The second Irregular Detectives mystery finds Badger and Watson investigating the murder of a doctor who was found wrapped up as a mummy in a sarcophagus.

I enjoyed this one! I hadn’t read the first one (and couldn’t find it easily available) so I was worried I would be lost. Thankfully, while it alludes to things from the first book vaguely, reading that one is not necessary for enjoyment of this one. I really like this premise of the kids who did jobs from Holmes’ stories growing up and one of them is now one of the protagonists. I think it did go on a bit long for the mystery, but overall I enjoyed it!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Curses and magic!

Eygptmania and mummy unwrapping parties is sweeping the drawing rooms of London.
Everyone is into it. All want a little bit of the exotic, or to be delightfully horrified by the rumours of curses. I was rather repulsed by the information from one Mayfair darling that,
“after the uwrapping they ground the poor fellow into powder. It was supposed to have magical and medicinal properties. [She kept the ground remains]in a little bottle on [her] dressing table. They have absorbed the sunshine and starlight of a different world than ours, when magic was tangible.” As another guest stated, “a little macabre!”
Detectives Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson, former Baker Street Irregulars, now protégées of the famous man himself, Sherlock Holmes, have been hired Doctor Enoch Sawyer as Security at his unwrapping party. However Sawyer is late and his partner Doctor Cornelius Archer commences the unwrapping procedure
The event takes a shocking turn when their missing employer and party host is found dead within the wrappings.
That’s the end of their employment. Not so! Dr. Archer hires them to continue their investigations.
Those uncover a raft of wrongdoings. Bodies being taken from hospitals for students to dissect, cocaine missing, and embezzlement. The trail leads into the heart of respectability—Mayfair!
Not only that, missing Egyptian statues and other artefacts purloined from Egypt and smuggled into England have since been removed from their current owners.
All this has Badger and Watson questioning previous innocent deaths that many put down to the result of a mummy’s curse.
They’re ably joined by reporter Miss Ellsie Moria Littleton whom Badger has hidden feelings for.
Another ex-irregular joins the fray. Things become exceedingly dicey. The pair faithfully use the Method (as promoted by their mentor Holmes) but run into various roadblocks. Sometimes they must rely on leaps of intuition.
Another fabulous story told with Westerson’s usual brilliant writing. A tale that moves along right snappily. I’m in!

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

The Mummy of Mayfair is an entertaining and twisty Victorian whodunit that kept me engaged.

Initially, I found it challenging to reconcile the presence of two separate characters with the surname Watson, but this soon became a non-issue as the story unfolded. The plot, centred around the fascinating theme of Egyptomania, is cleverly woven with allusions to Sherlock Holmes' "method.".

Westerson masterfully balances the use of familiar literary characters with her original creations, ensuring that preconceived notions do not overshadow the fresh and intriguing narrative. The mystery is well-paced, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.

Overall, The Mummy of Mayfair is a satisfying and enjoyable read, offering a merry ride through a richly detailed Victorian London. The story ties up all loose ends neatly, providing a gratifying conclusion.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jeri Westerson for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Mummy of Mayfair coming out July 2, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I haven’t read the first book in the series. But I can’t resist Mummy mysteries. Ancient Egypt is such a fascinating topic to me, so I was really excited about reading this book! I love the characters. I thought it was very Holmes and Watson. I loved that it actually featured Holmes. I loved that there was some romance involved. I wasn’t expecting that. I think my only thing was that it was a lot about the solving the mystery and I didn’t feel like there were enough Ancient Egypt facts involved. I think it needed more Mummy. There was more at the end, but I would’ve liked to see more of that throughout the book. Overall, I loved it and would check out another book!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Sherlock Holmes mysteries!

The Mummy of Mayfair is the second volume in Jeri Westerson's Irregular Detectives historical mysteries series.Who are these detectives and why are they irregular? They're among the now-adult members of Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars, the street urchins Holmes used to gather information across large swathes of London. Children, especially poor children, draw little attention in Victorian London. They can observe without being observed and can easily find their way into unusual or risky locations.

The Irregulars introduced in the first volume of the series are Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson (no relation to Holmes' long-time investigative partner). Badger was part of the Irregulars as a boy, looking up to Holmes and to Wiggins, the slightly older street child who led the Irregulars. Badger has, with the help of Holmes and in partnership with Benjamin Watson, established the Irregular Detective Agency.

Watson [unless I state otherwise, when I mention "Watson," I'm referring to this younger individual] has fought hard to support himself and his mother. He's done a variety of jobs, but the one that most impacted him was his time as a chemist's assistant. He's remarkably bright, and he used his time working with the chemist to give himself a medical education of sorts, staying up late to study the volumes in the chemist's medical library. When the chemist found out what Watson was doing, he fired Watson. Why? Watson is Black. And the chemist (and much of London) believe a young, Black man has no right to try to rise above his station.

