Michael Gallagher (5)Reseñas

Fabulous series. I was a bit put off by the title and series name, but Michael Gallagher is a fantastic writer. Clearly well-researched, but I enjoyed the story arcs, the pacing, and above all, the defined characters that the author allows to develop subtly.

A great mystery and paranormal story with characters that draw you in. Don't want to give away too many of the secrets. It was such a fast read and you'll enjoy discovering everything along with the main character, Lizzie. I couldn't put the book down. Lizzie is a gifted medium who uncovers truths others want to keep hidden. Would recommend this for young adults who want some paranormal topics without it being too scary.

Again Octavius Guy who is send to Highbury with his friend George to deal with the reverend Burr. The man is in the congregation due to a strange but very legal right called the advowson. People in the community want him removed, but Octavius didn't think it would be so permanent. The book is very amusing, I loved the earlier books by Michael Gallagher and this one is very nice. I even could follow all the detective stuff Octavius was going through.
Disclaimer: I got this book in the Librarything Early Reviewers.

Whenever I start a new Octavius Guy story, I remember why I love this series so much, and this latest offering does not dfisappoint!

Octavius and George go undercover in the village of Highbury to investigate the Rector of the local church, a man by the name of Reverend Burr, who some of the locals are unhappy with. They are hoping the boys can dig up some dirt on him so they can use it to have him replaced, but before that can happen, someone decides to get rid of Reverend Burr another way... by murder! What starts off as a somewhat simple investigation turns into something much more complicated, and has Octavius and George using all their detecting skills to uncover the killer.

As usual, the author has some an amazing job with his research and detail. Set in Victorian times, the characters and their lifestyle comes alive, giving the reader a true feel for the way life was lived by some of the different social classes at the time. The mystery itself is intriguing and it kept me guessing right till the end. Octavius and George are such solid. and likeable characters that I found it easy to imagine them as I read, hearing their banter in my head, and enjoying the different aspects of their relationships with each other. The inclusion of George's sister. and her budding romance with Octavius, much to George's consternation, made for some humourous moments, and I look forward to seeing how that evolves in future books.

Octavius is clever and astute in his deductions, but has a hearts that cares about the people involved, and weighs justice with that in mind. He and George make a great pair and complement each other well in personality. I especially liked how the story was resolved in this case, and I really enjoyed having it set outside of London for a nice change of pace. Village mysteries with lots of interesting characters who all have a motive are always a favourite of mine, and the excellent historical research (and notes at the end) makes it perfect for anyone who, like me, is also a history buff who loves a glimpse into how people lived in the past. This series just gets better and better. I can't wait to read about their next adventure. Highly recommended!

Oh, No, Octavius, - Octavius Guy and the Case of the Quibbling Cleric" by Michael Gallagher

Oh, No, Octavius is a great mystery read and I highly recommend it. Set in Victorian London, its narrator is a 15 year old reformed pickpocket and now an investigator of missing cats, persons, and treasures. Octavius aka Octopus aka Gooseberry and his assistant George Crump are sent on a clandestine mission to ferret out compromising data about the Reverend Burr, the rector of Highbury Church and the headmaster of Reverend Burr's School for Boys. Why is the Reverend Burr's career in jeopardy? Because a few of his more important parishioners want him removed, each for his/her own unknown reasons. So as cover, Octavius is enrolled in the school as a day student, while George takes the role of a kitchen skivvy under the eyes of the suspicious school cook Mrs. Binn, and he must bunk in the cowshed with Pickles, the lad who empties the school's chamberpots, and with the cow.

A more delightful and colorful set of characters is hard to find and you will enjoy Octavius's struggles with school, encountering a dreadful bully and attempting to conjugate Latin imperfect subjunctive verbs.

The mystery develops when the Rev. Burr is found dead in his chapel with his face bashed in. Octavius, already on the scene and familiar with the potential suspects (his employers), stays on to investigate and also to enlarge his "Rules of Investigation" that he is developing for George's benefit. One rule is "Never let the police have any information that you have uncovered on your own" and the lads keep the official constabulary guessing and chasing " red herrings" or as Octavius phrases it "smoked haddock."

