Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
For my “New-to-Me-Author challenge I picked Jess Faraday’s first novel, The Affair of the Porcelain Dog, published by Bold Strokes Books in 2011, and it was a fun but exhausting romp through Victorian London streets. Fasten your seat belts, this is going to get complicated!
Set in 1889 London, this is the adventure of young Ira Adler, former prostitute and, for the last two years, lover-assistant to Cain Goddard. In one persona Goddard is a powerful and wealthy crime lord, the dreaded Duke of Dorset Street, in the other a night lecturer at King’s College with painfully unfulfilled academic ambitions.
As the story opens, Goddard is being blackmailed. Letters written in lavender ink threaten to expose his homosexuality. He charges Ira to retrieve a black porcelain dog, which contains the blackmailer’s proof. Since Ira has street skills, including burglary, this seems like a simple assignment. Ira takes his lock-picking tools and heads out into the night.
That’s when he meets his tormented ex-lover Dr. Tim Lazarus, who also wants the porcelain dog. They fight for it, Ira seizes it and escapes, only to have the dog stolen from him by a mysterious Chinese woman posing as a prostitute. Then things get really complicated, making the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens look simple as Danish modern furniture.
There follows a desperate hunt involving opium trade and child trafficking, financial skullduggery with multiple sets of ledgers, old animosities, a treacherous butler, extravagantly expensive rings, a martial arts school, the British occupation of Afghanistan, good doctors and bad doctors, altruistic anarchists, arson and explosions, heroism, exotic poisons derived from snake venom, and, of course, murder.
Faraday’s writing is strong, and the dangerously complex plot meticulously constructed. Her handling of detail is evocative, rather than finicky, so the story doesn’t bog down. The pacing in the first part of the book was a bit slow for me, but somehow it fit the Victorian setting. The story certainly sped up as it went along, until there was more happening than I could keep track of easily. There were more threads than usual to pull together in the action climax. Those scenes came across a little ragged to me, simply from a logistical standpoint, although certainly not enough to diminish my enjoyment.
So all in all, a very strong first novel. If you enjoy engaging Victorian mysteries and complex plots with colorful, devious characters, Jess Faraday’s Porcelain Dog should be right up your dark London alley.
This review is part of our September Reading Challenge Month for New-to-Me Author Week! Leave a relevant comment below and you will be entered to win this week’s fabulous prize sponsored by Samhain Publishing, as well as our amazing grand prize sponsored by Riptide Publishing. You can get more information on our Challenge Month here, and more details on New-to-Me Author week here. And be sure to check out our prize post for more about the awesome prizes!
Thanks for the review! I have had this on my TBR list for awhile. I don’t mind complicated as long is it makes sense in the long run. Your review encourages my feeling that I will like this book.
This is the first thing I’ve heard about this author and this book but from reading the review, you’ve just sold it to me. Late 19th century London, set in the underworld of criminal elements and with a complex plot – especially if it’s as you say “meticulously constructed” the better. I understand it’s Ira who’s the main character, is he the only POV characte? I don’t mind a slow start as long as it builds to something more faster paced toward the end, and again from your descriptions it sounds as if it reminds a bit of older fiction, my thoughts go to books with characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Anyhow, it will go on my wishlist right now.
Yes, it’s Ira’s story, set in his POV, told in first person.
Wow! This book sounds exactly like my thing. It sounds like Casino Royale but set in the Victorian London. I love historicals and I love intrigue, and if the book is as carefully constructed and well written as you imply, Lloyd, I just need to read it. Thank you for a fantastic review.
This book was a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards two or three years ago, so yes, it’s well crafted.
Some books are better with too much going on instead of too little, and this one sounds like a candidate for that. I haven’t been to England in ages, so the locales alone might make it work it for me!
I’m glad your review didn’t give up too many details, Lloyd. I’m reading this one right now as my “new to me author” for the challenge. When I saw it on the list, it was one I had bought a while back, and the challenge was a good reason to get to it. As you say, it’s a bit slow at the start with all the set up, but things are picking up. I’m really intrigued about what’s going to happen!
Ooh, can’t wait to hear what you think about it Carolyn!
Wow, what a boatload of plot threads! This does sound intriguing and entertaining. And now I’m wondering exactly how big the porcelain dog is and what breed it represents. Thanks for a fine review, Lloyd.
I don’t usually read historicals, but this one sounds interesting. Thanks for a great review!
Whew! That is a LOT of moving parts for one book, especially a debut novel. I do love a good historical mystery story so I’m going to add this to my wish list. Thanks for the review.
A frequent criticism of first novels is that they are often packed with more plot than they actually need, as if the author wanted to deliver good value. I asked myself that question as I was nearing the climax, but I got no for my answer. Here the author introduced each thread at a natural point in the story, so when everything came together the complexity was organic.
Sounds good! I’m just to the part when the black dog was stolen by the Chinese woman and am hoping to have enough free time to finish it this weekend. Thanks for the review. 🙂
This sounds great. I’m going to keep it in mind for when I’m looking for a good mystery. Thanks for the review!
Thank you for the review. This is already on my TBR list and I think I kind of forgot about it so thanks for the reminder =)
Thanks for the introduction to this new-to-me author’s book. I love that there’s an intricate plot and plenty of action. I love Historicals if they’re well-written so I might just have to give this one a try.
he Affair of the Porcelain Dog has been waiting for me on my kindle for ages. I love mysteries and the title intrigued me. I am so glad that you enjoyed it, I am moving the book higher up on my list and hope to get to it before Sept ends.
I started this series quite a while back. The third book of this series is one of the top three books I’ve read all year. The character of Ira gets more interesting with every book.
Yes. Just yes. This sounds awesome-sauce. 🙂
I do not usually read historicals, but every once in a while you find one that sounds like it would be really good. All the action would draw you in and you not notice the era it was written in so much. This one sounds like it would do that.
To be perfectly honest, it would probably be hard to forget this is set in Victorian times. Horse-drawn cabs, dress and other customs, plust reference to enterprises of the time will most likely keep pulling you back into the historical setting. Still, it’s worth taking a chance on it!
I’ve never heard of this, but it sounds fascinating! Complex, yet fun – I love historical settings that are well done.
Thanks for the review! It seems like an interesting read so I added it to my TBR list. But for some reason, it sounds like it’s more mystery with a little -very little- bit of romance.
This sounds like it could be a solid maybe for me. Thanks for the review!