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Bryant & May: Peculiar Crimes Unit #8
Off the Rails
They've been given just one week to find a killer they'd caught once before ...Arthur Bryant, John May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit are on the trail of an a young man called Mr Fox. But his identity is false, his links to society are invisible and his home yields no clues. All they know is that somehow he escaped from a locked room and murdered one of their best and brightest. Now the detectives are being lured down into the darkest recesses of the London Underground where their quarry, expertly disguised, has struck again. Their search takes them into the vast labyrinth of tunnels, a subterranean world full of legends and ghost stations, which tie the city together. Edging closer to what lies hidden beneath the city - and to the madness that is driving a man to murder - Bryant and May are about to uncover a mystery as bizarre as anything they have ever encountered ...
379 pages, Paperback
First published June 24, 2010
136 people are currently reading
1259 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Fowler
264 books1,279 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
November 16, 2020
I learned a lot about the London Underground in this story. I really do love this series- it’s pretty unpredictable and all the characters of the Peculiar Crimes Unit are just as much part of it as Arthur Bryant and John May. Recommended series.
November 17, 2014
The eighth in the Peculiar Crimes series was just as enjoyable as the last. Bryant & May once again have to salvage the existence of their unit and its members (oh the stress these people must live under!) But we readers are treated to more esoteric knowledge of the inner workings of London---and some of its criminals. And the wonderful atmosphere continues along the way.
He listened to the city. A few minutes earlier it had
been virtually silent, but almost on the stroke of seven
o'clock a low, steady roar began and grew, like the sound
of factory machinery starting up. It was the hum of engines,
the turning of pistons, of voices and vans and coffee machines,
of peristaltic traffic and disgorging trains. The sound of
London coming to life. (p 146)
London is the central character in all these novels. And there is humor.
May replied...'I've banned Arthur from trying to wrap
up the investigation by using esoteric means.'
'Did you mean that?' asked Bryant.... 'You really want me
to play it by the book this time?'
'Yes, I do,' said May with determination. 'And I don't
mean the book of witchcraft, or the ancient myths of England,
I mean the Police Operational Handbook, 784 pages of sound,
solid common sense. (p 250)
Once again I recommend this series, particularly to the Anglophiles among us.
He listened to the city. A few minutes earlier it had
been virtually silent, but almost on the stroke of seven
o'clock a low, steady roar began and grew, like the sound
of factory machinery starting up. It was the hum of engines,
the turning of pistons, of voices and vans and coffee machines,
of peristaltic traffic and disgorging trains. The sound of
London coming to life. (p 146)
London is the central character in all these novels. And there is humor.
May replied...'I've banned Arthur from trying to wrap
up the investigation by using esoteric means.'
'Did you mean that?' asked Bryant.... 'You really want me
to play it by the book this time?'
'Yes, I do,' said May with determination. 'And I don't
mean the book of witchcraft, or the ancient myths of England,
I mean the Police Operational Handbook, 784 pages of sound,
solid common sense. (p 250)
Once again I recommend this series, particularly to the Anglophiles among us.
January 9, 2021
Currently, my least fav. of the Bryant and May series. I just could not follow the plot.
Now, the plots/story lines are often a bit convoluted and wander a bit, and I don't necessarily dislike them for that. I LOVE the two main characters, the frumpy Arthur Bryant, the suave John May, both elderly, but both in top-notch shape mentally. I like the staff around them; the circumstances in which they're always fighting for their special, investigative unit, the PCU, which works on crimes which might be embarrassing, sensitive, or involve highly-placed persons, etc. The locales are great, and this one, in the London subway system, or the Tube, was excellently done. (I could see, smell and hear these eerie spaces.) However...
I could JUST NOT FOLLOW what was going on with the murder(s) of various persons and those who might be involved. It was jumpy. Things poorly explained, IMO, and perhaps if I were a native or lived in or had visited London, I might have been less confused. There was a sort of 'game' here, which even though I reread certain passages, pages, etc., I just did not get.
So, for a confusing read, though delightful in places - dialogue, character, place - I had to kick it down to a low C+ or three stars. (Former teacher here; if you land in the middle you get a C.)
I look forward to the next in the series, however, as overall the series rates a solid A.
Three stars
Now, the plots/story lines are often a bit convoluted and wander a bit, and I don't necessarily dislike them for that. I LOVE the two main characters, the frumpy Arthur Bryant, the suave John May, both elderly, but both in top-notch shape mentally. I like the staff around them; the circumstances in which they're always fighting for their special, investigative unit, the PCU, which works on crimes which might be embarrassing, sensitive, or involve highly-placed persons, etc. The locales are great, and this one, in the London subway system, or the Tube, was excellently done. (I could see, smell and hear these eerie spaces.) However...
I could JUST NOT FOLLOW what was going on with the murder(s) of various persons and those who might be involved. It was jumpy. Things poorly explained, IMO, and perhaps if I were a native or lived in or had visited London, I might have been less confused. There was a sort of 'game' here, which even though I reread certain passages, pages, etc., I just did not get.
So, for a confusing read, though delightful in places - dialogue, character, place - I had to kick it down to a low C+ or three stars. (Former teacher here; if you land in the middle you get a C.)
I look forward to the next in the series, however, as overall the series rates a solid A.
Three stars
May 15, 2011
I love this series of books about the Peculiar Crimes Unit, featuring Bryant and May. How many mysteries involving murders also make you laugh out loud? The rag-tag group of detectives led by Bryant/May are constantly in danger of being unemployed as the "powers that be" are never quite sure what to make of the Unit's methods of investigation.
In this edition, killings in the Underground, which begin with a seemingly accidental fall, escalate as the Unit desperately tries to make a connection with a certain Mr. Fox, who killed one of their detectives while escaping from custody. But when the disappearance of a local college student appears to be connected, the chase is on and all is not what it appears. As is usual in this series, the story is complex and somewhat far-fetched but that is the appeal of the books.....besides it keeps the reader guessing until the last few pages. It's just plain fun.
In this edition, killings in the Underground, which begin with a seemingly accidental fall, escalate as the Unit desperately tries to make a connection with a certain Mr. Fox, who killed one of their detectives while escaping from custody. But when the disappearance of a local college student appears to be connected, the chase is on and all is not what it appears. As is usual in this series, the story is complex and somewhat far-fetched but that is the appeal of the books.....besides it keeps the reader guessing until the last few pages. It's just plain fun.
