The hero of this tale is Pyke, a Bow Street Runner. It is the story of how he solves the murder case of a young couple and
their new-born baby whilst proving his innocence after having been ‘set up’ for a murder himself. It is set against the background of a high level political struggle to establish the Metropolitan Police, the first fully professional police force, and the struggle to introduce laws which give equal rights to Catholics. The Bow Street Runners are fighting for their existence and Pyke is one of their most successful and senior investigators.
Sir Robert Peel wants the police force to be strongly associated with the establishment and have nothing to do with the ‘underworld’. Pyke, of course, understands how policing will only work by associating strongly with
criminals in order to gather essential information. He comes from a criminal background which gives him a special insight into how criminals operate.
The action takes place in the city of London and Belfast. Both cities are dingy and dangerous and Pyke amply demonstrates his resilience and toughness in these places.
At one point he is imprisoned in Newgate and comes close to being hanged; being saved only at the eleventh hour by the actions of a beautiful young, aristocratic prison reformer.
It is an enjoyable, action packed mystery. I was disappointed though by the author’s need to use a series of highly unlikely co-
incidences in order to move the action on. One, or maybe two, powerful co-incidences do not stretch one’s incredulity too much but more than that and belief in the fiction is suspended.