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Murder

(Dr. Thomas Bond #2)

Sarah Pinborough (Goodreads Author)

3.70 · Rating details · 738 ratings · 116 reviews

Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, is still recovering from the event of the previous year when Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London - and a more malign enemy hid in his shadow. Bond and the others who worked on the gruesome case are still stalked by its legacies, both psychological and tangible.

But now the bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames... and ...more

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Hardcover, 326 pages

Published May 1st 2014 by Jo Fletcher (first published October 3rd 2013)

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Jun 06, 2014 Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2015

Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon is back in Murder the sequel to Mayhem. It's been years since Jack the Ripper and The Torso Killer roamed, but now something evil is back in London. Dead bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames, could the Upir be back?

I like how Sarah Pinborough uses a combination of fantasy and real events and persons in her books Mayhem and Murder to tell a story. The Upir is an interesting creation and I like that it's a vampire, but still quite different. Vampires ...more

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Nov 30, 2013 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal, mystery, review-copy, historical-fiction, horror

5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

One of the most common things you'll hear about books these days is that everything seems to be a series. I know I myself have talked about series burnout on more than a few occasions and expressed a desire to see more stand-alones. However! Every once in a while the news of an unexpected sequel will make me jump up and down for joy! And this is most definitely one of those times.

Murder can be seen as the follow-up to Mayh 5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

One of the most common things you'll hear about books these days is that everything seems to be a series. I know I myself have talked about series burnout on more than a few occasions and expressed a desire to see more stand-alones. However! Every once in a while the news of an unexpected sequel will make me jump up and down for joy! And this is most definitely one of those times.

Murder can be seen as the follow-up to Mayhem, the chilling paranormal horror novel by Sarah Pinborough that was published last year from Jo Fletcher Books. Sort-of-but-not-really about Jack the Ripper, the book and its clever combination of historical fact and fiction intermixed with supernatural elements quickly vaulted it onto my list of all-time favorites.

I should probably mention too that Mayhem works perfectly well as a stand-alone, but that I was also thrilled when I found out about Murder for reasons beyond the fact I am such a fan of its forerunner. Sarah Pinborough clearly had a lot more in store for Dr. Thomas Bond, the protagonist in these books. It should be noted that the real Dr. Thomas Bond was a very important figure in British crime history, best known for his work as the police surgeon on a lot of the Whitechapel murder investigations between 1887-1891. I’ve always believed that the best horror stories are rooted in reality, and being aware of the shocking turns in Bond’s career and later years also made me really excited to see what the author would do next.

Once again, Sarah Pinborough succeeds in bringing life and depth to her characters, several of whom were figures from history. A lot of the gruesome events described in this novel also actually happened, even the line in the description about bodies of children being pulled from the Thames (see the Victorian England baby farm murders). Pinborough flawlessly weaves a thread of supernatural into the story, but even then things can sometimes get too real. I think that’s why historical horrors are often so effective at terrifying me!

So now I’ll try my best to explain why I simply adored this book without giving away any spoilers for Mayhem: First, I love how these books aren’t about any one killer or murder case. Rather, all that serves as a backdrop in order to focus on something a lot more otherworldly and evil. Malevolence has settled upon London, and Dr. Thomas Bond is inextricably linked to it. Try as he might, he can’t escape the pull of the past. Because of this, Bond becomes an increasingly unreliable narrator, and having been familiar with his steadfast pragmatism up until this point, his downward spiral only makes the situation even more disconcerting. Like in Mayhem, Bond’s chapters are the only ones written in the first person, while others are in the third person. This point-of-view switching allows us to see a fuller picture, and it works even better here since our main protagonist’s credibility has been severely compromised.

Ms. Pinborough doesn’t hold anything back. Despite the kind of person Bond becomes, I felt for him; I really did. But clearly the author knows what needs to happen, and she carries out the plot with a cold eye and sees it all through mercilessly. And honestly? It made for an amazing book. There were some truly unexpected turns in the plot. At times, I couldn’t even believe it. You’ll be appalled and filled with hatred. Your heart will break. And you’ll also marvel at the amazing things the author has accomplished here with character development.

This book was just so good. Dark, disturbing, and full of tension -- just the way I like my horror. It was not a fast-paced book, and yet...the story had this way of worming into my mind. This is definitely the kind of book you'll find yourself thinking about even when you’re not reading, and hoping that it won’t be long until you can pick it up again. ...more

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May 28, 2015 Jasmine rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery, book-series, historical-fiction, supernatural, uk-and-irish-authors, crime

I am disappointed; so much so I don't even know where to begin. I just can't shake the feeling that I've read this story somewhere before...