November 1, 2021
This is another very enjoyable instalment in the excellent Bryant & May series. This one follows on directly from On The Loose; it works fine as a stand-alone book, but I would strongly recommend reading the series in order for maximum enjoyment.
The team are still officially disbanded but still on the trail of “Mr. Fox” in King’s Cross. A series of events means that if they catch him and solve another seemingly unrelated death on the Underground, the Unit will be reinstated. And so begins the usual intricate investigation, with Arthur steeped in the history of the Underground as it seems to be the key to everything. There are perhaps fewer really esoteric “consultants” used by him here, but some equally fascinating people who know the Tube intimately. The characters from the Unit are their usual engaging selves, including the hapless Raymond, and as always there is an involving plot, some genuinely funny humour and a background of London’s history.
In short, this is another fine Bryant & May book. Probably no more really need be said. Warmly recommended.
The team are still officially disbanded but still on the trail of “Mr. Fox” in King’s Cross. A series of events means that if they catch him and solve another seemingly unrelated death on the Underground, the Unit will be reinstated. And so begins the usual intricate investigation, with Arthur steeped in the history of the Underground as it seems to be the key to everything. There are perhaps fewer really esoteric “consultants” used by him here, but some equally fascinating people who know the Tube intimately. The characters from the Unit are their usual engaging selves, including the hapless Raymond, and as always there is an involving plot, some genuinely funny humour and a background of London’s history.
In short, this is another fine Bryant & May book. Probably no more really need be said. Warmly recommended.
April 19, 2017
Mr Fowlers knowledge of my home town is superb, well written and researched. When a book can pull you in and lets you become a part of it then it is time to walk the streets of London as soon as you can and living in Scotland this is the best way.
Top marks for another excellent story of the grand old detectives of the PCU.
Top marks for another excellent story of the grand old detectives of the PCU.
March 17, 2015
Review from Badelynge
Christopher Fowler's brilliantly conceived British detective series continues. This one has quite a lot of mess to clean up from the previous book. Mr Fox is back on the loose after his escape from custody and the Peculiar Crimes Unit is reeling from the death of one of their own. Bryant and May must use every resource available to bring the killer in or it's curtains for the unit.
London bleeds from these books. With so many writers setting their story in London these days, many of them having never set foot on either bank of the Thames, it's a breath of fresh air to read about the place from a proper resident devotee. Bryant's fascination for all the minutiae of urban history and myth, that esoteric soup he draws on to fuel his investigations and which is served up with such a relish, it's obvious Fowler loves all this stuff as well. The other half of the ageing duo, May, is the procedural side of the operation. Fowler somehow manages to write quirkily with great humour but also maintains real atmosphere, threat and suspense which is no mean card trick.
Off the Rails takes the PCU down to the London Underground as they try to track the seemingly faceless killer. Bryant is in his element sifting through the wealth of ghost stories and history that a bunch of Victorian tunnels can accrue in a century and a half. When one line of enquiry leads the unit to a bunch of students things become even more chaotic as the clues get obscured by Bryant's achilles heel - technology.
Review from an advanced reading copy.
Christopher Fowler's brilliantly conceived British detective series continues. This one has quite a lot of mess to clean up from the previous book. Mr Fox is back on the loose after his escape from custody and the Peculiar Crimes Unit is reeling from the death of one of their own. Bryant and May must use every resource available to bring the killer in or it's curtains for the unit.
London bleeds from these books. With so many writers setting their story in London these days, many of them having never set foot on either bank of the Thames, it's a breath of fresh air to read about the place from a proper resident devotee. Bryant's fascination for all the minutiae of urban history and myth, that esoteric soup he draws on to fuel his investigations and which is served up with such a relish, it's obvious Fowler loves all this stuff as well. The other half of the ageing duo, May, is the procedural side of the operation. Fowler somehow manages to write quirkily with great humour but also maintains real atmosphere, threat and suspense which is no mean card trick.
Off the Rails takes the PCU down to the London Underground as they try to track the seemingly faceless killer. Bryant is in his element sifting through the wealth of ghost stories and history that a bunch of Victorian tunnels can accrue in a century and a half. When one line of enquiry leads the unit to a bunch of students things become even more chaotic as the clues get obscured by Bryant's achilles heel - technology.
Review from an advanced reading copy.
January 14, 2017
I found the characters likeable but the mystery itself a bit incoherent. My favorite parts were the descriptions of the Tube, with all the stations and corridors which were dug and then later taken out of service.
I also find the level of surveillance cameras in Britain just a tad Orwellian.
I also find the level of surveillance cameras in Britain just a tad Orwellian.
June 6, 2020
This is part two of the Mr. Fox story with a group of university students thrown in just to confuse matters. April May is in Toronto with her uncle recovering from another bout of agoraphobia and the unit has acquired a pair of Turkish workers, both named Dave, who are much more interested in what the unit is doing than they are in getting a proper job done on the electrical and carpentry repairs in the abandoned factory the unit is using as a headquarters. I enjoy the way these outsiders seem to become part of the office operation, much the way Crippen the cat does. Mr. Fowler always says that even, or rather especially, the weird stuff in his books are true but the detailed way that London police and transport authorities can track and control people's movements is quite startling and the CCTV centre in King's Cross that is described in considerable detail is a vivid example. This book, or rather the pair of books, is the best in the series although I will always have Full Dark House as my favourite.
READING THIS AGAIN in 2017 I certainly agree with the earlier comments. I still find it difficult to believe in "fluffers", women who went through the tunnels at night cleaning away fluff and other detritus from the day's operation and the whole concept of closed off stations and tunnels is disturbing, although I watched a story on tv that had a similar scenario based in New York. The rationale for the game doesn't make sense to me because no outside persons were involved and I don't see how anyone other than the winner would benefit. You would only win your friends' money in any event. Is there something wrong with me?
READING THIS AGAIN in 2017 I certainly agree with the earlier comments. I still find it difficult to believe in "fluffers", women who went through the tunnels at night cleaning away fluff and other detritus from the day's operation and the whole concept of closed off stations and tunnels is disturbing, although I watched a story on tv that had a similar scenario based in New York. The rationale for the game doesn't make sense to me because no outside persons were involved and I don't see how anyone other than the winner would benefit. You would only win your friends' money in any event. Is there something wrong with me?
