Gallows Court

Rachel Savernake Golden Age Mysteries, Book 1

By: Martin Edwards

Narrated by: Sheila Mitchell

The first Golden Age-style mystery in the Rachel Savernake series… How close can one person get to a cruel justice system before falling victim to it?

London, 1930

Sooty, sulfurous, and malign: no woman should be out on a night like this. A spate of violent deaths—the details too foul to print—has horrified the capital and the smog-bound streets are deserted. But Rachel Savernake—the enigmatic daughter of a notorious hanging judge—is no ordinary woman. To Scotland Yard's embarrassment, she solved the Chorus Girl Murder, and now she's on the trail of another killer.

Jacob Flint, a young newspaperman temporarily manning The Clarion's crime desk, is looking for the scoop that will make his name. He's certain there is more to the Miss Savernake's amateur sleuthing than meets the eye. He's not the only one.

Flint's pursuit of Rachel Savernake will draw him ever deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder-by-murder, he'll be swept ever closer to its dark heart—and to the gallows themselves.

Dark, atmospheric, and hearkening back to the Golden Age mysteries, Gallows Court is:

• Perfect for fans of Sherry Thomas and Sophie Hannah
• For readers who enjoy British crime mysteries and historical fiction

©2019 Martin Edwards (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Intricate, gory, and creepy

I expected something quite different so I guess I’m surprised that I stuck with this to the unpleasant finale. I suppose the author did tie up the various plot threads but it was all discomforting. Gruesome revenge killings to atone for gruesome crimes and more killings is not exactly entertainment to me. A semi-clueless reporter wanders into a horrible crime ring and doesn’t really help solve anything but stays alive to tell the tale about switched identities and various perverse acts. Who is whose sister and who is not? And is it okay to kill people who are bad and get away with it? Not sure.