The Tin God

​This is the latest in a series of novels featuring Superintendent Tom Harper of the Leeds constabulary and the plot contains a strong personal component as it revolves around his wife Annabelle's decision to run for election as a Poor Law Guardian, along with several other women. As this is the late 19th Century when the sufragette movement was gathering momentum and public opinions could become heated and divided, she knows she has to face many challenges.

When things turn nasty and an innocent man is killed in an explosion at a venue, followed by other attempts to cause harm to the women standing for election, Harper is on a race to find and catch the culprit before his wife and even his little daughter, Mary, are put in further danger. The only clues seems to be some scraps of paper found at the scenes containing phrases from old songs that are about dying women. 

Meanwhile, former associate of Harper's, Inspector Billy Reed, now lives in Whitby where he is on the trail of a smuggling racket that seems to be linked to a known criminal from Leeds.

This novel has all the hallmarks of previous titles in the series with its excellent historical background coloured with the sights, sounds and atmosphere of Leeds (a lot of murky air and soot!) in its industrial heyday. Harper is always a solid figure and his hiding of his hearing loss from his higher authority give him an extra human quality. Annabelle, who is also the owner of the pub above which the family live, is also an admirable female lead.

Although enjoyable for the most part, there is rather too much padding and repetitive dialogue along the lines of .... we've got to get this chap before he does something worse ... and something worse happens ... we've got to get this chap ... something else happens ... we've got to get this chap ... and so it goes. When the culprit is finally revealed, it all feels rather flat as the individual remains shadowy throughout and there is little opportunity for the reader to do their own sleuthing. The sub-plot featuring Whitby can be skipped completely as it serves no purpose other than, perhaps, a way of keeping Inspector Reed alive for some future joint activity with Harper.

​Three stars.

​(With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.)


Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

​Booktopia

​

---