One of the treats of this volume is that Wiggins of the original Irregulars makes an appearance. Like Badger and Watson, he's has a difficult time making a living as an adult and is working as a sort of dog's body for a group of doctors as one of London's hospitals.

The mystery in The Mummy of Mayfair engages readers right away. Badger and Watson have been hired as security for a party at the home of one of Wiggins' well-heeled doctors. Dr. Sawyer, like a significant swathe of London's upper classes has been caught up in Egyptomania. He's a collector of all things ancient and Egyptian. The party for which he's hired Badger and Watson is to be a mummy unwrapping. Such parties did happen among the Victorian elite who could afford to purchase a mummy and were willing to destroy it for the sake of public spectacle.

In this instance, when the mummy's sarcophagus is opened, guests find not a mummy, but the body of the doctor hosting the unwrapping. A colleague of the murdered doctor (it is murder, of course; who accidentally dies and is placed in a multi-tonne stone sarcophagus?) hires Badger and Watson to discover who is behind the murder and how it is accomplished.

The Irregular Detective Agency and its detectives are still a bit rough about the edges, both in terms of their activities in the book and their depiction by author Westerson. I'd been wondering if this second volume of the series would be the last one I sought out to read. Let me say that right now I'm sold on sticking with the series. The level of complexity in this new mystery—and the introduction of Wiggins—make it impossible for me to walk away. I *need* to know what will happen next.

I received a free electronic review copy of The Mummy of Mayfair from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Tim Badger and Ben Watson thought they would provide security for a mummy unwrapping but they find themselves investigating the murder of its own Dr Enoch Sawyer instead. This clever mystery about a protégée of Sherlock Holmes who has gone out on his own sees the detectives bantering with one another and seeking clues. I like the atmospherics and it's got a bit of humor. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I missed the first book but this was fine as a standalone and now I'm looking forward to another.

"Private investigators Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson take on another unusual and baffling case in Victorian London when a mummy unwrapping party takes a chilling turn.

London, 1895. Although their last high-profile case was a huge success, private detectives Tim Badger and Benjamin Watson know they can't afford to turn down any work, despite financial assistance from their mentor, Sherlock Holmes.

So when the eminent Doctor Enoch Sawyer of St. Bart's Hospital asks Badger if the duo will provide security for a mummy unwrapping party he is hosting, Badger doesn't hesitate to take the job. After all, how hard can guarding the doctor's bizarre Egyptian artifacts be? But with Doctor Sawyer running late for his own party, the 'genuine' ancient sarcophagus of Runihura Saa is unravelled to reveal the remains of...Doctor Sawyer! Suddenly, the pair are drawn into a case that's stranger and twistier than they could ever have imagined."

Wait, isn't this the setup used for an episode of Murder Rooms? OK, it was a corpse but not the host's own corpse. Which I thought would always be a great twist. So read this!

The Mummy of Mayfair was my first dive into historical mysteries, and I loved it! The setting was immersive and I enjoyed the language, dialogue and historical references throughout. I went into this book having not read the first in the series, and I’m happy to report that it works great as a standalone. Westerson includes just enough backstory that I quickly became familiar with the characters, and never felt lost or confused about what was happening. I also wasn’t given too much information to the point that reading the first book afterward would feel redundant.

This book is set in the Sherlock Holmes universe, and the famous detective is referenced a lot as Tim and Ben’s former mentor. I only have a superficial knowledge of Holmes, and thankfully you really don’t need to know who he is to enjoy this book (although I think it would have made the book even more entertaining). The big difference between Sherlock Holmes and our two detectives was I felt like I was a detective solving the crime alongside the main characters, whereas with Holmes I feel more like an observer.

Tim and Ben are quirky detectives and polar opposites. I really enjoyed getting to know both of them! Even the supporting characters are so unique and well fleshed out, which really helped keep me invested even during slower parts of the book. There’s emphasis on the class and race hierarchies of the time, which added depth to the characters and their thoughts/actions.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and am interested in reading more in the series!

Big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Severn House for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

*I have attached a link to my Goodreads review, and will attach the link to my Bookstagram review by 07/21/24

This book is definitely for those who were diehard fans of BBC’s “Sherlock” feat. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman and those who enjoyed “The 7 (1/2) Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton. The writing style, both dialogue and descriptors, is reminiscent of the Cockney accent which may not be to everyone’s taste in some situations. The pacing could use some tweaks but otherwise the story was entertaining and kept me guessing with every chapter. Very much a classic “who dunnit” and sure to be enjoyed by those who enjoy a good mystery.

