Inspector Corravan: Book 2
Publication Date: October 11, 2022
In the tradition of C. S. Harris and Anne Perry, a fatal disaster on the Thames and a roiling political conflict set the stage for Karen Odden’s second Inspector Corravan historical mystery.
September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat the Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, she collides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600 passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and early clues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring Irish Home Rule.
For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the case presents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion, and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.
Corrovan’s dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe’s Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm’s way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help.
As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.
Vividly written and impeccably researched, Under A Veiled Moon by Karen Odden immerses the reader effortlessly into Victorian London in an engrossing murder mystery with a thrilling blend of intrigue, political uprising, familial devotion, and love.
For Inspector Michael Corrovan, recently of Scotland Yard and now acting superintendent at Wapping River Station, trouble comes not just in waves but in torrents. From a mysterious murdered man to a major naval disaster involving the sinking of a pleasure cruiser on the Thames, killing over 500, to deadly Irish gang activity in Whitechapel, the tale smoothly and methodically unfolds layer upon intriguing layer.
As the mystery deepens and the investigation begins to yield valuable clues, Inspector Corrovan’s Irish roots come into question as evidence begins to point to the Irish Republican Brotherhood as the source of the violence, death, and mayhem gripping London. Corrovan’s dedication to truth never wavers, but the discovery of Corrovan’s adopted younger brother, Colin’s complicity in Irish gangs and violence, may prove to be Corrovan’s undoing.
Striking in its vividness, Under A Veiled Moon expertly utilizes the senses to effectively immerse the reader into the story, from the smell of brine and mold along the riverfront to the icy waters of the Thames to the chill of unrelenting rain to the warmth of coals in a grate on a chilly London evening.
Corrovan carries the reader along on his fastidious search for clues, ultimately leading to the breathless thrill of the chase, accompanied by heartbreak but eventually sustained by the strength of family.
Under a Veiled Moon is a captivating tale, compelling from start to finish and thoroughly delightful. I look forward to joining the indomitable Inspector Corrovan on many more exhilarating investigations.
Karen Odden received her Ph.D. in English literature from New York University and subsequently taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has published numerous essays and articles on Victorian literature, written introductions for Victorian novels in the Barnes and Noble Classics Series, and edited for the journal Victorian Literature and Culture. Her first novel, A Lady in the Smoke, was a USA Today bestseller and A Dangerous Duet and A Trace of Deceit have won awards for historical mystery and historical fiction. Her fourth mystery, Down a Dark River, introduced readers to Michael Corravan, a former thief and bare-knuckles boxer from Whitechapel who serves as an inspector at Scotland Yard in 1870s London. The sequel, Under a Veiled Moon, is available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook. A member of Mystery Writers of America and a national board member for Sisters in Crime, Karen lives in Arizona with her family.
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Wow! Fantastic review! Definitely sounds like a must read!
It SO is! All of Karen’s books are MUST READS!