What a great book. A bit gruesome, but the build up of the mystery was well done. The characters, tenacious Gemma, the broken but intelligent Sebastian and the shy but observant Colin made a good team.
The partnership between Gemma and Sebastian went beyond solving the mystery and was leaning heavily towards solace, trust and friendship.

Hope there are more books with this duo or trio.

This is the first in a new detective series, and the first read for me by this author.

I was immediately drawn into the story, and found the main characters - Gemma Tate & Sebastian Bell - to be flawed but likeable. The story was a bit grave (no pun intended) and some descriptions of the crime could be triggering but otherwise it proceeded at a good pace. I had a good idea from the start who would be the culprit, but the story still held my attention and was a very satisfying ending.

I am looking forward to more in this series.

I enjoyed this mystery and look forward to reading future books in the series. The two main characters are both compelling with enough hints to their back stories to be intriguing without it taking over the whole mystery (this also applies to the possibility of romance between them!). The solution to the mystery was both surprising and shocking, but not in a way that felt like it was too much or untrue to the setting. This balance was also achieved because the detectives used methodical work to figure out what had happened so this book would work for fans of police procedurals, too.

Overall, a compelling mystery with a good balance of mystery versus character development and relationship building between the characters. Seems like the start of a promising historical mystery series.

"The Highgate Cemetery Murder" by Irina Shapiro is a captivating book in a thrilling new historical mystery series set in Victorian London. From the first page, Shapiro draws readers into a world of intrigue and suspense, where secrets lurk around every corner and danger is never far away.

At the heart of the story are two compelling protagonists: Sebastian Bell, a troubled Scotland Yard detective haunted by the loss of his wife and drowning his sorrows in intoxicants, and Gemma Tate, a resilient nurse fresh from serving alongside Florence Nightingale in the Crimea, thrust into the midst of a murder investigation after her brother's tragic death.

As Bell and Tate delve deeper into the tangled web of murder and deceit surrounding Highgate Cemetery, they must navigate their own personal demons while uncovering a series of shocking revelations that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Shapiro's writing is masterful, effortlessly weaving together a complex plot filled with twists and turns that will leave you breathless. The dynamic between Bell and Tate crackles with tension and chemistry, as they grapple with their own insecurities and fears while striving to solve the case.

What truly sets this book apart is its attention to detail and authenticity. Shapiro's meticulous research shines through in every page, transporting readers back in time to Victorian London and immersing them in the sights, sounds, and smells of the era.

"The Highgate Cemetery Murder" is a must-read for fans of historical mysteries. With its compelling characters, intricate plot, and richly atmospheric setting, it's a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I can't wait to see where Shapiro takes us next in this gripping series.

When visiting his wife’s grave Victor Tate sees the body of a young woman hanging on a grave stone. After reporting what he’s seen he meets a tragic end, an accident involving an omnibus. But his twin sister Gemma doesn’t believe it’s an accident. Could it be related to what he saw in the cemetery?

A Victorian murder mystery, Gemma works with Inspector Sebastian Bell to uncover the truth. Bell himself is a widow struggling with opium addiction to blot out the pain and guilt. The grieving pair make a formidable team, it what is seemingly the first in the series of the crime solving tales. I did find the story well plotted with interesting and complex characters, albeit the cliched troubled detective! I will look out for future books in the series.

3.5 rounded up to 4

"A young woman hung on a marble cross like a Christian martyr, her wrists bound to the crossbar, her head tilted to the side. She wore nothing but a flowing chemise, the fabric whipping around her bare legs and hanging off her arms like broken wings. What appeared to be a human heart, held in place by a thin chain or a string, was suspended from the woman’s neck, still oozing blood."

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro is a mystery novel set in England in the 1850’s.
When considering this novel, you may wish to note that this book contains graphic violence and rape. I did not see a content warning when I requested this book on NetGalley, but this is something you may wish to consider before diving into this mystery.

