IMOGEN ROBERTSON – Instruments of Darkness. Headline, UK, hardcover, May 2009. Pamela Dorman Books, US, hardcover, February 2011.

Genre:   Historical mystery. Leading characters: Gabriel Crowther/Harriet Westerman; 1st in series. Setting:   England, 1780.

First Sentence:   Gabriel Crowther opened his eyes.

    Harriet Westerman, wife of a navy commander, has given up sailing with her husband to raise their family and provide a home for her sister at Caverly Park in West Sussex. When she finds the body of a man whose throat has been slit, she summons help from anatomist Gabriel Crowther.

   The victim has a ring bearing the crest of neighboring Thornleigh Hall. Was the man Alexander Thornleigh, the missing heir to the Earl of Sussex?

   Meanwhile in London, music shop owner Alexander Adams is murdered. Before dying, he tells his daughter to find a box hidden under the counter. Was Alexander the missing heir and how can his children be removed from the city in spite of a killer and the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots?

   Wonderful characters make this book a treat to read. Jane Austin fans will quickly associate Harriet Westerman with Mrs. Croft, the captain’s wife from Persuasion.

   She has traveled, seen war, is outspoken and not to be put off. Her younger sister, Rachel Trench, is “Jane Eyre,” in her attraction to the war-wounded Hugh Thornleigh, younger brother of the missing Alexander and the Mr. Rochester of our story.

   Gabriel Crowther is a scientist, and something of a recluse until being pulled into the investigation by Harriet and his own curious mind. There are a lot of characters, including some real historical figures. It was occasionally difficult to keep track of who was who.

   However, they each played their part and added to the overall Gothic feel of the story. Ms. Robertson convincingly transported me to Georgian England in sight, sound, dialogue appropriate to the period and historical fact. I had not known of the Gordon Riots until now.

   She also includes a perspective of the American Revolution from the viewpoint of a British soldier. There is a lovely, Gothic feel to this book, but it was not perfect. Happily, in spite of identifying the villains fairly soon, the motive remained a secret until the end.

   Although the story did feel overlong, I was completely involved and never found myself skipping through it. The book was engrossing and suspenseful, with interesting historical information. The different threads of the plot were brought together well in a slightly overly dramatic fashion.

   The most important thing is whether I would read another book by this author. The answer is a definite “yes,” and the second (Anatomy of Murder ) is already on order.

Rating:   Good Plus.

NOTE: Visit the author’s blog at http://imogenrobertson.wordpress.com/