Have heard a lot about this one on BC and am looking forward to reading it. I have already promised to a BCer, and I hope she releases it in its country of setting--Britain.

Thank you, maskaar. This has flown the Atlantic and landed safely in North Yorkshire, thank you very much - a lovely surprise to start the week.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This is a free book. Really. No strings attached, unless you want there to be. I let it go where you found it so that you can find it. Read and enjoy, and if you want to pass it on, please do. If you want to find out what I and others thought of the book check out the website (and don't forget you have free access at most public libraries. . . .) Read!

Oh, I seem to have caught this book before it was sent (LOL) so I'll catch it again now to keep its history in order :-)

Once again, thank you very much, maskaar, for this very kind RABCK. I've already started reading it and am very impressed with the level of research that lies behind it. It's obviously a complicated story with lots of people involved but it's well written and reads as easily as any novel. I'm finding it an engrossing page-turner. Thank you!

I read this a while ago and it took me awhile, and while I enjoyed it, I got a bit bogged down in the middle with the order of events. I was certainly fascinated by the history of the book, and the idea that for the first time, detection was a concept and open to homes. Before that time, the home was considered more intimate and outsiders not free to come and go--and certainly not free to meddle in the affairs of the family. So that surprised me, given the amount of information we give others about our personal lives today, and the "invasion" of privacy that our government conducts with our willingness. And I loved the author's choice of giving the etymology of words in her story, including the words "clue" and "sleuth" and detection. I never had really thought about the words before that.

Finally, this is certainly necessary for all those who love detective stories to read. It is the basis of what we now enjoy as detective fiction, alludes to many of the classic detective fiction, and is a compelling murder mystery story in and of itself.

I found this book absolutely fascinating, very well-researched and with a meticulous attention to detail. I was expecting it to be about a particular Victorian murder, and it is, but it's also much more than that, with its wide-ranging references to the growth of detection, both in fiction and within the police force. I was very impressed - and I hope its subsequent readers will be too.

I came across one interesting (to me) and unexpected fact on page 209: the family live briefly in Weston-super-Mare where I was born and brought up and where various family members, including my father, still live! It's a small world!

I'm now trading this with Tamsine so that it can continue its BookCrossing travels. Enjoy!

Heading for France in the hands of the Royal Mail

Thans a lot, Nu-knees, for the book and the lovely postcard. I must visit Harrogate sometime ! " the careful use of compliments" is on its way.

It took me months to read the 300 pages. I usually like historical mysteries and everything related to Victorian England, but I never managed to get into this one.

left on the shelf

To be read.

Unlike Tamsine, I enjoyed this reading. I agree with maskaar when she writes :
"This is certainly necessary for all those who love detective stories to read. It is the basis of what we now enjoy as detective fiction, alludes to many of the classic detective fiction, and is a compelling murder mystery story in and of itself."

Travelling to its next reader, announced in Portugal.

It arrived last week. Its on my TBR pile. Thank you so much for sharing Passeur-X, it was a great early X-mas gift!

It was fascinating to read this historic book on detection. I usually don’t enjoy historic books that much but this one kept me going. At moments I was a bit lost on the opinions of every character in the book and all the secrecies surrounding the crime, but overall I enjoyed reading it and learning about what is behind detective stories.

Thanks so much for sharing this one! I will decide what to do with it next. I surely want to share it with detective stories’ lovers!

Sent as part of the EU Secret Santa exchange 2017. Hope you enjoy it!
Merry Xmas! And a happy 2018!

I am looking forward to read it ...

Thank you for the ornaments and the chocolate Santas :-)

Wish a happy 2018!

It will be taken to our meetup.

Happy reading!