March 6, 2014
Author..................... Christopher Fowler
Narrator.................. Tim Goodman
Abr/Unabr.............. Unabridged
Genre................... Fiction - Mystery
Series Name..............Bryant and May
Position in Series.... ..8 (2010)
Total Runtime......... 10 Hours 48 Mins
Blurb: The most enigmatic detectives in British crime fiction since Holmes and Watson return in their eighth wickedly entertaining and intriguing investigation...
Arthur Bryant, John May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit are on the trail of an enigma: Mr Fox. His identity is false, and his links to society are invisible. Their search takes them into the vast labyrinth of the Underground, a subterranean world full of legends and ghost stations. Edging closer to what lies beneath the city, are Bryant and May about to uncover something truly bizarre?
Oh! - I see that I have missed one and am not sure it is in my files:
3* - Full Dark House (2003)
4* - The Water Room (2004)
4* - Seventy-Seven Clocks (2005)
3* - Ten Second Staircase (2006)
3.5* - White Corridor (2007)
3.5* - The Victoria Vanishes (2008)
MISSING #: ETA found!
4* - Off the Rails (2010)
January 12, 2016
Off the Rails is right! The plot got rather stodgy in this one, with Bryant going off on a tangent, as usual. which is why I didn't enjoy this one so much as the others - or maybe I'm just getting a little bit tired of Bryant's idiosyncrasies and May's moaning!
September 23, 2016
Eighth in the Bryant & May mystery crime series based in London and revolving around two ancient detectives who should have retired years ago.
My Take
Despite being shut down in Bryant & May on the Loose , 7, the Peculiar Crimes Unit is back up…on probation…at The Old Warehouse. It's mostly Bryant in this with his magic tricks and rudeness, although he was quite mild with the students. The running joke in Bryant and May Off the Rails is those playing and tarot cards Bryant is messing about with. May is much more reserved; he's depressed over April May's defection.
I did enjoy Bryant's description of Faraday: "Sad Porky Timeserver" and "Snivelling Little Rodent" which came at the end of a diatribe against the above memo. Even better is Fowler's description of Bryant, ROFL, "a tortoise minus its shell, thrust upright and stuffed into a dreadful suit". Bryant does bemoan the loss of London past with its history and traditions. Naturally, I moan right along with him, as I too adore history and Fowler brings that loss to life.
It is clever how Fowler uses a memo to introduce the characters and set the stage for how the PCU is viewed. I'm also looking forward to more of Fraternity DuCaine. I suspect he has just been added to the roster. And Mrs. DuCaine asks only two things of PCU: revenge and why Fraternity failed his police exam.
Wouldn't ya just know the "powers-that-be" are blaming PUC for losing their suspect in Bryant & May on the Loose . Gimme a break! They have an excessively limited budget in a crappy temporary headquarters that has holes in the floors, walls, and ceilings. Faraday follows this snark up with ordering the PCU to find the guy in another week or they're closing them down. Again. In spite of the fact that they were the only ones to figure out who it was and catch him. Arghh…
There are ghost stories surrounding the new temporary warehou…, er, office. The Occult Society of Great Britain performed a number of rituals in the building. Certainly all the drawings and paintings confirm that! Maggie and Mrs. Yu contribute to the metaphysical with their facts about King's Cross' hidden powers and the ley lines. Mrs. Yu also noted historic health issues that will make you grateful for what we now know.
I have to agree with Danbury's peek in at the Ken and Barbie Killers, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, with their blankness and the serial killer, Dennis Nilsen, who was so boring that he put his victims to sleep. I'll never understand people like that, and I'm damn grateful I won't. These two sets of killers are too much like the one who took umbrage at Gloria's actions.
Aww, it's sad that students no longer protest simply because their education could be cancelled. Whatever happened to challenging authority? Questioning the status quo? Lively debate on both sides?
It's curious that the students are all so eager to get rid of May. It's also funny, as Bryant and May point out that everything is revolving around the Underground: the students studying urban planning, Ruby's books on the Underground, Mr. Fox staging attacks down below, and all the ghost stories.
Wait'll you read Rajan's issues. Omigod, Bryant is too right. He does have social issues. He is so defensive and works so hard at it that I couldn't decide if I should laugh or sputter…so I did both. Theo is a major jerk. If he was truly so confident in his superiority, I shouldn't think he'd need to behave so poorly.
Huh. Toby's explanation of urban planning was fascinating. I had no idea it took all those sorts of issues into account. I'm also with Bryant in amazement at all the information May picks up in his short time at the house of students.
That's it. The world is coming to an end. Bryant has finally realized that he keeps trying to make the facts fit his theories. The thing is, his arcane interests usually push him in the right direction. Actually, and I'm not sure if I'm finally getting it, or if Fowler is being more clear about how Bryant's arcane and obscure interests intersect with his cases to provide those clues. It certainly made it easier to understand why detectives and constables get converted over to the PCU version of crime solving.
Scary how often the police are more concerned about who gets a case than about the person who's been victimized.
What a piece of work! He thought they'd be okay with giving up their lives for him!
Arthur Bryant, John May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit are on the trail of an enigma: a young man called Mr Fox. But his identity is false, his links to society are invisible, and his home yields no clues. All they know is that somehow he escaped from a locked room and murdered one of their best and brightest.
Now the detectives are being lured down into the darkest recesses of the London Underground where their quarry, expertly disguised, has struck again. Their search takes them into the vast labyrinth of tunnels, a subterranean world full of legends and ghost stations, which tie the city together. Edging closer to what lies hidden beneath the city — and to the madness that is driving a man to murder — Bryant and May are about to uncover a mystery as bizarre as anything they have ever encountered.
The Characters
Senior Detectives Arthur Bryant and John May are complete opposites who happen to complement each other's skills. Both are past the age of retirement, but can't imagine not detecting. Although I suspect any crime scene techs would love to see Bryant out to pasture. Alma Sorrowbridge is Bryant's long-suffering landlady, battling to save their Chalk Farm home. Brigitte is the divorced Frenchwoman May is seeing. Gwen May was the sister who stayed apart; she now lives happily in Brighton. Elizabeth was John's daughter; her daughter, April May, John's granddaughter, resigned and is fleeing to Uncle Alex in Toronto.
The Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) is…
…in constant trouble and threat of being shut down. Begun during World War II to handle sensitive, difficult cases that would impinge on morale, the PCU has undergone multiple changes in oversight. Detective Sergeant Janice Longbright is regretting Liberty DuCaine and the style changes she made; Dan Banbury is the crime scene manager with a good eye for profiling and IT tech, Detective Constables Meera Mangeshkar (she's the stroppy one) and Colin Bimsley (suffers from a lack of coordination), and Desk Sergeant Jack Renfield are part of the immediate team. Crippen is the staff cat. Raymond Land is the ineffective acting temporary unit chief. Has been for decades. Poor thing. In his memo, he complains that no-one tells him anything… Giles Kershaw, a forensic pathologist at St. Pancras, is not officially associated with them anymore. He took Professor Marshall's place. Rosa Lysandrou is the dour coroner's assistant.
Dave and Dave are two utterly useless Turkish gentlemen who are supposed to be fixing the temporary HQ up. Rufus Abu is one of May's Haphazards, a young and brilliant computer hacker, dodging the CIA.
King's Cross Surveillance Centre is…
…a.k.a., North One Watch, an underground room whose personnel monitors activity above and below the streets. Anjam Dutta is a 20-year security expert heading the afternoon surveillance team. Rasheed, Sandwich, Bitter, and Stone are guards while Marianne is a ticket clerk; each has lots of stories about the Underground. Seems Annie Evans is a frequent ghost.
Mr. Gregory is the stationmaster at Mornington Crescent. Larry Hale will be their Site Person for the evening stroll through the Underground.
Home Office
Leslie Faraday is their immediate supervisor, the senior police liaison, with the evil Oskar Kasavian his supervisor determined to shut them down.
Janet Ramsey is the editor of Hard News whom we first met in Ten Second Staircase , 4.
Cassie Field, a visual artist with a history of secret anarchy, designed the logo for the Karma Bar where she works as a manager. Sophie is an old schoolfriend who's been dumped.
The house of students
Theo Fontvieille owns the house where a number of geeky students pay him rent. Nikos Nicolau is studying to be a biochemical engineer (his family owns restaurants); the rest of the guys — Rajan Sangeeta, Toby Brooke, and Matthew Hillingdon — are into urban planning; and, Ruby Cates is Matt's worried girlfriend studying Bioinformatics.
The King's Cross Executioner is…
…Mr. Fox, a church caretaker, well, former caretaker. The man PCU arrested in Bryant & May on the Loose , 7. Who escaped after murdering PC Liberty DuCaine. Mac, a heroin addict, a.k.a., Tony McCarthy, is bitterly regretting his deal with Mr. Fox. His father, Jim McCarthy, had been a victim of the King's Cross Fire some years ago.
Lloyd Lutine had been an English teacher at Pentonville Prison. Georgia Conroy had been a history teacher there. Albert Thomas Edward Ketch was Jonas Ketch's father, and he committed suicide in front of his son. Patricia Burton had been the mother.
Gloria Taylor worked the makeup counter and had a five-year-old daughter. Mrs. DuCaine is Liberty's mother, shocked at his former workmates from Headquarters. Fraternity and Equality "Betty" were Liberty's brother and sister respectively. Nicholson at Hendon doesn't understand why Fraternity was turned down either.
Maggie Armitage is a Grade IV White Witch who runs the North London branch of the Coven of St. James the Elder. Mrs. Yu works with atmospheric disturbances. Albert Purberry is almost legitimate as a hypnotist. Detective Sergeant Gladys Longbright had been Janice's mother who had started out with PCU in 1940. Charles Pearson created the Metropolitan Railway Line while Fowler figured out how to build tunnels under busy streets. Interesting bit of background history on this. Naimh Connor is the duty nurse at University College Hospital who had stitched up Meera's arm. Daphne, a.k.a., Radiant Lotus Blossom and former assistant to the Immortal Mysterioso, now works in a magic store.
The London Anarchists was a society intended to avenge the Bedlam Martyrs. One branch is called Bash the Rich. The Night Crawler was thought to be an urban myth.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a speckled deep coral with a crazy script font in black for the title and author's name at top and bottom respectively. It's the suitcase with its striped interior below center which catches the eye with its assemblage of a rainbow-striped coat, the necessary umbrella, the guidebooks and map, the essential cellphone for proof, the playing and tarot cards under the magnifying lens, that cup of coffee and knitting needles piercing the fedora and the red and black scarf, and a thumbprint that points the way, as Crippen prances out from behind the suitcase.
The title is this whole mystery, it's simply Bryant and May Off the Rails in its morality and execution.
My Take
Despite being shut down in Bryant & May on the Loose , 7, the Peculiar Crimes Unit is back up…on probation…at The Old Warehouse. It's mostly Bryant in this with his magic tricks and rudeness, although he was quite mild with the students. The running joke in Bryant and May Off the Rails is those playing and tarot cards Bryant is messing about with. May is much more reserved; he's depressed over April May's defection.
I did enjoy Bryant's description of Faraday: "Sad Porky Timeserver" and "Snivelling Little Rodent" which came at the end of a diatribe against the above memo. Even better is Fowler's description of Bryant, ROFL, "a tortoise minus its shell, thrust upright and stuffed into a dreadful suit". Bryant does bemoan the loss of London past with its history and traditions. Naturally, I moan right along with him, as I too adore history and Fowler brings that loss to life.
It is clever how Fowler uses a memo to introduce the characters and set the stage for how the PCU is viewed. I'm also looking forward to more of Fraternity DuCaine. I suspect he has just been added to the roster. And Mrs. DuCaine asks only two things of PCU: revenge and why Fraternity failed his police exam.
