Synopses & Reviews
Charles Lenox, Member of Parliament, sets sail on a clandestine mission for the government. When an officer is savagely murdered, however, Lenox is drawn toward his old profession, determined to capture another killer.
1873 is a perilous time in the relationship between France and England. When a string of English spies is found dead on French soil, the threat of all-out war prompts government officials to ask Charles Lenox to visit the newly-dug Suez Canal on a secret mission.
Once he is on board the Lucy, however, Lenox finds himself using not his new skills of diplomacy but his old ones: the ships second lieutenant is found dead on the voyages first night, his body cruelly abused. The ships captain begs the temporarily retired detective to join in the hunt for a criminal. Lenox finds the trail, but in the claustrophobic atmosphere on board, where nobody can come or go and everyone is a suspect, he has to race against the next crime—and also hope he wont be the victim.
At once a compulsive murder mystery, a spy story, and an intimate and joyful journey with the Victorian navy, this book shows that no matter how far Lenox strays from his old life, it will always come back to find him.
Review
"A rousing nautical adventure ... Finchs descriptions of life at sea are so fascinating its a shame Lenox must bring this case to an end." -- The New York Times "Agatha Christie meets Patrick OBrian in Finchs accomplished fifth whodunit set in Victorian England ... the best in the series to date."-- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "An agreeable spin on the classic locked-room mystery yarn; its Murder on the Orient Express as reimagined by Patrick OBrian."-- Daniel Stashower, AARP "The murder mystery that Finch weaves keeps readers guessing...an intriguing read on several levels."-- The Seattle Times
Synopsis
Agatha Christie meets Patrick O'Brian in Finch's accomplished fifth whodunit set in Victorian England ... the best in the series to date.--Starred Review, Publisher's Weekly
In A Burial at Sea, Charles Lenox, Member of Parliament, sets sail on a clandestine mission for the government. When an officer is savagely murdered, however, Lenox is drawn toward his old profession, determined to capture another killer.
1873 is a perilous time in the relationship between France and England. When a string of English spies is found dead on French soil, the threat of all-out war prompts government officials to ask Charles Lenox to visit the newly-dug Suez Canal on a secret mission.
Once he is on board the Lucy, however, Lenox finds himself using not his new skills of diplomacy but his old ones: the ship's second lieutenant is found dead on the voyage's first night, his body cruelly abused. The ship's captain begs the temporarily retired detective to join in the hunt for a criminal. Lenox finds the trail, but in the claustrophobic atmosphere on board, where nobody can come or go and everyone is a suspect, he has to race against the next crime--and also hope he won't be the victim.
At once a compulsive murder mystery, a spy story, and an intimate and joyful journey with the Victorian navy, this book shows that no matter how far Lenox strays from his old life, it will always come back to find him.
About the Author
CHARLES FINCH is a graduate of Yale and Oxford. His novels have been nominated for Agatha and Nero Awards and been among Library Journals Best Books of the year. He lives in Oxford.