Plague Pits & River Bones

The Detective Lavender Mysteries, Book 4

By: Karen Charlton

Narrated by: Michael Page

London, 1812: Treacherous gangs roam the capital, and not even the Palace of Westminster is safe. When Detective Stephen Lavender is called in to investigate a highway robbery and a cold-blooded murder, both the cases take a dangerous and disturbing personal twist.

And when Lavender's trusted deputy, Constable Ned Woods, finds a mysterious severed foot washed up on Greenwich Beach, they soon realise that these ancient bones are more sinister than they first appeared.

With Bow Street Police Office undermanned and in disarray, it will take all of Lavender and Woods's wit and skill - and some help from Lavender's spirited wife, Magdalena - to unmask the fiend behind the mayhem, restore peace and justice to the beleaguered city and solve the tragic mystery of the severed foot.

But will they do so in time to foil a plot that threatens to plunge the country into chaos?

©2018 Karen Charlton (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Always delightful

I have listened to every Detective Lavender book in the series and I am always delighted by the characters and the storyline. Michael Page does an excellent job voicing the characters, especially Ned Woods and Karen Charlton's blending of fact and fiction is creative and inspiring.

Keeps getting better

With each book I become more and more in love with these characters and I can’t wait for the next one.

A thrilling, unexpected find.

A strong, vibrant historical mystery, interwoven with real historical events.
Through this expertly told story, I trudged the streets of the 1800’s city of London, with the Bow Street characters, reveling in the sounds, sites and smells, while on the hunt to unravel the river mystery of bones and robberies by highway men.

Fast paced, fun and excitement.
The narrator did a splendid job to hold the listeners interest from start to finish.

I think this story would be enjoyed by lovers of mysteries, historical events and also Sherlockians.

Them bones....

Charlton adds another thrilling episode in the life of Detective Stephen Lavender. As always masterfully written by Charlton and superbly narrated by Michael Page. Charlton really brings Lavender back to life through her writing and gives a true to life perception of everyday life during the time period. She fills her books with such rich characters and tells the story of the period in a way that makes you want more.

In 1812 London, the city and the countryside is being plagued with highway robberies. Throw a murder in the mix and it's time to bring in one of Bow Street's finest, Detective Stephen Lavender. Returning from an out of town assignment, Lavender is thrust into the case, without even time to rest from his previous assignment. On the very day of his return, his friend and some time assistant Constable Ned Woods, brings Lavender a bit of a mystery in the form of a severed foot found on the beach. The bones will soon play a significant part in Lavenders investigation of the robberies.

With Bow Street severely undermanned, Lavender needs all the help he can get, even from his lovely wife Magdelena. It will take all their wits and skills to flush out the culprits and return a semblance of order back to the city. But will they be in time because a sinister plot threatens to cast the whole country into chaos? An excellent read, and one I highly recommend.

Lavender is always fun

I love the Detective Lavender series. This is not the best of them, but is a pleasant listen. I could often predict what was going to happen, but when it did, it was so interestingly written that I didn't feel cheated. Michael Page's narration is a bit over the top to me, so many overly gruff voices and the women sound odd, especially Magdalena who sounds like a female impersonator with a Spanish dialect. However, the characters and the relationships are lots of fun and I especially enjoyed the scenes with Lavender's sidekick, Constable Wood, I think the name is. The family life of this lovable and well written character is a loving look at a "lower class" family that seems to defy the general rough stereotypes.

A great addition to this most interesting series of books.

I enjoyed this book not only because it was fast moving but because characters were developed in a realistic manner. I’m glad the author used some historically correct events.

The best story yet in this excellent series!

As a prodigious reader of a wide range of genres, I rarely stop to leave a review. I've enjoyed the previous books in this series, but was completely enthralled with this particular Detective Lavender adventure. The basis of the fictional characters and events on documented historical characters and events, including forensics, is an impressive intellectual achievement by the author. Spinning a detective story where I care enough for the main characters, that my heart beat quickened during reading, I found I argued out loud about charcters' decisions, and find I can't wait to read the charcters' further adventures, is the most impressive achievement by the author.

great research, storyline, writing.

Another great story from Karen Charlton. her research and her writing are excellent. I enjoy learning about different time periods.

Severed Feet, Headless Ted, & a Boy Grows Up

The fourth in the Detective Lavender Series finds Lavender and Constable Woods investigating a severed foot that has washed up on the river bank. It is 1812 in London and crime is rampant. Using the actual assassination of England’s Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, that happened that same year, the author creates an atmosphere of unrest and chaos in a city of street urchins, immigrants and citizens all trying their best to survive. Lavender and Woods capture a naked man on the streets, carting him off to jail. The case load for the Bow Street Runners is overwhelming, the pay is low and Magistrate Read keeps sending Detective Lavender to far off places on cases, leaving his wife, Magdalena alone for long stretches. The “coppers” aren’t well liked, and when Constable Woods, oldest son, Eddie comes home after taking a beating because his Pa is a Bow Street Runner, well, things take a turn ugly. And Eddie has some decisions to make. I love the advice that Ned Woods gives Lavender about his and Magdalena’s relationship, telling him to give his wife back rubs. 😊 And how one thing leads to another . . . This is an excellent series, and the conclusion of the mystery of the severed foot, Headless Ted, and the career that Constable Woods son, Eddie decides upon makes for a GREAT BOOK all round.

Simply Wonderful ❤️

I am in love with Lavender and Woods and their families 💙 they feel like friends. The story had had a good pacing and the narrator was good also.