The Hanging Psalm

April 17, 2017
In Nickson’s crackerjack fifth police procedural set in late-19th-century Leeds (after 2016’s The Iron Water), Det. Insp. Tom Harper takes charge of two cases: the death of a man who has just been released from prison, and a horrific acid attack on two 13-year-old children. These draw him into a world of petty crime, poverty, and corruption. Meanwhile, the activities of Tom’s wife, Annabelle, a dedicated suffragette and a proponent of the newly formed Labour Party, shed light on the inner workings of the Socialist movement and on real-life activist Tom Maguire, one of the unsung heroes of British political history. Nickson successfully creates an intimacy between the characters and the reader by showing, with each successive book, how his protagonists grow and change as they face life’s milestones: marriage, children, promotions at work, and the death of dear friends. Agent: Tina Betts, Andrew Mann Agency (U.K.).

April 1, 2017
A Victorian police detective's newest cases and the vicissitudes of his private life give him cause to ponder his own mortality.DI Harper of the Leeds police is surprised when Henry White, a fence just released from prison after having been caught with stolen silver, is found stabbed to death. White would never name the man he was carrying the silver for, and now he never will. Superintendent Kendall, a man who's been like a father to Harper, announces that he's dying of cancer and has recommended Harper to assume his post. In addition, the death of union activist Tom Maguire, alone and uncared for, provokes both Harper and his wife, Annabelle, to soul-searching. Annabelle, a well-off pub keeper, had sold her string of bakeries to Elizabeth Reed, whose husband, Billy, had a falling out with Harper and quit the police for the fire service. Now a man has entered one of the bakeries and thrown acid in the face of a customer, splashing some on a young woman who works there as well. Billy Reed, who's on leave for an injury, offers to help in that investigation. Trying to accommodate himself to the demands of his new job and at the same time investigate these cases keeps Harper working long hours, which only get longer when more of White's associates are killed. Can Harper ever track down a criminal who will stop at nothing to escape justice? Nickson (Modern Crimes, 2017, etc.) is particularly adept at fleshing out his characters and providing a surprising solution to this procedural.

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Starred review from May 1, 2017
It's another winner in Nickson's top-notch Tom Harper series. Set in Leeds, England, at the end of the nineteenth century, the story features meticulously researched period detail; a strong sense of the social, economic, and political situation at the time; and intriguing insights into how police functioned in the days before technology changed everything. Harper's latest case begins when Henry White, a fence of stolen goods and recently released from prison, is discovered stabbed to death. Harper is furious because he wanted to use White to get to the mysterious crime kingpin behind the robbery that sent White to prison. Then a friend of Harper's is found dead of pneumonia, two teenagers are seriously injured in an acid attack, and Harper discovers that his boss and mentor has terminal cancer. Long days and lots of shoe leather lead only to increasing frustration for Harper and his team. An outstanding entry in an excellent historical-mystery series that deserves more attention. Recommend Harper to fans of Anne Perry's William Monk.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

November 15, 2018
Simon Westow is a thief-taker in nineteenth-century Leeds, England. For a fee, he can be hired to recover lost or stolen property, and his success has helped him build a thriving business. So it's not surprising when wealthy businessman John Milner approaches Simon to ask him to find Milner's daughter, who has been kidnapped. Simon's never been asked to find a person before, but for the two gold sovereigns Milner offers, he's willing to try. Unfortunately, he can't find a trace of the girl. Simon eventually learns, to his shock, that Hannah's kidnapping is part of a much larger plot planned by Julius White, an old dangerous enemy who was convicted of murder on Simon's evidence and transported to Australia a decade earlier. Simon thought White was gone for good, but it appears he's back and out for revenge against everyone in Leeds who ever offended him, particularly Simon. This gripping read offers authentic period ambience, vivid characters, crisp dialogue, and plenty of twists.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)