What a good read. This is what would be called a cosy murder mystery and it delivers in spades. Set in Edwardian times with the Great Sherlock Holmes as a mentor Badger and Watson set out to solve the mystery of their client being discovered in a sarcophagus instead of the expected mummy.
You feel like you are walking along those London streets that conjure up such imagery. The fog, the horse drawn cabs and The Baker Street Irregulars all make this a most enjoyable read.. This is the second book in this series and l can't wait for book no. three.
The Mummy of Mayfair publishing July 2, 2024.

This book mainly focuses on the exhibition of Egyptian artifacts and mummies. It’s interesting how they tie the history surrounding that with a murder mystery.

I don’t really read a lot of mystery/thriller because often times I can’t handle the suspense, however this book was so fun to read. I really liked how it focused on the detectives, Watson and Badger and them collecting evidence by talking to different suspects. The mystery was so fun, it was like watching one of those movies like Knives Out or Murder on the Orient Express. but in book form.

However it did get a little boring half way through. It felt like it was too focused on the romance rather than the mystery. There was also no suspense surrounding the suspects and the revelation of the perpetrator.

It was still a really fun to be to read though and I really enjoyed it.

I have been a life-time fan of Sherlock Holmes and mystery stories. This new series is a wonderful way to pay tribute to that genre, as well as a continuation of the series. Tim Badger was once a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, but when he aged out of practical use for Sherlock, he put his skills to use, along with his own Watson (Ben) and established a detective service. His fortitude impressed Sherlock so much that Sherlock continued a mentorship with them, helping with counsel, finances, new digs and even a landlady and maid. This is the second book in the series, and even though I did not read the first, it stands on its own merits, and you quickly become familiar with the main characters, their strengths and morals. In their current assignment, they are to act as guards for an Egyptian mummy unwrapping party, but unfortunately the host is found dead in the sarcophagus. They are then hired to discover his murderer...a case which takes them down many false leads, and even brings them into contact with another of the former Baker Street Irregulars. I loved this series, and the clues and deductions are fondly reminiscent of the original Holmes series. There is mystery, murder, deceit, science, deductions via "The Method," Egyptology, and even a bit of romance, all wrapped up in this story. I am looking forward to more books in this series. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book received through NetGalley, and all opinions are strictly my own.

The book was simply a grand ol’ time! While being the second book in a series, it required no prior knowledge of our main characters to get a firm grasp on the story. Our main characters (and dual POV’s) are private detectives, Tim Badger and Ben Watson. Utilizing Sherlock Holmes’ advice and techniques, Badger and Watson work together to find the culprit and unravel who was behind an esteemed doctors ultimate demise.

The first thing I noticed as I began reading was the author’s duedilligence in capturing the old-timey language of 1890s London. This charming addition, along with other references skillfully woven into the story, painted a beautiful picture of London and made it apparent that the author conducted thorough research in preparation for this story.

Despite this being my first mystery novel, I felt hooked almost the entire way through! While the beginning was a bit slow, as our author had to establish our characters and plot, it quickly picked up once the groundwork was laid. It was quite fun to play along and deduce my own conclusions with the information discovered as the story progressed. I will say I noticed something early on which heavily hinted at who the murderer was, which took away from my enjoyment a bit. Regardless, the story held my interest and had many quirky scenes that really sucked me in (hello Sardines game?!).

Our main characters were both vastly different yet equally entertaining. Every character felt fleshed out and intentionally placed in the story. This was genuinely such a joy to read! If the author makes a third book in this series, I would not hesitate to pick it up and see where Badger and Watson’s story continues!

As always, thank you to the author, publishers, and NetGalley for access to this arc.

Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan and I very much enjoyed this Holmes spin off, at least I think that is the proper term. The two main characters are Timothy Badger, a former member of Sherlock Holmes’ Irregulars, and Benjamin Watson, a young black man who was a former chemist’s assistant and a self taught chemist in his own right. The two of them have formed the Badger and Watson Private Detective Agency, through the sponsorship of Holmes himself.

It’s a bit like getting a glimpse of a young and inexperienced, but learning, Sherlock Holmes. Badger and Watson attempt to employ the Holmes method, but rather than an infallible genius, they are much more easy to relate too, as they make mistakes and doubt themselves at times. It was really quite refreshing.

The author was well researched on the time period and I enjoyed the glimpses of some of the details of how life in Victorian London actually worked, both for the posh classes as well as the lower classes. She mixed in real people and locations among the characters and places and used actual street names and trolley and omnibus lines to ground the story in reality.

The story is set in London of 1895. An eminent doctor has asked Badger and Watson to provide security for his mummy unwrapping party. There was an actual fad at the time among the wealthy classes involving the study of and collecting Egyptian antiquities. But imagine the shock when the mummy is unwrapped only to reveal the body of the doctor who hired them!

The detectives are hired by the doctor’s colleague to find the killer and they work with Inspector Hopkins of Scotland Yard and with newspaper reporter Ellsie Littleton to track down the killer. Ellsie is also their Dr. Watson and shares their adventures with her readers. This was book two of a series and I cannot wait to go back and read book one and any future volumes in the series. I highly recommend this to all Sherlock Holmes fans and fans of other Victorian mysteries, as well as those of Agatha Christie.

