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London Murder Mysteries #2
The Deadly Fire
The old school blazed like tinder and now the teacher is dead.
Mr James Elmore taught ragged children like Alfie to read in a
crazy, rotten building on the edge of the London slums.
Inspector Denham is convinced that the teacher’s death is just
a tragic accident. But Alfie doesn’t agree. He has overheard
things and seen things, and he can think of a few people who
would be pleased to have Mr Elmore out of the way for good.
Was one of these the killer?
Mr James Elmore taught ragged children like Alfie to read in a
crazy, rotten building on the edge of the London slums.
Inspector Denham is convinced that the teacher’s death is just
a tragic accident. But Alfie doesn’t agree. He has overheard
things and seen things, and he can think of a few people who
would be pleased to have Mr Elmore out of the way for good.
Was one of these the killer?
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
20 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Cora Harrison
91 books218 followersCora Harrison worked as a headteacher before she decided to write her first novel. She has since published twenty-six children's novels. My Lady Judge was her first book in a Celtic historical crime series for adults that introduces Mara, Brehon of the Burren. Cora lives on a farm near the Burren in the west of Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 13, 2019
‘No-one will miss a slum kid like you.’
This is the second in a series of six YA novels set in Victorian London. Alfie looks after his brother Sammy, their cousins Jack and Tom and their faithful dog Mutsy. He works hard to try to keep a roof over their heads and food in their mouths. But he’s also keen to obtain some education. Which is why he insists that Tom and Jack attend the Ragged School at St Giles with him in the evenings where Mr James Elmore is teaching them to read.
But one night, the building in which the school is held is burned, and Mr Elmore is killed.
Was Mr Elmore’s death an accident? Inspector Denham of the Bow Street Police Station thinks so, but Alfie doesn’t agree. Alfie can think of a few people who wanted Mr Elmore out of the way. So, he sets out to investigate. He’s convinced that Mr Elmore has been murdered. Alfie’s investigations lead him and others into danger and is complicated further when Inspector Denham is admitted to hospital with pneumonia.
In telling the story, Ms Harrison provides plenty of detail about the squalid conditions in which the poor lived: the stench, the fog, the continual struggle for survival. Poor children like Alfie and his gang did not enjoy the luxury of childhood.
I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the next instalment. While this novel could be read as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the novels in order.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This is the second in a series of six YA novels set in Victorian London. Alfie looks after his brother Sammy, their cousins Jack and Tom and their faithful dog Mutsy. He works hard to try to keep a roof over their heads and food in their mouths. But he’s also keen to obtain some education. Which is why he insists that Tom and Jack attend the Ragged School at St Giles with him in the evenings where Mr James Elmore is teaching them to read.
But one night, the building in which the school is held is burned, and Mr Elmore is killed.
Was Mr Elmore’s death an accident? Inspector Denham of the Bow Street Police Station thinks so, but Alfie doesn’t agree. Alfie can think of a few people who wanted Mr Elmore out of the way. So, he sets out to investigate. He’s convinced that Mr Elmore has been murdered. Alfie’s investigations lead him and others into danger and is complicated further when Inspector Denham is admitted to hospital with pneumonia.
In telling the story, Ms Harrison provides plenty of detail about the squalid conditions in which the poor lived: the stench, the fog, the continual struggle for survival. Poor children like Alfie and his gang did not enjoy the luxury of childhood.
I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the next instalment. While this novel could be read as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the novels in order.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 14, 2019
The publisher's blurb is almost adequate but the story is so much more exciting than that! The boys are resourceful and determined to find proof of murder in spite of outrageous difficulties. An excellent read!
I had originally been gifted a free copy from Sapere Books, lost it in my TBR pile, bought a new one today.
I had originally been gifted a free copy from Sapere Books, lost it in my TBR pile, bought a new one today.
July 8, 2019
This book is a young adult mystery set in 1858 in London. Several poor orphans are drawn into solving a murder of a kind man who ran a "Ragged School" to provide free, basic education for servants and the poor. Alfie, his blind brother, and his two cousins attend this school and witness the fire. Alfie's determined to solve the murder even though the only proof that it is a murder is a discarded oil can that wasn't in that room earlier in the evening and a footprint baked into some clay. Alfie must find the match to the print to prove his case, but it's dangerous to get that close to suspects!
Historical details about what London was like at the time were woven into the story without slowing the fast pacing. Suspense was created by the danger to the children (since who would notice if a few poor orphans living on their own suddenly disappeared?). The characters were interesting and engaging. There was no sex. I don't remember any bad language (except maybe a couple using of "God" in a swearing sense). Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.
Historical details about what London was like at the time were woven into the story without slowing the fast pacing. Suspense was created by the danger to the children (since who would notice if a few poor orphans living on their own suddenly disappeared?). The characters were interesting and engaging. There was no sex. I don't remember any bad language (except maybe a couple using of "God" in a swearing sense). Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.
