What do you think?
Rate this book
Barker & Llewelyn #7
Anatomy of Evil
In London of 1888, Private Enquiry Agent Cyrus Barker takes on his biggest case ever—the attempt to find and stop the killer terrorizing Whitechapel: Jack the Ripper
Cyrus Barker is undoubtedly England’s premiere private enquiry agent. With the help of his assistant Thomas Llewelyn, he’s developed an enviable reputation for discreetly solving some of the toughest, most consequential cases in recent history. But one evening in 1888, Robert Anderson, the head of Scotland Yard’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), appears at Barker’s office with an offer. A series of murders in the Whitechapel area of London are turning the city upside down, with tremendous pressure being brought to bear on Scotland Yard and the government itself.
Barker is to be named temporary envoy to the Royal Family with regard to the case while surreptitiously bringing his investigative skill to the case. With various elements of society, high and low, bringing their own agenda to increasingly shocking murders, Barker and Llewellyn must find and hunt down the century’s most notorious killer. The Whitechapel Killer has managed to elude the finest minds of Scotland Yard—and beyond—he’s never faced a mind as nimble and a man as skilled as Cyrus Barker. But even Barker’s prodigious skills may not be enough to track down a killer in time.
Cyrus Barker is undoubtedly England’s premiere private enquiry agent. With the help of his assistant Thomas Llewelyn, he’s developed an enviable reputation for discreetly solving some of the toughest, most consequential cases in recent history. But one evening in 1888, Robert Anderson, the head of Scotland Yard’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), appears at Barker’s office with an offer. A series of murders in the Whitechapel area of London are turning the city upside down, with tremendous pressure being brought to bear on Scotland Yard and the government itself.
Barker is to be named temporary envoy to the Royal Family with regard to the case while surreptitiously bringing his investigative skill to the case. With various elements of society, high and low, bringing their own agenda to increasingly shocking murders, Barker and Llewellyn must find and hunt down the century’s most notorious killer. The Whitechapel Killer has managed to elude the finest minds of Scotland Yard—and beyond—he’s never faced a mind as nimble and a man as skilled as Cyrus Barker. But even Barker’s prodigious skills may not be enough to track down a killer in time.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2015
192 people are currently reading
1,623 people want to read
About the author
Will Thomas
40books1,059followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Will Thomas, born 1958 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is a novelist who writes a Victorian mystery series featuring Cyrus Barker, a Scottish detective or "private enquiry agent," and his Welsh assistant, Thomas Llewelyn. The Barker/Llewelyn novels are set in the 1880s and often feature historical events, people, and movements. Martial combat is a recurring theme throughout this hardboiled series.
Prior to writing novels, Will Thomas wrote essays for Sherlock Holmes society publications and lectured on crime fiction of the Victorian era.
Will Thomas' first novel, Some Danger Involved, was nominated for a Barry Award and a Shamus Award, and won the 2005 Oklahoma Book Award. In 2015, he won the Oklahoma Book Award a second time for Fatal Enquiry. Will Thomas has been featured on the cover of Library Journal, and was the Toastmaster at the 2007 Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave in Manhattan, Kansas. His fifth novel, The Black Hand, was nominated for a 2009 Shamus Award. He is married to author Julia Bryan Thomas.
Series:
.
Will Thomas, born 1958 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is a novelist who writes a Victorian mystery series featuring Cyrus Barker, a Scottish detective or "private enquiry agent," and his Welsh assistant, Thomas Llewelyn. The Barker/Llewelyn novels are set in the 1880s and often feature historical events, people, and movements. Martial combat is a recurring theme throughout this hardboiled series.
Prior to writing novels, Will Thomas wrote essays for Sherlock Holmes society publications and lectured on crime fiction of the Victorian era.
Will Thomas' first novel, Some Danger Involved, was nominated for a Barry Award and a Shamus Award, and won the 2005 Oklahoma Book Award. In 2015, he won the Oklahoma Book Award a second time for Fatal Enquiry. Will Thomas has been featured on the cover of Library Journal, and was the Toastmaster at the 2007 Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave in Manhattan, Kansas. His fifth novel, The Black Hand, was nominated for a 2009 Shamus Award. He is married to author Julia Bryan Thomas.
Series:
.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
December 20, 2023
The book is read by Anthony Ferguson, and he does a fantastic job of with each character's voice. Jack the Ripper books are not a favorite of mine, but I do enjoy this series and it is on the free side of audible. The majority of readers enjoyed this book, and I thought it was more a well-done description of the life of the poor in Victorian England rather than a gripping murder mystery. Interesting that the murder is named (or to the authors best guess) at the end of the book. 3.5*
May 25, 2019
Every Victorian detective has to face Jack the Ripper, and it's Cyrus Barker's turn in this book. He and Llewlyn take over Scotland Yard and comb the byways of London looking for the killer.
For once, it seems like there is a great many English people in England, as opposed to the prior books, where it seemed like London was populated by everybody BUT the English. This novel focuses mostly on the poor people living there, and fair enough, as there were quite a lot of them.
The Ripper is in line with the current prevailing theory, which is also more than fair.
For once, it seems like there is a great many English people in England, as opposed to the prior books, where it seemed like London was populated by everybody BUT the English. This novel focuses mostly on the poor people living there, and fair enough, as there were quite a lot of them.
The Ripper is in line with the current prevailing theory, which is also more than fair.
May 9, 2015
First Sentence: I understand it is said in scientific circles that if one attempts to boil a frog, it will jump out of the pot, but it one raises the temperature of the water slowly it will never notice the difference until it is too late.
“Unfortunate� women are being brutally murdered in the alleys of Whitechapel. The head of Scotland Yard’s CID comes to private enquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant, Thomas Llewelyn, asks that they accept a temporary post within the Department to bring the killer to justice. In the process, they have to navigate interagency maneuverings, a possible connection with the Royal Family, and possible pogram against London’s Jewish community.