This book has:
✔ Downtown Abbey meets CSI vibes
✔ Sherlock and Watson style mystery solving
✔ Nineteenth Century British History
✔ Graphic violence
✔ More installments to look forward to if you enjoy this one

Final Impression
Overall, I can see the appeal of The Highgate Cemetery Murder. The writing was compelling, and I found the main characters, Gemma Tate and Detective Sebastian Bell, to be a likable and believable pair. I did find the ending to be quite rushed, as the guilty parties went from protesting their innocence to explaining the entire crime in two sentences or less. I don’t prefer to read depictions of graphic violence or rape. If a content warning had been included in the description of this ARC, I likely wouldn’t have requested it. If you’re not bothered by this kind of content and enjoy a Sherlock Holmes-esque murder mystery, then you’ll likely enjoy this first installment in the Tate and Bell Mysteries.

Star Rating
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ This book wasn’t for me, but I expect that readers of this genre will enjoy it. Check it out if you like British History and Murder Mysteries, and aren’t bothered by graphic depictions of violence against women.

This is the first installment in what will be a new crime/mystery series set in Victorian London. Our POV characters are Sebastian Bell, an Inspector at Scotland Yard, and Gemma Tate, a nurse who unexpectedly loses her brother in a suspicious ombnibus accident. The two start working together in the murder investigations of a young aristocratic woman when Gemma discovers that the notes her brother took shortly before his death are related to the case.

As far as mystery plots go, this one is adequately intricate and well-thought out. It's a pretty conventional crime novel, complete with the somewhat stereotypical drug-addict investigator who is haunted by the traumas of his past. The details of this case are rather gruesome, and a trigger warning for sexual violence would definitely be warranted, but other than some crime novels that exploit women's trauma for shock value, this author used those elements to criticize the highly unjust and hypocritical class system of Victorian society, which I appreciated a lot. Irina Shapiro clearly did the research needed to write about the time period with such ease - she is well-acquainted with etiquette and the intricacies of institutions like Scotland Yard. She is also aware of the differences in lifestyles that come with certain social ranks, and convincingly worked this knowledge into her characters and the plot. Her writing invoked a picture of Victorian London that is far from romantic: grim, merciless, and harsh, the perfect setting for a story such as this.

What didn't convince me were the protagonists. Despite being written with a lot of interiority - there are some chapters exclusively detailing the characters' thoughts without any dialogue - it felt like we were always kept an arm's length away from them. I think we were meant to get a hint of romance from their dynamic, but their relationship lacked the tension or chemistry to support this. Their POVs weighed very differently, as well, which makes me think that the novel ultimately suffered from the dual POV: the investigations are Sebastian's, and therefore the story reads like his, too. He only allows Gemma to conduct two interviews, for which we really did not need her POV, since they always meet up afterwards to re-hash the details. The novel ends when Sebastian's case is concluded, but leaves many open questions as to Gemma's situation. The stakes that were set up for her never really come to play, which makes her read like a supporting character despite having her own POV. This, in my opinion, is the novel's biggest weakness, and the reason why I don't feel compelled to stick with this series.

What a book it was so good I could hardly put the book down. Well written and brilliant descriptions of the time the book was set in. The characters are well written, truly believable and likeable. I hope this is the first of a new series to keep me entertained for a few nights, as once go start, you may as well forget everything else.

A woman’s body is found on the Highgate Cemetery, and the only person who could have seen the killer dies in a traffic accident. Gemma Tate doesn’t believe in coincidences and is determined to find out what exactly happened to her brother. Luckily she finds an ally in the brooding Inspector Sebastian Bell.

I enjoyed the intricately crafted mystery and the way all the pieces of the puzzle came together in the end. There was just the right amount of clues and some red herrings to keep things interesting. The dynamic between Gemma and Sebastian was great too and I hope that their relationship develops in the future installments of the series.

I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy well written historical mysteries in realistic settings of Victorian London, where crimes remained unsolved, women were always at a disadvantage and The Great Stink was taking its toll.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

<b>Pub Date 29 Feb 2024 </b>

I love a good historical mystery, and The Highgate Cemetery Murder did not disappoint. While it took a while to get through character introductions and background, once the action started, it never let up. I look forward to more Bell and Tate mysteries.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and what a treat it was. This is a the start of a promising series. We are introduced to Gemma, a nurse who has just lost her brother, and Sebastian, a police inspector who is still grieving the loss of his wife in terrible circumstances. Through clever sleuthing, they piece together who murdered Amelia Seagrove. Set in historical London, both rail against the strictures and snobbery of the times. I look forward to the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for anARC to read and freely review.

