Rose

by Martin Cruz Smith

Rose is a wonderfully rich and intricate novel set in nineteenth-century Wigan, a town located in the coal country of Lancashire.  Its protagonist, Jonathan Blair, is a mining engineer who has been chased out of Africa for "stealing" from the missionaries' Bible Fund in order to pay off the porter of his expedition into the interior of the Gold Coast; he is now down and out in London.

Blair's employer, Bishop Hannay, promises to send him back to Africa if he can find John Maypole, the curate who was engaged to his daughter, Charlotte Hannay, when he disappeared three months previously without explanation.  Charlotte herself is an ill-tempered young woman who takes an instant dislike to Blair when he tries to investigate her fiancé's disappearance.  Other characters include assorted townspeople, miners at the Hannay family mine, and Rose Molyneux, a "pit girl" with whom Blair falls in love.

Exceeding even the high expectations of Smith's readers, Rose is richly detailed and compelling--his most accomplished and fascinating novel to date.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Historical, Mystery Thriller, British Literature

364 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Martin Cruz Smith (AKA Simon Quinn, Nick Carter, Jake Logan, and Martin Quinn) was an American writer of mystery and suspense fiction, mostly in an international or historical setting. He was best known for his 11-book series featuring Russian investigator Arkady Renko, who was introduced in 1981 with Gorky Park and appeared in Independence Square (2023) and Hotel Ukraine (2025). [Wikipedia]

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dude can write. Really interesting historical fiction with a very different cast of characters. Jonathan Blair is a mining engineer/geologist and has come back from Africa without the pay he'd been promised. His benefactor has another job for him. All Jonathan has to do is shake off his malaria and manage to make it to his appointment.
"He swung his feet onto the floor, took one step and collapsed. He came to an hour later. He could tell by another outburst of bells, so there was some point to God after all, as a celestial regulator with a gong."
It is 1872 and he is due at the Royal Geographical Society. It turns out to be a fascinating job that takes him to his place of birth, Wigan...a place he would not have voluntarily visited. A preacher/bridegroom has gone missing and Blair needs to go into the mines and talk to the workers to find out what could have happened. There are some highly unusual characters in this tale and the solution seems satisfactory to all for very different reasons.

[Jim Haberkorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like Martin Cruz Smith's writing style. It works for me and fills me with admiration for his mastery of his craft. Two things stand out: First: he weaves his research into his books so seamlessly that you never sense the research being piled on you like even very successful writers oftentimes do. Second: his sentence structure is masterful. Every sentence seems to have its own unique contstruction - it's obvious he spends a lot of time on that and it allows the prose to flow smoothly and effortlessly. His writing has no speed bumps. Trust me, it doesn't come easily. I've done some writing myself and it definitely is one of the harder aspects of writing to master. Finally, when you are done reading a Martin Cruz Smith novel, the characters are real people and you can smell the smells, feel the grit, feel the weather, sense the moods - in short, you've lived the book not just read the words. How he does it, I'm not quite sure, but he does it to a degree I've only experienced in two other writers: Ernest Hemingway and Ken Kesey.

[Lewis Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific story, full of intrigue, with a complicated plot that kept many questions in the air, in some cases trusting the reader to connect the dots after other information was provided. The characters are interesting (that's an understatement!) and well-developed; you keep learning more as the story goes on. There is also much fascinating information about coal mining (deep mines), and not favorable comments on Britain's role in Africa in the 1800s. I had read some of Martin Cruz Smith's early books (Gorky Park) a long time ago. Now I will go back and read what came between.

[SlowRain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all seven of Martin Cruz Smith's "Arkady Renko" novels and most of his others, and I've enjoyed most of them. While this isn't an "Arkady Renko" novel, Rose is easily up there with the best of Smith's novels, with perhaps the exception of Gorky Park; it's THAT good. The story, set in England in 1872, is about the attempts of a disgraced mining engineer (Jonathan Blair), recently returned from Africa, as he tries to fight malaria and deal with his tarnished reputation while accepting the only form of employment available: locate a missing curate (John Maypole) who was engaged to Lord/Bishop Hannay's daughter in the coal mining town of Wigan.

For those new to Smith's writing, his narrative seems spare if you quickly flip through the pages, but it is packed with vast quantities of well-researched detail and commentary on the social situation of the time and place, as well as insightful character development. His writing is never limited to the mundane "he said/she said, he did/she did" style, nor is it an action-packed "run for one's life" stinker, which seems to plague so many mysteries and thrillers. And, I don't think his dialogue has ever been better: characters exchange smooth and witty banter, veiled threats, open hostility, all with a very stylized and unique flow.