From the very beginning, we are treated to both a wonderful narrative, as well as a tease of things to come…”We were not aware, my employer, Cyrus Barker, and I, that events of historic significance were happening around us. As usual, I was merely trying to get from point A, January 1, to point B, December 31, in one solid and very much living piece.� Sadly, the tease is followed by a much-hated and unnecessary portent.
The characters of Llewelyn, the narrator, and Barker, his employer, are wonderful and fascinating. Thomas takes us down the sordid streets of Whitechapel and into the Jewish Ghetto. Barker is a rather enigmatic, yet beguiling, character. He is an encyclopedia of skills, knowledge and Biblical quotations. With both, we have learned bits of their background in previous books, yet learn even more in this entry to the series. That is not to say that new readers will feel lost or confused. There are ample bits of information to bring these characters fully to life.
Thomas excels at including real places and people into the story in a completely realistic manner. This gives veracity to the story. One also appreciates the Afterword providing information as to what happens with each of these figures.
The quality of Thomas� writing is such that one doesn’t race through his books, but takes the time to savour and contemplate…”So, as I said, an hour and half ticked by very slowly. Ninety minutes, five thousand and four hundred seconds subtracted from my life. Shakespeare could have perfected a sonnet in that time, and Mozart a short libretto, if not a full score. Not that Thomas Llewelyn could have written a sonnet or libretto, but I might have at least enjoyed the chance.�
It is fascinating the things one learns from a excellent author; the difference between cobblestones and limestone setts. Thomas is an author who educates readers on a vast array of subjects, as well as entertains. He makes you thinks, such as in Thomas� observations of the poor…”Anything of value whatsoever, from bits of broken glass from ale bottles to the very night soil left behind by workhorses, would be collected and sold by someone locally to whoever could turn a profit on it.�
There is so much one cam compliment about Thomas� writing. He has taken a much-trod subject and made it unique. He has humanized the victims in a way not previously done. Yet he also shows that bigotry, particularly discrimination on all levels against the Jews, has always been with us and that “Man requires no inspiration of hellishness, Thomas. He can be plenty even on his own. � No religion is proof against madmen. Not even Christianity.�
“Anatomy of Evil� is another look at the Jack the Ripper case, as it came to be known. But rather than focus on the killings themselves, Thomas� presents a new view of the internal politics involved, and a fictionalized, fascinating and exciting investigation with a climax filled with excitement, tension and suspense, leading to a wonderful ending. It certainly leaves readers ready and anxious for the next book.
ANATOMY OF EVIL (Hist Mys/Enq. Agents- Barker and Llewelyn-Longon-1888) - Ex
Thomas, Will � 7th in series
Minotaur Books � May 2015
“Unfortunate� women are being brutally murdered in the alleys of Whitechapel. The head of Scotland Yard’s CID comes to private enquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant, Thomas Llewelyn, asks that they accept a temporary post within the Department to bring the killer to justice. In the process, they have to navigate interagency maneuverings, a possible connection with the Royal Family, and possible pogram against London’s Jewish community.
From the very beginning, we are treated to both a wonderful narrative, as well as a tease of things to come…”We were not aware, my employer, Cyrus Barker, and I, that events of historic significance were happening around us. As usual, I was merely trying to get from point A, January 1, to point B, December 31, in one solid and very much living piece.� Sadly, the tease is followed by a much-hated and unnecessary portent.
The characters of Llewelyn, the narrator, and Barker, his employer, are wonderful and fascinating. Thomas takes us down the sordid streets of Whitechapel and into the Jewish Ghetto. Barker is a rather enigmatic, yet beguiling, character. He is an encyclopedia of skills, knowledge and Biblical quotations. With both, we have learned bits of their background in previous books, yet learn even more in this entry to the series. That is not to say that new readers will feel lost or confused. There are ample bits of information to bring these characters fully to life.
Thomas excels at including real places and people into the story in a completely realistic manner. This gives veracity to the story. One also appreciates the Afterword providing information as to what happens with each of these figures.
The quality of Thomas� writing is such that one doesn’t race through his books, but takes the time to savour and contemplate…”So, as I said, an hour and half ticked by very slowly. Ninety minutes, five thousand and four hundred seconds subtracted from my life. Shakespeare could have perfected a sonnet in that time, and Mozart a short libretto, if not a full score. Not that Thomas Llewelyn could have written a sonnet or libretto, but I might have at least enjoyed the chance.�
It is fascinating the things one learns from a excellent author; the difference between cobblestones and limestone setts. Thomas is an author who educates readers on a vast array of subjects, as well as entertains. He makes you thinks, such as in Thomas� observations of the poor…”Anything of value whatsoever, from bits of broken glass from ale bottles to the very night soil left behind by workhorses, would be collected and sold by someone locally to whoever could turn a profit on it.�
There is so much one cam compliment about Thomas� writing. He has taken a much-trod subject and made it unique. He has humanized the victims in a way not previously done. Yet he also shows that bigotry, particularly discrimination on all levels against the Jews, has always been with us and that “Man requires no inspiration of hellishness, Thomas. He can be plenty even on his own. � No religion is proof against madmen. Not even Christianity.�
“Anatomy of Evil� is another look at the Jack the Ripper case, as it came to be known. But rather than focus on the killings themselves, Thomas� presents a new view of the internal politics involved, and a fictionalized, fascinating and exciting investigation with a climax filled with excitement, tension and suspense, leading to a wonderful ending. It certainly leaves readers ready and anxious for the next book.
ANATOMY OF EVIL (Hist Mys/Enq. Agents- Barker and Llewelyn-Longon-1888) - Ex
Thomas, Will � 7th in series
Minotaur Books � May 2015
January 19, 2016
Now this is the gritty Victorian London I have come to know and love! Where I felt the previous book in this series lacked a strong sense of setting, I was thrilled to find myself immersed in the heart of 19th century Whitechapel with this one. Once again, the author seamlessly blends historical fact with literary invention to create an intriguing tale which kept me coming back for more. What is new with this one is that it is very much Llewelyn's story in a way that the others have not been, and it is interesting to see his character fully realized. I also found this one to contain some of the most beautiful writing I have read from this author, at the scene of Catherine Eddowes's burial. I'm so glad I read this one and looking forward to more in the series.