This is the first book I've read from this author so I went in with no expectations as to what I would be getting. I loved the mystery part of the book. Everything was done in a way to keep you guessing as to what exactly had happened until the first of the pieces start to fall into place - basically you come to the realization at about the same time as Sebastian and Gemma. The backstories for Sebastian and Gemma help to establish more about them as people and create a connection between the two that leads to them ultimately working together. I was a little disappointed that Gemma wasn't more involved in the investigation beyond convincing Sebastian to consider the idea that her brother was murdered and interviewing a few women. I'm sure that's more realistic for the time in which the story takes place, but from the description I thought she would be contributing more. Most of the story is from Sebastian's POV which also makes Gemma seem like more of an afterthought (or just there to eventually create a romance between the characters). I was kind of hoping she would have more interactions with Colin since they both have a medical background. As for the group behind the murders I would have loved to know just a bit more about how they reacted to being arrested and imprisoned. The crimes they perpetrated and their nonchalance about their actions definitely makes you want to see them suffer. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, like I said previously I would really like to see Gemma take a more active role in the investigations.

This is the first of what I hope will be many Tate and Bell mysteries, this is a terrific start to the series and works fine as a standalone novel. The book begins with the discovery of the gruesome murder a young woman on the morning of All Saints’ Day, who is displayed on a cross in Highgate Cemetery with a pig’s heart around her neck. A journalist who witnessed the display falls under the wheels of an omnibus and is killed. Gemma Tate a nurse, recently returned from the Crimea is the sister of the journalist and doesn’t believe his death was an accident. Sebastian Bell is the police officer assigned to investigate the murder of the young woman victim in the cemetery, Bell’s pregnant wife had been murdered viciously before the story begins and to ease his pain and guilt, he had sought relief in alcohol and opium. Soon the paths of Tate and Bell cross and they begin working together a little reluctantly at first to solve the two suspicious deaths.

This is London in the late 1850s, the nurses, who had returned from the Crimea are viewed with suspicion. as what honorable woman would go to such a place? There is a lot of prejudice against women shown in the story, a woman’s reputation was precious and could easily be besmirched through no fault of her own. The book also details early prejudice against Muslims working in London and the sharp class divides.

Sebastian Bell despite his baggage is a dogged detective with a quick intellect, he was assigned the case by his superior, Superintendent Lovell, who reminds Bell, “Remember your place when questioning your betters.”
Sebastian retorts half-jokingly “Should I tug at my forelock, sir?”

Tate and Bell make a good team, even though Gemma Tate has no hope in those times of working for the police in an official capacity, one wonders in future books if a romance may develop twixt the two.

The story is gripping and fast paced, the historical detail is good although there was one anachronistic reference to Botany Bay (the last convicts were shipped to New South Wales in 1850 almost a decade before the events in the book). I also wondered if poppies were available in November for taking to cemeteries. The ending felt a little rushed. Despite these minor gripes I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC, I leave this review voluntarily.

Enjoyed this very much. When a journalist stumbles across a murder in a graveyard, and then is pushed under the wheels of a bus, his sister Gemma Tate tries to find out what happened and who was responsible. Meanwhile, Inspector Sebastian Bell is struggling to put his life back together - and solving the murder might just help him do it.

The setting of Victorian London was really well done - everything from the aristocratic houses to the slums. The two main characters are really interesting - particularly Gemma, who worked as a nurse in the Crimea. The mystery's a good one, too - I didn't guess! I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Solid five stars.

An historical mystery set in Victorian London. Gemma Tate's brother is killed but it has been made to look like an accident. Meanwhile, Inspector Bell is investigating the death of a young woman in Highgate Cemetery. The two incidents are linked so Tate and Bell join forces to discover the truth.
This is a light and easy to read story but the deaths are quite gruesome. The main characters are pleasant but not very distinctive apart from the obvious characterisations - the tough and determined nurse and the flawed detective. The appeal of the characters is in their interaction.
I felt that the historical setting wasn't particularly well defined, it all seemed rather generic. I would have liked the story to have been more closely linked in with real historical details of the time. The story is set in 1858 but could have taken place at any time during the nineteenth century.
The mystery itself was satisfying, the process of discovering the truth was well plotted. Unfortunately the ending was rushed and let the rest of the story down.
Overall I would recommend the book as an easy to read mystery with potential for the series to develop nicely.

