When envisioning 1860's Victorian London one might see a setting of elegant women with parasols and petticoats and proper men newspapers tucked under their arms. An era in which society is beautiful and non-threatening. Patrice McDonough dispels that myth in A Slash of Emerald. In this Victorian story, prostitution and sex trafficking of the lower members of society are mingled with the wealthy and powerful with murderous results.
The story opens with a young hat maker being arrested for violating the "Contagious Diseases Act". (syphilis was prevalent at this time) Bring in Dr. Julia Lewis, the first female medical examiner at Scotland Yard. Dr. Lewis examines the young "criminal", Annie O'Neill only to find that she is not only innocent of the violation, but is also a virgin. Dr. Lewis's encounter with young Annie will play an important role throughout the story.
Following the encounter with Annie, Dr. Lewis stumbles across a scene in which a break in pond ice has left dozens fighting for their lives in frigid water. One of the victims is Charles Allingham that she treats on the site of the incident. Charles is an art dealer and collector married to Louisa. The couple are prominent members of London society. Charles Allingham, his wife Louisa and his sister Mary, an artist in her own right live together at Blenheim Lodge. The lodge is host to many acts in the story involving clues that will lead to the murderer.
Bring in Dr. Lewis and Scotland Yard Detective Tennant, they will take a journey through the underbelly of London. The travel will link a poor hat maker with a wealthy art collector and eventually solve a group of murders that have defined the social fabric of 1860's Victorian London.
From the start, the reader is pulled in. The story moves quickly and flawlessly. The history is interwoven in such a way the reader is unaware that a powerful history lesson is playing out parallel to the plot. Victorian London was an era not always friendly to the poor, especially the female sector of the poor. The women were often victimized by those of power. They could easily be proven to be the criminal when men of fortune were involved. Female paupers were easily thrown away and forgotten. This was a social epidemic. In A Slash of Emerald, McDonough shows how the prejudices can be used to create alternate realities even in the view of officials meant to protect society as a whole.
A second important societal darkness if that of women in places typically designated for men. Dr. Lewis, as a female, is portrayed throughout the book as a professional that isn't taken seriously in most situations. People do not believe she can be a "good" doctor because she is female. Mary too has to battle the sexes in the art world. Women often were passed over in gallery showings due to sex.
I would recommend A Slash of Emerald to readers that enjoy mystery and second guessing your suspects. Literally, every time I thought I had it figured out, something would happen putting me back at square one. This is also for those enjoying history as a back drop. While I knew there was darkness in London at this time, this is around the time of Jack the Ripper, I had never really considered the prevalence of prostitution and sex trafficking. I closed the book having enjoyed a great story, as well as, getting a history lesson.
Review by,
Tanya Meehan
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