makes this historical crime fiction novel so unique, is that Leo was born female. Now, this is not to be confused with Leo masquerading as a male in-order to pursue a career. As did occur within the historical era, due to the opportunities and privileges not afforded to women. Leo truly is transgender, he fully believes he was born in the wrong body. He made the decision to live as a man in his teens and fled his religious upbringing to pursue life, living as he truly believes he is. A man.

‘I’d rather be dead than be Lottie Pritchard’ – Leo

The novel opens at the coroner’s officer of Mr Hurst, an ironic surname, I’ll give you that much! But Leo is assisting with the autopsy of a young man, named Jack flowers. His death is ruled an accident, likely alcohol induced.
This opening gives you an insight into the way Leo’s mind works and how he has an instinct similar to a detective. He is inquisitive and asks questions.

Leo lives above a pharmacy in Soho, with a widowed landlord Alfie and his young daughter Constance. Their lives are plagued by poverty and living on the fringes of the workhouse. I felt this additional information about background characters really added to the historical feel of the novel. You can’t escape the Victorian London smog, poverty and whole feel to the novel.

It isn’t long until we are through the doors of Elizabeth Brafton’s Brothel, on Half Moon Street. Where Leo meets with Maria every week for a 2hr appointment. Only on this occasion he asks Maria on a date, to the opera, the coming Saturday at 2pm.

“I love you, my Leo” – Maria
‘It was me she loved’ – Leo

On Thursday Leo attends his usual chess club meeting with friend and confidant Jacob. Jacob is distrustful of Maria and warns Leo of the dangers of trusting or falling for a woman like her. Due to his inebriated state, his warnings fall upon deaf ears. For Leo is a man in love.

On Saturday Leo arrives at the opera and Maria is a no-show. Leaving a very sad and deflated Leo to watch the opera alone. When he arrives the next morning at work, it is to the discovery of a burglary. But what is there to steal in a mortuary? When the body for autopsy is wheeled in, Leo passes out! For the body on the slab, is non other than his beloved Maria. . . .

Leo can’t face work and takes several days off sick. He is roused from his grief when two police officers arrive to take him to the station. Leo begins to fear his secret will be uncovered. Detective Sgt Ripley tries to prise some facts from Leo, but it becomes evident Leo actually knows very little about Maria. After an eventful night in the cells, with Leo on the verge of confessing his sexuality. He is finally released. But that doesn’t solve the mystery of who killed Maria?

Leo attends Maria’s funeral where he has to face some harsh truths. It is revealed that Maria told many lies to Leo, even her real-name. Maria’s fellow working girl Audrey attempts to offer some words of condolence and faith in Leo. But it is the mysterious Madame Louisa Moreau that grabs his interest. She offers Leo her card and gives the impression she may have more information.

‘Takes a man to do something like that, and you’re a woman underneath’ – Audrey

Due to missing so many days at work, Leo is demoted. He cares very little about this, as Maria’s murder torments his mind over and over again. He decides it is time to meet the elusive Madame Moreau. Louisa is a back-street abortionist. she openly challenges Leo on his decision to live as a man, which makes for intriguing conversation. Up until now, no one has challenged Leo on how he chooses to live his life. Mostly due to him living in near complete secrecy. I found Louisa fascinating, but the only information she holds is Maria may/may not have had a soldier as a lover, possibly an officer.

‘Why should I seem other than what I am?’ – Leo Stanhope

With little to go and no real authority to investigate. Leo must think on his feet, using his access to hospital records and ability to impersonate a police officer. Leo pursues his own case, he is determined to reveal Maria’s killer.

There are various themes within this novel. The theme of gender roles in Victorian society, being transgender and being forced to live in secrecy. Also, the role of sex work in Victorian London, which many women did as a means to survive. There is a great twist at the end, that completely fooled me! I am thoroughly impressed with the authors skills to weave a clever tale and look forward to the next instalment in the Leo Stanhope series.

Leo Stanhope is a brilliant protagonist and I personally think the series will thrive 5*

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The House on Half Moon Street by Alex Reeve

It is 1880 and Leo Stanhope, assistant to a coroner in London, is in love. It doesn’t matter to him that his love Maria works as a prostitute in Mrs Brafton’s brothel on Half Moon Street. Leo knows that Maria loves him and he has proof. She knows Leo as he really is – a man who was born a girl called Charlotte or Lottie. But Lottie grew up knowing that there was no future for Charlotte the woman. There could only be Leo the man. Very few know Leo’s secret, which is just as well because a woman dressed as a man is committing a criminal offence. But all of Leo’s hopes for the future are shattered when Maria is found dead, murdered, and Leo is a chief suspect. With his heart broken, Leo must discover the truth but in doing so he learns how little he really knew the love of his life.

At the heart of The House on Half Moon Street is its vulnerable and yet immensely courageous transgender hero, Leo Stanhope. He’s so easy to warm to, and fear for, as he lets us into his secrets, we watch him mould his body, suppress his appetite to remain unfeminine, meet with friends who could destroy him with one careless word. The narrative is in the first person and so we know only too well just how much he loves Maria while we also suspect that this relationship is never going to end well. And we worry for him when we watch him risk absolutely everything to chase her killer.

So on one level this is a Victorian murder mystery and it’s a very good one. But on another level it’s an emotional portrait of Leo Stanhope who lived at a time when there must have seemed little hope for someone like him. At times the narrative takes us into very dark places indeed and there is one moment in particular which I found difficult to cope with, that contrasted so sharply with the tone of much of the rest of the novel. And so at times the novel does seem to straddle different worlds. Inevitably, it also reminded me of the much loved Jem series by E.M. Thomson. But there is so much feeling in The House on Half Moon Street that it is impossible not to warm to Leo, who is so beautifully drawn and brought to life, and fear for his situation. But there is more to this novel than Leo’s situation. It also reflects on the situation of London’s poorest women, including its prostitutes.

The portrayal of Victorian London is fantastic. We move around a fair bit of it and I really enjoyed where it it takes us but the best of scenes are reserved for Mrs Brafton’s brothel as well as the evenings Leo spends playing chess with his closest friend. But I particularly liked the moments Leo spends with his landlord and his young daughter. There is such a life to these scenes, although the thought of the landlord practising his dentistry skills is not a comforting one. I loved the lightness and humour of these pages, which do a fine job, I think, of breaking up the darkness.

The House on Half Moon Street is a really enjoyable and at times quite intense portrayal of life in London in the 1880s for poor women and for those who challenged Victorian conceptions of sexuality and gender identity. Leo is an intriguing hero with the weight of the world on his shoulders. The House on Half Moon Street is Alex Reeve’s debut novel and is, I’m delighted to say, the first of a new series. I’m really pleased that Leo will return.

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