What The Critics Said

'Set in the mid-1920s in the turbulent run-up to the General Strike and the unrest of the fledgling Labour movement, it is richly imagined vision of an England divided by the mutual fear and hatred of the new wave of socialists and the old and privileged Establishment. Laurie R King’s research and scholarship bring the social and political aspects of the book to life, her writing is superb, descriptions of place and time are almost cinematographically lush, but it is the intelligence and strength with which she draws her characters – particularly the women – which carries this mystery far beyond the ordinary.'

Crime Review

'A wonderfully created novel...The characters were vivid and well presented and the settings were wonderfully described... Laurie R King has shown that she is indeed a very talented writer.'

The Bookbag

'A rich and diverse offering which challenges the mind and demands a single-sitting reading... Indeed, part of the pleasure of this novel is in the savouring, with the lead character of Bennett Grey a superb vehicle from whom to provide just one of the many perspectives in this book...[Laurie R King] continues to produce absolute gems.'

It's A Crime! (Or a Mystery!)

‘Daunting, mysterious, warm, inviting and ferocious. Read it!’

Historical Novels Review

‘Knotted with tension...A thriller of classic proportions’

Good Book Guide

‘Cinematic... Combines a compelling plot with a richly, even
lushly, imagined time and place’

Booklist

‘Intelligent, witty, complex and atmospheric...Spellbinding’

Washington Post