The Bedlam Detective: A Novel [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Bedlam Detective: A Novel [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Product Details

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Crown (February 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307406644
ISBN-13: 978-0307406644
Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 1.2 x 9.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

By : Stephen Gallagher
Price : $15.51
You Save : $9.49 (38%)

Customer Reviews

Stephen Gallagher's "The Bedlam Detective" opens in September, 1912. Sebastian Becker, a former Pinkerton detective, has returned to his birthplace with his wife, Elisabeth, their troubled but brilliant son, Robert, and Elisabeth's unmarried sister. The Beckers lives in South London and Sebastian's title is now "special investigator for the Lord Chancellor's Visitor in Lunacy." Simon goes to Arnmouth, where his mission is to assess the mental state of Sir Owain Lancaster. It is rumored that Sir Owain lost his mind when his scientific expedition to the Amazon basin ended tragically. To complicate matters further, shortly after Sebastian arrives in town, the bodies of two murdered girls are found. Sebastian becomes involved in an investigation whose roots extend into the distant past.
In "The Bedlam Detective," the author captures the oppressive atmosphere of an English village, where everyone knows everyone else's business, yet it is still possible for someone to conceal sordid secrets. Who is the villain preying on defenseless young women? There are a number of suspects, including Sir Owain himself. Adding to the speculation is Sir Owain's book, "The Empire of Beasts," in which he recounts his horrendous experiences in South America. He claims that "rampaging creatures" tore apart his wife, child, and the other members of his party. Most individuals contemptuously dismiss Lancaster's narrative as the ravings of a madman.
The author's vividly depicted characters include Sir Owain, a Renaissance man who is clinging to his last vestiges of sanity; Owain's personal physician and surly chauffeur; two courageous women who were abused when they were younger but managed to survive; an inexperienced but earnest detective, Stephen Reed; and Sebastian's plucky wife and quirky son. This is a chilling and suspenseful historical mystery with intriguing details about medicine, women's rights, photography, and law in the early twentieth century. Gallagher suggests that there are indeed wild beasts loose in the world. Sadly, those of the two-legged variety are driven by their inner demons to commit monstrous deeds.

Historical fictions taking place in the Victorian era are one my favorite kinds of books, and this one certainly did not disappoint. It is rich with period detail and with the je ne sais quoi that makes past ages seem so appealing.
Sebastian Becker, the protagonist, is an interesting man. He carries the whole book on his shoulders effortlessly, guiding the reader on through the different chapters without ever becoming dull or predictable. He comes through as a real person, with his issues, but always maintaining the "hero" status. It was fascinating to follow him into the world of madness in the Victorian era, with all its grotesquerie and violence. From the first chapter, when he is called by a train conductor to have him investigate a pair of conjoined twins in formaldehyde, we know that this is one dark story. And we are not misled. Murders, rapes, poison darts and a sinister old man living in a dilapidated estate are enough to keep any lover of mysteries thoroughly entertained.
The writing is beautiful. There are some phrases which left me smiling, just at the way the words are shaped into meaning. I truly enjoyed submerging myself in this era, and in this book in particular, and I'll definitely pick up some more of this author's works. I highly recommend this book.