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nyxeris42's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bookwoman1967's review against another edition
2.0
I love historical mysteries and tried to give this one the benefit of the doubt. But . . .There is no character development; the only character to be more than a cardboard archetype was the detective's assistant. There's little suspense as the villain is revealed (out of nowhere) about halfway through the book. The characters often serve as mouthpieces to impart statistical information about Victorian railroads. If you are looking for historical mysteries in this time period, you'd do much better with Anne Perry, Charles Finch, Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes, or on the American side of the pond, Victoria Thompson.
mark_atkinson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
My first dip into crime fiction, and it had to be railway themed (go figure). I probably won’t go out of my way to read the other 20 in the series but I’m not apposed to reading more (I have 2 ready and waiting.
polly__flintandherbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
arcalian's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Passable plot but disappointing writing, tedious characters, ridiculous dialogue and under-developed setting. Quick to read but wouldn't recommend.
kyleslovesbooks's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lucyatoz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
readerworm28's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
tessisreading2's review against another edition
1.0
This book. Oh, wow, this book. The author needed someone to explain the concept of "show, don't tell," and the editor needed to go through with a red pen and change all of the narrative tags to "said." Once you've seen it, you can't un-see it, and I found myself reading pages of dialogue and flinching. The book might be interesting if you're really obsessed with nineteenth-century rail engines, but it's just hard to wade through otherwise.
readingelli's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Sexual violence, Gun violence, and Sexual harassment