The Secrets Of Gaslight Lane

The Gower Street Detective, Book 4

By: M. R. C. Kasasian

Narrated by: Emma Gregory

Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

London, 1883: All is quiet at 125 Gower Street. So, when a young woman turns up at the door, imploring London's foremost personal detective, Sidney Grice, to solve her father's murder, Grice can barely disguise his glee.

Mr Nathan Garstang was found slaughtered, with no trace of a weapon or intruder. A classic locked-room case. But what piques Grice's interest is the link to the unsolved murders of Nathan's uncle, aunt and servants in the very same house....

©2016 M.R.C. Kasasian (P)2016 W.F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Kasasian’s debut is an unflinching look at the darker side of Victorian London and a portrait of a heroine strong enough to stand up to a thoroughly disagreeable detective." ( Kirkus Reviews on The Mangle Street Murders)

"One of the most delightful and original new novels...that could well become a cult." ( The Daily Mail, on The Mangle Street Murder)

Best

I liked all the series, but this one introduces the most humor between Molly, Grice, Marge Middleton and the rest.

Good read.

Really liked the continued progress in the lead characters relationship. Excited for the next installment.

Should have stopped at #2

This is the third in the series with the first two being prime plus, and the superior stories, I should have stopped there but wanted to see the progression, result - unfulfilling. The story is by far the weakest of the three becoming intermittently quite confusing with random inserts of flashback monologue from the killer in the middle of other events, then action is similarly muddled to make it difficult to determine what is happening, I'm of the opinion that describing dialogue and action in a jumbled confusing manner does not make a mystery, yes the reader is confused as to what is happening but a mystery it is not. Additionally, the increased baffonary of the maid for what I assume is ment to be comic relief is neither funny nor necessary almost as unnecessary as the romantic element, no thank you. Needless to say I will not be getting the next in the series unless they all become prime plus then perhaps some day after I've listened to everything else.

I love the Series, but not the voice.

The narrator’s voice for this audiobook was not at all what I had in mind. A bit too old and slightly too formal sounding for the character (... sorry, no offense) to the point that it took away from the story. I have really enjoyed the entire series, but recommend the eBooks instead.

Do NOT start the series here!

As a fan of this series, I came away disappointed.

The producers have standardized the narration so that the U. K. edition, read by Emma Gregory, is now sold in the States as well; I was a big fan of Lindy Nettleton's narration and miss her, though EG does a good job.

The character of Sidney Grice has always been pompous, but here he's beyond insufferable to the point that it was tough to see how March sticks it out with him. The author seriously needs to throttle back on some of that, especially the numbers bit: "I can give you fourteen reasons . . . ." Molly the maid did make a few more appearances than absolutely necessary, but Grice's silliness was more annoying than hers, which is more in character.

As others have noted, the storyline was just too convoluted in connecting murders in the same house a decade apart, with occasional thoughts from the murderer's point-of-view. By the end I was exhausted, didn't feel I "got" everything, and really didn't care.

I'm still a fan of the series, looking forward to another installment, but as there isn't much information provided that appears to advance the overall storyline, this book is one I might be advising folks to skip.

NEEDS MALE NARRATOR

FEMLE NARRTION, MAY HAVE RUINED A GOOD DETECTIVE STORY. MEN SAVE YOUR $$$$ WOMEN MAY LIKE IT THOUGH.

A warning for animal lovers

The reader is excellent. The characters are interesting, unique, and well drawn. The mystery was shaping up well. The approach seems to be an unusual combination of humor with deadly seriousness. Most people would probably enjoy this book quite a bit.
For me, however, it did not work. I am fully aware of the abuses that animals suffered not only in the Victorian era but every single minute of every single day in the modern world at the hands of humans who should and could know and do better. I have spent a good deal of time working with and for animal rescue and it is never far from my mind. Therefor, any book that provides graphic descriptions of cruelty to animals does not work for me. I read to escape from the real world, not to have my nose rubbed further in it. Thus, when we come to the very painful final moments of a wretched cart horse, and the vile humans that surround it, I could not go on. I understand that the author was making a point about cruelty both in the past and currently, and I appreciate that but it is just something I can not tolerate in a book that I purchased for entertainment.
I know most people don't feel as I do, however, I also know there are some people who do, and my review is for them. If you also find cruelty to animals intolerable in what is purported to be light entertainment, you should avoid this book.

Final Book in Seeies

Good mystery, did not see the ending coming. Very sad ending to the series. If you have read or listened to the rest of the series and have any care for March you may not want to continue. No major secrets about the main characters cleared up.