I had such a difficult time getting into the first book that I thought I may forgo reading this book altogether but alas I did not. I was able to get into this story more quickly but I found that the character development was flat, which is one of the things I enjoyed so much about the last book.

There were so many moments that I thought, where is this going? ...more

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Jul 27, 2016 Karen Barber rated it really liked it

Some time after the events of 'Mayhem' we return to London. Many of the characters we met in that novel return, and we can see the impact of those events on their lives.
Juliana has become an over-protective mother to her young son James, a husk of her former self after the death of her husband, James. Dr Bond has kept quiet about his involvement in the clearing-up of these events, and he is hopeful that he will eventually marry Juliana.
Initially, everything seems rather dull. Everyone is going a ...more

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Jun 20, 2017 Bill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, horror, favorites

What a terrific two book series this is.

Beginning with Mayhem, Sarah Pinborough fictionalized the torso killings, which were occurring alongside Jack the Ripper's reign of terror.
Add in a bit of the supernatural, and this was a brilliant mix of historical fiction with dabs of horror.
Mayhem could easily have been a standalone novel, but Pinborough chose to continue the story of Dr Thomas Bond in this sequel that not only matched Mayhem's excellence, but completed the two novels as one complete an ...more

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Dec 19, 2014 Becky rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery, fiction, adult, historical

This book was a huge disappointment. I loved the first one but this one had so many errors in printing (wrong dates - at the end it says 2001 and it should say 1901). The writing seemed scattered and confusing. I almost put it down several times but I loved the first book and I thought it might get better. It didn't. With a heavy heart, I would not recommend this book series again. ...more

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Feb 20, 2015 Albert rated it liked it · review of another edition

Murder by Sarah Pinborough is the sequel to the thrilling period piece Mayhem. Dr. Thomas Bond, having survived the horror of the Thames Torso Killer and the terror of Jack the Ripper, is piecing his life together again. He continues to aid the police with their investigations with his forensic knowledge but comforts himself with the belief that he would never have to face the evil he did when he faced the Demon Upir.

"...My grip tightened on my brandy glass. We rarely talked of the Torso murders Murder by Sarah Pinborough is the sequel to the thrilling period piece Mayhem. Dr. Thomas Bond, having survived the horror of the Thames Torso Killer and the terror of Jack the Ripper, is piecing his life together again. He continues to aid the police with their investigations with his forensic knowledge but comforts himself with the belief that he would never have to face the evil he did when he faced the Demon Upir.

"...My grip tightened on my brandy glass. We rarely talked of the Torso murders. For Andrews they had always been secondary to Jack's, and I was glad of that. For the first few years after those terrible events, my sleep had suffered. I kept the memories locked away in my soul, and I weaned myself from the laudanum, but often my days were wrecked with tiredness. I had not seen either the priest or Aaron Kosminski since that fateful night in Harrington's warehouse. I had slowly managed to convince myself that the drugs had induced a kind of madness in us..."

With Harrington's death that night, Bond now finds himself drawn to his widow, Juliana and her son. He begins to believe that the feelings he has for her may be received and reciprocated now with her husband dead. But there is another suitor. An American, an old friend of Harrington's who knows some of what had happened. Of the evil and the madness that his friend had fallen under. In coming to London, Edward Kane expected to find his friend and to speak to him of the darkness Harrington had written to him about. But instead he finds him dead and his lovely widow alone.

But what neither Bond or Kane realize is that the evil that took over Harrington is still alive and waiting. Alert for the opportunity to possess another and to begin the killings again. Is Bond strong enough to once again face the enemy. Without the priest or Kosminski available, Bond must face the demon Upir alone.

Pinborough once again, does a masterful job of creating setting and time. The London she paints is dark and suffocating. The class structure leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Bond himself is older and weakened by his battles with the Upir and his own addictions. The hope he is given by Juliana is tainted with the realization that she is in danger as well as her young son. Kane steps in as a brass and arrogant American, a much younger man to vie for Juliana's attention.

The demon is ever present. Getting stronger with each passing page. Its lust for blood only sated by murder.

The weakness to this tale is in its missing heroes. The Priest and Kosminski who played such pivotal roles in Mayhem are gone or regulated to minor roles. Bond is on his own and the story is less for that.

Overall Pinborough has put together another fine tale. Weaving murder mystery with the supernatural.

A very good read. ...more

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May 07, 2014 Bonnie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: eek-the-creepies, arcs-edelweiss, mystery-historical-fiction

*spoilers from Mayhem will follow*

‘I refused to allow my paranoias to root inside me; I knew I must allow them no room to grow during the long, dark nights.’

