I received a copy of this novel through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was exactly what I needed to get my reading stir going after falling away from it for a little bit. The story progressed in a fast and fun paced manner and the :who done it" aspect kept me questioning the whole time. The only thing that I found difficult for this novel was there was a lack of a space break between the stories as they all wove together, one second you are following the heroic pair of private detectives, the next you're following the Police detective working a murder...it was sometimes confusing but I was able to get past it and really enjoyed this book. The details and the way the author wove in historical figures from the past really piqued my interests and kept me going throughout. Fun and fantastic read, I will be picking up the earlier works in the series as well as the ones to come.

I've enjoyed this series from the very start and the author continues to delight and surprise the reader with a cleverly thought-out mystery, ever-developing characters and crisp, enjoyable writing.
In Murder at the Natural History Museum we have another enthralling mystery that's very relevant to its setting. We meet some new 'good guys' and 'bad guys', all very convincing and rounded and never stereotypes.
We learn more about Daniel's background in this novel, which is interesting and adds even more to his intriguing complexity.
Atmospheric settings and attention to historical detail give a vivid sense of place and time.
Can't wait till the next museum mystery!

This is a great crime novel taking place in London in 1895. The Natural History Museum is having a special dinosaur exhibit. When they find a dinosaur has been turned into a pile of bones, the new director, Evelyn Scott, calls in the "Museum Detectives", Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton. The museum has also had a threatening letter from a company claiming they didn't buy the bones from the company they promised. The next morning, Bram Stoker, business manager of the Lyceum theater, finds a dead man wrapped up in cloth. Daniel and Abigail soon determine that the company sending the letter about buying the bones was trying to raise money falsely, and the bones problem was not related to the murder.

The murdered man is Raymond Simpson, who was a museum attendant. Raymond had previously worked at the Lyceum and at a nice restaurant, and had testified at the Oscar Wilde trial. It turns out that he was also blackmailing several people, making for lots of possible suspects. Two museum trustees, Mr. Radley and Mr. Turner were also present in the museum, and manage to become suspects. Working with Inspector John Feather, Daniel and Abigail at first have several suspects for the murder, including a third trustee. They gradually figure several suspects are innocent. In the process of solving the murder, they also figure out that the death of the former museum director was murder (although the police had determined it wasn't). In the process, they put themselves in grave danger from the murderers before capturing them.

This is a very good story with great suspense.

Daniel and Abigail are a team of private investigators in 1890s London. This was my first exposure to the Museum Detectives series, and at first, I wasn't sure I'd like the book because I'm not a big fan of historical mysteries. But this one is written with a modern tone and fast pace that was easy to follow. Topics such as homosexuality and the unmarried main characters living together were included, even though both were taboo at the time.

I learned a lot, in addition to enjoying the mystery. I was intrigued by the realistic descriptions of life in Victorian London, including the impact of coal-burning, workhouses, and various modes of transportation. When I read of the main characters boarding a double decker bus, I was taken aback. Surely double-deckers were not present before the advent of the automobile? Well, I looked it up and learned that "horsebus" did indeed exist! The mystery was also enhanced by the addition of real-life ancillary characters such as Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, and Sir Henry Irving. I learned a bit more about each of them as I read the book. All of this led to a very richly enhanced story that will stick with me for awhile. I'm definitely going to seek out additional books in this series.

I love reading crime/mystery thrillers even though of late I’ve shifted my focus to other genres. Thus, when NetGalley offered its readers an opportunity to read Murder at the Natural Museum (Allison & Busby; Pub Date: 20 August 2020) I didn’t hesitate to ask for it. The book’s title and blurb suggested that it would be an enthralling read. It certainly didn’t disappoint me, from the very start.

Murder at the Natural History Museum by Jim Eldridge is a historical whodunnit set in 1895 with the famous museum as the backdrop. It follows the investigative adventures of Daniel Wilson, a former Scotland Yard inspector famed for his involvement in the Jack the Ripper case, and renowned archaeologist Abigail Fenton as they go about probing their latest case.

Dubbed the ‘Museum Detectives’, they are asked by the Natural History Museum’s curator to probe an act of vandalism to a dinosaur skeleton on display in the museum. Who did this seems clear as the perpetrator left an ominous note of retribution if his demands are not met. But even before the detectives could get on with the case, a museum attendant is found dead in an anteroom. Scotland Yard’s Inspector Feather, a friend of Wilson, is called in to investigate the murder but his job is not made easier with a demanding boss, the much disliked and feared ‘Super’ Armstrong.

