Historia Magazine

The magazine of the Historical Writers Association

  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • New Books
    • TV, Film and Theatre
    • One From The Vaults
  • Latest Releases
  • Columns
    • Doctor Darwin’s Writing Tips
    • Watching History
    • Desert Island Books
  • Awards
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Historia in your inbox

Historical Crime Roundup

1 October 2014 By Imogen Robertson

Since I told our esteemed editors that I’d do a round up of some of the recent crime fiction published by HWA members, I’ve become overexcited and overwhelmed by the number of superb books that have published this year. It has, at least, made my Christmas shopping a bit easier, but my kindle has overloaded, the book shelves are cracking and I’m accosting strangers on the street with recommendations. Here are a few favourites.

REMARKABLE DEBUTS:

The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson (Hodder and Staughton) is on the Richard and Judy list, won the CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger and deserves all the praise it has received. Tom Hawkins is trapped in debtors prison in 1727 and must solve a murder to save himself. There is a palable sense of threat and fear in the novel which achieves a remarkable sense of its place and people with a light touch. A pitch perfect setting and a gripping plot to keep everyone up and reading late.

The Strangler Vine by MJ Carter (Penguin) is a beautifully assured offering, full of texture and colour. It is 1837 and a reluctant William Avery is dispatched from Calcutta to find a missing author. He is forced to travel with Jeremiah Blake, a man of dubious allegiance. Blake sheds the trappings of colonial ruler at the first opportunity while young Avery clings to them, making for a beautiful character study as well as a ripping yarn.

The Silversmith’s Wife by Sophia Tobin (Simon & Schuster) is another debut which is a pleasure to read, this time in 1792. The secrets of the characters are teased out in a book which is both psychologically acute and a full and fascinating portrait of the time in which is is set.

EXPERTS AT WORK:

The Silent Boy by Andrew Taylor (Harper Collins) Also set in 1792, The Silent Boy plunges the reader straight into the horrors of the French Revolution. From there we follow the boy of the title to Charnwood House in the English countryside. As always Taylor’s work is beautifully written with an engrossing mystery and characters that remain fully alive in the imagination long after you have closed the book.

England Expects by Sara Sheridan (Polygon) I’ve only just discovered Sara Sheriden’s Mirabelle Bevan mysteries and am now racing through her back list. This, the third in the series sees Mirabelle and her partner Vesta investigating the death of a racing journalist. 1950s Brighton, brilliantly evoked, is the backdrop for this very satisfying, classic detective story full of smart and vivid characters.

Tabula Rasa by Ruth Downie (Bloomsbury USA) This, the sixth in Downie’s series about the 2nd century medic, Gaius Petreius Ruso, sees her hero on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire where a great wall is being built. But is the wall build of blood as well as stone? Human, satisfying and meticulously researched, Downie’s series is always a pleasure to read. Full of wit, action and warmth.

Imogen Robertson‘s fifth Westerman and Crowther mystery Theft of Life and her Parisian set mystery Paris in Winter are also available.

Share this article:Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Email this to someone
email

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: crime, historical, Imogen Robertson, review

Search

Latest Releases

Spear by Nicola Griffith

24 May 2022

The Lying Dutchman by Graham Brack

20 May 2022

Dead in the Water by Mark Ellis

19 May 2022

See more new releases

Let’s stay in touch

Sign up for our monthly email newsletter:

Or follow us on social media:

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook

Editor’s Picks

Anglo-Saxon women with power and influence

30 May 2020

Dermot MacMurrough

The Other Conquest – 850th anniversary of the Norman invasion of Ireland

1 May 2019

Female Aviators of the Edwardian Era

5 May 2017

Popular Topics

16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 2020 Ancient Rome Andrew Taylor Anglo-Saxons author interview biography book review Catherine Hokin ebook Emma Darwin Giveaway historical crime historical fiction history HWA HWA Crown Awards HWA Debut Crown Award HWA Non-Fiction Crown interview Katherine Clements London Matthew Harffy medieval new release paperback research review Second World War Shortlist short stories the writing life Tudors TV drama TV review Vikings writer's life writing writing advice writing tips WWII

The Historical Writers’ Association

Historia Magazine is published by the Historical Writers’ Association. We are authors, publishers and agents of historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction. For information about membership and profiles of our member authors, please visit our website.

Read more about Historia or find out about advertising and promotional opportunities.

ISSN 2515-2254

Recent Additions

  • Spear by Nicola Griffith
  • History, historicity, historiography and Arthurian legend
  • The Lying Dutchman by Graham Brack

Search Historia

Contact us

If you would like to contact the editor of Historia, please email editor@historiamag.com.

Copyright © 2014–2022 The Historical Writers Association