Wouldn't ya just know the "powers-that-be" are blaming PUC for losing their suspect in Bryant & May on the Loose . Gimme a break! They have an excessively limited budget in a crappy temporary headquarters that has holes in the floors, walls, and ceilings. Faraday follows this snark up with ordering the PCU to find the guy in another week or they're closing them down. Again. In spite of the fact that they were the only ones to figure out who it was and catch him. Arghh…
There are ghost stories surrounding the new temporary warehou…, er, office. The Occult Society of Great Britain performed a number of rituals in the building. Certainly all the drawings and paintings confirm that! Maggie and Mrs. Yu contribute to the metaphysical with their facts about King's Cross' hidden powers and the ley lines. Mrs. Yu also noted historic health issues that will make you grateful for what we now know.
I have to agree with Danbury's peek in at the Ken and Barbie Killers, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, with their blankness and the serial killer, Dennis Nilsen, who was so boring that he put his victims to sleep. I'll never understand people like that, and I'm damn grateful I won't. These two sets of killers are too much like the one who took umbrage at Gloria's actions.
Aww, it's sad that students no longer protest simply because their education could be cancelled. Whatever happened to challenging authority? Questioning the status quo? Lively debate on both sides?
It's curious that the students are all so eager to get rid of May. It's also funny, as Bryant and May point out that everything is revolving around the Underground: the students studying urban planning, Ruby's books on the Underground, Mr. Fox staging attacks down below, and all the ghost stories.
Wait'll you read Rajan's issues. Omigod, Bryant is too right. He does have social issues. He is so defensive and works so hard at it that I couldn't decide if I should laugh or sputter…so I did both. Theo is a major jerk. If he was truly so confident in his superiority, I shouldn't think he'd need to behave so poorly.
Huh. Toby's explanation of urban planning was fascinating. I had no idea it took all those sorts of issues into account. I'm also with Bryant in amazement at all the information May picks up in his short time at the house of students.
That's it. The world is coming to an end. Bryant has finally realized that he keeps trying to make the facts fit his theories. The thing is, his arcane interests usually push him in the right direction. Actually, and I'm not sure if I'm finally getting it, or if Fowler is being more clear about how Bryant's arcane and obscure interests intersect with his cases to provide those clues. It certainly made it easier to understand why detectives and constables get converted over to the PCU version of crime solving.
Scary how often the police are more concerned about who gets a case than about the person who's been victimized.
What a piece of work! He thought they'd be okay with giving up their lives for him!
"The most useful thing was that Matt trusted me."The Story
Arthur Bryant, John May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit are on the trail of an enigma: a young man called Mr Fox. But his identity is false, his links to society are invisible, and his home yields no clues. All they know is that somehow he escaped from a locked room and murdered one of their best and brightest.
Now the detectives are being lured down into the darkest recesses of the London Underground where their quarry, expertly disguised, has struck again. Their search takes them into the vast labyrinth of tunnels, a subterranean world full of legends and ghost stations, which tie the city together. Edging closer to what lies hidden beneath the city — and to the madness that is driving a man to murder — Bryant and May are about to uncover a mystery as bizarre as anything they have ever encountered.
The Characters
Senior Detectives Arthur Bryant and John May are complete opposites who happen to complement each other's skills. Both are past the age of retirement, but can't imagine not detecting. Although I suspect any crime scene techs would love to see Bryant out to pasture. Alma Sorrowbridge is Bryant's long-suffering landlady, battling to save their Chalk Farm home. Brigitte is the divorced Frenchwoman May is seeing. Gwen May was the sister who stayed apart; she now lives happily in Brighton. Elizabeth was John's daughter; her daughter, April May, John's granddaughter, resigned and is fleeing to Uncle Alex in Toronto.
The Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) is…
…in constant trouble and threat of being shut down. Begun during World War II to handle sensitive, difficult cases that would impinge on morale, the PCU has undergone multiple changes in oversight. Detective Sergeant Janice Longbright is regretting Liberty DuCaine and the style changes she made; Dan Banbury is the crime scene manager with a good eye for profiling and IT tech, Detective Constables Meera Mangeshkar (she's the stroppy one) and Colin Bimsley (suffers from a lack of coordination), and Desk Sergeant Jack Renfield are part of the immediate team. Crippen is the staff cat. Raymond Land is the ineffective acting temporary unit chief. Has been for decades. Poor thing. In his memo, he complains that no-one tells him anything… Giles Kershaw, a forensic pathologist at St. Pancras, is not officially associated with them anymore. He took Professor Marshall's place. Rosa Lysandrou is the dour coroner's assistant.
Dave and Dave are two utterly useless Turkish gentlemen who are supposed to be fixing the temporary HQ up. Rufus Abu is one of May's Haphazards, a young and brilliant computer hacker, dodging the CIA.
King's Cross Surveillance Centre is…
…a.k.a., North One Watch, an underground room whose personnel monitors activity above and below the streets. Anjam Dutta is a 20-year security expert heading the afternoon surveillance team. Rasheed, Sandwich, Bitter, and Stone are guards while Marianne is a ticket clerk; each has lots of stories about the Underground. Seems Annie Evans is a frequent ghost.
Mr. Gregory is the stationmaster at Mornington Crescent. Larry Hale will be their Site Person for the evening stroll through the Underground.
Home Office
Leslie Faraday is their immediate supervisor, the senior police liaison, with the evil Oskar Kasavian his supervisor determined to shut them down.
Janet Ramsey is the editor of Hard News whom we first met in Ten Second Staircase , 4.
Cassie Field, a visual artist with a history of secret anarchy, designed the logo for the Karma Bar where she works as a manager. Sophie is an old schoolfriend who's been dumped.
The house of students
Theo Fontvieille owns the house where a number of geeky students pay him rent. Nikos Nicolau is studying to be a biochemical engineer (his family owns restaurants); the rest of the guys — Rajan Sangeeta, Toby Brooke, and Matthew Hillingdon — are into urban planning; and, Ruby Cates is Matt's worried girlfriend studying Bioinformatics.
The King's Cross Executioner is…
…Mr. Fox, a church caretaker, well, former caretaker. The man PCU arrested in Bryant & May on the Loose , 7. Who escaped after murdering PC Liberty DuCaine. Mac, a heroin addict, a.k.a., Tony McCarthy, is bitterly regretting his deal with Mr. Fox. His father, Jim McCarthy, had been a victim of the King's Cross Fire some years ago.
Lloyd Lutine had been an English teacher at Pentonville Prison. Georgia Conroy had been a history teacher there. Albert Thomas Edward Ketch was Jonas Ketch's father, and he committed suicide in front of his son. Patricia Burton had been the mother.