Wilson and Fenton inevitably found themselves involved with the murder case, in which, as it turns out, several respectable personalities are suspected by association: some museum trustees and the Lyceum Theatre’s infamous manager who found the body. Wilson and Fenton, with their ingenious sleuthing, manage to crack the case for Scotland Yard but not before several more dead bodies were discovered. And in the process, they solve other seemingly accidental deaths as well.

Author Jim Eldridge does a really good job with a credible and entertaining storyline which gets more complex as it progresses. Characters are well fleshed out. Even the famous Oscar Wilde is cleverly weaved into the plot.

I certainly didn’t find a dull moment in reading each page as there’s always a heightened sense of anticipating what’s going to happen next as I turn the page.

I’m happy to recommend this book by giving it a 5-star rating. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC eBook to read in exchange for a fair review.

This was a pleasant mystery with a great setting. This time around the Museum Detectives have been called in to find out who has vandalised a dinosaur skeleton. One crime seems to lead to another and pretty soon there is murder to investigate too. While the setting and plot were really good, the detectives themselves came off as surprisingly bland which made the story slow going at times. I did enjoy it overall so I'm giving it 4 stars. I also want to give a shout out to the cover artist. The cover is what attracted me to the book in the first place. Good job.

Murder at the Natural History Museum is the fifth book in the Museum Mysteries series by Jim Eldridge and it is another well written, easy read historical crime novel.

All the main characters are well fleshed out and easily identifiable whilst the supporting ones are also well sketched out.

The crime or crimes are well described with the book moving along at a good pace.

This is a very enjoyable series and a book that is highly recommended

This is the latest in a hugely popular crime series concerning the Museum Detectives - ex policeman Daniel Wilson and renowned archaeologist Abigail Fenton. They live rather unconventionally together but have been working on some other murder cases before they now become entangled with firstly broken dinosaur bones at the Natural History Museum. This led to discussion on the infamous American Bone Wars, a real event which was like the El Dorado of fossils, more like the Great Dinosaur Rush than looking for gold in the 1870s! All fascinating and used as a guise to further the blackmail attempts amongst the wealthy in London.
The plot was a bit convoluted I thought but apart from some dialogue which seemed a little too modern in its phrases the characters came to life and I liked the mix of objectionable people on the Museum Trustees. There was also a smattering of famous celebrities of the time and I was particularly interested in the involvement of Bram Stoke, Ellen Terry and Sir Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre. I had studied them for my MA and their position as leading acting royalty was well portrayed. There was also mention of HG Wells and George Bernard Shaw, but the major scene involving Stoker going to see his 'friend' Oscar Wilde in prison was slightly contrived but entertaining enough.
The role of women was explored well with the appointment of a first female Director at the Natural History Museum, the past and current work of female paleontologists and the suffering of suffragettes and suffragists all made the historical context plausible.
Very enjoyable read and I might well dip into others in the series.

Murder at the Natural History Museum
Museum Mysteries 5
by Jim Eldridge
Back of the Book: “When the newly dubbed ‘Museum Detectives’ are asked to investigate deliberate damage to a dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum there is evidence that the fossil-hunting mania of the notorious Bone Wars in America may have reached their shores. But for Daniel Wilson, famed for his involvement in the Jack the Ripper case, and renowned archaeologist Abigail Fenton, events soon take a sinister turn…
A museum attendant is found dead in an anteroom by none other than the infamous theatre manager Bram Stoker, who it seems may have had a personal connection with the deceased. Facing pressure both from an overseas business and local celebrity, Wilson and Fenton must rely on their talents and instincts to solve their most puzzling case yet.”
Impressions: I didn’t get very far into the book before putting it aside. There is only so much time in a day and I didn’t want to continue reading.

A historical detective fiction set in Victorian England. The story could be read as a standalone as I didn’t find any difficulty with respect to the back story. The prose is easy and the plot is straight. There are no unexpected twists. I would have liked some historical facts blended into the narrative. An easy read.

It has been a while since a mystery novel kept me reading, and I am glad that I requested this title from NetGalley. Mystery and museum? Count me in! Even though this is the fifth book in the series, I did not feel lost; instead, I became interested in learning about the development of the relationship between the two protagonists, private investigator Daniel Wilson and archaeologist Abigail Fenton, in the first 4 books.