The history is very fascinating, and he paints the town and coal mines vividly. There is a great deal of information about the methods and techniques employed during the times that should appeal to any history buff, even garnering the praise of the late Patrick O'Brian. As a good historical novel should do, Rose teaches us about the times, and gives us a feeling of progression from then until now. We learn about working conditions, social stigmas, attitudes, women's rights, and in such a way that makes us look at our own values today to see where we still need to go.

The plot, once fully revealed, is quite ingenious with a satisfying twist for the end--no small feat given how many writers try and fail. Even the romance, which I originally thought was merely formulaic, actually had a purpose to the story. Although not a character novel per se, the characters were real, believable and unique, never feeling contrived solely for the purpose of the scene. Rose and Charlotte, Blair and Maypole: each different, yet having parallells. And the title, in hindsight, is...well, perfect.

This one, like his others, is a well-written mystery, the kind of which I'd like to find more of. It treats the readers with respect, gives them somthing to think about, and provides escapism and enjoyment. A must read for his existing fans, and something for those disatisfied with what's out there.

[Linda Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a fascinating and fluid writing style Smith contrasts the historically informative and dangerously complex world of coal miners with the privileged lives of Victorian England's elite upper class. In addition to vivid class distinctions he explores 19th-century English conventions of gender and feminism with exceptionally well-drawn characters. A complete departure from his Gorky Park, this is a romance and compelling mystery with a fun twist.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Blair, a mining engineer late of West Africa and finding himself in Victorian England, takes on the mysterious disappearance of a curate at the coal-mining town of Wigan. And so begins a multilayered tale of things that are not as they seem and sometimes are much, much more.

Because Blair was apparently born in Wigan and doesn't know who his mother was. Because he is only in the town to complete the task so that he can earn enough money to return to West Africa, and because the curate didn't simply disappear and there is so much more to the town, its people and the mystery.

This is an engrossing tale that keep the reader reading and carried along with Blair, who finds himself attracted to a pit girl named Rose, as well as conflicted by the coal-mine owner's daughter Charlotte. What happened the day that the curate disappeared — and 76 men died in the mine? Why is it so important to find out what happened to the curate? And the tale is wrapped in the mores and customs of a victorian coal-mining town. This is very good reading with fully established characters, well-crafted dialogue and words that bring the town and its time to rich life.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usually I don't like novels where the plot is so incidental to the story, but Rose manages to be a happy exception. Superficially, it's a mystery novel, but, if mystery is all you're reading it for, you are headed for severe disappointment. Like he did with Gorky Park years before, Martin Cruz Smith employs Rose's unique setting as an engine for propelling the narrative forward, and I eventually became so enthralled by the descriptions of life in a coal mining town that I almost stopped caring whether the mystery (a missing persons case) ever got resolved or not. That's pretty high praise, considering I generally find mining to be about as engaging a subject as pinochle or bat droppings. Cruz is one of those authors, however, who can wring torrents of drama out of even the driest of topics. And he does his homework, too; writing so convincingly that you really begin to feel the claustrophobic effects of the mining tunnels set in, and can almost taste the methane in the air. I can't say I liked Rose as much as the Arkady Renko series, but I do think that Rose's main character, Jonathan Blair, surpasses Renko as a memorable detective. I would really like to see Cruz bring him back again sometime... Unfortunately, the blurb on the back of the book does a major disservice to readers by making Rose sound like some kind of Harlequin romance, when it actually does a great job of appealing to both sexes indiscriminatingly. Or so it seemed to me, at least. It's a little bit sexy and a whole lot violent...but only recommended for people who don't mind plots that advance at a crawl.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have avoided this book for a decade because of the title, which I thought implied a sensitive, literary piece that would move slowly from nowhere to nowhere. I was so wrong. Here is Smith stretching his range again, or more likely tired of doing Arkady Renko. Rose is an excellent mystery/thriller set in 19th century England coal-mining country. The setting is absolutely gritty and breathtaking. You could get black-lung disease from reading this book. And there's a clever mystery with nuanced layers plus all the complicated characters Cruz does so well. Class warfare, misogyny, and good old fashioned lust, greed, and jealousy. A brilliant book.
An aside: Rose is instructive for the author's perfect use of close 3rd person point-of-view. Through the entire book, we never stray from the protagonist; Smith makes this work flawlessly.