Six years have passed since James Harrington, the Thames Torso Murderer was finally caught and killed by Dr. Thomas Bond, a Police Surgeon in London. Bond is haunted with the knowledge behind the killings because Harrington was possessed by a violent parasite, the Upir, which drove him to violently murder all those women. Unfortunately, *spoilers from Mayhem will follow*

‘I refused to allow my paranoias to root inside me; I knew I must allow them no room to grow during the long, dark nights.’

Six years have passed since James Harrington, the Thames Torso Murderer was finally caught and killed by Dr. Thomas Bond, a Police Surgeon in London. Bond is haunted with the knowledge behind the killings because Harrington was possessed by a violent parasite, the Upir, which drove him to violently murder all those women. Unfortunately, the death of Harrington did not kill the Upir, only left it temporarily without a host. Bond is seemingly moving past the nightmares of his past as he’s fallen in love with Juliana, Harrington’s widow, and plans to propose to her. His life is thrown into disarray when an old friend of Harrington comes to London with a packet of letters from Harrington which implicates him in crimes committed while in the throes of the parasite. In addition to the dredging up of these memories, Bond must also deal with new evidence which points to a new suspect being the famed ‘Jack the Ripper’.

Setting aside the horrific plot, the most amazing thing about both Mayhem and Murder is the vivid atmosphere deftly brought to life. Pinborough’s writing goes beyond creating a movie in our minds; it truly feels like you’re walking the streets of London, visualizing the slums and seedy individuals Bond encounters as he makes his way to the opium dens. The fact that she manages to blend historical fiction with the supernatural seamlessly is even more spectacular. The attention to detail only serves to make the horrors of this macabre story even more unnerving.

Mayhem stood alone as a solid story but Murder adds an extra facet to the tale that I wasn’t sure was necessary until I read it myself. The ending of Mayhem was, in retrospect, far too neatly completed; the mystery too cleanly wrapped up. Simply put, it was too good to be true. And Murder completely proves that to be true. If you thought Mayhem was terrifying and left your skin crawling, Murder completely outdoes its predecessor, ensnaring you in its grasp leaving you hopeless to stop reading until the undoubted heart stopping ending. This was one superb and truly impressive duology. Bravo Sarah Pinborough.

I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ...more

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Nov 10, 2014 Lacer rated it liked it

Murder is the sequel to Mayhem and it is very much a sequel, so much so, if you haven't read Mayhem yet, I very much recommend that you plan on reading one book after the other (if you plan to at all) because with a long gap, as I had, it can take a good chunk of the beginning of Murder until you finally remember who is who. Murder very much continues the story of Mayhem more or less where it left off (with just a few years of people being miserable in between). Anyway, whereas Mayhem is about t ...more

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May 06, 2016 Debby Kean rated it it was ok

I am terribly disappointed. A sure sign of a bad book in an historic setting is when characters have ridiculously 21st century attitudes - the lovely Juliana gaily indulges in an absurd amount of pre and extra marital sex for the 1880s. Even pure practicality argues against behaving like that. Then there's the dashing American hero, the fact that the lovely Juliana is the only named woman in the book... I am so disappointed.
Overall, very disappointing. (It was mildly entertaining however.) ...more

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Dec 07, 2017 Simone rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, favorites

Amazing.
And poor Thomas Bond.

RTC (at least I hope so. I kind of neglected writing reviews the past months)

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Jan 15, 2020 Kim rated it really liked it

The first half of this book was brillant. Same morbid and dark storyline; a continuation of the first story. Dr. Bond was living his best life and then shit hit the fan.

I love the way the story initially unraveled. Plus the love story sideline and the son’s tutor were great add in mini plots.

However the last quarter of the book dragged and dragged. I also felt the ending was fairly obvious although I feel there was little else to do at that point. I did smile at the 2001 chapters; they were a n ...more

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Jul 28, 2015 Lynn Williams rated it it was amazing

https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
Murder was one of my books that I’ve had for a while waiting to be read and I’m so pleased that I finally made the time to pick it up. It’s such a good book. Really, I don’t think I’ll be able to heap enough praise on it although i’ll certainly give it a good try. Let the gushing commence!

Murder is the second book in a series by Sarah Pinborough, a series that started with a creepy and dark first instalment called Mayhem. I think this could be read as a st https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
Murder was one of my books that I’ve had for a while waiting to be read and I’m so pleased that I finally made the time to pick it up. It’s such a good book. Really, I don’t think I’ll be able to heap enough praise on it although i’ll certainly give it a good try. Let the gushing commence!