Wilson and Fenton are called in to investigate an act of vandalism at the Natural History Museum, and it turns into a murder investigation when they discover a dead body at the museum. I like the multitude of characters and the way they are interconnected with one another, as well as the inclusion of real-life, famous personalities of the time like Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde. Though it felt like there was too much happening near the end, all loose ends were tied up. 3.5 of 5 stars. (Thank you for the eARC, NetGalley and Allison and Busby.)

such a fun book! very easy to follow despite having not read the first few in the series, which is a major plus! love a good mystery series that has each book be able to stand on it's own, very true to Sherlock's style! full rtc!

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder at the Natural History Museum as I found the combination of detecting, murder, and the museum location to be intriguing. Daniel and Abigail are fascinating characters, being very unconventional for the time and the secondary characters are very well done. The museum setting is one of my favorite parts, the plethora of motives that can flourish in these institutions is fascinating, particularly in the time period. This was my introduction to the series but I have now caught up and have enjoyed all of the adventures of the Museum Detectives. I look forward to future books!

I've read another book in this series, so I was looking forward to reading Murder at the Natural History Museum and I wasn't disappointed. It's fast paced and engaging with lots of twists and turn. I liked several of the characters, Daniel and Abigail included. The downside is that it's not quite historical accurate at times, which annoys me a bit.

I have been torn with my thoughts on this book. On the one hand the twists and turns which kept the mystery a mystery until close to the end was very good and held my interest. On the other hand though, the complete and utter lack of historical accuracy was so distracting I had to force myself to continue reading, and add such it's put me off all other books by this author. It comes across as pure laziness on the authors part as we're not talking slight inaccuracies like mixing up "your grace" and "my lord", blatant inaccuracies like saying the lead female character had a Cambridge university degree, despite the fact the book is set in the late 1800s and women couldn't get a Cambridge degree until the 1930s. A quick Google search would've told the author this but it's just 1 of the many historical inaccuracies, like the fact no one minded the woman had a career, lived with a man out of wedlock etc that built up into a huge mess that made the book distracting, as every time you stumble on another it throws you and you have to force yourself to forget it and move on. All in all I liked the author's way of solving the mystery but the inaccuracies will stop me reading anything else of his

This is 5th in the Museum Detectives series but like the rest can read as a standalone. I love the mix of murder, history and interesting real life characters woven into the plot. This time around we have murder, dinosaurs and Bram Stoker. And they all tie together in one historically interesting mystery. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

This is the first book I have read by this author a and whilst I realise now it is mid way through a series it is easy to read as a stand-alone novel. The atmosphere created of late 19th century England was very good and the characters well researched and full developed. It was a very enjoyable crime novel and I will definitely be continuing to read books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy.

This is a good addition to this series, although I haven't read all of them. The author does a nice job of putting readers in the 1800s, and includes some action to help keep it moving and engaging. The characters are fun and the dialog is well written too. Recommended for historical mystery fans.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

Thanks to NetGalley & Allison & Busby for the chance to read this before it comes out in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't read all this series, but I have read the first one, so I was introduced to the characters previously.
This is a great continuation in the overall arc, I love books set in the 1800's before any kind of technology came along. Everything is done in an old fashioned way, making it more enjoyable for me.
There was plenty of character development throughout, and it made me excited for the next instalment, and indeed to read backwards to catch up on the previous cases.
I did feel that it was a quick and action packed ending, and that there could have been a bit more action in the mid-section to even things out a little, which is the only reason I've not rated it 5 stars.
I loved the inclusion of real people that were alive during that time, it added to the whole adventure of the case.
This series and this book is a massive must for any fans of historical fiction.

This thrilling and satisfying period mystery series has another winner! Readers will thoroughly enjoy the new story (fifth in the series) and the deepening character development of our favorite team - the "Museum Detectives" - former Scotland Yard detective Daniel and the intrepid archaeologist Abigail. What an ingenious idea for a series, and how well written it is! The research for the time period and the wonderful array of real life museums is excellent. The series will make the reader want to go directly to these famous museums, as well as dig into the mysteries.

In this new entry, the Museum Detectives have a mystery to solve at the Natural History Museum in London, with interesting detail on the fossil "Bone Wars," the fascinating addition of several famous characters from the period - Bram Stoker of "Dracula" fame, actor Henry Irving, actress Ellen Terry, and even references to the infamous Oscar Wilde trial. Readers will benefit from all of the fascinating information about the museum, the history behind fossil discoveries, as well as the delightful connections to the London theater. Throw in a puzzling mystery or two, and the result is perfectly satisfying!

This reader certainly hopes author Jim Eldridge will not run out of museums anytime soon! Every new story is a cause for celebration! A winning series! A must-have series for fiction collections and mystery collections.