Hyde

A Novel

By: Craig Russell

Narrated by: James Cosmo

From the internationally acclaimed author, a stunning gothic reimagining of the Jekyll and Hyde story in which Captain Edward Hyde, chief detective of Victorian Edinburgh, investigates a gruesome murder that may unmask his own darkest secret

Victorian Edinburgh. Captain Edward Henry Hyde is chief detective for the City of Edinburgh Police; as such, he is responsible for investigating all murders and serious crimes in the city. Hyde is a striking but severe-looking man who provokes unease, and often fear, in those who encounter him. Nevertheless, Edward Hyde is truly a good man ... though he wrestles fiercely with his own unique demons.

When Hyde finds himself at the scene of a heinous murder, with no idea of how he got there or the events leading up to the discovery, his alarm is triggered on two levels. First, the crime scene is brutal and involves the Threefold Death, an ancient Celtic rite of sacrifice entangled with dark Scottish spiritual mythology. Second, Hyde's inability to remember any detail of his arrival at the crime scene makes him immediately fret about the secret he keeps from all but his physician: He suffers from a rare form of epilepsy that causes him to lose time—amnesiac absences where he cannot account for his actions—and nocturnal seizures that manifest themselves as vivid and lucid dreams.

As Hyde begins his investigation of the murder in a city on edge, he finds himself not only searching for real world clues, but trying to unravel the significance of the imagery in the otherworld of his dreaming. His investigation leads to the very places he fears, but has never fully imagined.

Critic reviews

Best Crime Novel of the Year: Winner of the McIlvanney Prize

"Russell writes a pacy, ever-twisting mystery that will keep you turning the pages."
―Ian Rankin

"Evocative prose (“violence hung like mine dust in the air, waiting for a spark to bring it to combustion”) enhances a suspenseful and sophisticated plot. This is the rare riff on an influential novel that sticks the landing."
―Publisher's Weekly *Starred Review*

"When it comes to Gothic crime, Craig Russell is peerless. Absolutely stunning."
―M. W. Craven

"Stephen King meets Robert Louis Stevenson... an imaginative gothic tale guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine the next time you walk a dark Edinburgh night."
―David Hewson, author of The Garden Of Angels

"Russell delivers a brooding, stunningly atmospheric tale set in Stevenson's Edinburgh - multi-layered and intricately plotted, this is a Gothic thriller from the hands of a master."
―Margaret Kirk, author of Shadow Man

"A deliciously dark reimagining of a timeless character and a wonderful recreation of a gothic Edinburgh . . . Another winner for a consummate storyteller."
―Douglas Skelton

"Gloriously diabolical. A terrifying thrill ride through the hidden chasms of the human soul."
―Chris Brookmyre

Narration was intolerable, full name

As I said above, the navigation ruined it for me. It’s an old well loved story, but this rendition was not for me.

Dark but gripping

Engaging characters and story. Bits of Scottish lore and history helped Craft the tale. This book was absolutely unputdownable.

Very like The Devil Aspect

Personally, I enjoyed both Hyde, and The Devil Aspect. But I’d recommend not reading them back to back as I did, because they are far too similar in plot. Of the two, I enjoyed the setting and Slavic mythology of the Devil Aspect a bit more than the Celtic mythology of Hyde. It was described more vividly.

I did enjoy the frame around this story, very much. It was a wry touch of the cap to Robert Louis Stevenson, himself a Scot’s writer.

Overall, highly recommended for those who like gothic and psychological mysteries.

Just OK

I though the narrator was terrific with dialogue and the portrayal of the various characters. His phrasing, however, interfered with my enjoyment of the book. His slight pauses, even in a simple sentence, made his delivery choppy to my ears. I probably won’t listen to another book with this narrator.
The story was an interesting take on the premise of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and though I listened to the entire thing, it’s not a book I would tell others they should read.

Hyde is a watered down version of Devil's Aspect

Hyde is a dark crime thriller set in the backdrop of 19th century Scotland. The author does a great job in his research and bringing to life the time period. And while I enjoyed the book it doesn't hold a candle to Craig's earlier work, The Devil Aspect. I listened to The DA as a deal of the day on Audible and what a treat that one was, I highly recommend, 5 stars across the board. This book is very similar in ways but I did not find myself nearly as engrossed in listening as I had with DA.