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J.C. Briggs
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The Murder of Patience Brooke: Victorian London is full of dark secrets... (Charles Dickens Investigations Book 1) Kindle Edition

by J. C. Briggs (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,262 ratings
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An intriguing detective series featuring Charles Dickens! Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Victorian crime mysteries, A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield…

A brutal murder in Victorian London forces a famous writer to solve the mystery…

London, 1849

Charles Dickens has set up Urania Cottage as a sanctuary for fallen women.

But he is shocked when the matron’s assistant – Patience Brooke – is found hanging outside the property, covered in blood.

Desperate to protect the reputation of the Home and to stop a scandal from spreading, Dickens takes the investigation into his own hands.

With the help of his good friend, Superintendent Sam Jones of Bow Street, and a description of the suspect as ‘a man with a crooked face’, Dickens's search takes him deep into the filthy slums of Victorian London.

Can Dickens save his reputation? Will he find out the secrets of Patience Brooke’s troubled past?

Or will the killer strike again…?

The Murder of Patience Brooke is the first urban mystery in J. C. Briggs' literary historical series, the Charles Dickens investigations, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London.

'Charles Dickens himself must turn sleuth when death occurs on the steps of Urania Cottage, the home for fallen women he founded. Suspenseful, brimming with atmosphere, and full of vividly drawn characters – first and foremost a complex, endearing, wonderfully human Dickens, caught between his social ardour and his writer's imagination.' – C. P. Giuliani, author of The Road to Murder

"Snippets from his novels stalk the pages as J C Briggs turns Dickens into a highly plausible sleuth. Intriguing glimpses into his life and writerly mind fascinate while the mystery unfolds. An engrossing read." – Elizabeth Bailey, author of the Lady Fan Mystery Series

‘a well-written and engaging novel… the pages keep turning, and the evocation of foggy Victorian London is excellent’ – Historical Novel Society

‘In this gripping murder mystery, South Lakeland author Jean Briggs explores how Charles Dickens might have acted in the role of detective’ – The Westmorland Gazette

‘I enjoyed the depth of atmosphere evoked and the convincing depictions of Dickens and his family. The excitement of the investigation and its speeding tension is palpable. This is an excellent read on many levels’ – Promoting Crime Blog

‘an extremely engaging read. Jean Briggs is proving herself to be a crime writer to watch out for’ –Crime Fiction Lover

‘Fast-paced and well-written, The Murder of Patience Brooke is sure to draw in fans of mysteries, Charles Dickens, and Victorian London alike’ - Dickens Blog

'Impeccable historical detail, beautifully written and highly atmospheric' - Eric Summers, Aberdeen Dickens Fellowship

'Formidable historical research and a gift for ingenious story-telling. Truly Dickensian.' - Professor Jeffrey Richards, Lancaster University

The Charles Dickens Investigations Series:
BOOK ONE: The Murder of Patience Brooke
BOOK TWO: Death at Hungerford Stairs
BOOK THREE: Murder by Ghostlight
BOOK FOUR: The Quickening and the Dead
BOOK FIVE: At Midnight In Venice
BOOK SIX: The Redemption Murders
BOOK SEVEN: The Mystery of the Hawke Sapphires
BOOK EIGHT: The Chinese Puzzle
BOOK NINE: Summons to Murder
BOOK TEN: The Jaggard Case
BOOK ELEVEN: The Waxwork Man
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  1. Book 1 of 11
    Charles Dickens Investigations
  2. Print length
    294 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 27, 2018
  5. File size
    1.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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Charles Dickens Investigations Book 1 - Book 10
Charles Dickens Investigations Book 1 - Book 11
Bundle price: Kindle price
$10.97
Bundle price: Kindle price
$21.95
Bundle price: Kindle price
$51.90
Bundle price: Kindle price
$57.89
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J.C. Briggs is a retired English teacher.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07JJDFDC9
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books (December 27, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 27, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 294 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,262 ratings

About the author

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J.C. Briggs

J.C. Briggs

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I write historical crime fiction. My amateur detective is the great Victorian novelist, Charles Dickens. Dickens was fascinated by crime and murder. He went out with the London Police into the grim slums of London and visited the police stations to see how they all worked. According to a recent biographer, Dickens would have enjoyed being a detective. I gave him his wish. He makes a good detective - he is very observant, very clever at working out motive and following the clues with his partner, Superintendent Jones of Bow Street.