April 29, 2019
This is the second book in the YA category of novels about Alfie and his friends , orphans in Victorian London. In this book, we again have a great description throughout the story about how people lived back then and moreover the stench, the all consuming fog and the abject poverty for many Londoners.
In book 1, Alfie became friends with the inspector at Bow Street police station and helped him solve a murder, and does so again in this one, when the street children’s school is burned down, killing their teacher as well. Alfie sets about proving this has been murder again, although the inspector is in hospital and so it proves a bit more difficult to get police help initially.
As an adult reading this, I found it a quick and easy read but very enjoyable and I wish there had been more books like this when I was younger!
Thanks to Sapere Books for the ARC to review.
In book 1, Alfie became friends with the inspector at Bow Street police station and helped him solve a murder, and does so again in this one, when the street children’s school is burned down, killing their teacher as well. Alfie sets about proving this has been murder again, although the inspector is in hospital and so it proves a bit more difficult to get police help initially.
As an adult reading this, I found it a quick and easy read but very enjoyable and I wish there had been more books like this when I was younger!
Thanks to Sapere Books for the ARC to review.
April 29, 2019
This was a great book about Alfie and the gang. Alfie decided that they need to learn to read and joined Sarah at the St Giles Ragged School. Mr. Elmore, a teacher who bought the school, dies in a tragic fire, which is labelled as an accident. Alfie believes that Mr. Elmore was murdered but he has to narrow down his suspect list. Using a clay footprint, found at the site of the burned-out school, Alfie thinks that he can solve the murder.
In this book, Cora Harrison again shows us the plight of young children in Victorian London. Her well-developed characters and descriptions of London and its surroundings reveal the sights and sound to the reader. I can't wait for the next book in this series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from Sapere Books.
In this book, Cora Harrison again shows us the plight of young children in Victorian London. Her well-developed characters and descriptions of London and its surroundings reveal the sights and sound to the reader. I can't wait for the next book in this series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from Sapere Books.
May 6, 2019
The second in the London Murder Mysteries YA series starring the famous Victorian five! 😁. In this one, as the title suggests, there has been a fire in the Ragged School and a schoolteacher has died. Was it murder, though?
I thought this was a good addition to this entertaining series and it should appeal to both children and adults alike. It’s a fun and easy read, whilst at the same time giving a good description of what life would’ve been like in the 19thC. There is a slight Dickensian feel to the story. It’s fast paced with interesting characters and contains plenty of cliffhangers to keep the reader turning the pages. I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Sapere Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I thought this was a good addition to this entertaining series and it should appeal to both children and adults alike. It’s a fun and easy read, whilst at the same time giving a good description of what life would’ve been like in the 19thC. There is a slight Dickensian feel to the story. It’s fast paced with interesting characters and contains plenty of cliffhangers to keep the reader turning the pages. I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Sapere Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
April 26, 2019
I love Cora Harrison's books and I loved this one. It's engaging, entertaining and well written.
I appreciated the well written and fleshed out characters, you cannot help liking them, the well researched and vivid historical background and the mystery.
It's a fast paced read that you cannot put down.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I appreciated the well written and fleshed out characters, you cannot help liking them, the well researched and vivid historical background and the mystery.
It's a fast paced read that you cannot put down.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
September 25, 2024
Really liked this book. It was a reread for me. I started this series a while back but didn’t finish the full series. I got to the 3rd book I think. But I’m gonna finish all the series this time. So far I’ve really enjoyed these books. Normally YA isn’t something I enjoy. But once in a while I will find a good one. And these books are definitely good ones.
May 29, 2023
Recommending to my nephews
Great short read. I hadn't a clue who the killer was until literally a few pages before they were revealed and even that was a guess. I'll be recommending it to my teenage nephews.
Great short read. I hadn't a clue who the killer was until literally a few pages before they were revealed and even that was a guess. I'll be recommending it to my teenage nephews.
August 2, 2018
Fun story. The setting is realistically portrayed apart from the fact our heroes seem to be doing too well but it is a children’s book so that’s unsurprising.
July 29, 2019
Really enjoyable read, was a mystery til the end, couldn’t put it down, definately recommend!
January 24, 2015
Second in a series of Victorian murder mysteries featuring a group of young people. Atmospheric and full of action, I enjoyed several others in the series as well.
March 2, 2017
This book, like the others in the series, is an enjoyable jaunt through historic London, with mystery and intrigue as the reader's guide. Light reading; quality young adult fiction.
February 5, 2021
Really good! Read it in one day; I couldn't put the book down from the first chapter!
February 18, 2015
it was a good book. very narrative.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews