"Pathologist Dr Jack Cuthbert returns for his fourth investigation, this time in 1931 London, in this rich historical mystery. "
A murdered child found in a cemetery kicks off the fourth outing of the brilliant (but prickly) pathologist Dr Jack Cuthbert of Scotland Yard.
The Shadows and the Dust by Allan Gaw includes all of the highlights of his previous outings. Compelling mystery. Historical detail. Fully-formed supporting characters. Most important of all, using pathology and science to solve the mystery, along with some good old-fashioned police work.
The mystery begins when Cuthbert visits the hastily-dug grave of the murder victim. He is wrapped in white cotton and laid on a bed of plants and flowers in the cemetery of St. Gregory’s, which is home to both a local orphanage and a church.
No detail is too small for Cuthbert to observe, and he and his team surmise that the plants and flowers buried with the boy are key to the mystery. They search the graveyard again and find the bodies of two more children.
Like the other novels in this series, this also features a dual timeline. The flashback chapters cover Cuthbert’s childhood in Scotland at the turn of the century, first at his grandfather’s mansion in Edinburgh, and then later at his Scottish boarding school. The scenes go a long way to explaining his character, not to mention his love of Latin and Greek.
Reading the previous three Cuthbert mysteries is not a prerequisite for enjoying the series, though fans will delight in the return of loved supporting characters and Easter eggs. Those with a weak stomach will be happy to hear that this novel is not as gory as previous episodes, which is a relief.
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
| Other Genres: |
Like all pathologists, Cuthbert finds dealing with dead children the hardest part of his job. However, when the body of a young boy is found in the grounds of a church orphanage, Cuthbert not only has to steel himself for the task ahead, he is also forced to revisit his own childhood grief. The boy in his shallow grave has been interred with some ritual, but just how did he die? And why was he killed?
Working closely with his assistant and the team at Scotland Yard, Cuthbert slowly and painstakingly reveals the terrible truth.
The Shadows and the Dust features in the following genres: Action Adventure, Crime and Mystery, Historical Fiction, Thriller and Suspense, Historical crime and mysteries, Historical adventure fiction, Crime and Mystery, Fiction, Historical crime and mysteries, Thriller and Suspense, Historical adventure fiction, Historical Fiction
The Shadows and the Dust is available in Paperback
The Shadows and the Dust was written by Allan Gaw and published by Polygon
The Shadows and the Dust has 272 pages
Yes it is part of A Dr Jack Cuthbert Mystery series
£8.99
