Blackstone

I was given an e-version of Blackstone by Richard Falkirk for review.

Set in Victorian England (I think that's the proper time), we have a who done it with an almost noir feel to it. Our main character (bit of a stretch to call him "hero") Blackstone is a Bow Street Runner (yes, that's was a thing) with a highly questionable past. Assigned to protect a royal princess, he of course makes enemies as he goes. 

A good amount of history here. The early beginnings of police departments, political machinations and royal intrigue round out the intertwined plot lines. While I had a hard time finding the character Blackstone sympathetic or even likable, the story was topnotch. A great detective mystery. Sex (not too graphic), violence (ditto) and plenty of twists and turns. Interesting insight into the lives of the upper and working classes.

Negatives? The only one for me was at times I found the story a bit choppy. Abrupt changes threw me off my rhythm.

Overall a good historic noir detective story. I have since discovered that this book is the first in a series based around the character Blackstone. A good start for the series. I look forward to reading more. Enjoy!

Mike