June 25, 2024
Over the last few weeks I've been reviewing all of this series, and I'm up to book 8. Binging a literary series just takes a bit longer than a video version.
This installment deals with the story everyone knows: Jack the Ripper. What it also gives the reader is a great background of how the Londoners, the police, and the culture of the time treated the "unfortunates" aka middle aged prostitutes. Llewelyn's attitude towards them evolved as the story unfolded, especially after he stood close by during one of the autopsies.
One of the things that makes this such a great series is the variety of the plots, the murders, and the way they are resolved. In this story the plight of the constables and other branches of law enforcement alternately helped each other, hindered them, and actively kept important clues from the others. Mental illness during the late 1800s left a lot to be desired, and became a part of the plot. Llewellyn did not end up in the hospital as it went along, but he'll never look at a coal chute the same way again. Highly recommended.
This installment deals with the story everyone knows: Jack the Ripper. What it also gives the reader is a great background of how the Londoners, the police, and the culture of the time treated the "unfortunates" aka middle aged prostitutes. Llewelyn's attitude towards them evolved as the story unfolded, especially after he stood close by during one of the autopsies.
One of the things that makes this such a great series is the variety of the plots, the murders, and the way they are resolved. In this story the plight of the constables and other branches of law enforcement alternately helped each other, hindered them, and actively kept important clues from the others. Mental illness during the late 1800s left a lot to be desired, and became a part of the plot. Llewellyn did not end up in the hospital as it went along, but he'll never look at a coal chute the same way again. Highly recommended.
February 26, 2018
I love Barker & Llewelyn, I really do. Yet when they or really their author, Will Thomas, take on the Ripper and chooses one of the actual suspects to nab, I have to put my foot down. As much as I enjoyed reading about their ways of going about the hunt and their interactions with Scotland Yard during the investigation, when anyone chooses their favorite Ripper suspect and points a finger toward him, in fiction or non-fiction, I cry foul.
1. It is like jumping on the cash cow bandwagon. Every book, again fiction or non-fiction, that does so is guaranteed more press and sales whether they have a crackpot reasoning or even a sensible one.
2. There is not enough evidence anymore to safely identify the actual ripper and anyone doing so is total conjecture and possibly dangerous.
And in the case of Barker & Llewelyn...
3. The characters are known to and should be celebrated for their attitude towards diversity and for them to possibly against that (Will leave out spoilers) disputes what we've come to know about them in the earlier 6 books.
That being said, I love the characters, we get to learn a bit more about them both and it won't stop me from reading the rest of the series.
I may go on a bit of a Ripper tirade every once in a while...ok, every time there is a book about him. I can't really blame those that do take him on, it's like catnip. Perhaps that is one of my major issues, it's too easy and if I read or hear of one more book that says that THEY have if figured out once and for all, I may puke.
1. It is like jumping on the cash cow bandwagon. Every book, again fiction or non-fiction, that does so is guaranteed more press and sales whether they have a crackpot reasoning or even a sensible one.
2. There is not enough evidence anymore to safely identify the actual ripper and anyone doing so is total conjecture and possibly dangerous.
And in the case of Barker & Llewelyn...
3. The characters are known to and should be celebrated for their attitude towards diversity and for them to possibly against that (Will leave out spoilers) disputes what we've come to know about them in the earlier 6 books.
That being said, I love the characters, we get to learn a bit more about them both and it won't stop me from reading the rest of the series.
I may go on a bit of a Ripper tirade every once in a while...ok, every time there is a book about him. I can't really blame those that do take him on, it's like catnip. Perhaps that is one of my major issues, it's too easy and if I read or hear of one more book that says that THEY have if figured out once and for all, I may puke.
December 19, 2017
This series usually involves more unique crimes, but this one treads the tired territory of Jack the Ripper. I no longer want to read about mutilated women and autopsies. I also thought it was a mistake to incorporate Barker and Llewelyn into Scotland Yard. They should not have to follow procedures or deal with the bureaucracy. This was my least favorite of the series. However, I've read all of the previous books and still like the characters so I will continue with the series.
March 28, 2022
I originally picked this book up because I absolutely am fascinated by this London time period and of course, with Jack the Ripper. I mean, come on, it's one of the most talked about unsolved case of all time only rival to possibly the Zodiac killer. I was hoping for a fast paced mystery soaked in atmosphere and character. What I got instead was pretty much just reading about a boys club with some sleuthing happening.
Despite this being in the middle of a series, I was able to follow along quite well. From what I gathered, each book follows a separate case so the only thing I have missed out on was the little nuances and small histories from the characters. But in all honesty, the characters weren't interesting enough for me to really be bothered.
What I liked about it was that the author did seem to do his research on the era, victims, and even the suspects of the case. But what I didn't like was how much of the book was just spent talking about how great they were at what they did while actually doing nothing. It felt very much like the poor man's Holmes & Watson. I don't think I care to read anything else from this series.
Despite this being in the middle of a series, I was able to follow along quite well. From what I gathered, each book follows a separate case so the only thing I have missed out on was the little nuances and small histories from the characters. But in all honesty, the characters weren't interesting enough for me to really be bothered.
What I liked about it was that the author did seem to do his research on the era, victims, and even the suspects of the case. But what I didn't like was how much of the book was just spent talking about how great they were at what they did while actually doing nothing. It felt very much like the poor man's Holmes & Watson. I don't think I care to read anything else from this series.
February 23, 2019
I enjoyed this instalment - Barker and Llewelyn take on Jack the Ripper for Scotland Yard. A nice twist on the usual cases - and a good mix of fiction and fact in these pages.
