A Knife in the Fog

August 6, 2018
In 1888, Jonathan Wilkins, a representative of Prime Minister William Gladstone, calls on Arthur Conan Doyle to assist in the hunt for the Whitechapel murderer, who has already slaughtered three prostitutes, in Harper’s workmanlike debut. Gladstone was impressed by the recently published A Study in Scarlet, and hopes that the writer can emulate his fictional creation’s methods. The reluctant Conan Doyle invites Dr. Joseph Bell, his mentor and inspiration for Sherlock Holmes, to join him. Together with real-life radical journalist Margaret Harkness, designated by Wilkins to serve as their guide to the East End, they team up with Scotland Yard to catch the killer before he strikes again. Harper is faithful to the historical record of the Ripper murders, but his solution, which combines elements of several theories, disappoints. Also, the novel suffers in comparison to David Pirie’s superior The Night Calls (2002), which likewise puts Conan Doyle and Bell on the trail of Jack the Ripper. Readers will hope Harper treads less familiar ground in any sequel. Agent: Jill Marr, Sandra Dykstra Agency.

August 1, 2018
Sherlock Holmes' creator and a crusading British journalist team up to hunt for Jack the Ripper.In September 1888, no less a personage than Prime Minister William Gladstone writes to young doctor and author Arthur Conan Doyle with a vague entreaty to save "many lives." Not surprisingly, Doyle's first-person narrative is reminiscent of Holmes-ian amanuensis Dr. Watson. When Doyle meets Gladstone's personal secretary, Jonathan Wilkins, he's surprised to learn that this is not a medical matter but a criminal one. Impressed by the astuteness of Doyle's A Study in Scarlet, Gladstone would like him to investigate the Whitechapel homicides, searching for the killer Scotland Yard calls "Leather Apron." Wilkins puts Doyle in touch with "one of the new breed of 'emancipated women, ' " crusading journalist Margaret Harkness, who'll be his guide through the dangerous streets of Whitechapel. (Under the pen name John Law, Harkness was a real-life radical writer.) As in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a leading feature is the vivid, thorough questioning of a colorful cross-section of Londoners, here including brash Cockney boy John Richardson, inept but loquacious Dr. Llewellyn, and beat policeman Sgt. Thicke, known on the street as "Johnny Upright." Oscar Wilde also makes a cameo appearance. At length Doyle does indeed stir the interest of the serial killer who calls himself Jack the Ripper, and he and Margaret get close enough to him to rescue an intended victim.Delightful chemistry, plummy prose, and believable period detail lift Harper's debut above the throng of forgettable Baker Street imitators.

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September 15, 2018
Holmesians dream the scene. It's 1888 London, and the police beg the detective's help in ending the Jack the Ripper murders. With Holmes on the case, we'd be in for some deductive dazzlement. Instead, Harper imagines Arthur Conan Doyle himself answering the call. Doyle insists that Dr. Joseph Bell, his teacher and the model for Holmes, be called in from his hospital post in Edinburgh, and we hear a delightfully familiar voice. "We are dealing with a man . . . most likely not physically intimidating . . . probably at or below average height." They enlist another historical personage, left-wing reporter and novelist Margaret Harkness, as a guide through the reeking neighborhood. What follows is yards above the usual pastiche, told in flowing language that could almost be sung: "Her accent declared an Irish heritage, and her age appeared to be around twenty-five." Holmes' fans will appreciate the glimpses, amid the action and the examination of social mores, of the elements that formed their hero. Here's Oscar Wilde advising Doyle on what some think is the key to the Great Detective: "Write about justice."(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from October 1, 2018

In 1888, Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle has published just one story, "A Study in Scarlet," and vows never to write another crime account. Then he receives a note from former prime minister William Gladstone, asking him to come to London. All of London is concerned with the Whitechapel killer they call "Leather Apron," and Gladstone's secretary proposes that Conan Doyle consult with the Metropolitan police to help them catch the murderer. He agrees, but on the condition that his former professor, Dr. Joseph Bell, the model for Sherlock Holmes, consults as well. Margaret Harkness, a journalist who writes as John Law, acts as their guide to the East End as the three grow dangerously close to the man now known worldwide as Jack the Ripper. The richly detailed, intense debut mystery features a cast of real people who conceivably could have come together in the most intense manhunt in London up until then. The intricately plotted story is worthy of Conan Doyle himself, with language and characters reminiscent of the Holmes canon and foreshadowing of the author's future work. VERDICT This compelling debut will have wide appeal, attracting readers of Jack the Ripper fiction, Sherlock Homes fans, and anyone who appreciates real-life people as sleuths.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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