Victorian London is a great setting for a murder mystery - all that fog and very sinister alleys. It is fascinating to research the period from Dickens's own novels, the biographies and Dickens's letters. I like to know what he's up to in the periods of his life when the stories take place. All the books are based on something which really happened in Dickens's life. He set up a home for fallen women. I wondered what he would do if one of the girls was murdered and that was the idea for the first book.

When I'm not reading Dickens or writing Dickens, I give talks about him and other Victorian novelists and enjoy my garden in the Yorkshire Dales.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,262 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the mystery engaging and well-written. They describe the book as a delightful read with well-developed characters. The writing quality is described as descriptive and thoughtful, with attention to detail.

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Mystery contentReadabilityCharacter developmentWriting quality
23 customers mention "Mystery content"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the mystery content intriguing and engaging. They appreciate the author's research into the period and enjoy detective novels from this time period. The premise of the book is well-done, with accurate historical crime fiction.

"...Dickens' melancholia is heartbreaking, but well portrayed. The mystery is well done and the dialogue is believable...." Read more

"...The characters are believable and engaging, and the portrayal of Victorian times is accurate...." Read more

"...The author really gives us a good look at Victorian London, warts and all, with the added fun of being party to Dickens thoughts as he writes David..." Read more

"The story caught my interest and kept me reading. The atmosphere was novel and fun taking place in the time of Dickens...." Read more

23 customers mention "Readability"23 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find the writing engaging and the characters well-developed. The story immerses them in Dickens' world and provides an atmospheric mystery.

"...The mystery is well done and the dialogue is believable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery." Read more

"...Just enough to keep the book interesting and so you understand and no more. The book kept me interested to the very last page...." Read more

"...But it turned out to be a total delight...." Read more

"The story caught my interest and kept me reading. The atmosphere was novel and fun taking place in the time of Dickens...." Read more

15 customers mention "Character development"15 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters. They find the historical characters reliable and admirable. The book is described as a great British detective novel.

"...The Murder of Patience Brooks is wonderfully written & I enjoyed the historical characters...." Read more

"...The characters are believable and engaging, and the portrayal of Victorian times is accurate...." Read more

"...is atmospheric, successfully evoking mid-19thC London; the characters are well drawn and believable, the plotting tight...." Read more

"...Interesting characters added charm to the story." Read more

13 customers mention "Writing quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality. They find the story beautifully written with attention to detail and thoughtful language. The characters are reliable, and the descriptions of Dickens' life and his time are well-done.

"...Dickens' melancholia is heartbreaking, but well portrayed. The mystery is well done and the dialogue is believable...." Read more

"...The depiction of Dickens is sensitive, and his presence makes perfect sense...." Read more

"...This was a fun way to learn more about the famous author. Interesting characters added charm to the story." Read more

"...to learn about Charles Dickens, a bit about his life and a good description of his time, his people and his city." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very well done
    Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I received this book free from one of the book sites. I do not remember which one! This is my honest and voluntary review.

