Reviews Revisited
“Engaging, smart and witty – a highly alternative take on Victorian crime. Long live Lawless!”
– Paul Johnston
“William Sutton’s first novel is fine, extravagant and thoroughly enjoyable. It is an exuberant tale that offers no more than a nod to probability, and in this it somewhat resembles Boris Akunin’s Fandòrin novels. These have been international bestsellers, and there is no good reason why Sutton’s Worms of Euston Square shouldn’t also do very well. … The action moves with dizzying speed from the highest quarters in the land to the vilest slums and low dives of the teeming city … For this is a world enveloped in smoke and fog, where confusion reigns. Despite this, it is indeed, as becomes apparent, well-constructed, a cunning contrivance. What, after all, as Scott said, is the plot for, but to bring in fine things? And there are fine things here in abundance. We are told that William Sutton is now at work on another Campbell Lawless mystery. If he can maintain this standard of invention, this mastery of linguistic tone, he is on to a winner. Meanwhile one has the impression that this first novel was as enjoyable to write as it unquestionably is to read. We are told that William Sutton is now at work on another Campbell Lawless mystery. If he can maintain this standard of invention, this mastery of linguistic tone, he is on to a winner.”
– Alan Massie, The Scotsman
“A thoroughly enjoyable tale of terrorist agents at work in Victorian London.”
– Scottish Review of Books
“Prose and interweaving plots built like wrought-iron Victorian follies … Genuinely funny. This mix of social history and mid-Victorian Keystone Cops makes Sutton’s debut novel highly original and engaging. He has joyfully thrown himself into the mood, avoiding the leaden naturalism that would have been a more obvious option.”
– Michael Gardiner, Scotland on Sunday
“The success rate of Scots in London is impressive. Police recruit Campbell Lawless seems set to become another. Young Lawless is called to investigate the explosion of a hydraulic engine at Euston Square and from this is hurled deep into the city’s underworld – from music hall to industrial corporations, aided all the way by an endearingly intelligent set of street urchins. A first-rate piece of Victorian crime fiction.”
– The Herald
“This story is unlike any historical crime novel I’ve read before – it’s fascinating, witty and rather hilarious. Romping along at a jaunty pace, the story is filled with the sights, sounds and smells (and trust me, there are a lot of smells, many of them quite unpleasant!) of Victorian London, whisking you along for the ride.
Campbell Lawless is finding his feet in the detecting profession. He throws himself into his cases, determined to uncover the mysteries behind the ‘great spouts’ of water that spring up at strange locations across the city – outside the recently built Euston Station, at curtain call on a London stage to name a couple; why in a chain of seemingly impossible burglaries of wealthy houses little is taken, and who (and why) someone is stealing the workings of clocks.
Aided by super-smart Librarian, Ruth Villiers, Lawless works tirelessly to piece together the clues he finds, whilst staying on the right side of his rather grumpy boss, Wardle. In the course of his adventure, Lawless has encounters with the men behind the new underground system, newspaper editors, actresses, revolutionaries, and even a Prince. Each player in the story is a well-drawn and fabulously larger-than-life character.”
CrimeThrillerGirl
“Where the book really shines is in its evocation of Victorian London: a living, breathing, stinking beast of a city.”
– The Bookbag
Reviews from Goodreads.com
“I love the language used in this novel. Lawless is from Edinburgh and his Scottish twang is pitch perfect. The language of the streets is also an important aspect of Lawless’ first investigation. The Worms, a street gang not unlike Conan Doyle’s Baker Street Irregulars, have a patois all of their own. It’s almost as though you’re getting a mini-mystery every time one of them opens their mouth. There is a character called the Professor who I particularly liked. Personally I’ve always been a fan of the Victorian era, at an impressionable age I discovered George MacDonald Fraser and his disreputable anti-hero Flashman and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve always marvelled a bit at the pomp and ceremony of this particular time period. I just love the way people talk to one another, terribly proper and all that.”
– GoodReads
“The writing was exquisite to my untrained eye; I felt like I was in Victorian London. I have learned some marvellous insults too.”
– GoodReads
“There are so many great characters in this book, from all walks of life, and I have a feeling they will stay with me for a long time. My favourites by far were Worm and The Professor, a couple of street kids that Lawless uses as runners, I think they will always have a place in my heart.”
– GoodReads
“Lawless & The Devil is the first ARC I ever received as a reviewer. I requested it based on
a) the gorgeous cover,
b) the author’s name and
c) the fact that it was about Victorian crime fiction.
The premise didn’t hurt either. So I got it, realised that the release date was an age away and figured that I should read a couple of other ARCs instead. I really should have read this earlier or something. It was SO GOOD. I was staying at my friend’s place a couple of weeks ago and when I had to catch a bus to work in the morning, at 5 degree weather when it was windy as hell and pouring rain outside at the bus stop, I let my fingers turn blue so that I could keep reading. That’s how much I loved this book.
Firstly, I adore Campbell. He’s very matter-of-fact and methodical but he’s also very clearly got his heart in the right place. I love that he treats people with respect and honesty. It seems like such a little thing to ask for, but it’s surprising how few YA books have protagonists who are non-judgmental people. It’s not that Campbell is flawless, but he gives everything the benefit of the doubt and always has faith in people. His optimism is charming.”
– ElleLiterate
