A Knife in the Fog

A Mystery Featuring Margaret Harkness and Arthur Conan Doyle

By: Bradley Harper

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

September 1888. A 29-year-old Arthur Conan Doyle practices medicine by day and writes at night. His first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, although gaining critical and popular success, has only netted him 25 pounds. Embittered by the experience, he vows never to write another "crime story". Then a messenger arrives with a mysterious summons from former Prime Minister William Gladstone, asking him to come to London immediately.

Once there, he is offered one month's employment to assist the Metropolitan Police as a "consultant" in their hunt for the serial killer soon to be known as Jack the Ripper. Doyle agrees on the stipulation his old professor of surgery, Professor Joseph Bell - Doyle's inspiration for Sherlock Holmes - agrees to work with him. Bell agrees, and soon the two are joined by Miss Margaret Harkness, an author residing in the East End who knows how to use a Derringer and serves as their guide and companion.

Pursuing leads through the dank alleys and courtyards of Whitechapel, they come upon the body of a savagely murdered fifth victim. Soon it becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted when a knife-wielding figure approaches.

©2018 Bradley Harper (P)2018 Tantor

Outstanding!

Harper weaves a masterful and entertaining tale, intertwining copious historical facts with delightful dashes of fiction to give us a stirring glimpse of what may have been.

Davies's performance is that of a Master thespian.

I have listened twice and have the book. Much like Conan Doyle's famous detective mysteries, I will read and re-read this, finding new delights with each fresh instance.

phenomenal

A quick read and immersive story. Something to pick up for your personal collection.

great story by a local author

i meet Mr Harper at my local gym and after taking to him, quickly logged into audible to buy this book. i like to support local but this was a real treat. well written, suspenseful, and historically accurate. it reminded me s lot of The Alienist that i watched on TV. great historical tidbits and wonderful characters. i look forward to reading more of his writings.

Margaret! Stong character. Hope there are more stories on the way. Love to see the movie.

Great narrator. Wonderful sense of time and place. Well paced. Unique twist on classic tale.

Mixed, because of the horrors described

I generally steer clear of anything to do with "Jack the Ripper" or violence against women of any kind. But I was intrigued by this debut novel by a former Army surgeon and pathologist because of the historical characters he has peopled his story with. The author, Dr. Bradley Harper, is certainly in his element. I have long wondered what would draw a person into the the profession of medical examiner. I think this novel helped me to understand that it is perhaps a desire to solve murders and bring justice and closure to violent crimes.

I found that I could generally avoid most of the disturbing descriptions with a few 30-sec skips, but still found the theme upsetting. I gratefully acknowledge that a brave and intelligent, but caring, woman is given a prominent role and portrayed as some who, as in the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley, can proclaim:
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

The story is based on the real biographies of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; his mentor and inspiration for Shelock Holmes, Dr. Joseph Bell; and the author and human rights activist Miss Margaret Harkness. This gives the story a real piquancy and makes their relationship quite believable, although not factual in the case of Miss Harkness.

The narrator was generally very good, but his truly awful rendition of a German accent cost him a star. However, his Scottish burr is genuine and captivating.

For anyone interested in the Bell-Doyle relationship, there is a great TV series produced by the BBC and WGBH starring Ian Richardson as Dr. Bell. The pilot for the series is "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle - The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes". The four subsequent episodes are grouped under the title "Murder Rooms - The Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes." Both are available as DVDs from Amazon.