    If you are a fan of Charles Dickens, I believe that you will enjoy this book. Attention to detail is a trademark of Dickens & Briggs does it well. Descriptive writing is a lost art, in my opinion, & I find little of it in books today. The Murder of Patience Brooks is wonderfully written & I enjoyed the historical characters. Dickens' melancholia is heartbreaking, but well portrayed. The mystery is well done and the dialogue is believable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Voyager2021
    4.0 out of 5 stars New take on Charles Dickens that is fun and very interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I just finished this book and have purchased book two. Usually I am not drawn to series books, but this author is several cuts above your normal Victorian mystery. I love that Charles Dickens is one of the main characters, and I hope he was as well recognized in his time as is described here, as I loved his books and will probably re-read one or two after finishing this series. The characters are believable and engaging, and the portrayal of Victorian times is accurate. I would say this is more of a dark mystery rather than a cozy mystery, but there is no bad language or sexual scenes that anyone could not read (say one of your kids, etc.). Also, although it deals with brutal things, it does so in a way that is not so dark as some other dark mysteries, you know what has happened without being told about every twisted horrible act. Just enough to keep the book interesting and so you understand and no more. The book kept me interested to the very last page. Well done to the author and this book does not disappoint.
    18 people found this helpful
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  • Linda
    5.0 out of 5 stars THE MURDER OF PATIENCE BROOKE, J.C. Briggs, 2018
    Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Book 1 of 5 in the Charles Dickens investigations. I'm usually not a fan of books using famous historical people as detectives, so I approached this book featuring Charles Dickens as the investigator with much suspicion. But it turned out to be a total delight. Taking place in London in 1849, Dickens is drawn into the investigation of the murder of a young woman who is found hanging outside the door of Urania Cottage, a sanctuary Dickens has set up to help young women get off of the streets. Dickens is worried that this killing will ruin the reputation of the Home, or scare away young women who need the help the sanctuary can give them. So with the help of his friend from Bow Street, Superintendent Sam Jones, Dickens sets out to find the suspect, a "man with a crooked face." The author really gives us a good look at Victorian London, warts and all, with the added fun of being party to Dickens thoughts as he writes David Copperfield in between investigating. Recommended.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Caroline Fisher
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting tale but hard to read
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The story caught my interest and kept me reading. The atmosphere was novel and fun taking place in the time of Dickens. It glorified Dickens who perhaps should not be because of reported bad treatment of his wife. The language was a barrier in that it used terms that are not familiar today and gave no interpretation of them. I'm glad I read it, but would not pay for it.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Krys
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, atmospheric mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I rarely am as enthusiastic about a book as I am about J. C. Briggs' "The Murder of Patience Brown." Initially, I thought having Charles Dickens part of the detective team was a gimmick; nothing, however, could be farther from the truth. The depiction of Dickens is sensitive, and his presence makes perfect sense. The novel is atmospheric, successfully evoking mid-19thC London; the characters are well drawn and believable, the plotting tight. If I could give this novel more than 5 stars, I would.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mrshagrid
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dickens as a detective
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed being immersed in Dickens world. This was a fun way to learn more about the famous author. Interesting characters added charm to the story.
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  • Gail Rae-Garwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars surprise after surprise
    Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    As a writer, I adore Dickens. To see him as a quasi detective fired my imagination. But all my guesses were wrong. The right answers were far more complicated.
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  • Brandyteach
    4.0 out of 5 stars What’s not to love?
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    4 stars! I loved the premise of this - and YAY!! - it’s a series!!!! Get this, the beloved Charles Dickens is the protagonist in this novel! He assists his best friend (Superintendent of police) in solving a murder that happened in Dicken’s sponsored home for wayward women. Soon, the bodies and the suspense begin to pile up...

    I adore a good mystery, and this did not disappoint!! Who doesn’t love Victorian London?!?! It keeps you on the edge of your seat (or bed, in my case), and I honestly and genuinely cared about the characters - which means to me that character development was spot on.

    I’ll be reading the next installment shortly!!
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Check out my other book reciews at: @BookNerd’sBookReviews on Facebook!!
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Jan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Charles Dickens solves a mystery
    Reviewed in Canada on June 23, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love stories from the Victorian era so this was a perfect mystery. Even better with Charles Dickens as a main character.
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  • cibele
    4.0 out of 5 stars Victorian London is full of secrets
    Reviewed in Brazil on February 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    "[...]childhood leaves its indelible mark. I know that. And, I think sometimes, Sam, that there is in us all an impulse of self-destruction, but it is held in check by our responsibilities, out sense of duty to others and ourselves."

    Have you ever wondered what if Charles Dickens followed his want of being a detective? Just like some history buffs say he wanted to?

    Well, look no further as J.C.Briggs brought along a great story about the writer as a detective, helping solve cases with his friend, the superintendent Sam Jones.

    When one of the women of the House is found murdered, tied in front of the place, throat slit and appearance changed to that of a lady of the night, Charles finds himself calling his friend Jones to help solve the murder and bring justice to Patience Brooke, a woman so silent and calm, that did not deserve what faith has brought her.

