Kirkus Review
An intrepid female photographer tracks the serial killer of the (19th) century. London, 1888. Narrator Sarah Bain makes a modest living as a photographer on Commercial Street. A substantial part of her income derives from arty, but socially unacceptable, pictures of prostitutes. Although she's a virgin, Sarah has a special affinity for these women and their forbidden lives. When two of her subjects are found brutally murdered in similar fashion over just a few weeks, Sarah sets out fearfully to determine whether they were victims of the same killer. Worried about the safety of her other models, she sets out to warn them. All the girls disregard her warnings, and the Ripper claims another victim, Annie Chapman, known as "Dark Annie." Meanwhile, the presence of a refined lady in the Tenderloin attracts notice, and Sarah gains the dogged and unwanted attention of several Whitechapel policemen, led by the courtly PC Barrett. Sarah convinces stunning Catherine Price, a protge and subject of Sarah's who's come perilously close to prostitution, to help her find the killer. Also lending assistance are Catherine's beau, Lord Hugh Staunton; the Lipskys, a compassionate immigrant couple often persecuted because of their Jewish heritage; and Mick, an adventurous street urchin. Close calls, a surprise ending, and the suggestion of further adventures follow. Rowland, author of the long-running Sano Ichiro mystery series (The Iris Fan, 2014, etc.), has assembled an appealingly ragtag collection of amateur sleuths and keeps suspense high. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Rowland, author of the Sano Ichiro historical-mystery series, jumps forward in time to the late nineteenth century and shifts her setting from feudal Japan to Victorian England. This excellent novel features a photographer, Sarah Bain, who discovers that prostitutes who have recently modeled for illicit photos are being murdered, apparently by the mysterious killer known only as the Ripper. Determined to keep more women from dying, Sarah risks her own life to find out the true identity of the killer. There are so many fine things about this novel that it's difficult to enumerate them all. The characters are beautifully drawn; the dialogue sparkles (like the dialogue in the Ichiro novels, it feels period-appropriate without seeming stilted); the setting is vividly rendered. Perhaps best of all, the novel does what many other Ripper-themed thrillers haven't done: it answers some key questions about the Ripper mystery, such as whether the victims were truly random and how the police could have had such a hard time finding even one viable suspect. This is sure to delight followers of Ripper-themed fiction and all who cherish Victorian-era mysteries.--Pitt, David Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Spinster photographer Sarah Bain is not a friend to the police or anyone else. Although she's spent her life shying away from contact with others, she must make a living and reluctantly agrees when propositioned by a local prostitute to earn extra money taking "boudoir photos." When three of her models are found brutally murdered in the streets of Whitechapel, Sarah realizes the Ripper is using her photographs to select his victims. And she knows exactly who will be next. Determined to protect the rest of her models, Sarah assembles an unlikely crew of allies and sets out on a hunt for a murderer. This novel take on the classic case is an interesting weaving of fact and fiction with crisply drawn characters and taut action. While the pacing of the story is a bit slow at times, Rowland's real talent shines in the Victorian atmosphere woven into the narrative, immersing the listener wholly in the period. Alex Tregear's narration highlights the distinct characterizations and helps to move the story along. VERDICT Recommended to fans of S.J. Bolton's Now You See Me. ["Rowland [puts] a new twist on old tropes with her witty sleuth, while never sacrificing historical integrity": LJ 1/17 starred review of the Crooked Lane hc.]-Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix P.L. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