Murder is the second book in a series by Sarah Pinborough, a series that started with a creepy and dark first instalment called Mayhem. I think this could be read as a standalone to be honest although I would recommend reading the first in order to get the full measure of the characters involved. And, if you haven’t read Mayhem then this review will undoubtedly contain spoilers so be aware of that before continuing.

The story starts a few years after the conclusion of Mayhem. Dr Bond is finally beginning to recover from the events that saw the death of Harrington and has managed to convince himself that the strange monster that he thought he saw at the time was nothing more than a drug induced fantasy. He’s carved out a comfortable lifestyle for himself and managed to become a firm family favourite with Harrington’s widow and son, in fact he harbours strong hopes of making Juliana his wife (in spite of a rather significant age difference).

Unfortunately, however, the past has no intention of lying quietly to one side and past events are about to be raked over when an old friend of Harrington’s from the US (Kane) visits London to pay the good doctor a visit. He has a bundle of letters that seem almost crazy, written to him by Harrington, and he wants somebody to look them over and see what they make of the whole thing.

I’m actually not going to go into the plot at all other than the above. Once again Pinborough manages to write a work of fiction bringing to life real people and events from a period of the past that was particularly scary and once again she provides us with what appears to be two murderers.

What did I really like about this book. The writing. It’s simply so very good. Frankly, I’m a pushover for really good writing and so this was an easy win for me. Every time I opened the pages I sunk into them and became unaware of everything around me. I was literally like the fly on the wall watching everything happen – and some of it was damned scary enough for me to want to fly away. SP paints the scene expertly. She gives details but doesn’t dump, she captures the era perfectly without being a stickler to it and she absolutely succeeds in bringing her characters to life and giving them real emotions. You are definitely going to feel for these characters and Pinborough will put you through the emotional wringer along with them. I really didn’t foresee some of the events that took part and I’m not too proud to say that they left me gobsmacked. There’s also the perfect evocation of a dirty, smoggy, dark and despairing London where evil seems to lurk in the very mist and sink into the pores of the people travelling the streets.

On top of that the characters. I think Dr Bond is one of the most compelling characters I’ve read for an age and one that I’ve had the most torn feelings over. His journey into madness and despair is perfectly riveting. The other characters are equally good and written in a way that builds them up slowly. Kane for example, I started off mistrusting him and his thoughts in general and in fact finding him a little offensive at first and I think this was really clever because at the back of your mind you start to assign the character other secrets or see something more sinister about them.

I’m going to stop there as I don’t really want to give anything away other than the fact that I really enjoyed this book. In fact, for me personally, it surpassed Mayhem.

A totally gripping, horrible, nasty, dark and grimy, chill inducing book with twists and turns aplenty and an excellent finish – which even gives me a tiny hope for something more. Pretty please.

Read it. That is all.

I’m submitting this for my Backlist Burndown book over at Tenacious Reader and also I’m adding it as one of my completed series (although secretly I am hoping for more!)
...more

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Jan 24, 2017 Angelica rated it it was ok

I definitely didn't enjoy this as much as the first book.

This is a sequel, and as such, there is no new mystery. There is very little suspense as well; it's more like an extended epilogue to the first book. It did drag on at times, making me feel that there was nothing new to tell and what I was reading was just stalling.

On the positive side, the time-setting is quite well done, and Dr. Bond's descent into madness is subtle and well-written.

However, the whole romantic triangle with Juliana was, I definitely didn't enjoy this as much as the first book.

This is a sequel, and as such, there is no new mystery. There is very little suspense as well; it's more like an extended epilogue to the first book. It did drag on at times, making me feel that there was nothing new to tell and what I was reading was just stalling.

On the positive side, the time-setting is quite well done, and Dr. Bond's descent into madness is subtle and well-written.

However, the whole romantic triangle with Juliana was, quite frankly, disgusting. That is one trope I hate with a passion, and this one was particularly distasteful. I had already thought, in the first book, that Bond's crush on his friend's daughter was creepy, especially considering how the book ended. In this one, a rival to his affections is introduced, and they proceed to compete for her. Edward is younger, handsome, rich, and presented as a much better option, but I found his attitude towards Juliana enraging: he is forceful, talks over her, tells her how she should feel, ignores her wishes, and stalks her. But, of course, that's exactly what she wants, and turns out she becomes a happy little wife to him. On top of that, we're constantly being treated to detailed descriptions of Edward's arousal at the thought of her, and some sex scenes. I'm not a prude, or adverse to sex scenes, but, really, this book isn't supposed to be smut, and those scenes don't add anything at all to the story. That, combined with his behavior towards Juliana, made my skin crawl.

