This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Policeman turned Private Detective, Charles Maddox has been hired to find a man – just to find him and pass on his whereabouts to his new employer. But his new employer – lawyer Edward Tulkinghorn – underestimates just how enquisitive Maddox really is. As he begins to delve deeper in his search for the truth, Maddox will put his life more at risk with every new piece of information he finds.
Author Lynn Shepherd's first book took a Jane Austen classic and twisted it with an Agatha Christie style murder mystery. This time, she has delved even deeper into the seedy underworld of Dickensian London – a world full of dirt and grime, poverty, prostitutes as young as twelve, violent murders and misunderstood mental illnesses.
For fans of the lighter work of Charles Dickens, be warned that this is no A Christmas Carol. Inspired by Bleak House, Tom-All-Alone's is not for the faint-hearted. The book opens in a foggy graveyard with the discovery of an unofficial grave full of babies and later contains some detailed accounts of mutilations and nasty murders. Behind all this violence though is a fascinating central character in Charles Maddox. Charles is a stubborn man and his determination as the story develops is both enfuriating and endearing. His relationship with his great-uncle Maddox – who is going senile in his old age - adds a certain depth to his character as he has idolized Maddox his entire life and struggles as the mind of his idol quickly deteriorates. Though there are brief moments of lucidity where the two great minds can discuss their findings, the moments where Maddox reverts back to his senility are heart-breaking.
Charles's story is told, rather interestingly, through the perspective of an observing narrator who appears to be from modern-day London. This unique look at the story as events unfold offers a degree of explanation when plot points could have been confusing. For example, the narrator acknowledges that while a prostitute as young as twelve may be horrific to the reader, this is actually quite commonplace in 1850's London.
Alongside the story of Charles Maddox though, there is a story of a young girl Hester. Though the ultimate connection is only hinted at in the beginning, it is evident that these two stories will collide at one point and the journey there is a fascinating one. Hester's story is told from her own perspective with an intriguing child-like innocence.
Shepherd has taken a few of the characters from Bleak House and turned it into a mystery so complex that Charles's struggle to understand the clues in front of him will keep you guessing to the very end. There are so many sordid, nasty characters that everybody is a suspect at one point or another and you genuinely fear for Charles's safety. There is no easy feel to this book and in that lies one of its greatest strengths. Shepherd has not toned down any of the horror of Dickensian London and brought the elements that are normally only hinted at out into the cold, hard light of day. It is not an easy read, but an extremely clever and elaborate one if you have the patience.
8/10
Tom-All-Alone's is released today.