Brother, Can You Spare a Crime?

Another John Pickett Mystery (John Pickett Mysteries Book 10)

By: Sheri Cobb South

Narrated by: Joel L Froomkin

When one of his colleagues witnesses a robbery in which one of the participants, a child, bears a striking resemblance to a certain Bow Street Runner, John Pickett realizes he has a young half-brother who has been “apprenticed” to a criminal gang. The brutal murder of the pursuing constable makes the crime far more serious than a simple robbery would be - and 10-year-old Kit is linked to the crime by the toy soldier he dropped while fleeing the scene.

In spite of his tender years, he will certainly hang unless Pickett can extricate him before fellow Bow Street Runner Maxwell solves the case. For the first time in his career, Pickett is obliged to work against one of his fellows, dogging Maxwell’s steps and trying to anticipate his next move in order to get to the boy first.

Pickett’s investigation will take him back to the rookeries of London, where his own childhood was spent. But can he return to his old haunts without being pulled back into his old way of life?

©2020 Sheri Cobb South (P)2020 Sheri Cobb South

Great!

cosy-mystery, British, law-enforcement, London, mystery, class-consciousness*****
John Pickett is a Bow Street Runner who investigated the death of the (unlamented) husband of Lady Julia and saved her from the noose. Now they are married and John is involved in a case where one of the miscreants turns out to be his ten year old half brother previously unknown to him requiring him to go undercover in the Rookeries and other unsavory (but familiar) parts of London.
Each time I read one of this series I swear that it is the best!
It is a very British mystery with sly humor. Joel Froomkin is so very talented with the way that he is able to differentiate the characters and he did a great job with the accents.
I won the audio in a giveaway. Yay me!

Excellent series

I am going through these stories quickly. They would make a great Britbox series.

The author lays out fascinating characters from two dufferent worlds. So many layers to explore.

One of the Very Best Narrators

I love this series. The characters are superb and the storylines are always interesting. The narrator is fabulous - accents, social classes, genders ... he covers them all seamlessly and his tongue-in-cheek delivery is perfect for these books. Excellent entertainment.

John Pickett's half brother is facing the gallows

What's a respectable brother to do when his younger sibling has been taken over by a ruthless bank robber and become involved in a capital crime? Bow Street Runner John Pickett will sacrifice his life with former society matron Julia and their unborn child to rescue his half-brother Kit from degradation and possibly the gallows, and free the boy from the misery that's all he's known since childhood.

In this installment of the John Pickett mysteries, we get a deeper insight into John's past, while enjoying the backdrop of Georgian London and the deep divide between the rich and poor. Ms. Cobb delighted me with the tension as John sought to find Kit and wrest him from the evil man who bought him from his gin-soaked mother. You don't have to be familiar with the others in the series. to be drawn into this tightly woven plot and its finely crawn characters.

The best John Pickett yet!

I received a free copy of this audiobook and am leaving an honest, voluntary review.

Wonderful!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these books! Hoping for many more in this series. Joel Froomkin is fantastic!

Best book in a long time

Ms Cobb South wrote the best book of this series in this one- and Joel was amazing in his reading-
There were parts I had tears in my eyes and others laughing so hard I had to stop and go back.
I hope there are more, many more Pickett stories to come.

An exciting historical mystery!

This is the 10th book in the series. I have listened to the books out of order and each one stands alone. In this story, John Pickett, a Bow Street Runner (Early British policeman) discovers he has a previously unknown family member and returns to the place where he grew up.

One of the runners is present at a robbery turned murder where a young child is part of the gang. Under English law, this child will be executed, even if he did not commit the murder, John Pickett is called in to help the child even if it undermines the Bow Street investigation. A very riveting story!

This is a great mystery series, and you will want to read all the books! The narration in each book is absolutely fabulous and sounds like a full cast production. I was gifted a copy of this audiobook at my request in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic Nail Biter Pickett Mystery!

Oh my goodness, this book was so hard to put down! I have listened to many of the books in this series but this one by far was more intense and, yes, was a true nail-biter. In book 10, John and Julia are newly married and expecting when he finds out that he has a 10 year old half brother that is with a scary and very dangerous couple of bank robbers. John now must rescue him before he is caught and sentenced to hang with the men he knows is controlling the boy. John finds himself back in the Rookery and other filthy and dodgy places of his past. Most of these books have been really clean and closer to the PG side of the ratings, however with the people and areas John is thrown into this book really pushed it into the PG13 side. The language is still pretty clean but there is more violence and sexual content, no actual scenes but illusions are stronger (ex. in one part he is in a brothel and the thin walls allow him to hear and picture exactly what is taking place in the other room). As a parent I would be fine with high school and up for this one. The narrator is absolutely perfect and truly makes this an incredible audio book!

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Priceless

I have listed to this series for years and recommend it to all Having become more attracted after each audio book. My thanks to Mrs South. Been a bit of a hard year and the stories have helped me keep sane.

another fun Pickett mystery

so enjoy these stories! poor John so many of his troubles he brings upon himself! great narration, Joel Froomkin *is* John Pickett.