Gloria Taylor worked the makeup counter and had a five-year-old daughter. Mrs. DuCaine is Liberty's mother, shocked at his former workmates from Headquarters. Fraternity and Equality "Betty" were Liberty's brother and sister respectively. Nicholson at Hendon doesn't understand why Fraternity was turned down either.
Maggie Armitage is a Grade IV White Witch who runs the North London branch of the Coven of St. James the Elder. Mrs. Yu works with atmospheric disturbances. Albert Purberry is almost legitimate as a hypnotist. Detective Sergeant Gladys Longbright had been Janice's mother who had started out with PCU in 1940. Charles Pearson created the Metropolitan Railway Line while Fowler figured out how to build tunnels under busy streets. Interesting bit of background history on this. Naimh Connor is the duty nurse at University College Hospital who had stitched up Meera's arm. Daphne, a.k.a., Radiant Lotus Blossom and former assistant to the Immortal Mysterioso, now works in a magic store.
The London Anarchists was a society intended to avenge the Bedlam Martyrs. One branch is called Bash the Rich. The Night Crawler was thought to be an urban myth.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a speckled deep coral with a crazy script font in black for the title and author's name at top and bottom respectively. It's the suitcase with its striped interior below center which catches the eye with its assemblage of a rainbow-striped coat, the necessary umbrella, the guidebooks and map, the essential cellphone for proof, the playing and tarot cards under the magnifying lens, that cup of coffee and knitting needles piercing the fedora and the red and black scarf, and a thumbprint that points the way, as Crippen prances out from behind the suitcase.
The title is this whole mystery, it's simply Bryant and May Off the Rails in its morality and execution.
August 10, 2017
My first venture into the world of Bryant & May (#8 in the series). The book was entertaining and I liked the personalities and the back & forth of the two detectives. Another reader said, "I found the characters likeable but the mystery itself a bit incoherent," and that was basically my thought as well. I will seek out another one or two of the books and see if it just happened to be this particular mystery that was somewhat 'incoherent'. Sometimes it's better to start at the beginning of a series (perhaps especially this far into it), even if the story does hold up on its own. It was an interesting look into London's subway system. 3.5
December 31, 2019
Another fantastic twisting, odd mystery. I really enjoy the quirkiness of these mysteries and think all the research material used to write one would be of equal interest.
These two guys are a joy to read about. I love the way they work together and the team them got together to help investigations.
These books scream for a series. I can just picture Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen for the leads. Can't you?
These two guys are a joy to read about. I love the way they work together and the team them got together to help investigations.
These books scream for a series. I can just picture Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen for the leads. Can't you?
July 31, 2018
Please see my review at www.wholestoryaudiobooks.com
January 17, 2022
Fowler outdid himself in this masterful mystery spiked with humorous descriptions and dialogue. Bryant and May, along with their retinue compliment each other. Fowler makes me think and often laugh out loud. Love the series like I do.
May 27, 2022
A great read, focusing on the London Underground. Finishes off the story in book 7.
October 21, 2010
First Sentence: With regard to your apprehension of the hired assassin operating in the King’s Cross area, this so-called ‘King’s Cross Executioner’ chap, thank you for acting so quickly on the matter, although it’s a pity he subsequently managed to give you the slip.
A killer known as Mr. Fox has been captured by Detectives Arthur Bryant and John May, but escaped, murdering one of their colleagues in the process. A body has been discovered in a station of London’s Underground. Was Mr. Fox the killer or does the Peculiar Crimes Unit have another killer on their hands.
Okay, I’ll start right out by admitting I love Bryant and May. In them, Fowler has created two of the most appealing characters being written today. And it is truly Fowler’s excellent writing and voice which brings them, and the story, to life.
I have always appreciated books which include a cast of characters. Fowler found a particularly clever way of incorporating his cast of principal characters into the story as a staff roster. In this book, he provides a description of Bryant which truly does give “some measure of the man,” and I love his Bryant’s habit of reciting dictionary definitions.
Bryant and May, while being the central characters, are not alone but supported by a host of secondary characters each given distinct backgrounds, characteristics and contributions to the story. With each book, we learn more of each character’s background and personalities. But beyond the central characters, it is a rare author who can make one feel an element of sympathy for a series killer, but Fowler manages so to do.
There is wonderful humor balanced by touching poignancy. There is a balance of historical information—the London Underground system—with very contemporary references—the use of a flash mob as a distraction. It is the inclusion of small details about which one normally doesn’t think; such as the inclusion as to why escalators are always breaking down and the comparison between actors and serial killers, which I appreciate.
This is a book where one should have read the previous books in the series. Doing so would be no great burden as all the Bryant and May stories are so well done and delightful to read. I should hate to see this series end so, please, give them a try, spread the word and enjoy Bryant and May. “On the Loose” is another excellent addition to the series.
BRYANT & MAY OFF THE RAILS (Pol Proc-Arthur Bryant/John May-England-Cont) – Ex
Fowler, Christopher – 8th in series
Doubleday, ©2010, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780385614665
A killer known as Mr. Fox has been captured by Detectives Arthur Bryant and John May, but escaped, murdering one of their colleagues in the process. A body has been discovered in a station of London’s Underground. Was Mr. Fox the killer or does the Peculiar Crimes Unit have another killer on their hands.
Okay, I’ll start right out by admitting I love Bryant and May. In them, Fowler has created two of the most appealing characters being written today. And it is truly Fowler’s excellent writing and voice which brings them, and the story, to life.
I have always appreciated books which include a cast of characters. Fowler found a particularly clever way of incorporating his cast of principal characters into the story as a staff roster. In this book, he provides a description of Bryant which truly does give “some measure of the man,” and I love his Bryant’s habit of reciting dictionary definitions.
Bryant and May, while being the central characters, are not alone but supported by a host of secondary characters each given distinct backgrounds, characteristics and contributions to the story. With each book, we learn more of each character’s background and personalities. But beyond the central characters, it is a rare author who can make one feel an element of sympathy for a series killer, but Fowler manages so to do.