The story unfolds in unexpected ways and Michael Gallagher will have you guessing the truth until the very last page.

" Oh, No, Octavius" is the fourth book in a series of Octavius/Gooseberry books written by the author. I look forward to reading the earlier stories in the series and learning about his other adventures in solving mysteries.

This book was interesting enough that I read the entire thing, although it is longer than it needs to be. It is too long because detailed information arising out of the author’s impressive background research, as well as episodes that primarily relate to the main character’s previous adventures, are included even when they do not serve to develop the present narrative.

The plot is very convoluted. I was disappointed to find that the method of the murder, as well as the murderer’s motivations, were both impossible for me to credit and (in the case of the latter) offensive. I can’t go into more detail on those points without revealing spoilers.

The characterization detracted very much from my enjoyment of the book. The main character is unlikable (arrogant, self-absorbed, and manipulative, even when there is no good reason for it aside from his own amusement), while the rest of the characters appear to exist solely for the main character’s benefit. They lack agency (their personal motivations are all stereotypical, nonsensical, and/or revolve around the main character). The female characters in particular suffer from stereotyping and an inability to think or act without focusing on men in some manner. All of the characters are unrealistically respectful and even deferential to the main character, who is for all intents and purposes a sly, smug, know-it-all teenage boy (a type many people in real life find at least a little bit intolerable).

I spent quite some time trying to figure out exactly why I did not like this book in particular while I do like several other books with arrogant, crafty teenage male characters. I concluded that it is because in those other books the characters who are not the protagonist have enough substance and will of their own to be interesting in themselves (not in relation to the protagonist) and to seriously challenge and engage the main character in ways that he cannot always control, and the main character exhibits some evidence of personal growth in unexpected directions from time to time.

You know a series is a favorite when the author notes and extras are as enjoyable to the reader as the story! This series is a wonderful addition to any mystery lovers library. For fans of historical fiction, especially Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Sherlock Holmes and their contemporaries and authors inspired by them. Not only is this a great mystery but a fabulous look at the times and conditions. Included, as is popular in present day mystery books, are several recipes at the end!

Having established themselves as actual investigators, Octavious and guy pal George find themselves going under`cover in this latest installment of this Victorian era detective series. They are hired to find a way to remove an undesirable head master and Reverand from a local boys school, quite a step up from their own station in life. Octavious is poised as a distant relative of a client to attend the school while George is employed as a manservant. The daily meals are a bonus to this job.
Tough subject matter is spotlighted as well as questionable choices and behaviors made by a female member of the household. We also get to view more of George and Octavious's personal life, as the latter pursues his interest in George's sister.

There is so much in this series to love! From the storyline, to the characters I have fallen in love with, and, as mentioned above, all the wonderful extras author Michael Gallagher provides for his readers, FASCINATING stuff! Excellent job, as usual. A box set of these books would make a most wonderful gift for your own favorite reader. Be sure to buy copies for yourself as well. I suggest the print version so you can appreciate the wonderful covers.

This is the fourth book in the Send for Octavius Guy series. I haven't read the previous books, but that wasn't a problem at all.

A group of Highbury residents ask Octavius and his buddy George to investigate their minister Reverend Burr. With luck, they'll find evidence about him that can be used to remove the unpleasant man from his office. Octavius takes on the role of day boy at the school where Burr teaches while George moves into the household staff. Not long into their job, Burr is murdered, and the investigation becomes more serious.

I found the first half readable but quite slow, as Octavius settles into his role as a pupil. I kept expecting him to come a cropper with his feigned education, but he never did. In fact, I don't remember him making mistakes or putting his foot in it (he feels a bit too good to be true), although it was amusing seeing his discomfiture in his interactions with George's family. The pacing speeded up with the arrival of Sergeant Gray and the start of the murder investigation. The clues came along at a decent pace, and everything came together nicely at the end.

