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Cora Harrison

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The Montgomery Murder: An action-packed YA thriller (Victorian London Murder Mysteries Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Cora Harrison (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 111 ratings

Book 1 of 6: Victorian London Murder Mysteries

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Looking for a YA historical mystery series? Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Charlie N. Holmberg, Markus Zusak and Leigh Bardugo. Alfie and his gang find themselves embroiled in a murder case. Can they stop the ‘Monmouth Street Strangler’ before another murder is committed?
London, 1858
. Young orphan Alfie is doing everything in his power to keep a roof over the heads of his rag-tag family. His brother Sammy, cousins Jack and Tom and faithful dog Mutsy all rely on him for survival. When a brutal murder is committed nearby Alfie sees a chance to make some extra money. The police need someone streetwise and cunning who can access the slums of St Giles, and Alfie is just who they are looking for. But when Alfie installs Sammy as a servant in the Monmouth Street house everything starts to go wrong. And a sinister world of double-dealing and danger is revealed… Are Alfie and his gang now at risk? Can they unmask the killer before he realises they are on his trail?
Or will the Monmouth Street Strangler strike again…?
THE MONTGOMERY MURDER is the first young adult crime thriller in an exciting historical series, the Victorian London Murder Mysteries, following a gang of street urchins fighting crime in London’s slums. ‘A thoroughly exciting page-turner’ - Irish Examiner ‘A hugely enjoyable read’ - Bookzone4boys VICTORIAN LONDON MURDER MYSTERY SERIES: BOOK ONE: THE MONTGOMERY MURDER BOOK TWO: THE DEADLY FIRE BOOK THREE: MURDER ON STAGE BOOK FOUR: DEATH OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP BOOK FIVE: THE BODY IN THE FOG BOOK SIX: DEATH IN THE DEVIL’S DEN

Reading age

7 - 18 years
Book 1 of 6

Victorian London Murder Mysteries
Print length

153 pages
Language

English
Publication date

February 28, 2019
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Cracking book … grabbed my attention as soon as I read about it as it is set in the Victorian era … hugely enjoyable read. … not your average Famous Five style adventures – these kids are in genuine peril … The characters are fun, brave and resilient – and stick together, despite their unfortunate circumstances. … Overall, a fun start to what I hope will be a long running series. … If your kids like mystery stories with real peril for the main characters then this is certainly worth getting hold of for them.” – The Book Zone

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07P755P5H
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books (February 28, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 28, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1834 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 153 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,159,971 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #906 in Children's European Historical Fiction (Books)
- #2,935 in Historical British Fiction
- #5,035 in Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.2 111 ratings

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Glynn Young

Street children are on the case

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2019

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Four pre-teen boys struggling to survive without parents might make unlikely detectives. But this is the London of Charles Dickens, roughly the 1840s, and if you’re 12 years old and living on your own, you survive by your wits and taking advantage of whatever comes your way.

“The Montgomery Murder” is the first in the Victorian London Murder Mystery Series by Cora Harrison. Due to the death of his mother from cholera, twelve-year-old Alfie finds himself head of the family. The family includes Alfie’s younger brother Sammy, who has a beautiful singing voice and is blind, and his two cousins Jack and Tom.
They live in a basement in Bow Street, and life is focused on getting enough money each week for rent and food. The boys sing, perform tricks with their dog Mutsy, run errands, and are not above swiping a loaf of bread (or a bit more than a loaf of bread) and working as pickpockets.

Alfie, caught trying to steal a loaf of bread, is hauled off to the police station in Bow Street. Facing prison himself and a disaster for his brother and cousins, Alfie is surprised to be helped by a sympathetic police detective, who seeks Alfie’s help in trying to find out any information at all about a man found murdered, strangled with wire in the notorious St. Giles area of London.

Alfie has seen the man before, and in fact saw him shortly before he was killed. He’s also able to show the detective that the man was not killed while being robbed. The man lived with his family in well-to-do Bedford Square, and it is there where the killer’s trail might lead. Alfie and his family, along with a few friends, are recruited by the detective to keep their eyes open and see what they might learn about the murder.

It’s an exciting story, with the blind Sammy getting kidnaped by the killer, family passions boiling over, and some solid detective work by Alfie and his fellow street urchins.

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Kindle Customer

Great YA mystery that adults will enjoy too

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2019

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I volunteered to review books for Sapere Books and this book is one of the first they recommended. I don't read much in the way of young adult fiction but I must admit this book surprised me. The characters are well developed, the crime is somewhat brutal, the descriptions of Victorian London are very accurate, and the story itself is so well written that I found I couldn't put it down once I started reading.