There is wonderful humor balanced by touching poignancy. There is a balance of historical information—the London Underground system—with very contemporary references—the use of a flash mob as a distraction. It is the inclusion of small details about which one normally doesn’t think; such as the inclusion as to why escalators are always breaking down and the comparison between actors and serial killers, which I appreciate.
This is a book where one should have read the previous books in the series. Doing so would be no great burden as all the Bryant and May stories are so well done and delightful to read. I should hate to see this series end so, please, give them a try, spread the word and enjoy Bryant and May. “On the Loose” is another excellent addition to the series.
BRYANT & MAY OFF THE RAILS (Pol Proc-Arthur Bryant/John May-England-Cont) – Ex
Fowler, Christopher – 8th in series
Doubleday, ©2010, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780385614665
September 24, 2010
Having read Bryant & May On The Loose by Christopher Fowler for the Transworld Summer Reading Challenge, I decided to give the next book in the series a go.
Bryant & May Off The Rails follows the aging, octogenarian detectives as they search for killer who has escaped their clutches and they only have one week to do it in, otherwise the Peculiar Crimes Unit will be shut down. While they search for one murderer it seems like another may be on the loose as a young mother falls down a tube station staircase during the rush-hour, in full view of the CCTV and other commuters. Something leads Bryant & May to think that she didn’t simply fall and the investigation takes them into the depths of the London Underground.
In the course of the investigation, Off The Rails treats us to strange goings-on in the London Underground, with stories of ghosts and forgotten stations, and trivial clues (Christopher Fowler has done his research!). Has the detectives’ missing killer gone underground and is he responsible for more deaths?
Bryant & May can be described as golden age detectives due to the way they conduct their investigations. They’re lovable, if not a bit quirky. As I said in my review of On The Loose, Bryant & May remind me of the BBC TV programme New Tricks, except they are older and have younger colleagues.
I loved the quote “Fowler, eh? Sounds dodgy.” when Bryant & May were discussing a London Underground engineer (It made me chuckle because Fowler is the author’s surname, in case you weren’t paying attention!).
Another note I made while reading this book was about the Lutine Bell at Lloyd’s Bank. I’d never heard of it before reading Off The Rails, but on that very same evening it was mentioned on The Antiques Roadshow. What a co-incidence!
Anyway, the books in the Bryant & May series seem to be self-contained (in that you can pick up a book without reading the previous books in the series). This can also be said for Off The Rails, however I think it’s a much better read if you’ve read the previous book, On The Loose.
Off The Rails is another good “whodunnit” by Christopher Fowler. There are twists and turns and the book goes at a good pace. There’s even a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure. It’s certainly an enjoyable read and one I’d recommend (along with Bryant & May On The Loose).
Bryant & May Off The Rails follows the aging, octogenarian detectives as they search for killer who has escaped their clutches and they only have one week to do it in, otherwise the Peculiar Crimes Unit will be shut down. While they search for one murderer it seems like another may be on the loose as a young mother falls down a tube station staircase during the rush-hour, in full view of the CCTV and other commuters. Something leads Bryant & May to think that she didn’t simply fall and the investigation takes them into the depths of the London Underground.
In the course of the investigation, Off The Rails treats us to strange goings-on in the London Underground, with stories of ghosts and forgotten stations, and trivial clues (Christopher Fowler has done his research!). Has the detectives’ missing killer gone underground and is he responsible for more deaths?
Bryant & May can be described as golden age detectives due to the way they conduct their investigations. They’re lovable, if not a bit quirky. As I said in my review of On The Loose, Bryant & May remind me of the BBC TV programme New Tricks, except they are older and have younger colleagues.
I loved the quote “Fowler, eh? Sounds dodgy.” when Bryant & May were discussing a London Underground engineer (It made me chuckle because Fowler is the author’s surname, in case you weren’t paying attention!).
Another note I made while reading this book was about the Lutine Bell at Lloyd’s Bank. I’d never heard of it before reading Off The Rails, but on that very same evening it was mentioned on The Antiques Roadshow. What a co-incidence!
Anyway, the books in the Bryant & May series seem to be self-contained (in that you can pick up a book without reading the previous books in the series). This can also be said for Off The Rails, however I think it’s a much better read if you’ve read the previous book, On The Loose.
Off The Rails is another good “whodunnit” by Christopher Fowler. There are twists and turns and the book goes at a good pace. There’s even a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure. It’s certainly an enjoyable read and one I’d recommend (along with Bryant & May On The Loose).
March 1, 2012
I love the Bryant and May stories, they have acharm all of their own, this one kicks off straight away after the last one finished, continuing the story of Mr Fox.
there's a fantastic bit near the beginning that goes
"Arthur Bryant, have you met him before??If not,imagine a tortoise minus its shell, thrust upright and stuffed into a dreadful suit.give it glasses, false teeth and a hearing aid,and a whispy band of white hair arranged in a straggling tonsure.
fill its pockets with rubbish, old pennies and scribbled notes,boiled sweets and leaky pens,a glass model of a ford prefect filled with Isle of Wight sand, yards of string, a stuffed mouse,some dried peas.And fill its head with a mad scramble of ideas;the height of the steeple of St Clement Danes, the tide tables of the thames, the dimensions of Waterloo station, and the method of murders.
on top of all this, add the enquiring wonder of a ten year old boy. Now you have some measure of the man"
How can you not want to read more after that??
The aforementioned Bryant claimed this case to be one of the hardest the unit ever had, and have to be honest, I had NO idea where it was going, but all tied up nicely in the end, with some great original thinking and plots on the way.
Really I'd like to give this 4 and half stars.
there's a fantastic bit near the beginning that goes
"Arthur Bryant, have you met him before??If not,imagine a tortoise minus its shell, thrust upright and stuffed into a dreadful suit.give it glasses, false teeth and a hearing aid,and a whispy band of white hair arranged in a straggling tonsure.
fill its pockets with rubbish, old pennies and scribbled notes,boiled sweets and leaky pens,a glass model of a ford prefect filled with Isle of Wight sand, yards of string, a stuffed mouse,some dried peas.And fill its head with a mad scramble of ideas;the height of the steeple of St Clement Danes, the tide tables of the thames, the dimensions of Waterloo station, and the method of murders.
on top of all this, add the enquiring wonder of a ten year old boy. Now you have some measure of the man"
How can you not want to read more after that??