In summary, a nicely constructed historical murder mystery.

I thank the author for a free copy of the book. This is my unbiased review.

I am lucky enough to be friends (so I consider) with the very agreeable author and get to review this very nice and entertaining series. This book I received as a gift for Christmas! :)

The action is set in the Victorian era, a few decades before Sherlock Holmes, but Octavius Guy could very well have worked for him.
He’s very young (in this installment he’s all of fifteen, but with a little brother and a dog in charge), has a privileged intellect and knows and manages very well and has contacts in the underworld of London (we have seen that in the previous volumes of the series, but here “Bertha” also makes an appareance).
It’s a criminal case all right, with the murder of the quite nasty cleric and all its implications and whodunits. I didn’t know the legal term of advowson, which doesn’t let them get rid (without physically eliminating him) of the quibbling cleric, but it seems very interesting… and in some cases it still exists!
But I like the touches of humor, like the rivalry between a very English cook and a very Indian manservant/cook; both contribute interesting things, but Octavius understandably favours the first... doesn’t like the “herbs” 
We see also Octavius very in love with his friend/colleague investigator George’s (not much older than he is) lovely sister Annie. But beware, young George is already married to Mary, and she’s quite a character !
He’s also finally getting a real educacion, even learning latin (‘his’ way), and all’s well that ends well because he convinces Bertha that ‘her’ protégé the child William will do much better with an education in a school.
All in all, as enjoyable as the other books in the series, the setting and the language are impeccable as always.

This is Octavius ​​Guy's fourth book and I personally received it from the author for Christmas. Thank you very much Michael, as always it was a great pleasure to read.
Octavius ​​and his companion George take over a case in Highbury. George works undercover in the boys 'school while Octavius ​​lives as a guest in Highbury House and attends the boys' school as a day student.
The point is that various residents want to get rid of the headmaster Reverend Burr and Octavius ​​and George have to prove that the headmaster is no longer sustainable. But everything turns out differently than planned because the Reverend is found murdered in the church. Who murdered him? Octavius ​​has his ideas there, but always has to find that he gets lost in something. He also soon realizes that various residents have their secrets and it is not that easy to uncover them.
For me as a reader it was exciting from the first to the last page, because with Octavius' considerations I only noticed at the end how and why it all happened.

Once more, Octavius Guy is on the case! He is tasked with discovering some way of removing Reverand Allaston Burr from his post as all other avenues have been unsuccessful. This investigation, however, takes a deadly turn and then Octavius must apply all his detective skills to find a murderer.

It was an absolute delight to meet up with Octavius again! His previous exploits have built up his confidence and when he is approached by the residents of Highbury, he is confident he will be successful again. However, the case is not an easy one, and George is being stubborn.

There is an intriguing cast of characters in this story, and they all have their own secrets. Secrets they don't want Octavius to discover. This makes things especially interesting when a murderer is at work and any one of them could be a suspect.

While I had my own suspicions, I wasn't sure until the end. I love a mystery that keeps me guessing and is not immediately apparent. I very much look forward to seeing what is in store for Octavius in future books. More with a certain young lady, I hope?

From those looking for a fun and clever Victorian mystery, look no further!

While I received a free copy from the author, all opinions expressed are my own and I am voluntarily reviewing.

I absolutely LOVE this book. I will have to read the others in the series. Octavius is a lovable detective with a fun sidekick in George. From exposing mediums to investigating murder and the veracity of an old man's will, you will eagerly go on adventures with this amazing duo.

Subtitled "Octavius Guy and the Case of the Throttled Tragedienne", this was an enjoyable romp of a historical crime novel set in the underworld of Victorian London, with a teenage crime lord as our principle detective. I galloped through it. To be honest, I suspect if I'd read it more slowly and carefully, I would have found a few holes in the story - but it was a fun read.

