Synopses & Reviews
An intricate historical page-turner about a forbidding country estate and the unlikely forensic duo who set out to uncover its deadly secrets. In the year 1780, Harriet Westerman, the willful mistress of a country manor in Sussex, finds a dead man on her grounds with a ring bearing the crest of Thornleigh Hall in his pocket. Not one to be bound by convention or to shy away from adventure, she recruits a reclusive local anatomist named Gabriel Crowther to help her find the murderer, and historical suspense's newest investigative duo is born.
For years, Mrs. Westerman has sensed the menace of neighboring Thornleigh Hall, seat of the Earl of Sussex. It is the home of a once- great family that has been reduced to an ailing invalid, his whorish wife, and his alcoholic second son, a man haunted by his years spent as a redcoat in the Revolutionary War. The same day, Alexander Adams is slain by an unknown killer in his London music shop, leaving his children orphaned. His death will lead back to Sussex, and to an explosive secret that has already destroyed one family and threatens many others.
Instruments of Darkness combines the brooding atmosphere of Anne Perry with the complex, compelling detail of Tess Gerritsen, moving from drawing room to dissecting room, from coffee house to country inn. Mrs. Westerman and Mr. Crowther are both razor-sharp minds and their personalities breathe spirit into this gripping historical mystery.
Review
“Robertson's superior third historical featuring anatomist Gabriel Crowther and widow Harriet Westerman (after 2012's
Anatomy of Murder) makes the most of its revelations about Crowther's backstory . . . First-rate prose and the deepening relationship between the two leads bode well for the longevity of this series.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Review
“Set aside quality time to fully enjoy this richly layered, engaging historical series; a great suggestion for fans of Anne Perry, Charles Finch, and C.S. Harris.”
—Library Journal
Review
“An altogether satisfying historical mystery.”
—Booklist
Review
Praise for
Island of Bones:
“Robertson's superior third historical featuring anatomist Gabriel Crowther and widow Harriet Westerman (after 2012's Anatomy of Murder) makes the most of its revelations about Crowther's backstory . . . First-rate prose and the deepening relationship between the two leads bode well for the longevity of this series.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Set aside quality time to fully enjoy this richly layered, engaging historical series; a great suggestion for fans of Anne Perry, Charles Finch, and C.S. Harris.” —Library Journal
“An altogether satisfying historical mystery.” —Booklist
“[An] audacious mix of cultural gloss and uncomplicated, straight-ahead storytelling. The multi-layered nuance of Peter Ackroyd and the buttonholing narrative grasp of Stephen King are stirred into the mix.” —The Independent (UK)
"A new Imogen Robertson book is fast becoming something of an event. ...this follow-up does not disappoint. As ever, the characters are enticing and the plot absorbing. If you've not read the previous books, do not despair--they each stand alone. But if you have time on your hands, now is your chance to catch up."
—The Daily Mail (UK)
Review
Praise for
Anatomy of Murder:
“Memorable prose, strong and unusual leads, a sophisticated plot with several unexpected turns, and an accurate portrayal of the period all make this a winner.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Robertson's language is spry . . . her scene-setting broad and detailed, her prose gracefully pressed into the service of a serpentine plot."
—Financial Times (UK)
“In the overcrowded field of historical fiction, Robertson has the smarts comfortably to outpace most of her rivals.” —The Independent (UK)
Review
Praise for
Instruments of Darkness:
“A sensitive melodrama. . . . Robertsons enjoyment of the period and her characters is infectious.” —The New York Times Book Review (Editors Choice) “A thoroughly engaging novel, with rich prose and an intricate, suspenseful plot, with melodramatic, Gothic touches in perfect keeping with the historical period. Robertson has already written another Westerman/Crowther mystery. . . . let us hope for many more.” —Associated Press “Every so often I encounter a book that makes me think with envy: ‘How I wish I could have written this story! Instruments of Darkness is just that book—poetic, enchanting, and chillingly memorable. Imogen Robertson is an exquisite writer, and this is an extraordinary novel.” —Tess Gerritsen, author of The Silent Girl “Mayhem runs amok in this period thriller. [Robertson] pulls out all the stops. . . a roaring soap opera of a novel.” —The Washington Times “Impressive . . . A ripping homage to Dickens, Austen and Conan Doyle, Instruments of Darkness will keep you up at night, and then, like me, waiting for the sequel.” —Seattle Times “The book works splendidly as a period thriller, with complicated leads and informative details that illuminate 18th-century England for modern readers.” —Publishers Weekly “This debut is getting some play and should well serve lovers of historical suspense.” —Library Journal
Review
Praise for INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS:
“Robertson’s enjoyment of the period and her characters is infectious.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice)
“Every so often I encounter a book that makes me think with envy: ‘How I wish I could have written this story!’ Instruments of Darkness is just that book—poetic, enchanting, and chillingly memorable. Imogen Robertson is an exquisite writer, and this is an extraordinary novel.”
—Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of Last to Die
“Mayhem runs amok in this period thriller. [Robertson] pulls out all the stops . . . [a] roaring soap opera of a novel.”
—The Washington Times
“Impressive . . . Robertson has a wicked way with suspense. A ripping homage to Dickens, Austen, and Conan Doyle, Instruments of Darkness will keep you up at night, and then, like me, waiting for the sequel.”
—Seattle Times
Synopsis
The first novel in the Westerman and Crowther historical crime series that The New York Times Book Review called CSI: Georgian England” and Tess Gerritsen called chillingly memorable”
Debut novelist Imogen Robertson won the London Telegraphs First Thousand Words of a Novel competition in 2007 with the opening of Instruments of Darkness. The finished work is a fast-paced historical mystery starring a pair of amateur eighteenth-century sleuths with razor-sharp minds. When Harriet Westerman, the unconventional mistress of a Sussex manor, finds a dead man on her grounds, she enlists reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther to help her find the murderer. Moving from drawing room to dissecting room, from dark London streets to the gentrified countryside, Instruments of Darkness is a gripping tale of the forbidding Thornleigh Hall and an unlikely forensic duo determined to uncover its deadly secrets.
Synopsis
London, 1781. Harriet Westerman anxiously awaits news of her husband, a ship's captain who has been gravely injured in the king's naval battles with France. As London's streets seethe with rumor, a body is dragged from the murky waters of the Thames.
Having gained a measure of fame as amateur detectives for unraveling the mysteries of Thornleigh Hall, the indomitable Mrs. Westerman and her reclusive sidekick, anatomist Gabriel Crowther, are once again called on to investigate. In this intricate novel, Harriet and Gabriel will discover that this is no ordinary drowning-the victim is part of a plot to betray England's most precious secrets.
The critics raved about their first adventure, comparing them with the characters of Tess Gerritsen in period clothes. Fans of Instruments of Darkness will find the smart and spirited pair's second outing just as riveting.
Synopsis
Robertson has a wicked way with suspense.” Seattle Times
Imogen Robertsons first two historical suspense novels featuring the forthright Mrs. Harriet Westerman and reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther have earned both glowing praise and a growing readership.
England, 1783. In Island of Bones, Crowthers haunting past is at last revealed. For years he has pursued his forensic studiesand the occasional murder investigationfar from his family estate. But an ancient tomb there will reveal a wealth of secrets. When laborers discover an extra body inside, the lure of the mystery brings Crowther home at last.
Fans of both historical fiction à la Anne Perry and the intricate forensics of Tess Gerritsen will be delighted by Robertsons latest.
Synopsis
The third novel in the critically acclaimed Westerman and Crowther historical mystery series reveals the dark secrets of Crowthers past
England, 1783. For years, reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther has pursued his forensic studiesand the occasional murder investigationfar from his family estate. But an ancient tomb there will reveal a wealth of secrets. When laborers discover an extra body inside the tomb, the lure of the mystery brings Crowther home at last, accompanied by his partner in crime, the forthright Mrs. Harriet Westerman. What Crowther learns will rewrite his familys pastand spill new blood in a land torn between old magic and modern justice.
The next installment in a series described as CSI: Georgian England” (The New York Times Book Review), Island of Bones is a riveting tale that will captivate fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Finch.
Synopsis
An intricate historical page-turner about a forbidding country estate and the unlikely forensic duo who set out to uncover its deadly secrets. In the year 1780, Harriet Westerman, the willful mistress of a country manor in Sussex, finds a dead man on her grounds with a ring bearing the crest of Thornleigh Hall in his pocket. Not one to be bound by convention or to shy away from adventure, she recruits a reclusive local anatomist named Gabriel Crowther to help her find the murderer, and historical suspense's newest investigative duo is born.
For years, Mrs. Westerman has sensed the menace of neighboring Thornleigh Hall, seat of the Earl of Sussex. It is the home of a once- great family that has been reduced to an ailing invalid, his whorish wife, and his alcoholic second son, a man haunted by his years spent as a redcoat in the Revolutionary War. The same day, Alexander Adams is slain by an unknown killer in his London music shop, leaving his children orphaned. His death will lead back to Sussex, and to an explosive secret that has already destroyed one family and threatens many others.
Instruments of Darkness combines the brooding atmosphere of Anne Perry with the complex, compelling detail of Tess Gerritsen, moving from drawing room to dissecting room, from coffee house to country inn. Mrs. Westerman and Mr. Crowther are both razor-sharp minds and their personalities breathe spirit into this gripping historical mystery.
About the Author
Imogen Robertson worked as a television, film, and radio director before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of four Westerman/Crowther novels: Instruments of Darkness; Anatomy of Murder; Island of Bones, which was short-listed for the 2011 Crime Writers Association Ellis Peters Historical Award; and forthcoming from Pamela Dorman Books, Circle of Shadows. In 2012 she was shortlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library. She lives in London.