The Scent of Death

Starred review from August 18, 2014
Set in 1778, this excellent series opener from Diamond Dagger Award–winner Taylor (The Anatomy of Ghosts) introduces Edward Savill, an employee of the British government’s American Department. The day Savill’s ship docks in New York harbor, he observes a man’s corpse dragging from a dinghy in the water. Later the same day, Savill gets involved in investigating the stabbing death of Roger Pickett, a gentleman newly arrived in the city. Under the terms of his commission, Savill is supposed to report to his masters in London on the “administration of justice in the city in all its aspects,” which puts him at odds with British military officers, who regard a murder inquiry as a low priority in wartime. Taylor plants clues to the murderer’s identity early on in a fair-play plot whose fiendish cleverness becomes apparent only at the end. His depiction of the plight of American Loyalists adds another facet to this superior whodunit. Agent: Vivien Green, Sheil Land Associates (U.K.).

September 1, 2014
In his latest, Taylor (The Anatomy of Ghosts, 2011, etc.) conjures up crime fiction from an unlikely setting-rough-and-tumble New York City during the American Revolution. It's 1778, and Edward Savill has been dispatched to the rebellious Colonies as representative of the king's government to "deal with Loyalist claims for compensation." He's also been told of "the importance of gathering first-hand intelligence." The book's first half is mostly scene and circumstance, and Taylor gets the setting down perfectly: quill pens and reading by candlelight, muddy streets and the ugly stink of offal, including two corpses that greet Savill-one floating in the river (mere atmosphere) and the other in Canvas Town, "home to the worst elements in New York." Taylor introduces realistic characters, ranging from slippery Townley, a supposedly loyal businessman, to Maj. Marryot, army link between military and civilian police. There's also the Loyalist family hosting Savill, the Wintours: the patriarch judge; his son Jack, rebel prisoner; Jack's wife, the "once seen...never forgotten" Arabella; plus references to a badly scarred slave Savill too late learns isn't as dead as he should be. Savill's soon investigating the Canvas Town death, the victim having ties to the Wintours. With a bit of subversive sexual tension between Savill and Arabella, Taylor's plot meanders along before kicking into overdrive when Savill and Jack, "no scholar, certainly, but manly and affectionate," set out to "the Debatable Ground"-rebel-plagued territory outside the city. Jack's seeking a "box of curiosities" at Mt. George, his wife's family estate. Therein may be the key to the restoration of the Wintour fortune. What follows are stabbings, torture and murder, much alcohol downed, appalling revelations about slavery and class, and a sin that's never explained. "[A]n American...is not an Englishman any more. He is become quite a different animal" and capable of murder most foul.

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August 1, 2014

Junior clerk Edward Savill arrives in New York City in 1778 as an emissary from the British government. On Savill's first day, he attends the scene of a murder with the military commandant responsible for enforcing martial law in the occupied city. Officially assigned to investigate the administration of justice by the rebellious Americans toward those loyal to the crown, Savill becomes fascinated with the murdered man. As the connections between the murder and the respectable but impoverished family he lodges with become too many to ignore, Savill digs deeper into family and state secrets, ultimately exposing not only murder but treason, blackmail, and wartime profiteering. VERDICT Love and loyalty, greed and shame fuel the actors in this detailed historical mystery (winner of the 2013 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award) from Taylor (The Anatomy of Ghosts). A fast-paced finish makes up for a slow start and a meandering middle. Full of fascinating historical details and sympathetic to the British loyalists, this mix of history, espionage, and murder mystery will appeal to Taylor fans and first timers alike.--Sarah Cohn, Manhattan Coll. Lib., Bronx, NY

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
In the thick of the Revolutionary War, Edward Savill is dispatched to New York by the British Crown's American Department to assist Loyalist refugees displaced by the rebels. The American city is nothing like Savill has ever seen; before his ship docks, he sees his first body, and his second follows quickly, and that one prompts a special interest. The victim is clearly a Loyalist, and Savill isn't convinced the police have found the right killer when they arrest and convict Virgil, a runaway slave. When witnesses to the case begin disappearing and strange connections keep popping up between Savill's genteel hosts and a mysterious box of curiosities, Savill becomes ensnared in the murder. Savill's position as a British official offers an intriguing perspective, and the solid mystery is layered with transportive period detail. Skilled writing and strong characterization make this one a good fit for fans of Stef Penney, Margaret Lawrence, and Robert McCammon.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)