Review of The English Monster by Lloyd Shepherd
In the east end of Regency London, two families lie butchered. Residents of the notorious Ratcliffe Highway, the victims bear the mark of unprecedented brutality. Panic sweeps the country as its public cries for justice. But these murders stem from an older horror, its source a sea voyage two centuries old. In a ship owned by Queen Elizabeth herself, a young man embarks on England's first venture into a new trade: human souls. As a nation's sins ripen and bloom, to be harvested in a bloody frenzy on the twisted streets of Regency Wapping, an English Monster is born.
My thoughts:
I am a bit torn since I liked one part of the book better than the other part. The other part was still good, but not for me. Let me explain:
In 1811 Charles Horton investigates the slaughter of two families. This was the part that was not for me. It's a good old detective story as he tries his best to find the murderer. The chase is on and he has new ideas that he tries. The Ratcliffe Highway murders are real but the authors takes his own twist to them. It's the beginning of real detective work.
The story jumps from the "present" to the past back and forth and we see the birth of the monster in question. Billy Ablass who in 1564 sails away to make his fortune to support his wife. But something happens along the way. It's a story about slave trade, pirates and all the horrible things going on as people fought to be on top. This was the story I liked the most as it was horrible, fascinating and interesting. It was darkness as he slowly loses a part of himself. It was adventure mixed with thriller and horror.
There you have it, some parts I just liked more then the rest as Billy's story was good. The detective part, well maybe I am just not that kind of reader. But I would love love to watch it on tv (of course then the Billy parts would be scary while now they are just the brutality of life then).
Conclusion:
If you want a good detective story with a "paranormal" theme in it then this might be the book for you.
Cover:
Eh
Genre: Historical fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Pages: 432
Published: September 2012 by Simon and Schuster UK
Source: For review
I'd probably like it with the paranormal twist. Interesting!
ReplyDeleteI did like that part ;)
DeleteSounds a bit too close to horror for my tastes.
ReplyDeleteNah, no horror really. The horror is in the reality
DeleteI don't mind the mystery part, so I may enjoy that part more than you did. Hm... might be something I may read.
ReplyDeleteIf you like that then yes :D
DeleteLol, we could read the different parts and meet in the middle
ReplyDeleteI love a book like that, detective stories are fun. I didn't know this one (well I never know the most part of your books lol), thank you!
ReplyDeleteI try my best to surprise all of you ;)
Delete"horrible, fascinating and interesting. It was darkness as he slowly loses a part of himself. It was adventure mixed with thriller and horror." Ok now this intrigues me, but the detective part sold me...hahaha!
ReplyDeleteLOL. So everyone wants the detective part, well that does not surprise me :)
DeleteI like mysteries and thrillers a lot so I wonder if I would enjoy this one more.
ReplyDeleteI do think it would do the trick
DeleteDoesn't sound like my kind of book, but you did a great job at reviewing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteAlmost Friday...
ReplyDeleteAnd Friday will really start after 8,5 hours, yay
Deletesounds like a book . i would love / great review
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteI have spotted this book in a couple of stores but wasn't sure what it about. Sounds interesting but not the sort of book that float to the top of my TBR pile quickly. However, you have me intrigued with the paranormal aspects...hmmm....
ReplyDeleteI will say no more as that would be huge spoilers..just that..yes something ;)
DeleteThanks for the review of my book! Very interesting, actually. I am glad you liked Billy's history and I suppose this is the more "fantastical" side of the book; it's certainly more like the kind of story I like to read.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for reading and reviewing. It's lovely getting this kind of feedback, even when there are parts of the book people don't like so much.
And keep on supporting books! It's brilliant that you're doing that.
Aye that would be me, I do want to like detective stories, as they worked so well for me when it comes to tv..but, I guess I want more action in books. Which Billy sure gave me. Freaky stuff going on there
DeleteIt sounds to scary! Little bit creepy too. :)
ReplyDeleteAll in a good way
DeleteI think I would be far more interested in the section that depicts Billy's descent into darkness - as you said it would be kind of horribly fascinating, and now I'm super curious:)
ReplyDeleteHe truly was a monster, I mean bad bad Billy. Still..I did not dislike him
DeleteThis sounds interesting, but that eyeball is giving me the creeps.
ReplyDeleteDid you see the noose in there?
DeleteI'm not really into mysteries but it does sound like the story has an interesting twist to it.
ReplyDeleteThe twist was great and made it into more
Delete*waves* Finally back on! My internet is finally working! Yayy!
ReplyDeleteYaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
Deletehmm I'm not a big detective/mystery fan so think I might pass.
ReplyDeleteThey work better for me on telly..BBC or anything British made
DeleteI don't really like books that jump around in time :(
ReplyDelete:/
DeleteI am currently listening to John Connolly's The Killing Kind which is a crime fiction with a paranormal twist... maybe I'll like this, but I'm not sure about that dark side of humanity in the book though...
ReplyDeleteHumans are dark. The slavetrade wasn't exactly a happy trade
DeleteOoh, I just put this book on my wish list yesterday! I am glad that you enjoyed one aspect of it, though I am a little turned off by your description that it has paranormal elements. I am not into that at all.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is that the paranormal is never in your face. It's subtle, and never explained..or truly shown
DeleteI actually thought the cover was a bit creepy and cool!
ReplyDeleteWell...now when I think about it
Delete