The aforementioned Bryant claimed this case to be one of the hardest the unit ever had, and have to be honest, I had NO idea where it was going, but all tied up nicely in the end, with some great original thinking and plots on the way.
Really I'd like to give this 4 and half stars.
April 19, 2016
This was my first time reading anything by Fowler, and I'm not eager to read another. Despite enjoying bits and pieces of Off the Rails, overall I was left unimpressed.
Bryant and May may be quirky as characters go, but for me they were nothing more than that, and I simply couldn't connect with either them, or any other character in the book. Unfortunately, I didn't find them all that interesting either, which would have been enough for this type of book. The conversations between them left me almost as bored as the discussions and facts about the underground system (although many people seemed to love these), which I found myself skimming as quickly as possible. "Is there anything useful here? Nope, time to move on." Even the villain, Mr Fox, didn't capture my attention.
For me, personally, I just felt like it was trying a too hard to be that quirky, clever story that the quotes on the back proclaim the series to be. It gave me a few smiles now and again (the embarrassed sort, when something is cheesy but you can't help but smile anyway), the sense of place was well done, and the writing was easy to read, but beyond that it didn't deliver a memorable read.
Bryant and May may be quirky as characters go, but for me they were nothing more than that, and I simply couldn't connect with either them, or any other character in the book. Unfortunately, I didn't find them all that interesting either, which would have been enough for this type of book. The conversations between them left me almost as bored as the discussions and facts about the underground system (although many people seemed to love these), which I found myself skimming as quickly as possible. "Is there anything useful here? Nope, time to move on." Even the villain, Mr Fox, didn't capture my attention.
For me, personally, I just felt like it was trying a too hard to be that quirky, clever story that the quotes on the back proclaim the series to be. It gave me a few smiles now and again (the embarrassed sort, when something is cheesy but you can't help but smile anyway), the sense of place was well done, and the writing was easy to read, but beyond that it didn't deliver a memorable read.
August 16, 2014
Bryant and May never disappoint; I stayed up late last night to finish this one, the tension really builds in the end and even though I was sure I knew the culprit. I wasn't sure the PCU would get their man - and then I was totally gobsmacked with the twist Fowler throws at us, bravo! I love this series and hope it goes on for awhile; I stopped reading the series after the first four books so Fowler could get way ahead of me and I could read one after another and not run out - he's that good. I love the amazing characters, especially "London's most senior detective" Arthur Bryant, the curmudgeon's curmudgeon, and his never-ending font of arcane facts, folklore and funky friends. His imagination always runs away with him, but he's almost always right - delightful!
November 14, 2010
Bryant and May are back and on the case, or so it seems. Of course, the Peculiar Crime Unit’s very existence is precarious.
Their last arrestee, “Mr. Fox,” has escaped. Now they’ve got to find him, as well as the killer in the tube. Their subway investigation leads them to a group of university students, who, naturally, have no respect for the geriatric detectives. Not surprisingly, the two cases converge in a subway station.
While the mystery was not predictable, there was something flat about this Bryant & May novel. There seemed to be less emphasis on the quirkiness of the duo and their less than conventional methods of detection.
Kind of disappointing.
Their last arrestee, “Mr. Fox,” has escaped. Now they’ve got to find him, as well as the killer in the tube. Their subway investigation leads them to a group of university students, who, naturally, have no respect for the geriatric detectives. Not surprisingly, the two cases converge in a subway station.
While the mystery was not predictable, there was something flat about this Bryant & May novel. There seemed to be less emphasis on the quirkiness of the duo and their less than conventional methods of detection.
Kind of disappointing.
December 30, 2010
I love this series. By this time the dectectives Arthur Bryant and John May are positively elderly, which makes actually getting to a crime scene or remembering certain details more of a challenge. Nonetheless, they are more brilliant, and endearing, than ever in this latest outing. By all means, don't stint yourself on this fabulous series--start at the beginning with "Full Dark House." By the time you've finished, the publication of the next Bryant & May mystery will have become one of the reading highlights of your year.
December 16, 2010
I really enjoy this series. In this one the detectives are trying to track down Mr. Fox, the serial killer and master of disguise and deceit.
There is the usual slapstick — which is to say the highly unusual slapstick. Social commentary on college students. Interesting info on the London subway, flash mobs, and other subjects new to me.
Less angst than some of the others, which is fine by me. We have Henning Mankell for that.
There is the usual slapstick — which is to say the highly unusual slapstick. Social commentary on college students. Interesting info on the London subway, flash mobs, and other subjects new to me.
Less angst than some of the others, which is fine by me. We have Henning Mankell for that.
March 12, 2015
Excellent read! Fascinating history of London and the Tube. I loved how Fowler thought that the engineer who came up with the idea of putting the tunnels underground sounded a bit dodgy...being his name was Fowler...Bryant trying to master a card trick was amusing. The mystery was quite intriguing and had me going to the very end!
February 11, 2016
For anyone who loves a good puzzle and lots of quirky characters, this series by Christopher Fowler is a delightful romp. The London-based "Peculiar Crimes Unit" led by an "odd couple" team of investigators Arthur Bryant and John May, have only one week to solve a series of seemingly unrelated murders in the London underground system. The clock is ticking and the body count mounting...
July 21, 2016
In Bryant and May on the Loose, elderly detectives Arthur Bryant and John May of London's Peculiar Crimes Unit apprehended a criminal known as "Mr. Fox" but he escaped from custody killing a member of the PCU staff in the process. The PCU is told that they have a week to recapture Mr. Fox or else the Unit will be permanently disbanded. Get to work, you octogenarians.
July 30, 2011
First one of these I've read and, while interesting, it treads the line between realism and snark. Bryant reminds me of many other UK 'tecs, lumbering, messy, and uneasy in the modern world. Amusing in the main but not enough to make me want to read on in the series.
January 9, 2016
This series has gotten better and better with every installation.
The classic mystery set-pieces (locked rooms, etc.), the lesser-known historical attributes of London, and the diverse, relatable characters all meld into the most enjoyable (and, sadly, fastest) of reads.
The classic mystery set-pieces (locked rooms, etc.), the lesser-known historical attributes of London, and the diverse, relatable characters all meld into the most enjoyable (and, sadly, fastest) of reads.
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