A Beautiful Blue Death

I don’t think this could be a spoiler, so I’m jumping in by saying how neat it was when I realized this was not about a beautiful death that was blue, but about a death by beautiful blue! Really cool!
You will of course have to read the book to understand what I’m talking about.

Charles Lenox, a private investigator and bachelor in his forties, enjoys spending some cozy time with his books and his pipe near the fire. By a cold Winter day in 1865, he receives a note from Lady Grey, a friend and neighbor. To please her, he accepts to investigate the death of Prudence, a former maid of hers.
He is helped by his butler Graham and a friend doctor Thomas, while Inspector Exeter from the Yard is his rival. How will Lenox see through the puzzling elements surrounding Prudence’s death and the many guests at her employer’s place, where her body was found?

I found the plot a bit complicated, but there were great red herrings and a nice twist when something happened to the main suspect…

I appreciated some interesting background facts, like the beginning of the fingerprint technique.
There were also fascinating descriptions of very poor and dangerous neighborhoods of London at the time, in contrast with the clubs where the rich and politically important regularly meet.

The author took great care in describing each character, but I think it was sometimes unnecessary and not helping at all with the story, for instance for with life of the doctor. But as this is the first volume of a series (10 published so far), these details could possibly be relevant to further volumes.

VERDICT: Butlers and rich employers mix in this mystery steeped in 19^th century London. To read near your fireplace.

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK?
Would you recommend
me to read the rest of the series?
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