First off, I'd like to apologize to Mr. Gallagher for taking so long to read and review this book. But assuming that this will be the last of the Adventures of Octavius & Co, I wanted to wait until I was really ready for the story. And then once I started I tried to eke it out for as long as possible. Oh, how I love these books and these people!

Like the first two, this is a cracking good story. Octavius and George are on the case to both help a Spiritualist Medium and help Mrs. Crabbit. How are they connected, and why? Octopus has a heart of gold, and so much spunk! I just adore him.

I don't want to give anything away, but I wanted to say that I was captivated (as usual) by the twists and turns in the story. The writing pulls you along, urging you to turn one more page, then another, then one more, until you have finished the book. Each person in these pages is real to me, so much so that I keep having to stop myself from looking them up online - they're not really there! - and instead glomming my eyes onto the historical photos of London at the time for far longer than is advised.

Thank you so much for writing these books, and for bringing these characters to life. I have a feeling they'll always be lurking around in my head. (And, after my raving about these books to my reader of a Mom, we're doing a group read of "The Moonstone" before I lend her my Kindle to read this series.) Excellent, excellent, excellent!

The Moonstone is one of my favourite books and I’ve read it many times, so I was a bit wary of a sequel not written by Wilkie Collins. I needn’t have worried as this story is very well written and fits in very well with Collins’ world. It goes off at a tangent to the original story rather than being a sequel and there are plenty of new characters with the originals being almost bit-part players. I was a bit worried by the glossary at the beginning – never a good sign! – but I found the story, and the language, easy to follow. If there are more to come I shall be very pleased to read them.½

Big Bona Ogles, Boy!: Octavius Guy and the Case of the Mendacious Medium…

I enjoyed this book a lot. It`s a very young detective in a 19th century London, with the experience we have in police tv series to be surprised is difficult, this book is really enjoyable and with a surprising ending.
It`s a good choice for young readers as well old ones like me who enjoy adventures and mystery.

highly recommended

I absolutely LOVE this book. I will have to read the others in the series. Octavius is a lovable detective with a fun sidekick in George. From exposing mediums to investigating murder and the veracity of an old man's will, you will eagerly go on adventures with this amazing duo.

Well written with a tremendous amount of detail. This book transported me to Dicken's London for a mystery with a metaphysical twist. I enjoyed the trip but sometimes felt bogged down and needed timeout.

I really enjoyed this story by Michael Gallagher. It is set with Octavius Guy as the main character, a detective with his assistant George. Octavius decides that their employer needs their help in his personal life, without the man's knowledge or consent. The two detectives embark on an adventure that uncovers a larger mystery that only the Great Octavius Guy can solve. This was very well written. The story line flowed smoothly with pleasant description & imagery. I enjoyed several of the characters in this story and would gladly read another book by this author.

Another wonderful mystery featuring Octavius Guy, aka Gooseberry, as he and his detective-assistant-in-training, George Crumb, work to solve a series of murders involving a psychic medium in 19th-century London. When Octavius notes some very unusual behaviour from Mr. Crabbit, the man in charge of reimbursing him for small expenses he incurs through his investigative work for Mr. Bruff, the lawyer that both are employef by, he decides it's a mystery to be solved, and a perfect opportunity to further George's lessons in the art of being a good detective. Through their spying they discover that Mrs. Crabbit has been attending sessions with a very expensive psychic medium in the hopes of contact with her late Uncle, whose estate she had hoped to inherit. To her dismay, the Estate ended up going to the only other living relative, a man that she knew her Uncle disapproved of, and would not have left a penny to. Convinced that the will was forged, Mrs. Crabbit believes that somehow she will be able to contact her Uncle to find evidence of such. Octavius resolves to find a way for him and George to attend the seance in order to learn more, and find a way to help the Crabbits one way or another. When murder occurs in the midst of a ghostly appearance, followed by more murders that seem to tie everything to Mrs. Crabbit's Uncle and his Estate, Octavius is more determined than ever to get to the bottom of what is going on. A former street thief, the young Octavius is wise beyond his years to the ways of the world, as he takes care of his younger brother Julius, and uses his wits, as well as all the resources he has, to find ways around the obstacles that present themselves throughout the investigation. I really enjoyed the interaction between him and George, and getting to know George better, and I love that Bertha has become a regular character in the books. Not only is she Gooseberry's best friend, but provides a wonderful mother figure for his family of outcasts and street folk, showing that kindness and caring can come in the most unexpected ways.