The treatment of Juliana in this book is deplorable. It's extremely objectifying. She's nothing but a prop in the story, for men to fight over. I understand that the time being portrayed in the text was different, women didn't have much agency back then, blah, blah, blah; that doesn't excuse putting the only female character of the story as the prize to be fought over, the maiden to be protected, and the victim to be abused, and nothing more than those stereotypes. She's never given a voice: almost every character that has any importance to the story gets at least one chapter from their point of view, except for her; Juliana is talked about all the time, but she never gets to say anything for herself.

Overall, I'd stick with the first book and skip this one. ...more

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Apr 02, 2014 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing

Publication Date: May 1st 2014 from Jo Fletcher Books.

Thank you SO much to all concerned for the advance reading copy. It meant I didnt have to commit murder myself…

Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, is still recovering from the event of the previous year when Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London – and a more malign enemy hid in his shadow. Bond and the others who worked on the gruesome case are still stalked by its legacies, both psychological and tangible.

But now the bodies of children Publication Date: May 1st 2014 from Jo Fletcher Books.

Thank you SO much to all concerned for the advance reading copy. It meant I didnt have to commit murder myself…

Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, is still recovering from the event of the previous year when Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London – and a more malign enemy hid in his shadow. Bond and the others who worked on the gruesome case are still stalked by its legacies, both psychological and tangible.

But now the bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames… and Bond is about to become inextricably linked with an uncanny, undying enemy.

So after Mayhem there was Murder and as Ms Pinborough wove her unique brand of literary magic around me again I was immediately transported back to Victorian London and the weird and wonderful world of Dr Thomas Bond.

Here we find him recovering from the events of “Mayhem” and finally finding some form of equilibrium again – his life back on track, love in his future and much to be grateful for. But the darkness has not been completely banished and life is about to take an unexpected turn.

In “Mayhem” life and soul was given to some real life characters from History, here that mythology deepens and expands in the most delightful way. I was engrossed, addicted, often sitting WAY too close to the edge of my seat and the sheer genius of the tale was absolutely compelling. And frankly, often scaring the bejesus out of me. Which is not easy to achieve.

The writing is sublime. The storytelling is intelligent and engaging. The descriptive prose and creeping sense of menace is beyond any words I have to describe it - add to that probably the best scene setting I’ve seen for a while with the ability to put you right on the streets of London as it was and you have a heady mix of reading mayhem. Yep that was intentional.

Sarah Pinborough is absolutely one of my favourite authors. Definitely the best lady on the block. And coming close to kicking the ass of Stephen King who has had my No 1 spot forever. What else is there to say?

Read it. Live it. Love it. ...more

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Mar 06, 2017 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, horror

See my other reviews at Never Enough Books

Over a year has passed since the Jack the Ripper murders and Dr. Thomas Bond finds himself still trying to recover from the events. Though life in London continues on; Bond, as well as the other investigators on the case continue to grapple with the dark legacies left behind – those seen and unseen.

While Bond tries to make some kind of sense of the events of that horrible time, he finds himself tied to a nightmare inducing enemy.

Murder is the sequel to S ...more

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Sep 20, 2015 Vikki rated it it was ok

I was going to give this book three stars, in spite of the terrible editing, but one mistake was so egregious that I ended up going with two.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Mayhem. It also suffered from poor editing but the story, writing and characters were good enough to overcome that and I enjoyed the book and gave it four stars.

Murder was very suspenseful, and I did like it, although not quite as much as Mayhem. The mistake that I can't seem to let go of is this: on page 95 o ...more

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Apr 21, 2014 Jasper rated it it was amazing

Shelves: supernatural, read-in-2014, jo-fletcher, thriller, alt-history, detective

originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...

One of the first titles that I received for reviewing last year from Jo Fletcher was Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough. Before this I had read a few detectives, most of them Sherlock Holmes, I find the detective books set in victorian London a real treat to read. But when I picked up Mayhem I was in for quite a surprise (meaning it in a very positive way!), the type of story that Sarah Pinborough managed to write was dark, darker than your a originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...

One of the first titles that I received for reviewing last year from Jo Fletcher was Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough. Before this I had read a few detectives, most of them Sherlock Holmes, I find the detective books set in victorian London a real treat to read. But when I picked up Mayhem I was in for quite a surprise (meaning it in a very positive way!), the type of story that Sarah Pinborough managed to write was dark, darker than your average detective story. This along with the elegant and engaging writing really made this one true horror. At the back of Mayhem it was already mentioned that the second book was to be released in 2015! It has finally arrived and Sarah Pinborough again managed to on one part freak me out with her vision of dark horror but also keeping me glued to the pages dying to find out what would happen next!

