Murder as a Fine Art

By: David Morrell

Narrated by: Matthew Wolf

A brilliant historical mystery series begins: in gaslit Victorian London, writer Thomas De Quincey must become a detective to clear his own name.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier.

The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts. Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.

In Murder as a Fine Art, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

Critic reviews

"Masterful . . . brilliantly plotted . . . evokes 1854 London with such finesse that you'll gear the hooves clattering on cobblestones, the racket of dustmen, and the shrill call of vendors."—Entertainment Weekly (Grade: A)

"Morrell writes action scenes like nobody's business."—New York Times Book Review

"A literary thriller that pushes the envelope"—Associated Press

Marvelous atmosphere, good mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author's meticulous research pays off as you follow a fictional version of Thomas de Quincey and his daughter through Victorian London. I normally am unpleasantly distracted when people of another age express modern views, but in the case of Emily de Quincey, it is quite plausible and in character for her. I learned so much about Victorian London from this novel, while enjoying the suspense and the characters. If you enjoy solidly researched, well-written historical mysteries, this should be right up your dark and deserted alley.

Very interesting historical fiction thriller!

It was a great story, compelling characters, and very historically accurate. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who like Murder mysteries, historical fiction, or any combination of the two!

Pretty good

The narrator did a fine job with district voices and read in a compelling fashion. The story is filled with fascinating details about Victorian England, weaving them into the narration sometimes seamlessly, sometimes more clumsily, but I found them always interesting. The plot is fair, and the antique design methods kept me engaged. once the killer is revealed conclusion seemed to be somewhat predictable and pat. Even so, I wondered if a sequel would be available with the 2 detectives and the daughter forming an interesting triangle.

Spellbinding!

Any additional comments?

If you love historical mysteries you won't be sorry you spent a credit on this one. Great storytelling and fascinating historical detail. I understand the author researched his brains out for this and it shows. And I was really happy to hear that a sequel is in the works. Go for it, you won't be sorry!

Ready for the next installment in the series!

If you could sum up Murder as a Fine Art in three words, what would they be?

Really good thriller

What other book might you compare Murder as a Fine Art to and why?

The Devil's Workshop by Alex Grecian comes to mind. I liked this one much better, though.

Which character – as performed by Matthew Wolf – was your favorite?

Wolf did a fantastic job with all of the characters, but hands down, he made de Quincy's the most interesting lively.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was a little too long for that, but if I'd have been on a long flight, then I certainly could have managed it.

Any additional comments?

I've already downloaded the second book in the series. Cannot wait to hear Inspector of the Dead.