August 26, 2015
This book was tough to get into for me, even though it is the latest in one of my favorite historical mystery series. I knew there were many theories as to the identity of Jack the Ripper, but I thought it was still unsolved; I felt like I knew the outcome (no solution to the mystery) so I was hesitant to dive in. Will Thomas has never failed to entertain and engross me with the fabulous duo of Barker and Llewellyn and their gritty Victorian London before, though, so I finally dived in and was amply rewarded with a gripping, exciting, mystery and a fascinating glimpse into the power politics behind the terrifying case.
There were some flaws for me, though, which I'm willing to overlook because I was so engaged with the wise, mysterious and deeply empathetic Barker and his charming, clever (and sometimes snarky) young assistant, Llewelyn, who really comes into his own with this horrifying case. Thomas does a wonderful job of making the legendary facts and horrors of the case immediate and tangible, as they must have been for the frustrated Scotland Yard detectives and constables who first saw those pitiful, butchered "Unfortunates" as the Ripper wreaked havoc in Whitechapel. What wasn't so clear to me, however, was how the investigation was actually proceeding; we see what Barker and Llewelyn are doing to find the killer, but as for the rest of Scotland Yard, we only hear second hand what they're up to as Barker reports to the Queen's private secretary or the commissioner. It seems like a strange disconnect - because of politics other inspectors aren't sharing information so our duo has to listen for rumors or scraps of information as they would in a private enquiry; also, I felt there was a strange, padded feel to the middle of the book, as Thomas had to fill the time the Ripper actually operated with our heroes staying busy or moving around the periphery of the official investigation. They are in Scotland Yard during the day, but we don't know what Barker is actually doing at that time, while Thomas apparently makes tea and runs around with messages. They begin to head back to their own closed office (one of the requirements of the investigation), and in the last 50 pages or so Thomas has Jeremy, their office clerk, say something and then throws in a random physical description of the clerk. Huh? It just seemed odd and out of context, a feeling I had throughout the book, like it was filler or random info that didn't really add anything. Then, suddenly, the detectives get inspired to try a whole new direction in their investigation, and we're back to a traditional detective story with an exciting, climactic surprise ending.
So, although this outing felt different then the others, I still very much enjoyed it overall and look forward to the next in the series - some interesting personal story lines were left hanging and I look forward to seeing them resolved. As always, Will Thomas' research shines through and he gives us a fascinating look at the underbelly of Victorian London and Scotland Yard, along with learning more about these two wonderful characters, Barker and Llewelyn - what more could you ask for? Recommended.
There were some flaws for me, though, which I'm willing to overlook because I was so engaged with the wise, mysterious and deeply empathetic Barker and his charming, clever (and sometimes snarky) young assistant, Llewelyn, who really comes into his own with this horrifying case. Thomas does a wonderful job of making the legendary facts and horrors of the case immediate and tangible, as they must have been for the frustrated Scotland Yard detectives and constables who first saw those pitiful, butchered "Unfortunates" as the Ripper wreaked havoc in Whitechapel. What wasn't so clear to me, however, was how the investigation was actually proceeding; we see what Barker and Llewelyn are doing to find the killer, but as for the rest of Scotland Yard, we only hear second hand what they're up to as Barker reports to the Queen's private secretary or the commissioner. It seems like a strange disconnect - because of politics other inspectors aren't sharing information so our duo has to listen for rumors or scraps of information as they would in a private enquiry; also, I felt there was a strange, padded feel to the middle of the book, as Thomas had to fill the time the Ripper actually operated with our heroes staying busy or moving around the periphery of the official investigation. They are in Scotland Yard during the day, but we don't know what Barker is actually doing at that time, while Thomas apparently makes tea and runs around with messages. They begin to head back to their own closed office (one of the requirements of the investigation), and in the last 50 pages or so Thomas has Jeremy, their office clerk, say something and then throws in a random physical description of the clerk. Huh? It just seemed odd and out of context, a feeling I had throughout the book, like it was filler or random info that didn't really add anything. Then, suddenly, the detectives get inspired to try a whole new direction in their investigation, and we're back to a traditional detective story with an exciting, climactic surprise ending.
So, although this outing felt different then the others, I still very much enjoyed it overall and look forward to the next in the series - some interesting personal story lines were left hanging and I look forward to seeing them resolved. As always, Will Thomas' research shines through and he gives us a fascinating look at the underbelly of Victorian London and Scotland Yard, along with learning more about these two wonderful characters, Barker and Llewelyn - what more could you ask for? Recommended.
December 25, 2017
There is good and bad in this book.
The bad first. It’s a book based on Jack the Ripper. While it’s logical for Thomas to pen such a book since Barker and Llewellyn live in that era, I would have preferred he pursued another plot line. This is a serial killer novel, serial killer novels have been done to death, and at their heart all serial killer novels are based on the Jack the Ripper story.
The good is this is a Will Thomas book. That means it’s a well-told, engaging story. Thomas’s writing even mirrors other authors of that time, like Arthur Conan Doyle. Writing in a style similar to authors from that era only enhances the richness of his stories.
The next book in this series is on my ‘To Read� list.
The bad first. It’s a book based on Jack the Ripper. While it’s logical for Thomas to pen such a book since Barker and Llewellyn live in that era, I would have preferred he pursued another plot line. This is a serial killer novel, serial killer novels have been done to death, and at their heart all serial killer novels are based on the Jack the Ripper story.
The good is this is a Will Thomas book. That means it’s a well-told, engaging story. Thomas’s writing even mirrors other authors of that time, like Arthur Conan Doyle. Writing in a style similar to authors from that era only enhances the richness of his stories.
The next book in this series is on my ‘To Read� list.
January 17, 2024
This totally deserves a 5 star rating. Barker and Llewelyn step out of their comfort zone to pursue London's most notorious killer. Now one of my favorite duos, Barker and Llewelyn, their friendship and loyalty is genuine. They work their cases with dedication and appropriate humor. Love this series. If books one and two are a bit difficult to get through, start at book 3.
