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When a novel takes place in the 1700s, it’s often set in the bustling cities of Colonial America. But author Robin Blake offers an intriguing look at life in a very different part of the world in A Dark Anatomy, the first in a new series of mysteries.
Across the ocean, the colonists may be setting up cities and forming their own government, but smaller communities around 1740s England are still governed the old-fashioned way. So when the squire’s wife, Dolores Brockletower, is discovered in the woods with her throat slashed, there aren’t any police officers or detectives to call to the scene. Instead, the local coroner is summoned.
Most of the time, Titus Cragg works as a lawyer—but his duties as coroner require him to investigate Mrs. Brockletower’s death, round up a jury, and hold an inquest to determine the cause. As he begins his investigation, he finds that several people in the community expect to find some dark secret hidden in the mysterious Mrs. Brockletower’s past. Some claim that she was a witch—and that the devil himself took her life. But the secret that Cragg and his friend, Dr. Luke Fidelis, uncover could be even more surprising to the people of eighteenth-century England than witchcraft.
In his first Cragg and Fidelis novel, Blake blends science, history, and mystery to keep readers engaged and eager to read more.
The story is definitely a twisted and tangled one, filled with superstitions, secrets, and surprises. But while the big twist is a strange one, it’s not entirely unexpected, since Blake drops plenty of hints about what, exactly, the Brockletowers may be hiding.
What makes the story truly captivating, then, is the history. A cultural studies scholar, Blake fills the mystery with details about life in 1700s Lancashire—from the workings of the legal system to medical practices and more. Even after you feel as though you’ve got the gist of the mystery figured out, you’ll still be intrigued by this Old World procedural, caught up in the details of the Cragg’s inquest, Fidelis’s examinations, and the steps that they’re forced to take to get the job done.
Meanwhile, although the two main characters aren’t developed in as much detail as their surroundings, they’re the kind of characters that you’ll look forward to following (and learning more about) in upcoming installments. Cragg is a good, just man who wants to do what’s best for the people of his community—and, if necessary, he’s willing to make a few allowances to make sure of the best outcome for everyone. Fidelis, on the other hand, is a more mysterious character—one who’s clearly hiding a few secrets of his own.
Though the mystery of A Dark Anatomy isn’t as gripping as it could be, the rich historical details easily pick up the slack. So while it may not be a must-read for mystery lovers, history buffs will find it fascinating.
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