In Mayhem, you were introduced to the protagonist of the story, Dr. Thomas Bond working as a surgeon for the London Police Department in the era of Jack the Ripper. Thomas worked the case of the Whitechapel murders, during his investigation Thomas stumbled upon a much grander and darker plot than he had dared to imagine. Being a man of science he tried to relate as much to facts as possible, but the thing that actually caused the murders, the parasite known as the Upir was something that Thomas had a hard to time to accept. I have to say that this supernatural theme, the Upir, was introduced seemlessly in the plot and really created a certain horrific sense surrounding the story. When the Upir hungers there is only one thing it can do... The ending of Mayhem was a done deal as Thomas solved the case... well if only...

Murder picks up a while after the events of Mayhem and shows Thomas steadily enjoying more and more of the returned peace on the London streets. But this peace and quite isn't of a long last as Thomas is soon confronted with another set of murder cases. The bodies of children are being pulled out of the river Thames. Besides the new murder, there is also a continuation with several characters to whom you were introduced to in Mayhem: James Harrington, Aaron Kosminski, the wife of James Harrington; Juliana who has caught the heart of our Thomas Bond. Thomas discovers that all the evidence that pointed to James Harrington might have been falsely processed and that he perhaps wasn't the Whitechapel Murder... As Thomas dives into a several leads, he uncovers much more than he wanted to have found, as he becomes a victim himself.

I really have to give a hand to Sarah Pinborough to the inventive story that she has produced in Murder, it again was utterly absorbing and riddled with a lot of twists and turns along the way keeping you glued to the pages. Though it is based on real world events, she cleverly gives it her own delicate twist, especially the return of the Upir was done in a superb way. I do think the flow and great pacing of the story are owed to how Sarah Pinborough used the layout of the book. To begin with her writing style, its clear and to the point, she doesn't drone on and on with words to describe something but also doesn't haste scenes to exclude details. It just spot on. Secondly was the type of narration that was used to tell the story of Murder, this switches from first person to third person narration. The first person narration is only used when the focus is on Thomas and the third person for the rest of the characters. I haven't encountered this very often but did really help to bolster the character of Thomas along the way, especially nearing the ending when he has something watching over his shoulder. His personal grievances and trying to woo Juliana only come over much stronger with his first person narration. And as a third, the newspaper clipping on the Thames baby murder really stand out and partly we for me a sort of interludes letting me recapture all that happened before but also helped creating that dreaded sense surround the story of Murder.

As I mentioned above, in Mayhem the main protagonist, Dr. Thomas Bond was introduced. He again makes the forefront of Murder. He is one of the most interesting detectives that I have read about. It is impossible not to relate to his character. He hasn't had an easy life and in Murder it all takes a turn for the worse again. There are a set of events that happen in Murder that made me say out loud "no way", I am not going to say what happens to Thomas but it sure was something that I hadn't dared to think about. By this plot twist I only got to feel more and more for Thomas' character. I think it comes down to this: he only wants to be left alone and deeply wishes that it all just never happened. For the secondary characters, Sarah Pinborough, also manages to capture them in the perfect manner. Even though the focus isn't neccesarily based on them and you only read about them when Thomas has an personal opinion of them in his parts or read about them in general, they were all nicely fleshed out. Some of them you got to learn about in Mayhem, but there are also a few new introductions. All in all the characterization was just spot on and when taken together with the dark idea of the story it comes together and forms one powerful story.

With Murder, Sarah Pinborough has really stepped up her game. I thoroughly enjoyed Mayhem, and had high hopes for Murder. Sarah Pinborough went above and beyond my expectations. If I look back on the first story it was great stuff but looking over the whole duology and the twist in the plot of Murder surrounding Thomas was just perfect. The follow-up of this twist spun another few layers of darkness over her story. The Mayhem series (Mayhem and Murder) is a must read for everyone who likes to read something very, very good in the genre. It's a non-stop, quite disturbing ride through one of London's darkest parts of history, with an amazing cast and brilliant storyteller! I will be keeping an eye out to what Sarah Pinborough will write next, and so should you, this is the stuff that will keep you up at night, sleeping with a light on. ...more

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Nov 06, 2020 Amy "the book-bat" rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, history-historical, romance, mystery, suspense, read-in-2020

I didn't find out until I was already well into this book that it is a sequel to a book called Mayhem. I was hoping for more of the Jack the Ripper plotline than what I got in this book, perhaps it is in the previous one? Anyway, it was fine. Nothing earth-shattering or anything like that. Interesting, but not gripping. 3 stars seems fair. ...more