I sincerely believe the author has hit his stride by the 3rd installment. And the series from there is pure enjoyment.
I sincerely believe the author has hit his stride by the 3rd installment. And the series from there is pure enjoyment.
July 13, 2015
Another adventure with Barker and Llewelyn, but I found the story line drags with this one and there are not the usual twists and turns.
August 11, 2023
Jack the Ripper, huh. Hard to stay true to history and bring the book to a satisfactory conclusion. Only moderately successful IMO.
August 18, 2018
After Fatal Inquiry, I think, the Baker and Llewelyn series now stands as one of the best historical mystery series currently running and as the best one set in Victorian London--the world of Sherlock Holmes. I love the series. But I only liked this book.
One reason that I did not love it is that it deals largely with historical facts in a way that is not really historical. Thomas inserts his detectives into the famous Whitechapel murders ("Jack the Ripper") and puts them alongside the actual historical detectives interviewing the actual historical suspects, one of whom really did commit the crime in ways that don't really fit the history. At this point, the novel becomes alternative history, since, on our timeline, the murders really are unsolved.
But the author's desire to make this as historically accurate as possible (before the denouement) makes for a clunky murder mystery. It requires too many blind alleys and extraneous information--because that is how the real Whitechapel murder investigation unfolded. Good history usually makes for a chaotic and unfocused story.
All that said, the series remains strong. The characters are well developed and the plots are interesting. So it is on to Book Eight.
One reason that I did not love it is that it deals largely with historical facts in a way that is not really historical. Thomas inserts his detectives into the famous Whitechapel murders ("Jack the Ripper") and puts them alongside the actual historical detectives interviewing the actual historical suspects, one of whom really did commit the crime in ways that don't really fit the history. At this point, the novel becomes alternative history, since, on our timeline, the murders really are unsolved.
But the author's desire to make this as historically accurate as possible (before the denouement) makes for a clunky murder mystery. It requires too many blind alleys and extraneous information--because that is how the real Whitechapel murder investigation unfolded. Good history usually makes for a chaotic and unfocused story.
All that said, the series remains strong. The characters are well developed and the plots are interesting. So it is on to Book Eight.
January 13, 2020
Cyrus Barker is undoubtedly England's premiere private enquiry agent. With the help of his assistant Thomas Llewelyn, he's developed an enviable reputation for discreetly solving some of the toughest, most consequential cases in recent history. But one evening in 1888, Robert Anderson, the head of Scotland Yard's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), appears at Barker's office with an offer. A series of murders in the Whitechapel area of London are turning the city upside down, with tremendous pressure being brought to bear on Scotland Yard and the government itself.
Barker is to be named temporary envoy to the Royal Family with regard to the case while surreptitiously bringing his investigative skill to the case. With various elements of society, high and low, bringing their own agenda to increasingly shocking murders, Barker and Llewellyn must find and hunt down the century's most notorious killer. The Whitechapel Killer has managed to elude the finest minds of Scotland Yard—and beyond—he's never faced a mind as nimble and a man as skilled as Cyrus Barker. But even Barker's prodigious skills may not be enough to track down a killer in time.
Barker is to be named temporary envoy to the Royal Family with regard to the case while surreptitiously bringing his investigative skill to the case. With various elements of society, high and low, bringing their own agenda to increasingly shocking murders, Barker and Llewellyn must find and hunt down the century's most notorious killer. The Whitechapel Killer has managed to elude the finest minds of Scotland Yard—and beyond—he's never faced a mind as nimble and a man as skilled as Cyrus Barker. But even Barker's prodigious skills may not be enough to track down a killer in time.
September 4, 2024
Getting to know more about Barker is something like getting to know more about a new neighbor and pretty sure you will become friends. Llewelyn is an open book. This series is holding up. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
April 12, 2020
Another fascinating story of the private inquiry agents and more on Charles Barker’s background revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed the hunt for Jack the Ripper amid the political goings on at Scotland Yard. A different look at the story presented with all the ‘facts� we all know.
August 30, 2016
The one killer in all of history who simply refuses to go quietly into that good night is Jack the Ripper. Crime fiction is awash with books about his crime spree and his identity. Most of them are forgettable, but Will Thomas's Anatomy of Evil manages to put a whole new spin on the case and becomes very memorable as a result. How does Thomas do this?
First, he puts his very unconventional private enquiry agents (Barker refuses to be called a "private detective") Barker and Llewelyn right in the midst of Scotland Yard, combining their skills and contacts with all the information and man power that Scotland Yard has at its disposal. What the two men walk into is a jurisdictional nightmare of infighting and jockeying for position among the higher-ups. Thomas makes this much clearer than so many other fictional accounts have done in the past.
Another area in which Thomas excels is with the murder victims themselves. Many other writers have tended to list the women merely as drunks and prostitutes... and as so much dead meat. Will Thomas gives them a measure of dignity by Barker's and Llewelyn's attendance and behavior at a postmortem and a funeral. Very nicely done, even if some readers may complain that he's giving twenty-first century attitudes to nineteenth century men. People with "finer feelings" certainly existed in Victorian England after all.
The slower pace of Anatomy of Evil illustrates how exhausting it was to slog through thousands of clues and suspects while trying to prevent the very real threats of riots, pogroms, and more murders, and simultaneously sidestepping the well-meant meddling of Queen Victoria. Of course the book covers the same old ground (how could it not?), but Thomas manages to put a freshness to it that I haven't seen in a long time-- and his choice for the true identity of Jack the Ripper? Well, see for yourself!
If you haven't read a Barker and Llewelyn mystery before, and you love historical mysteries that bring Victorian London to life, you are in for a treat. Since these characters do grow and change, I would suggest that you begin at the beginning with Some Danger Involved. The only thing that's left to say is Enjoy!
First, he puts his very unconventional private enquiry agents (Barker refuses to be called a "private detective") Barker and Llewelyn right in the midst of Scotland Yard, combining their skills and contacts with all the information and man power that Scotland Yard has at its disposal. What the two men walk into is a jurisdictional nightmare of infighting and jockeying for position among the higher-ups. Thomas makes this much clearer than so many other fictional accounts have done in the past.
Another area in which Thomas excels is with the murder victims themselves. Many other writers have tended to list the women merely as drunks and prostitutes... and as so much dead meat. Will Thomas gives them a measure of dignity by Barker's and Llewelyn's attendance and behavior at a postmortem and a funeral. Very nicely done, even if some readers may complain that he's giving twenty-first century attitudes to nineteenth century men. People with "finer feelings" certainly existed in Victorian England after all.
The slower pace of Anatomy of Evil illustrates how exhausting it was to slog through thousands of clues and suspects while trying to prevent the very real threats of riots, pogroms, and more murders, and simultaneously sidestepping the well-meant meddling of Queen Victoria. Of course the book covers the same old ground (how could it not?), but Thomas manages to put a freshness to it that I haven't seen in a long time-- and his choice for the true identity of Jack the Ripper? Well, see for yourself!
If you haven't read a Barker and Llewelyn mystery before, and you love historical mysteries that bring Victorian London to life, you are in for a treat. Since these characters do grow and change, I would suggest that you begin at the beginning with Some Danger Involved. The only thing that's left to say is Enjoy!
February 24, 2022
I’ve enjoyed the series up to this point, and the previous volume was my favorite so far. But if this one had been the first book I’d read it would’ve also been the last. First, it’s quite gory. I’m giving the author the benefit of the doubt that he only including such intensely detailed descriptions of mutilated corpses because he felt readers of detective novels would expect it. I skipped over those scenes as best I could, but still found them very disturbing and off-putting.
Second, the author uses the characters to push an agenda in a very preachy and heavy-handed way that pulled me out of the story more than once. I’m fine with characters having strong views about things (whether I agree with them or not). It makes them believable and adds dimension. But when the author puts them on a soap box it’s annoying.
Third, Jack the Ripper has never been identified, so I expected this to become Barker’s and Llewelyn’s one unsolved case and was interested to see how that would play out. I’m disappointed the author had them “solve� it. My suspension of disbelief doesn’t stretch that far.
Beyond that, the plot meandered and had random unconnected things thrown in (like Scotland Yard politics and Llewelyn’s love interest from book one suddenly being portrayed as someone he never got over, though we know very well from intervening books that he had moved on). It's possible they were included to set some things up for future books, but they felt tacked on here.
Finally, this installment could’ve used another editing pass to clean up the grammar. I enjoy the characters and plan to continue on in the series (after a break). Hopefully, this book was just an anomaly.
Second, the author uses the characters to push an agenda in a very preachy and heavy-handed way that pulled me out of the story more than once. I’m fine with characters having strong views about things (whether I agree with them or not). It makes them believable and adds dimension. But when the author puts them on a soap box it’s annoying.
Third, Jack the Ripper has never been identified, so I expected this to become Barker’s and Llewelyn’s one unsolved case and was interested to see how that would play out. I’m disappointed the author had them “solve� it. My suspension of disbelief doesn’t stretch that far.
Beyond that, the plot meandered and had random unconnected things thrown in (like Scotland Yard politics and Llewelyn’s love interest from book one suddenly being portrayed as someone he never got over, though we know very well from intervening books that he had moved on). It's possible they were included to set some things up for future books, but they felt tacked on here.
Finally, this installment could’ve used another editing pass to clean up the grammar. I enjoy the characters and plan to continue on in the series (after a break). Hopefully, this book was just an anomaly.
July 14, 2015
I had been waiting for this book to come out, and author Will Thomas doesn't disappoint in this seventh and latest installment in the series set in Victorian London. As narrator (and sidekick to the enigmatic Cyrus Barker, greatest public enquiry agent in the land) Thomas Llewelyn really comes into his own in this volume. I always identify with him, and I delight and take pleasure in how Thomas has grown the character over time. Here they confront the classic serial killer Jack the Ripper (it had to happen, eventually, given the context) and I, for one, like the way the author integrated our fictional heroes into the historical account many of us are already familiar with. We also get some useful backstory flushed out on Cyrus's early years when he returned to the U.K. from China.
May 19, 2015
Once again, Will Thomas offers a page-turning tale featuring his irascible pair of enquiry agents, Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewellyn. This time, Scotland Yard comes calling - it seems a killer is on the loose in Whitechapel. Yes, the Ripper - and following Mr. B and Mr. L into London's East End makes for an in-depth and fascinating view of life in 1888. A ripping story, Mr. Thomas. Well done, indeed - and the best yet in this series.
July 24, 2015
Barker and Llewelyn take on the Jack the Ripper case at the request of Scotland Yard, closing the private enquiry agency for the duration, pounding the streets of Whitechapel in hopes of catching the Fiend.
It's a very Boys' Book kind of story. The historical detail about the neighborhood, its politics, the interdepartmental police rivalries and the anti-Semitism is interesting but we don't really learn anything new about the main characters and the ending is rather a foregone conclusion.
It's a very Boys' Book kind of story. The historical detail about the neighborhood, its politics, the interdepartmental police rivalries and the anti-Semitism is interesting but we don't really learn anything new about the main characters and the ending is rather a foregone conclusion.
November 24, 2016
I've now read the first seven novels in this fascinating series set in Victorian London.
August 6, 2018
I'm not a huge fan of taking fictional characters and making them the hero of historical events, and in just about every take on the Ripper case I've scene, the writer can't resist the temptation to both a) name the fellow he thinks is the guy and b) have his/her hero catch him.
Thomas is no exception, sadly. Not only that, but the focus of the book is on his characterization of the various real life members of the Yard and others involved in the case, rather than his fiction characters that we've come to know in the first 6 books. Barker is barely more than wallpaper in the story, and there's no sign of most of the supporting cast.