On All Saints Day (1st November) 1858, Journalist Victor Tate was visiting his beloved wife’s grave in London’s Highgate Cemetery when he saw a macabre sight. A young woman clad only in a white chemise, clearly dead hanging on a marble cross with a bleeding heart strung around her neck. As he shouted out, a an emerged from behind the cross and raced away, but not before Victor got a good look at him. After checking the woman was dead, Victor went to the police station and then caught a bus to his work, making notes in his notebook as he went, describing the man and stating that he was being followed. As he stepped off the omnibus he fell and was caught between the wheels and bled to death.

Victor’s sister, Gemma was convinced he had been murdered by whoever followed him and begs Inspector Sebastian Bell of Scotland Yard, who had been put in charge of the case of the murdered woman to investigate his death as well. Gemma is also not afraid to help Sebastian, seeking out people to talk to who might have useful information for him. Involving the upper-crust of society it certainly isn’t a straight forward case for Sebastian to investigate and he must tread carefully if he is to catch a killer.

This is an enjoyable start to a new historical mystery series, featuring Gemma and Sebastian. With Gemma being made of stern stuff, having previously nursed with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea and Sebastian having acquired an opium addiction after the death of his wife three years ago, they both have interesting backstories and are now both very much alone in the world. I’m looking forward to seeing how their story develops in the next episode in the series. Recommended for all those who enjoy a good historical murder mystery.

This was my first historical mystery and would not be my last. I liked both the MCs, Tate and Bell. Irina writes well, there were some places where there was a little more telling than showing but overall the book was good. The pacing took some time to pick up but once it did, it kept me hooked, eager to know what happens next. The mystery was decent, clues and red-herrings were lesser than modern mysteries. I would like to continue the series and take a look at the next book.

A thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery set in 1858 London with two engaging main characters.

The body of a young woman is found in Highgate Cemetary by widower journalist Victor Tate, who is later killed after being run over by an omnibus. His twin sister Gemma finds evidence in his belongings that he was being followed and is determined to help police detective Sebastian Bell investigate both murders.

The mystery was compelling, with all the interesting turns that had me glued. While its mostly Sebastian doing the bulk of the detecting, I am hoping future books we see more of Gemma taking the lead on finding key evidence.

What makes this book strong is the well-rounded main characters and their rapport. Sebastian is deeply troubled, blaming himself for his wife's murder and obliterating himself with opium. Gemma, a nurse, served in the Crimean War under Florence Nightingale, is resourceful and smart, but battles sexism and the perception that nurses are akin to sex workers (i.e. lowly). Both of them recognise each other's loneliness and pain, but complement each other.

Irina Shapiro also weaves in class and race in a subtle way, particularly Gemma and Sebastian being considered beneath because of their vocations and station in life.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this series progresses and where Bell and Tate's partnership goes. More please!

Thanks to Storm and NetGalley for the ARC.

While I enjoyed the characters of Gemma and Sebastian, the theme was darker than I’d thought initially upon reading the description. I don’t need cozy, per se, but this was a little seedier than I care for.

However, good potential in the main characters’ personality development would move me to read the next in the series to see if it’s more appealing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When the body of a young woman is found on a cross in the local cemetery, Sebastian Bell begins his investigation for Scotland Yard. At the same time, a young man is killed, when he is crushed by the wheels of an omnibus, leading his sister to suspect there was more going on than what first met the eye. When she begins reading through the little notebook that he always carried with him, she is sure that he was murdered. But who is going to believe her?
Soon enough, Gemma Tate links up with Sebastian, who takes her claims seriously. But as he delves deeper into the case, he realizes there is more to it than a simple murder.
Other young girls have been attacked, and one other was killed. But why is someone preying on young girls, and what are they after?

This was a fantastic read! I absolutely LOVED it! I look forward to seeing more in this series!