Dark Matter

A Novel

By: Philip Kerr

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1696, Christopher Ellis, a young, hot-tempered gentleman, is sent to the Tower of London, but not as a prisoner. A sudden twist of fate has led him there to assist the renowned scientist Sir Isaac Newton, who as warden of the Royal Mint has accepted an appointment to hunt down counterfeiters who threaten to topple the shaky, war-weakened economy. Armed with Newton’s superior intellect and Ellis’ skill with a sword, the new partners seem primed to solve the case.

But when their investigation leads them to a mysterious coded message on a corpse hidden in the Lion Tower, they realize that something more sinister is afoot. In the heat of their pursuit, Newton and Ellis’s suspicions become all too real as the body count rises and the duo uncovers a menacing, far-reaching plot that might lead to the collapse of the government - and cost them their very lives.

An extraordinary, suspense-filled, and richly satisfying tale, Dark Matter is an engrossing mystery infused with the volatile mix of politics, science, and religion that characterized life in 17th-century London.

©2002 Philip Kerr (P)2002 Books On Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"An illuminating, often crackling exploration into the mysteries of science, mathematics, religion, and human nature." (Booklist, Starred Review)
"The ever-versatile Kerr...weaves a rich tapestry of interesting characters and period details. Highly recommended." (Library Journal)
"A most gripping and well-appointed entertainment." (Publishers Weekly)

A cracking Yarn not a biography!

Previous people reviewing this seemed to have wanted to learn more about Sir Issac Newton. This is a FICTIONAL account of Newton's time at the tower mint, hence not the place to learn the whys and where fors of Newton's life. What you do get is a lively, detailed and enjoyable piece of mystery fiction, with believable well thought out characters and an engaging sense of the period in which it is set (including the coarse language and occasional bawdy sex). I initially feared the author was shoe-horning newton into a sherlock Holmes persona, but this quickly passed and the CHARACTER took on his own shape. If this is not what you want then there are several good biographies in print at the moment, which will save you having to seperate plot device from fact.

Excellant Historical Fiction

Kerr has done a good job of historical research and combined it with talented story writing. The addition of stunning narration by John Lee makes the book very enjoyable.

A most enjoyable experience!

I confess that historical fiction has always appealed to me, and "Dark Matter" brought the character of Sir Issac Newton to life.
My knowledge of the period was scant, so I belive I learned quite a bit from the author's account of the politics of the day. Using the device of the clerk to tell the story made it possible to inject humor and romance into the life of a serious intellectual who had little of either. Without the ill-fated liason between Miss Barton and her "Tom", and the adventures of Mr.Ellis as he went about his master's bidding, the tale might have become incredibly tiresome. This is, of course, not a book for everyone.

a great work of historical fiction

I enjoyed this well written book as much for its period descriptions and character development as for the interesting story.

Something of a disappointment

I've really enjoyed the Bernie Gunther series by Philip Kerr, and looked forward to experiencing the author's work in a different context. I was disappointed by this book. It may be that the dialect is an accurate attempt to voice the language of the time, but I found it tedious and distracting. I'm not sure if the fault lies totally with the author or if the reader carries some blame. The plot was interesting, although it seemed a little messy. The portrayal of English society and the technology of the time, if accurate, was by far the most interesting aspect of the novel.

Could not finish

I could not even finish this one, it would not hold my interest. I found my mind wandering and forgetting where the story line was while driving. I am sorry I wasted a credit on it.

Slogged thru it, but hated it.

Yeah, I got through the whole thing, but I don't know who wants to read this book. Newton was a great man by almost anyone's account, but the conjecture about him and his family seems like an incredibly cheap way to write a book. And the racy sex scenes in the book seem very out of place. It's a bit hard to listen to as well, with the quaint words and somewhat coarse language. I wanted to know a bit more about Newton, and maybe there were some nuggets of fact mixed in with all the trashing of this great man, but who can tell the difference?

mixed review

As mysteries go, OK (but not great). As historical novels go, better. But there is soemthing very icky about being read a sex scene, especially in Olde English. Too weird for words.

Not worth it!

This book is filled with filthy language and disgusting sex scenes. You could skip them if there was anything worthwhile about the book...but there isn't. The book was so convoluted that I couldn't figure out who had been murdered but in the end it didn't really matter because Kerr killed off pretty much all the secondary characters. This book is not worth buying!

Wasn't what I expected.

The description sounded much better than the novel. I had always been taught that Isaac Newton believed the teachings of the Bible and that his discoveries strengthened, not weakened, his faith. I thought this was going to be a fun read about his crime-solving skills, not about his (lack of) faith.