There are 2 major developments for Thomas, but those can be scene in the last 5 pages.. one doesn't need to read that whole book for them.
If you're a Ripper afficiando, this is just as good a take as any I've read, but as an entry in the series, it feels more like something that had to be done because of the time period.
Thomas is no exception, sadly. Not only that, but the focus of the book is on his characterization of the various real life members of the Yard and others involved in the case, rather than his fiction characters that we've come to know in the first 6 books. Barker is barely more than wallpaper in the story, and there's no sign of most of the supporting cast.
There are 2 major developments for Thomas, but those can be scene in the last 5 pages.. one doesn't need to read that whole book for them.
If you're a Ripper afficiando, this is just as good a take as any I've read, but as an entry in the series, it feels more like something that had to be done because of the time period.
October 28, 2020
Barker & Llewelyn is such a wonderful new series. I leaped into the series on book 7. I wish I had started with book one. I will of course do so as soon as possible. In this book they are investigating Whitechapel murders or Jack the Ripper. The way London was on tenderhooks as city was groaning under the city's distrust of their Jewish neighbors. Thomas Llewelyn in love with a Jewish woman which colors his perception of the world around him. As the two detectives work with the police department I soon loved the way Thomas's voice shone through and told the story. His narrative brought this book alive to me.
March 10, 2024
Here we go, round seven of Llewelyn and Barker. This murderer is different than the others in that he’s real and famous. Very, very famous. It’s none other than Jack the Ripper.
There are certain problems in having Jack the Ripper be the murderer that your detectives or enquiry agents or constables or whatever it is chase down. Namely—he has never officially been caught and there are snarly bits for each suspect that’s been put forward. The author, in my opinion, at least made a fair case as to why it was Kosminski, the mentally impaired Jewish man with apparent violent tendencies and a dislike of women. I’m not a big buff on the case so others� opinions may vary as to the validity, but I was willing to accept it from the fictional standpoint.
This book lags in that it goes in too many directions and that Barker and Llewelyn are working for Scotland Yard and so are hampered by the force. Llewelyn seems to just spend his time making tea and then walking the streets for hours. A big focus of the book is the push and pull of politics inside the Yard, and it detracts from the Ripper killings. Similarly, the struggle to control the Prince’s son, who is visiting homosexual brothels while her staff is trying to figure out a way to let Her Majesty know of his indiscretions, also pulls away from the Ripper killings. I get he and his tutor were meant to be suspects, so it wasn’t as bad, but I knew the men didn’t do it so I was merely waiting for Barker to cross them off his list. (Side note: having the Queen’s secretary say he’s “not sure she understands such things exist� when it comes to homosexual sex is laughable as she gave her assent to the Criminal Law Amendment Act in 1885, further criminalising sexual relations between men, which was three years before the Ripper killings).
I also really didn’t like the whole Rebecca thing. I know, I know, I always complain about Llewelyn chasing after women, but hear me out. There’s no room for it in this. It’s once again wildly out of place for Llewelyn to be pining for a woman as women are being absolutely BRUTALISED in short order, and it slows the pace of the book down. It ALWAYS does, to follow after a murder, searching for clues, then we have pages of Llewelyn’s describing a woman’s curls or skin or eyes. But here it’s exceptionally egregious because BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION they talked for FIVE. MINUTES. years ago. Yet that was enough for Rebecca to try to kill herself by starvation because she didn’t want to marry the man her parents selected for her—she wanted to marry Llewelyn? She waited six months for him to come off the basis of a FIVE MINUTE CONVERSATION? She mourned that he did not kiss her or “pledge his troth� during a FIVE. MINUTE. CONVERSATION. Would she have said yes because if so: honey, no.
My favourite thing about this is it’s set up that Llewelyn can be a hero: her husband is a cad. He has a mistress. He visits a brothel. They can’t even have relations because he has a sexually transmitted disease from his straying outside of the marriage. She doesn’t love him, but she’s noble and won’t leave his side. So in the last seconds of the last chapter, Barker reads in the paper he’s dropped dead of a heart attack. How lucky for Llewelyn!
And speaking of Llewelyn, he lays the groundwork before meeting her again by having brief thoughts of her and how he missed her, which comes as a great surprise given he’s largely not mentioned her in the five books between the first one (Rebecca’s appearance) and this one. She says she “dreams� of their conversation every day and he says he does too and when she asks if he truly does he says “I felt as strongly as you, and still feel the same way. Probably I always shall.� Oh yes, of course. Except for the lady Irish anarchist you thought of running away with. And Beatrice Potter you wished to court. And Israel Zangwill’s girlfriend (who was also Rebecca’s friend!) you thought about kissing. And Barker’s ward. Oh, and the assassin daughter of the villain of the last book, who you also daydreamed about running away with even though you knew she killed innocent, good people, like one of Barker’s closest friends. As you can see, it just felt so rammed in and unnecessary. It could have been better suited if her husband had been murdered at the end and that sets up the next book, where she has to be cleared of the murder and over the course of the case they actually have more than a single conversation together and get to know each other and kindle real feelings, and his assistance to her and gallantry leads her Jewish family (her Rabbi father!) to overlook the difference in their religions and give his blessings.
Ah well. I enjoyed it more than the last outing, probably because of the lack of Llewelyn mooning. There weren’t really any clues, and the evidence against Kosminski was really lacking (an anatomy book, that’s it), but I’ve become accustomed to what to expect with this series, so I can’t really hold it against the book. I liked Barker slapping Llewelyn down over his views toward gay men, and I liked Llewelyn actually feeling an emotional connection to Eddowes. Also the fight between Kosminski and Llewelyn at the end? Gripping!