The main character is Alfie. He's twelve going on thirty as he must take care of his younger blind brother, his two cousins, and a dog after the death of his parents. Living day to day on what meager funds they can raise doing odd jobs, singing on street corners, performing tricks with their dog, and occasionally stealing some bread when all else fails, Alfie has his hands full trying to pay the rent on their basement hovel as well as make certain everyone has something to eat. In spite of all this, Alfie is somewhat upbeat and tries to keep his little family together.

When Alfie is caught stealing some bread, he is taken to the Bow Street police station and the Inspector in charge recognizes something about Alfie that he can use to his advantage. Alfie is streetwise and intelligent. He can get information that the police couldn't. And helping to solve a horrific murder might be a way for the young boy to earn some money. After being taken to view the corpse, Alfie is able to tell the Inspector more about the victim than the police were able to determine and the Inspector offers him a job in return for a little cash and ignoring his bread thievery. It's dangerous work as Alfie and his gang get closer and closer to the murderer, and when one of the gang disappears, Alfie is frantic to solve this crime before someone he cares about dies.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and plan to read the other books in this series. Thank you, Sapere Books, for the recommendation.

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Donna Dee

Enjoyable read

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2020

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I very much enjoyed this book about Alfie and his gang on the streets of Victorian London. Very descriptive and made me feel like I was there, the tale was well written and engaging. I liked it so much I've already purchased the rest of the series!

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David

Very enjoyable Crime novel set in Victorian London

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2019

I very much enjoyed this book. It was a little slow to get into at first but I certainly wanted to keep reading it. The characters were nicely drawn and it really evoked a sense of Victorian London and what it was like to be poor. It was nice to read a book coming from this perspective. I liked the motley band of kids, particularly the main protagonist Alfie, who investigated the murder and the plot kept me guessing until quite near the end.

A well written novel that I would say it's an easy read for a nice cosy afternoon.

I am a reviewer for Sapere Books.

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Helen Hollick

Reviewed by Discovering Diamonds

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"Harrison does an excellent job weaving in the history of the orphaned children during the Victorian Age. She paints a vivid picture of the hardships and the lives that the poor children endured"

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Debbie

Historical details woven into a fast-paced, suspenseful mystery

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2019

This book is a young adult mystery set in 1858 in London. Several poor orphans are drawn into solving a murder of a rich man who lived near their neighborhood. Alfie and his blind brother put their lives at risk to discover clues and figure out whodunit. While it wasn't very difficult to figure out whodunit (at least, for me), it was realistic that the kids didn't immediately figure it out. And then they had to prove it to get the reward (not to mention, to survive).

Historical details about what London was like at the time were woven into the story without slowing the fast pacing. Suspense was created by the danger to the children (since who would notice if a few poor orphans living on their own suddenly disappeared?). The characters acted realistically and were engaging. There was no sex. There were a couple using of "God" in a swearing sense. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.

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Dianna Somerton

Suspenseful, attention grabber

Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2019

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It was a fast reading book read it in a day. But loved how the kids figured it page turner for sure

Carmel Seston

A great tale of suspense.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2019

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This book has clearly been written by an author who understands young readers. It is aimed at key stage two, ages 8-11 years and refreshingly, appeals to boys as well as girls of that age.
It contains the time-honoured elements which make it a favourite with young readers. A group of four boys, one girl and a loyal dog embark upon an adventure to solve a murder mystery, out-witting adults in the process.
Set in Victorian London, the vivid descriptions of the sounds and smells of that era bring this period of history to life. The London streets and districts are described with an accuracy which reflects the author's research, walking the streets, timing the distances between them. I was sceptical when I read about night classes until I discovered that the Ragged Schools did indeed also operate at night.
The reality of life for London's poverty-stricken in Victorian times is woven into the story; begging, stealing, selling and entertaining to raise money. The luxury of childhood was denied to the poor; keeping a roof over their heads and securing food being the main occupation regardless of age. Young readers will enjoy reading about drinking beer instead of the filthy contaminated water and delight in the details of the squalid conditions. It also appeals to their sense of justice. Suspects are given a chance to explain themselves and a stingy rich lady gets her comeuppance when horse manure is splattered all over her.
There are a number of people who might have wanted to murder the victim. Each has their own reasons. There are also suspects who might be accused of the crime and have the task of proving their innocence at a time when the less fortunate did not have a voice in society.
A great tale of suspense.