[David B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Blair, a mining engineer, agrees to investigate a disappearence in a gritty mining town in order to earn passage back to the Africa that he loves. He encounters a number of interesting and mysterious characters, including the Rose of the title, whose secret provides a pleasant surprise. Martin Cruz Smith appears to have done his homework well; the evocation of the setting is well-done and there is a lot of fascinating information about mining in Victorian England.

Perhaps it is not fair to criticize one book by saying that it is not as good as another, but I was a bit disappointed because of the very high standard Smith set for himself with his series about Russian detective Arkady Renko. "Rose" does not quite rise to that level.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommendation from my librarian. I enjoyed this book. I thought the protagonist was a fascinating and very well drawn character. The descriptions of the mines and life in the mining town was fabulous. The prose was fabulous. I just couldn't give it higher than a 3 because I wasn't completely swept up in the story nor did I think about it at all when not reading it.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you told me a book about a mining engineer looking for a missing person in 1870’s Wigan, England would be an easy five star I would have laughed at you. But... this book was amazing.

The might be the best historical fiction book I have ever read. The authors writing style is so unique and he crafted compelling characters. I can also tell that Martin Cruz Smith puts a lot of time into research for his novels. He was an expert on 1870’s mining techniques and it shows in his writing.

Everyone should read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful historical fiction book full of intrigue and mystery. Loved it!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of the excellent Arkady Renko series transports the reader back to 1871 and the British coal mining town of Wigan with Rose - an historical novel/mystery. The protagonist, Jonathan Blair, of unknown ancestry, is a down on his luck mining engineer; a rough around the edges Indiana Jones. And reminiscent of James Garner in Support Your Local Sheriff, Blair is just “passing through” Wigan on his way back to Africa, to re-pursue fame and fortune on that continent’s Gold Coast. Blair’s patron, a capitalist bishop who holds the purse strings for our hero’s future, “hires” Blair to find a missing curate, who also happens to be engaged to the bishop’s daughter.

So begins the story with our reluctant hero playing “private eye”, looking for a quick fix and solution, so he can go back “on safari”. And very quickly Blair finds himself in completely over his head, with everyone suspicious of his true motives and confounding his investigation every step of the way. The reader is treated to an expose of the dreary and deadly existence of working in a 19th century coal mine; class distinctions in Victorian England; and through Blair’s flashbacks – the exploration and exploitation of Africa.

There is a fascinating supporting cast here in Rose, many of whom are not what they seem; aiding, abetting and impeding Blair’s sleuthing. Our protagonist is a very likeable one and quick with his politically incorrect observations and comments. And although there is a twist at the end that is – to put it mildly - far-fetched, this is still a neat and intriguing story. If you’re looking for a change of pace, Rose will not disappoint.

[Carol Fenlon · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are desperate to learn all about the mining history of 19th century Wigan this is the book for you. Never mind it is written by an American and is full of Americanisms, Smith can get away with that because the protagonist is also American although born in Wigan. Smith has obviously done oodles of research into Victorian Wigan miners and mining and he has made sure to put every bit of it in this book and repeat it so often that you will be able to give a lecture on the subject if you get to the end of the novel. There is so much historical detail that you tend to forget it is supposed to be a crime novel but this is probably also because the plot is pretty nonsensical and has as much tension as broken knicker elastic.
I did manage to read to the end with difficulty but only because I was mildly intrigued about Blair (the protagonist's) unknown origins. Smith drops tantalising hints about this, implying that there is a story there (the only interesting one in the whole novel for me) but then doesn't deliver at the end so I was none the wiser.
A strapline quote on the cover from the San Francisco Chronicle says, 'A superb thriller that will keep the reader breathless right up to the final page.'
Sorry, I struggled to stay awake.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his best! Of course, it's been many years since I read Gorky Park, but I like this more than most of the Renko books. It's comparable with Polar Star and Wolves Eat Dogs as far as vivid description of a strange environment. The sounds, smell, and feel of Wigan, the coal town, were brought to life for me.

The protagonist, Tony Blair, has a little in common with Renko, but not too much. A few have said that it is a little slow in places, but I did not find it so. There were places where I would read more slowly, to appreciate the prose, and to wonder, along with Blair, how the pieces of this mystery could be fitted together.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very atmospheric as the author takes us from Africa (geology/gold mining) to England (coal mining-the central story) with a side trip to America (NY/CA/gold mining). Smith adds some nice sexytime scenes but for me the over-the-top violence was needless and bordered on torture-porn. And the resolution? Smith tries a deception (Agatha Christie has used this same trick at least twice, and masterfully) but it's so unbelievable I was irritated. NONSENSE! Also unbelievable: this won the Hammett Prize, given by the International Association of Crime Writers! I suppose because it's...umm...international? Two stars for atmosphere is the best I can do.