Badger and Watson have been hired on to do security at a Mummy Unwrapping, something that is currently all the rage in London among the tonne. Neither of them get it but if it helps advertise their detective agency than they'll do it. As the time of the unveiling is getting closer the man of the hour and the man paying them, Dr. Sawyer is absent, determining that the show must go on Dr. Archer his friend begins the festivities without Sawyer. Only to discover that Dr. Sawyer had been there the whole time, wrapped in bandages and placed in the sarcophagus Dr. Sawyer has become the main act in his own show, a victim of the Mummy's Curse. Desperate to find the person who murdered his friend Dr. Archer hires the detectives on the spot and while Badger and Watson know that this case will be anything but simple to solve they discover quite rapidly that curses are the least of their concerns as they discover that Dr. Sawyer's wrappings quite literally lead to a complicated plot of greed, blackmail, and murder.


I have definitely found my new Holmes adjacent book series! This was a well done mystery that drives home the point that the simplest answer is usually the right one, hidden in corruption of the highest order by members of the nobility with interesting main characters and adorable love interests that do not over power the main story.

What really makes this a page turner is Badger and Watson though, they are truly great characters that pay homage to Holmes and in turn Conan Doyle while being their own characters. They aren't carbon copies of Holmes, they learned from him certainly but they do things their own way using their own life experiences to reach their conclusions. In the end what this does is take Holmes off of the pedestal that so many people put him on. And I don't mean that in a bad way, Holmes is a great character, but he's also a completely unrelatable character for most of us. Yes, his methods make sense logically but actually applying them are not for mere humans. The man looks at something for thirty seconds and has a complicated crime figured out. That doesn't happen in this book, while Badger and Watson do apply Holmes' method they do it in a way the rest of us would have and when they miss the big clue that would have ended the book in like the fifth chapter it is, again, relatable. And I'll admit I'd rather have relatable characters than a character with damn near super human powers of deduction.

Overall, I'll definitely be picking up this series and am looking forward to the next one as Dr. Watson will be in it.

I really enjoyed this book.

I’ve not read the previous outing of this detective pair but it didn’t matter as enough information was given about the characters to make me feel like I hadn’t missed anything crucial. However I also didn’t feel like anything was rehashed to the point where I wouldn’t want to read the first book - there was enough intrigue.

I felt the characters were quite well rounded & I wanted to read more about them. I especially liked the appearances of Sherlock Holmes - I felt that the author caught the essence of him.

The plot was interesting & something I’d not thought of before & it was lovely & easy to read. I’d recommend.

Thanks to the author, publishers & NetGalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review.

I had not read this author before and this the second book in the series., the irregular detectives. Timothy Badger is a former Baker street irregular and Benjamin Watson are private detectives, somehow being supported by Sherlock Holmes. When the dead body of a man who had hired them is found in a mummy sarcophagus, they are off to solve another mystery, with occasional hints and direction from the great detective himself. The story started out slow but the characters pulled me in. I would definitely consider reading the next book in this series.

If you like Sherlock Holmes and mystery with a little Egyptian spice then this is a must read. This book gave me everything that I could ask for, as a Sherlock Holmes lover. I felt like I was watching a TV show that 8 couldn't stop watching

tl;dr
A fun mystery that builds on all the promise of the first book, while also forging new ground for two budding detectives.

Thoughts
Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson are back. This time, they've been hired for a simple job - protect a few Egyptian artifacts from going missing during a fancy party. But when one of the hosts turns up dead, it's up to them to discover if the killer is the curse of the mummy, or something closer to home. I was incredibly neutral about the first book, but it showed enough promise that I wanted to give the second one a go. Well, here we are a year later, and sure enough, that promise is fulfilled. This one reads a lot better! My biggest hangup with the first book was that it seemed very little detective work was happening. Our charming heroes were simply lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to overhear all the big reveals. This time around, they are fully in it - collecting clues, following leads, interviewing suspects, and unraveling the mystery by their own wits and deductions. They spend a lot of time discussing the "method," the manner in which Sherlock seems to magically conjure up solutions. It's always been a bit of sleight of hand in the canon: hidden clues, conclusions a reader couldn't possibly hope to obtain, and solutions featuring players hidden from view until the last minute. This book diverges from the Conan Doyle formula for the better, giving us all the same information our heroes get so we can solve along with the boys. The book also diverges from the canon by including a Very Victorian romance, replete with longing gazes, wistful sighs, and the constant reminder that these characters come from different classes. The historical setting is well-researched, with plenty of immersive details and flourishes. Overall it's a very strong historical mystery, and I look forward to the next one with great anticipation.