    The story is very fast paced, and very well written, the suspense of who killed Patience Brooke and why, having us gripping the phone, tablet, computer whatever you are reading it with until the very end. I very much enjoyed reading it, and already am going to the next ones while waiting for the fourth to come out. J.C's writing is marvellous and brought to life a London so very mysterious and full of character!
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  • La veneziana
    4.0 out of 5 stars Le indagini di Mr. Charles Dickens
    Reviewed in Italy on October 13, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Bene integrato nella vera biografia del grande scrittore vittoriano, questo romanzo dai tratti plausibili, è ambientato in un periodo ben definito della vita di Dickens e prende spunto da una sua lodevole iniziativa: l'istituzione di una Casa per il recupero morale e lavorativo di donne dal dubbio passato chiamata Urania Cottage (che funzionò con molta efficacia per una decina d'anni, grazie al supporto di una ricca filantropa e di una direttrice di notevole capacità).
    La scrittrice immagina un omicidio tra le mura della Casa cui faranno seguito indagini accurate dello stesso Dickens e dell'amico Sovrintendente Jones.
    La trama è ben costruita e si armonizza bene con la situazione della Londra di metà Ottocento, di cui si descrivono con partecipazione le strade e i vicoli e anche le abissali differenze fra le classi sociali, la terribile povertà dei più sfortunati e l'altrettanto terribile svantaggio delle donne di ogni estrazione, imprigionate in cliché ed aspettative che lasciavano poco spazio alle possibilità di espressione e libertà personale.
    Il ritmo del romanzo è buono e congruente con i tempi e gli strumenti di indagine del periodo e la partecipazione di Mr. Dickens è basata sul suo reale interesse per le persone e sul suo instancabile impegno sociale per il miglioramento delle condizioni di vita dei meno abbienti.
    Altrettanto ben integrata nella trama è la personalità dello scrittore, molto orgoglioso del suo successo, ma altrettanto vulnerabile sul suo passato e sulla sua vita personale. Ben delineati sono anche gli altri personaggi che si muovono attorno a Dickens e che non appaiono oscurati dal grande protagonista.
    Congruente è anche il riconoscimento di Dickens a tutti i livelli sociali: i personaggi che incontra hanno letto e leggono i suoi libri e conoscono e amano le storie e le persone che lui descrive.
    Se ho qualche riserva sta nella parte che riguarda le indagini: la vicenda ha qualche incongruenza e non mancano i colpi di fortuna che traghettano alla più conveniente delle soluzioni, ma ciò detto è proprio una bella prova.
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  • Hannah L. Shattock
    5.0 out of 5 stars Charles Dickens & a Murder? What More Could I Ask For?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I didn’t have an issue when reading this which surprised me. I thought that perhaps the book would use language from the time period but I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn’t the case. It was easy for me to slip between the pages of this book and understand what I was reading and make sense of the plot. All the characters were very strong and very individual in their voices and I found at times, that my adrenaline spiked while reading this which in turn made me want to read faster and uncover all. Even reading at a faster pace, I was able to understand everything and didn’t feel the need to skip ahead or skim read what was happening.

    I came into reading this positively giddy. The expectation I had of Charles Dicken’s in my head was muddled by different things but I can honestly say that the version of him presented in this novel does him credit. Charles Dicken’s was so a character I could get behind and the perfect companion to the Superintendent and the dynamic of the two of them together in personality, dialogue and different was the perfect combination for this story to come alive. The secondary characters, all got a chance to shine and I felt like I got detailed descriptions and backstories for all involved. Each character brought something to the story and made it feel richer somehow. I enjoyed how the character of Charles Dicken’s enjoyed referencing his own characters as he went about investigation and liked that the author had chosen to include that aspect and the aspect of Charles Dicken’s taking time to continue his own writing – in the case of this book he is writing David Copperfield. I felt that the inclusions of what Charles Dicken’s would have been doing during that time made his character more dimensional and real to the reader.

    I have working knowledge of London, and though my outlook is modern, I was able to form a clear image of the London presented in this book. I thought the details and descriptions were very good and helped to flesh out the characters and lesser known scene settings. I was able to understand what was happening and follow the characters actions very well. I was able to work with my imagination to visualise all aspects of the book.

    I mean where else are you going to get a story that combines Charles Dicken’s and murder? Let me tell you, nowhere else. This was wholly unique to me and utterly riveting. I was so excited to see how the author would shape Charles Dicken’s and how he would present himself in the book as an author and as an investigator. This book was magically mysterious and intensely good. It was a kindle book but now I’m going to have to buy the whole series in paperback.

    ★★★★★
    One person found this helpful
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  • John Kames
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and exciting
    Reviewed in Germany on February 18, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The crime novel's plot was full of exciting turns. Old London, cockney English and a gripping chase.
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