[Mick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well executed mystery/suspense novel. It takes place in the late 19th century in a small coal town in England. The author does a wonderful job of immersing you in the times while also telling a compelling story. It reminded me of Dickens in many ways.

[Manugw · Rating 4 out of 5]

INTERESTING STORY MADE OUT OF A THOROUGH RESEARCH IN MINING

This book is an original mystery story wrapped in a somewhat poetic prose full of antique English words. The author has put his efforts in the construction of a though character Blair, the mining engineer and African gold mining explorer, unwillingly taking an assignment imposed by his boss. Blair is forced to mix with people and surroundings absolutely hostile to him, he finds himself enduring the everyday hardships of life in the gritty mining town of Wigan, in Central England during Victorian Times. He has to do this job if he wants to get more funding for his work in his beloved Africa where he longs to return

The story has two mysteries:

Beginning chapters and whole book ¿ Where is the curate John Maypole ? He disappeared right before his engagement to Charlotte Hannay the spoiled daughter of Mr Hannay, bishop of Wigan and Blair boss apparently in a accidental mine explosion
¿What was a curate doing underground in a mine ?

Gradually progressing ¿ Who is actually Rose ? The pit girl living beyond her means and for whom Maypole had a crush,
Many surprises were left for ending chapters

Being myself a safety engineer I have been impressed by the thorough research the author has made about the risk of explosions associated to the build up of methane gas in confined spaces such as those found in mines. I have learned a lot so I will probably get back to this book for references, thank you Mr Smith !!

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is on the juniors' summer reading list as an option, and I hope a lot of them choose it because I think they will like it. The novel has something for everyone: mystery, violence, romance, adventure. And thematically it hits on women's rights, class structure, colonization, exploitation, race, corporate responsibility, identity,and more. Set during the late Victorian times in the coal-mining town of Wigan, it tells the tale of a mining engineer sent to Wigan to redeem himself, and to find a missing man. No one wants to help him, however, because they are hiding lots of other secrets connected tangentially to his search. I learned a lot of about coal-mining, but it wasn't hard for me because I vividly remember the recreated coal mine in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, and I have a friend who actually worked in coal mines -- I already knew more than the average southern Californian about that aspect of the novel. I also liked the snarky attitude of the main character which added humor at some of the most ironic moments in the novel. I originally read it when it was published, but I read it again this week to prepare reading tests -- I enjoyed it even more in the re-read!

[Cojaysea · Rating 4 out of 5]

now if i were british i would call this a" corker "of a read..i have only read one of smiths novels his very first GORKY PARK years ago and found it no where near the raves it was getting ..so tired of cold war novels and spy vs. spy stuff that i abandoned him for years ..this opened up my eyes to having to seek out more work by him as long as " russia " and " the soviet union " are not the name themes . i found out about this book from a web site that mentioned novels that are very little known or underrated and this is one of the books i found.
Smith writes about something that hardly anyone else ever has to my knowledge anyway , that is the coal mining industry in england in 1872 i believe was the year and throws in a great mystery and a detective tale to boot.a memorable main character that opens a world i knew very little or nothing about. no matter how many twists and turns you expect there is still more…..i read this in under 3 days ..just tore through it

[Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was tremendously buoyed by this book. It delves (as it ought) into the world of the Victorian miner, a horrific and dark passage. Into it comes the typical Smith hero, Nigger Blair, a man who has been dragged back to England from his first love Africa and his daughter. As always, the mystery goes on while Blair discovers a new reason to live and a thread that will lead him to solve the mystery of a disappeared Anglican priest. This book is filled with facts about a time we don't always study. It is also filled with an interesting character who lives by his wit and remains devoted to his integrity in spite of society's active destruction of him because of it. Blair is no super hero. He cannot beat up villains any more than Inspector Renko can in most Smith novels. However, he can out-care and out-think the opposing forces. I loved this book and was sorry to finish it.

[M.K. Theodoratus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love me a book that draws me into a living breathing world. My reading pleasure seems to double when the pleasure drops unexpectedly into my lap.

