Lenox is a kind, thoughtful man, who tackles deep philosophical and moral questions but appreciates life's small comforts, such as a clandestine cup of cocoa at midnight, a stack of hot buttered toast or a pair of well-made boots. When I read a Lenox mystery, I always feel like I have read a quality mystery—a true detective novel. When the killer's sights are turned toward those whom Lenox holds most dear, the stakes are raised and Lenox is trapped in a desperate game of cat and mouse. Asked to help investigate by a bumbling Yard inspector who's come to rely on his perspicacity, Lenox quickly deduces some facts about the murderer and the dead man's origins, which make the case assume a much greater significance than the gang-related murder it was originally figured as. Events of the past year and a half were stupefying and horrific — but we suffered them together. About the AuthorCharles Finch is the USA Today bestselling author of the Charles Lenox mysteries, including The Vanishing Ma n. His first contemporary novel, The Last Enchantments, is also available from St. Martin's Press. Remember protests, curfews and the horror as the whole world watched George Floyd die? As the Dorset family closes ranks to protect its reputation, Lenox uncovers a dark secret that could expose them to unimaginable scandal—and reveals the existence of an artifact, priceless beyond measure, for which the family is willing to risk anything to keep hidden. I have had a lot of luck jumping around in this series and I figured the prequels would be no different.
This temporarily disoriented, well-read literary man — Finch is the author of the Charles Lenox mystery series, and a noted book critic — misses his friends and the way the world used to be. Curiously, all the clothing labels on the body had been carefully cut out. Both Lenox and Finch (the author) are Oxford alumni, and I loved following Lenox through the streets, parks and pubs of my favorite city. In the tradition of Sherlock Holmes, this newest mystery in the Charles Lenox series pits the young detective against a maniacal murderer who would give Professor Moriarty a run for his money.
In terms of Lenox's ongoing character arc, it's the strongest of the three books. When I saw that a prequel was in the works I was ecstatic and eager to read about a young Charles Lenox! In this intricately plotted prequel to the Charles Lenox mysteries, the young detective risks both his potential career—and his reputation in high society—as he hunts for a criminal mastermind (summary from Goodreads). Remember when groceries were rationed, sports were canceled, and President Trump said the virus would be gone by Easter? I found plenty to entertain myself with in this book and I especially loved seeing the early relationships with many of his friends and colleagues as well as his family. Turf Tavern, Lincoln College, Christ Church Meadows, the Bodleian Library – in some ways the Oxford of today is not all that different from the one Lenox knew. I adored him and found my self chuckling many times. Lately, I've been relishing Charles Finch's series featuring Charles Lenox, gentleman of Victorian London, amateur detective and Member of Parliament.
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, 268 pages, $28. He is also quick, smart, and cleaver which makes him a fun lead in this story. The Last Passenger: A Charles Lenox Mystery. "Prequels are is a mere whippersnapper in The Woman in the Water... a cunning mystery. " As a result, it is easy to bounce around in the series and not feel like you have missed a ton and this book is no exception.
Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review"Lenox has officially reached the big leagues--the conclusion waiting for him is nothing short of chilling. The title has a poignant double meaning, too, that fits the novel's more serious themes. In the early days of sheltering in place, a "new communitarian yearning" appears online, Charles Finch notes in his journal account of the COVID year. I am not enjoying the pandemic, but I did enjoy Finch's articulate take on life in the midst of it. I spotted Lenox's fourth adventure at Brattle Book Shop a few months back, but since I like to start at the beginning of a series, I waited until I found the first book, A Beautiful Blue Death, at the Booksmith.
I believe I binge read the first three books and then had to wait for the next one to come out and when it did, it was in my Kindle on release day since I had it on pre-order months in advance! Charles Lenox is the second son of a wealthy Sussex family. Though it's considered a bit gauche for a man of his class to solve mysteries (since it involves consorting with policemen and "low-class" criminals), Lenox is fascinated by crime and has no shortage of people appealing for his help. "There's such rawness in everyone — the mix is so different than usual, the same amount of anger, but more fear, less certainty, and I think more love. "
Having been such a long time fan, it's fun to see how those relationships have evolved over time. Christine Brunkhorst is a Twin Cities writer and reviewer. Charles Lenox has been a wonderfully entertaining detective and I adore so many of the mysteries in this series! They are thoughtful, well-plotted, enjoyable tales, with a winning main character and plots intricate enough to keep me guessing. And were it possible, I'd like to time-travel to meet Lenox and Lady Jane on Hampden Lane for a cup of tea. "If the Trump era ends, " Finch writes on May 11, 2020, "I think what will be hardest to convey is how things happened every day, sometimes every hour, that you would throw your body in front of a car to stop. You know I love a good mystery, especially when the detective's personal life unfolds alongside the solving of his or her cases.