Littera

Mord in Londons düsteren Gassen

Reviewed in Germany on July 4, 2010

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Mit "The Montgomery Murder" legt Cora Harrison, eine profilierte irische Kinderbuchautorin den ersten Band in der "The London Murder Mysteries" -Serie vor. Das Buch spielt in den dunklen Gassen des viktorianischen London.

Es zeigt Ähnlichkeiten zu der "Baker Street Boys" - Serie von Anthony Read auf, doch Cora Harrison gelingt es, eine ganz eigenständige Welt zu erschaffen, welche fasziniert und den Leser vollständig in den Bann zieht.

Alfie, ein Waisenjunge lebt mit seinem blinden Bruder Sammy, seinen Cousins Jack und Tom und dem Hund Mutsy in einem Keller, welches die Wohnung von Alfies Eltern war, ehe diese starben. Seither schlagen sich die Jungs alleine durch, mit Gelegenheitsarbeiten, Singen und Kunststücken, welche Mutsy vorführt. Es ist ein täglicher Kampf, um genügend Geld für das Essen am Tage und die wöchentliche Miete zusammen zu bekommen.

Bei einer Diebesaktion, bei der sie einen Laib Brot ergattern wollen, wird Alfie geschnappt und zur Bow Street Polizeistation gebracht.

Dort wird Inspektor Denham auf den Jungen aufmerksam. Der Beamte hat gerade den Mord an Mr. Montgomery aufzuklären, einem reichen Gentleman, der mit einer Garotte erdrosselt wurde.

Denham bietet Alfie an, für ihn zu arbeiten. Dafür bekommt er seine Freiheit zurück und das Versprechen auf einen Anteil an der Belohnung für die Aufklärung des Mordes.

Alfie und seine Bande machen sich daran, den Fall aufzuklären und bekommen dabei Unterstützung von Mallesh, einem indischen Jungen, welcher von der Polizei verdächtigt wird, die Tat verübt zu haben.

Das Buch ist absolut überzeugend, voller Spannung und Action und dabei eine wunderbare Milieuschilderung der Lebensumstände von Waisenkindern im viktorianischen England.

Es ist mehr als nur ein Kinder- und Jugendbuch. Auch als Erwachsener fühlt man sich wunderbar spannend unterhalten, ohne zu schnell auf den Täter zu kommen.

Die Charaktere werden in einige lebensgefährliche Situationen geführt. Die Handlung wirkt bis ins kleinste Detail realistisch und man spürt die sorgfältige Recherche der Autorin auf jeder Seite.

Die Jungs sind mutig, humorvoll und erfindungsreich - und sie halten zusammen, auch unter den widrigsten Umständen.

Alfie ist der Anführer der Gruppe und er muss in jungen Jahren, er ist erst zwölf, bereits eine Menge Verantwortung tragen. Das hat ihn zu einem klugen, cleveren und gewitzten Jungen gemacht, obwohl er, wie viele Kinder damals, nicht lesen kann.

Besonders herzerwärmend sind die Szenen, in denen er sich um seinen blinden Bruder sorgt - das mag für einige Leser zwar ein wenig rührselig wirken, passt aber dennoch hervorragend in die Gesamthandlung und wird nicht über Gebühr
strapaziert.

Der Kriminalfall selbst ist äußerst interessant und das Buch hat genügend Cliffhanger und spannende Wendungen, dass man diesen historischen Krimi gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen möchte. Die 246 Seiten fliegen nur so dahin und am Ende weiß man, dass man ein richtig gutes Buch gelesen hat und freut sich bereits auf den zweiten Band "The Deadly Fire", der im August 2010 erscheinen soll.

Fünf Sterne für den Auftakt zu einer Reihe, der man viele Fortsetzungen wünscht und
die wirklich hervorragende Unterhaltung bietet.

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C Jennings

To the best cop in Bow Street!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2023

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A very good read, short in a good way with no extraneous padding, good dialogue, character development begins here and I'm looking forward to more (I've already downloaded the second book). Not overly heavy on suspects either, but I still didn't know which had done it until the gang solved it.

I'm not a young adult anymore but it took me back to when I used to read the three investigators so I would recommend for both young and older adults.

Learning is fun!

Exciting Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2012

Verified Purchase

This is a great start to an excellent series. Although it is written for children (which your 1 star reviewer clearly didn't notice!), it is a book than can be thoroughly enjoyed by adults when sharing it with their children. Both my son and I were drawn into the story, enjoying the historical setting, the accurate detail and the mystery equally - in fact bedtime certainly got delayed as we read more chapters each night than we'd meant to!

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The Montgomery Murder: An action-packed YA thriller (Victorian London Murder Mysteries Book 1) Kindle Edition

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