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Mar 26, 2017 Marita_z rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommended to Marita_z by: Helena

Shelves: mine-my-own-my-precious

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 21, 2014 Lara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A gripping follow-up to Pinborough's previous novel, "Mayhem", featuring the real-life Dr. Thomas Bond, considered to be the father of criminal profiling (and who, during the Ripper murders in London, wrote what is considered to be the first criminal profile on Jack), "Murder" finds Dr. Bond recovering from the shocks suffered during the Ripper murders and those of the Thames Torso Killer. He's still hopelessly in love with Juliana Harrington, the widow of the late James Harrington, who had been ...more

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Nov 29, 2017 Marilyn Shea rated it it was ok

Grisly tale of murders during the time of Jack the Ripper, with a couple of the characters suspected of being Jack. I liked the inclusion of newspaper clippings. Gave it a Victorian feel. But the casual sexual liaisons were not plausible. I don't believe the characters could have gotten together without someone noticing and reputations ruined. It was sad and dark and depressing throughout. Still, it did hold my interest to the end, though the ending was a disappointment. ...more

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Feb 12, 2018 Cecilia Rodriguez rated it did not like it

Pinborough's plot has a somber tone and shifts back and forth in time.
It also changes first person narration.
Doctor Thomas Bond is having a difficult time after being involved with
the Jack the Ripper case.
Pinborough uses the term: Upir, which references Vampires. From my impression
of the story, the term is used incorrectly.
This is not a traditional mystery. Rather it is a gruesome portrait of one
man's decent into criminal insanity. ...more

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Apr 27, 2019 Simone Pelizza rated it really liked it

The sequel of Mayhem is more a horror story than a murder mystery. The difference between the two novels is visible since the first chapters but Pinborough skilfully weaves them into a single and intense story.
London, 1896. Police surgeon Thomas Bond has left behind the traumatic experience of the Torso Murders and he's starting to dream of a happy future with Juliana, the daughter of his old friend Charles Hebbert. But the sudden arrival of Edward Kane, an old friend of Juliana's dead husband, The sequel of Mayhem is more a horror story than a murder mystery. The difference between the two novels is visible since the first chapters but Pinborough skilfully weaves them into a single and intense story.
London, 1896. Police surgeon Thomas Bond has left behind the traumatic experience of the Torso Murders and he's starting to dream of a happy future with Juliana, the daughter of his old friend Charles Hebbert. But the sudden arrival of Edward Kane, an old friend of Juliana's dead husband, puts in jeopardy the doctor's quiet life: Kane becomes in fact a dangerous rival for Juliana's affection and he carries with him a bundle of chilling letters that reopens old wounds in Bond's mind. Moreover, an unexpected revelation on Hebbert's involvement in the Jack the Ripper case tears apart the relationship of Bond with his old friend, nurturing fears and suspicions. Soon things spiral out of control and Bond will have to face alone the bloody ghosts of his past and the return of an ancient evil he thought gone forever...
Dark and psychological, Murder takes the reader by the gut and it leads him/her without rest to a shocking conclusion. But is it really so? After all, Pinborough uses the old technique of the unreliable narrator and disseminates doubts throughout the story, questioning the reality presented on the page. Is Bond's written confession really believable? Or is the delirious product of a man gone insane by the horrors of his profession and the cruel shattering of his private dreams? Should we believe the visions of the psychologically disturbed Aaron Kosminsky? Or are they also the product of a madman's imagination? In the end, it's hard to tell and the reader can't entirely dismiss the sceptic conclusion of policeman Henry Moore, Bond's old friend and a key character of the first novel. Or maybe Moore is just a fool and the monstrous tale narrated by Bond is true. You can't really be sure and that's Pinborough's great achievement as a storyteller.
A final note of warning: if you're expecting a happy ending, maybe after some dramatic tribulations of the main characters, you're badly mistaken. Murder is a cruel and twisted story of crime, desperation, and psychological horror. It's a story of old detectives tormented by their past cases and their bad deeds. It's a story of young folks looking for new opportunities but constantly tied down by the cruelty of life. There are few happy moments and the shadow of evil is never too far away from them. It's great entertainment but gut-wrenching and emotionally disturbing. Hence be prepared for a wild and thrilling run from the first to the last page. ...more

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Jan 07, 2018 PrettyFlamingo rated it really liked it