Lenox eventually takes on an apprentice, Lord John Dallington, a young dandy with a taste for alcohol but also a nose for mysteries, and the two get on well together. This last of the three prequels to Finch's Charles Lenox mysteries finds our aristocratic detective in his late twenties, in 1855, feeling the strains for his unorthodox career choice (many of his social equals and members of Scotland Yard consider him a dilettante) and for his persistent unmarried state. They stand on more equal ground than most masters and servants, and their relationship is pleasant to watch, as is Lenox's bond with his brother. "What Just Happened: Notes on a Long Year" is the journal you meant to write but were too busy dashing through self-checkout lanes or curled in the fetal position in front of Netflix to get anything down. A case with enough momentum to recharge this series and grab new readers with its pull. " Dorset believes the thieves took the wrong painting and may return when they realize their error—and when his fears result in murder, Lenox must act quickly to unravel the mystery behind both paintings before tragedy can strike again. There's a hysterical disjointedness to his entries that we recognize — and I don't mean hysterical as in funny but as in high-strung, like a plucked violin string, as the months wear on. So far, the series has run to six books, with a recurring circle of characters: Graham, Edmund, Lady Jane, Lenox's doctor friend Thomas McConnell and his wife Victoria, amusingly known as "Toto. "
His brother Edmund has inherited their father's title and seat in Parliament, but Charles is generally content in his comfortable house off Grosvenor Square, with his books, maps, and beautiful, kind neighbor, Lady Jane Grey, close at hand. This is a series that I know I can turn to for solid quality and this installment met all of my expectations. London, 1853: Having earned some renown by solving a case that baffled Scotland Yard, young Charles Lenox is called upon by the Duke of Dorset, one of England's most revered noblemen, for help. Lenox was in his classic role of smart and quick witted detective with a sharp eye and there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing until the reveal. As Finch chronicles his routines honestly and without benefit of hindsight, we recall our own.
Articulate and engaging, the account offers us the timeline we need because who remembers all that went down? Sadly I got sidetracked by other books and missed a couple in the middle, but I always came back to the series and found something to love in many of the books! But when an anonymous writer sends a letter to the paper claiming to have committed the perfect crime--and promising to kill again--Lenox is convinced that this is his chance to prove himself. I love the period details of Lenox's life, from the glimpses of famous politicians (Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone) to the rituals surrounding births, weddings, funerals and the opening of Parliament. His newest case is puzzling for several reasons. With few clues to go on, Lenox endeavors to solve the crime before another innocent life is lost.
But the Duke's concern is not for his ancestor's portrait; hiding in plain sight nearby is another painting of infinitely more value, one that holds the key to one of the country's most famous and best-kept secrets. His essays and criticism have appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Washington Post, and elsewhere. I haven't read The Woman in the Water yet, which is the first prequel, but I was thrilled when The Vanishing Man came up. The mood reminds him of when the first pictures of Earth were sent back from space and "for eight or nine days there was a sudden belief that since we had seen that we all lived on the same blue planet, a new era of peace might begin. These mysteries are neither gritty forensic procedurals nor taut psychological thrillers – but that's all right, since I'm not too fond of either.
"But what a lovely week, " he writes. The writer's first victim is a young woman whose body is found in a naval trunk, caught up in the rushes of a small islet in the middle of the Thames. Bonus: my friend Jessica had read and liked it. Remember when a projected death toll of 20, 000 seemed outrageous?
Finch received the 2017 Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing from the National Book Critics Circle. His first contemporary novel, The Last Enchantments, is also available from St. Martin's Press. Sometimes historical mysteries boarder on cozy, but this series has its feet firmly in detective novel with the focus always being on the mystery and gathering clues. A painting of the Duke's great-grandfather has been stolen from his private study. Remember when there was talk of a vaccine by spring and when, as early as the first presidential debate "the alibi for a Trump loss [was] being laid down like covering smoke in Vietnam?
Remember when right-wingers railed against looting as if that were the story? He has a great sense of humor and in this book that quality about him really shines. Overall I found this mystery solid and what I would expect from a seasoned writer like Finch. Finch conveys it all here with all the humor and pathos the era deserves.