A Twist of Murder by Heather Redmond

A Twist of Murder
by Heather Redmond

ISBN-13: 9781496737977
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: October 25th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Harrow-on-the-Hill, March 1836: In a sense, orphans Ollie, John, and Arthur have always been treasure hunters. The mudlarks have gone from a hardscrabble life scavenging the banks of the Thames for bits and bobs to becoming students at a boarding school outside of London, thanks to the kind and generous intercession of Charles Dickens. But now they’re missing—as is a treasure map. When Charles arrives at the school, he’s hit with another twist—the servant girl who was allegedly in possession of the map has been strangled in the icehouse. Unbeknownst to them on their spirited adventure, his young friends may be in mortal danger. Now Charles and his fiancée Kate Hogarth, who has come to join him in the search for the runaways.


My Review:
A Twist of Murder is a mystery set in 1836 in England. It's the fifth in a series. You don't need to read the previous book to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the previous mysteries. Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. The author tried to stay true to what is known about Charles Dickens' career and lifestyle in his early twenties. The main characters were likable and acted realistically.

There really wasn't much of a mystery since much of the focus was on solving the treasure map rather than solving the murder. The mystery wasn't the location of the missing boys (which was soon discovered) but who killed the maid, the cousin of Charles' friend, William. They investigated enough to determine a handful of suspects, then simply waited until whodunit voluntarily confessed. Ironically, someone even told them what was at the end of the treasure map, but they didn't pay any attention (like, question him about it). Much of the story was the treasure hunt and a cholera outbreak (full of gross details), which added suspense.

There was one use of British bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'll probably keep on reading the series because of the vivid, accurate historical details, so I'd recommend this book to fans of historicals.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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