There are certain problems in having Jack the Ripper be the murderer that your detectives or enquiry agents or constables or whatever it is chase down. Namely—he has never officially been caught and there are snarly bits for each suspect that’s been put forward. The author, in my opinion, at least made a fair case as to why it was Kosminski, the mentally impaired Jewish man with apparent violent tendencies and a dislike of women. I’m not a big buff on the case so others� opinions may vary as to the validity, but I was willing to accept it from the fictional standpoint.
This book lags in that it goes in too many directions and that Barker and Llewelyn are working for Scotland Yard and so are hampered by the force. Llewelyn seems to just spend his time making tea and then walking the streets for hours. A big focus of the book is the push and pull of politics inside the Yard, and it detracts from the Ripper killings. Similarly, the struggle to control the Prince’s son, who is visiting homosexual brothels while her staff is trying to figure out a way to let Her Majesty know of his indiscretions, also pulls away from the Ripper killings. I get he and his tutor were meant to be suspects, so it wasn’t as bad, but I knew the men didn’t do it so I was merely waiting for Barker to cross them off his list. (Side note: having the Queen’s secretary say he’s “not sure she understands such things exist� when it comes to homosexual sex is laughable as she gave her assent to the Criminal Law Amendment Act in 1885, further criminalising sexual relations between men, which was three years before the Ripper killings).
I also really didn’t like the whole Rebecca thing. I know, I know, I always complain about Llewelyn chasing after women, but hear me out. There’s no room for it in this. It’s once again wildly out of place for Llewelyn to be pining for a woman as women are being absolutely BRUTALISED in short order, and it slows the pace of the book down. It ALWAYS does, to follow after a murder, searching for clues, then we have pages of Llewelyn’s describing a woman’s curls or skin or eyes. But here it’s exceptionally egregious because BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION they talked for FIVE. MINUTES. years ago. Yet that was enough for Rebecca to try to kill herself by starvation because she didn’t want to marry the man her parents selected for her—she wanted to marry Llewelyn? She waited six months for him to come off the basis of a FIVE MINUTE CONVERSATION? She mourned that he did not kiss her or “pledge his troth� during a FIVE. MINUTE. CONVERSATION. Would she have said yes because if so: honey, no.
My favourite thing about this is it’s set up that Llewelyn can be a hero: her husband is a cad. He has a mistress. He visits a brothel. They can’t even have relations because he has a sexually transmitted disease from his straying outside of the marriage. She doesn’t love him, but she’s noble and won’t leave his side. So in the last seconds of the last chapter, Barker reads in the paper he’s dropped dead of a heart attack. How lucky for Llewelyn!
And speaking of Llewelyn, he lays the groundwork before meeting her again by having brief thoughts of her and how he missed her, which comes as a great surprise given he’s largely not mentioned her in the five books between the first one (Rebecca’s appearance) and this one. She says she “dreams� of their conversation every day and he says he does too and when she asks if he truly does he says “I felt as strongly as you, and still feel the same way. Probably I always shall.� Oh yes, of course. Except for the lady Irish anarchist you thought of running away with. And Beatrice Potter you wished to court. And Israel Zangwill’s girlfriend (who was also Rebecca’s friend!) you thought about kissing. And Barker’s ward. Oh, and the assassin daughter of the villain of the last book, who you also daydreamed about running away with even though you knew she killed innocent, good people, like one of Barker’s closest friends. As you can see, it just felt so rammed in and unnecessary. It could have been better suited if her husband had been murdered at the end and that sets up the next book, where she has to be cleared of the murder and over the course of the case they actually have more than a single conversation together and get to know each other and kindle real feelings, and his assistance to her and gallantry leads her Jewish family (her Rabbi father!) to overlook the difference in their religions and give his blessings.
Ah well. I enjoyed it more than the last outing, probably because of the lack of Llewelyn mooning. There weren’t really any clues, and the evidence against Kosminski was really lacking (an anatomy book, that’s it), but I’ve become accustomed to what to expect with this series, so I can’t really hold it against the book. I liked Barker slapping Llewelyn down over his views toward gay men, and I liked Llewelyn actually feeling an emotional connection to Eddowes. Also the fight between Kosminski and Llewelyn at the end? Gripping!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2020
There was a twist and the culprit turned out to be a little chipmunk named TP
September 18, 2018
A fair turn, Mr. Thomas. The only thing that could be better is a cold collation.
September 6, 2023
“But what of Sodom & Gomorrah?�
Barker suddenly gave a great laugh at my expense. “Sodom and Gomorrah? Surely you haven’t fallen for that old superstition! If you read your Bible closely, you would learn that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, for which they were destroyed by God, was not sodomy. Ezekiel clearly states that the sin of Sodom was of arrogance and for not providing help to the needy.�
“But what about the men of the town crying, ‘Let them come out that we may know them?’�
“That practice wasn’t particular to those cities. It was common in wartime throughout the Middle East, a brutal punishment for strangers, not the sexual predilection of the populace. Whoever came up with that interpretation is wrong. It is not scriptural from the original Hebrew.�
“There is paralyzing fear and there is motivational fear. It is better to do anything than nothing.�
“We must start over.�
“Back to the beginning.�
“Don’t sound so dispirited. The beginning is always a good place to start.�
Barker suddenly gave a great laugh at my expense. “Sodom and Gomorrah? Surely you haven’t fallen for that old superstition! If you read your Bible closely, you would learn that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, for which they were destroyed by God, was not sodomy. Ezekiel clearly states that the sin of Sodom was of arrogance and for not providing help to the needy.�
“But what about the men of the town crying, ‘Let them come out that we may know them?’�
“That practice wasn’t particular to those cities. It was common in wartime throughout the Middle East, a brutal punishment for strangers, not the sexual predilection of the populace. Whoever came up with that interpretation is wrong. It is not scriptural from the original Hebrew.�
“There is paralyzing fear and there is motivational fear. It is better to do anything than nothing.�
“We must start over.�
“Back to the beginning.�
“Don’t sound so dispirited. The beginning is always a good place to start.�
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.