A Knife in the Fog

 A Knife in the Fog (2018) by Bradley Harper

Not long after the publication of A Study in Scarlet, Arthur Conan Doyle (not yet Sir), receives a message from former Prime Minister William Gladstone's secretary, Jonathan Wilkins, urgently asking him to come to come to London--"as many lives may lie upon its balance." Assuming that the summons is medical (though a bit mystified why Gladstone would call upon him), Doyle arranges to go. Only to find out that Gladstone wants him to work with the police to capture "Leather Apron" the killer of prostitutes who will soon become known as Jack the Ripper. Doyle feels completely inadequate, but when pressed says he will take up the commission on one condition--that his mentor Professor Joseph Bell (who served as the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes) agrees to work with him.

Wilkins agrees on Gladstone's behalf and also arranges for the men to have a guide in Whitechapel to help them navigate the unfamiliar world where the killer operates. He has selected Margaret Harkness, a journalist who writes about Whitechapel and the surrounding area under the name John Law. Harkness becomes a worthy member of the amateur detective team, more than proving her mettle when it comes to dealing with razor-bearing ruffians and thieves. She guides them to sites of the previous murders, introduces them to a working girl named Mary, and then shows them the way to future sites. Little by little, Bell and Doyle pick up pieces of the puzzle that will reveal who the killer is--but then the Ripper focuses on their team and the hunt becomes personal. Can they find him before one of their own becomes the next victim?

I am always up for a Holmes-adjacent story or a Jack the Ripper story. And, if you combine the two, even better. Jack the Ripper is one of the serial killers I can read about. I prefer my true crime/serial killers to have a bit of age on them. I'm not keen on true crime books about recent murders. Just my opinion, but I don't like to think of profiting off murders with current victims (family of those killed, for instance) still around to be hurt. Unless the goal is to provide a new perspective on an unsolved crime with the hopes of finally bringing closure, then I'd rather read about true crimes that are far removed from the present day. [Okay, I'll step down from my soapbox now....]

Since this is a work of fiction, Harper gives us a fictional solution to the murders even though he peoples the book with real people--from Doyle and Bell to Gladstone and Wilkins to Margaret Harkness and Inspector Abberline, as well as many others. While I was familiar with those who figured prominently in the Ripper investigation and knew a fair amount about Doyle and his mentor Bell, I was completely unfamiliar with Margaret Harkness. It was very interesting to learn about her journalistic work among the lower classes in London. Harper may have taken some liberties with her character and given her what seems like a more modern viewpoint, but given her dedication tot the under-represented in London's society at the time the liberties may not be as great as they appear.

The mystery is perfectly fine. Again, given that this is fiction, I was expecting Harper to give us a solution that satisfied his additions to the Ripper story. This means, unfortunately, that the person he's chosen to fill the Ripper's shoes doesn't come as a big surprise. The possible suspects aren't exactly thick on the ground. The wrap-up is a bit of a let-down--of course, the villain has it in for Doyle. Because reasons. The reason he selected Doyle as his opponent doesn't make a great deal of sense to me. Of course, given the state of the villain, perhaps it's not supposed to make sense--but one wishes it had. Overall, a perfectly fine, middle-of-the-road read. ★★★ 

First line: The small cardboard box arrived from Florence last month and sat unopened on my desk until today.

Last line: I miss you, dear friends. Happy New Year.
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Deaths = 9 (six strangled & stabbed; one poisoned; one hanged; one stabbed)