Case in point: Martin Cruz Smith's Rose, a fabulous Mid-Victorian mystery set in Wigan, Lancastershire, UK. The plot line has plenty of twists and red herrings to keep you guessing, Oh, the clues are well marked along the way but there are so many suspects with so many guilty secrets, including the missing cleric whose disappearance must be solved, that Jonathan Blair's quest to return to Africa seems hopeless.

Cruz Smith creates a gritty, multi-sensual world with living, breathing characters. Didn't find one info-dump even though the class structure and coal mine environs are well-described. I discuss the book further in my blog.

[Marcia Chocinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Cruz Smith is a wonderful writer! I really enjoy his books for the writing, historical knowledge, character development, dialogue, plot, etc. His books are well written and you become caught up in a whole different world which is what I really love about reading. MCS is a master at this whether in his Arkady Renko series or his other novels. This book is set in the late 1800's in England and provides historical information on mining and Victorian England and the life of those rich as well as poor. It is a novel of manners as well as a mystery and a love story so it is a lot of things wrapped into one making it a great read. Every time I read one of his novels I ask myself why I haven't just devoured the rest, but I do like knowing there are more out there, so I will take my time and savor the journey.

[sarah morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd heard about this book from family and friends and have had it on my TBR List for quite some time. This is one of Cruz-Smith's best books, I think. It's out of the norm for him, more literary than his Arkady Renko books. And if you've ever wondered about coal mining, the men who do it, and life below the surface, do read this. There was a bit of what I call The Perry Mason Moment toward the end when suspects admit what they've done, but the historical writing, descriptions of the mines, and character development is first rate. I could have given it four stars, but I'm giving it three because there were parts of this book I skimmed because I felt it bogged down.

[Mags Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it on so many levels ... I was born and brought up in Wigan and though now I live on the other side of the world this story transported me home ... My great great grandmother was a pit brow lass and my grandad was a miner so parts of the story really resonated with me. The Minorca Hotel and Scholes Bridge are still there as is Wallgate and Millgate (and a good number of the pubs mentioned!) I was unaware of 'purring' even though I had a pair of clogs when I was a child in the 70's (credit them with still having decent feet!) . The story itself was really good and I didn't see the twist coming ... feel quite homesick now!

[Patrik Sahlstrøm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book. Cruz Smith is a master of bringing forth dismal societies and shines yet again. Very interesting characters excellently portrayed and a much better plot than in the Renko series. All in all a highly recommended book!

[Mark MacMichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. I generally am not one who read a lot of "historical fiction" but I have read all the MCS Renko novels and was looking for more. The writing is sharp, interesting and most of all entertaining. Blair, the main character, could be Renko's spiritual ancestor. I was surprise that I like this and though the ending was not the best the rest of the book made up for it. I almost wish the author would bring back the character for a second look. Here's hoping.

[Trin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a lovely little green hanging shelf in my bedroom, full of mostly mass market paperbacks. But since my building is a former single family home chopped into apartments and many of the walls are made of paste, out of nowhere this shelf erupted off the paste wall and shattered. This was over a year ago and since then I have, embarrassingly, been keeping the contents of the shelf in a box at the foot of my bed. I've decided I should take this tripping obstacle as a challenge and finally read them.

First up: this stand-alone Martin Cruz Smith mystery. MCS has an incredible ability to transport you to places he himself has clearly never been -- from Soviet Russia to, in this book, 1870s Wigan, England. The descriptions of the coal mines are incredibly vivid -- the research evident but not showily evident. The focus is on the mystery, and the romance, both of which are ludicrous (Blair, a mining engineer by trade, is a terrible detective; the romance's big twist requires him to be even worse of one) but in a fun way. Is anyone doing big melodramatic historical mysteries these days? If not, can someone get on that, please?

[Gabe Iversen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, especially the main characters’ abrasive personality and the deep dive into a British mining town. But I had a really hard time with the big reveal of Rose and Charlotte being the same person. Really? He’s had sex with this woman multiple times but he doesn’t recognize her in a different outfit? Seemed very hard to believe. Ok yes it was dark and she had some coal dust on her face - maybe if it was a one time deal and they didn’t speak that would fly but they sleep together and talk face to face on several occasions! I know that men can be oblivious to their surroundings but this was a stretch.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a book I read maybe 20 years ago and I thought this was it...but it's not. So either the story changed in my mind or there's another book out there, similar, with fantasy elements. Research turns up nothing.

This was good with a lame plot point on which everything turns but that wasn't enough to ruin the book for me. I like his writing.

Coal mining scenes were terrifying.