I read Mayhem a few years ago – I have been searching for my review but it must have been the one that got away – and so I was excited to start catching up on what had happened to police surgeon Thomas Bond since the dreadful events of 1888. I liked the multiple points of view, the illumination provided by extracts from letters and newspaper articles and the thought of a different kind of evil which operated alongside but eclipsed Jack the Ripper stalking Whitechapel. Sarah Pinborough expertly c I read Mayhem a few years ago – I have been searching for my review but it must have been the one that got away – and so I was excited to start catching up on what had happened to police surgeon Thomas Bond since the dreadful events of 1888. I liked the multiple points of view, the illumination provided by extracts from letters and newspaper articles and the thought of a different kind of evil which operated alongside but eclipsed Jack the Ripper stalking Whitechapel. Sarah Pinborough expertly captures the atmosphere of cold, dark and foggy London and manages to make even bright and sunny days oppressive and laden with fear. The literary yet straightforward writing style draws you in making you not want to put the book down. In Mayhem, though, she created one of my storybook heroes in Thomas Bond and this is what makes it challenging for me to review Murder objectively.

It’s 1896 and Thomas has overcome his addiction to opium and is content, settled and positive. He’s enjoying spending time with Juliana and her young son James and feels the future holds promise. That is, until a woman is found battered to death on a train and the past comes back to haunt him, bringing fresh ambiguity about the identity of Jack and leaving Thomas to question his own decisions and views about his closest friend.

As much as a murder and supernatural mystery, this is a character study of one man. It’s about the capacity of a person to fool themselves, absolve responsibility for their actions and excuse insanity. Horror at its core is embodied in this tale with the most disturbing aspect being the contents of the Bond journals. There were four pages I refused to read because of the content. It’s almost delicious to not know whether his activities are down to drug addiction or are genuine; he is the best kind of unreliable narrator. Enmeshed with true crime, it’s impossible for the reader to work out the truth about anyone. But it still remains immensely readable.

I would have liked to have had a first person point of view from Juliana, though I think the story was still effectively told. It is one of those stories that stays with you and is impossible to continue with a sequel – and impossible to end, as the 21st century newspaper clippings tell us, and I was sorry to have to say goodbye to Thomas in this way.

4.75 ...more

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Feb 22, 2020 Nona added it

Shelves: listened, terrible

It is difficult to decide whether to give this a one star rating or put it in the 'terrible' category.
It was very tedious listening and I only kept going because it was an audio book and I could have it on in the back ground.
It started OK and the blurb on the back of the CD made it sound relatively interesting, but that is it.
In the end I could not wait for it to finish.
Sarah PINBOROUGH had some ideas of giving an explanation of the Ripper Murders, initially, but as the book went on she appears ...more

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May 29, 2017 Becky rated it it was amazing

Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon is back in Murder the sequel to Mayhem. It's been years since Jack the Ripper and The Torso Killer roamed, but now something evil is back in London. Dead bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames, could the Upir be back?

Another fantastic story. The mix of real persons and fantasy is wonderfully-woven together. The biggest thing for me is how vividly the characters are drawn, with complicated, messy emotions that clearly impact their actions. The story zi ...more

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Mar 17, 2019 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Spoiler Free! This was an absolute heartbreaker. Things do not go well for the characters we came to know and love in the first book. "Murder" had all the gruesome serial killings that I expected but little of the old camaraderie between the men hunting the killer which was so delightful in "Mayhem." This story is a lot sadder, a lot darker, and packed an emotional gut punch at the end. I can't say that I was surprised by any of the major events as I had suspected what may come to pass but I was ...more

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Jul 08, 2019 Karrie Stewart rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I highly recommend reading this right after Mayhem. I read this a few years later and I was a little confused at certain parts. This was a slow burn that Shirley Jackson would have been proud of. The ending was a good "Shut Up!" moment. Sarah also set it up for a third one if she really wanted to.
I also listened to this and Steven Crossley does such an amazing job. I really love his little kid voice. It cracks me up! ...more

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Apr 19, 2019 Jess rated it did not like it

One of the top 5 worst books I’ve ever read— the book before this one is slightly less awful. I was hoping it would improve. Sadly, even my worst imagined endings were not even close. I can think up some pretty bad endings, but this was so much worse than, they died and burned in hell for eternity . I am not exaggerating. If I could give negative stars, I would. HATED this book— the first was intriguing, and disturbing; this one was revolting, showing the worst parts of humanity, and spoiler— th ...more

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About Sarah Pinborough

Sarah Pinborough

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Sarah Pinborough is the NYT bestselling and Sunday Times #1 Bestselling author of 'Behind Her Eyes' which has sold in over 25 territories thus far and will be shown as a six part drama on Netflix in 2020 and the Sunday Times Bestseller, 'Cross Her Heart'. She has also written books across a variety of genres including the YA thriller 13 Minutes (in development with Netflix). Her next novel 'Dead T ...more