A review by jbliv
The Meaning Of Night by Michael Cox

4.0

Had this book been 200 to 300 pages shorter, it would likely deserve the full 5 stars, but alas, its length drags it down a star. It's a class act of a Victorian thriller, with our unreliable and very criminal protagonist on the hunt for the inheritance stolen from him long ago. Much of the book concerns the history of how all of this came to be, starting from when he was a mere infant through present day, a tour that takes us through magnificent estates, law offices, houses of prostitution, the London underbelly, and a host of great and unsavory characters. Much of the tale is told through Edward's interaction with others as he unravels his mystery, and this is where the novel shines, as every character he meets is well-drawn and interesting and full with his or her own history and ambitions. Well done, old chap, well done.