Michael Gallagher's research into 19th-century Spiritualism, and the fascination that many in the Victorian era had for attending seances and fortune telling, is meticulous as always. I enjoyed the notes at the end of the book about some of his real life sources. He weaves many of the details of real life Spiritualists into the story in such a way that the reader truly feels what those who attended such sessions must have felt...the awe, the fear, the fascination at witnessing disembodied heads that glowed with an eerie light, expelling a strange substance explained as "ectoplasm" from which ghostly manifestations could form (or so they said). In a darkened room, those attending would be told to hold hands and not let go, no matter what they saw or heard, for doing so could put the Medium's life in danger, heightening the suspense and anticipation. Even Octavius, with his very clever and rational mind searching for answers on how such things could be happening, shivers with fear when cold ghostly fingers brush the back of his neck, and loud raps signal ghostly answers to questions asked by those in attendance.

I have always found the Victorian obsession with Spiritualism fascinating...both the Spiritualists themselves (and the amazing lengths they would go to in order to convince their audience of the presence of the supernatural), and also those who worked hard to debunk them, and show them for the frauds they were. Octavius is like a young mixture of Sherlock Holmes and Houdini in the way his mind works overtime, sifting through all that he sees, hears, and feels to try to find a rational explanation that he knows must be there. He's a pleasure to read about, and his world is filled with such detail that it's easy to imagine it all in your head. Heartwarming and humorous, with lots of suspense, it kept me guessing right through to the end. :-)

Octavius Guy, aka Octopus or Gooseberry, is a 15-year-old errand boy working in a 19th C London law firm. Formerly a street urchin and pickpocket he is both exceptionally bright and rather cocky, having taken it upon himself to train an older boy in the art of detection at which he considers himself expert. In his third case, Octavius and his "apprentice" George investigate a medium with whom their office manager's wife has become obsessed. Through the several deaths that follow the two young men unravel not only the medium's techniques but also the motive, method, and opportunity behind an inheritance fraud. This is an excellent period piece that incorporates consideration of ethnic and gender bias as well as the consequences of the characters' good-hearted or flawed natures.

The author (very nice person, I've e-mailed with him), was so kind as to send me this book through librarything.

I liked it as much as the previous one in the series, a nice victorian mistery with the main character Octavius/Gooseberry evolutioning little by little into adulthood, to become a good young man and investigator, I should think. And all the other characters accompany very well.

The case of the medium itself made me think of Houdini, a few decades later, when he, a great illusionist, exposed all the tricks of a lot of fraudulent mediums, and his controversy with Doyle, more of a believer in spiritualism (and fairies, but that's another story). And yes, she is mendacious. Or not always?

Quite well documented (I learnt several interesting things).

And a few very nice illustrations/drawings of buildings and landscapes, to top it all. Very enjoyable for me, as a lover of the Victorian Era. Five stars.

By the way, I won't post this part in amazon, but I hope Christmas finds Michael Gallagher in good health and wish him the best for the new year 2017.

I received an early review e-copy of this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. There is a murder during the séance that Octavius and George are attending as they follow the activities of Mrs. Crabbit. Octavius is the chief investigator and George is his assistant but at times Octavius seems to think George is getting a little too big for his britches and there seems to be something strange going on with George. This is a wonderful Dickensian era murder mystery. The ragtag bunch of friends that Octavius has add a great deal to the story and as always are enjoyable especially Bertha and the time spent at the improved Bucket of Blood. This book is the third book in the series but can also be read as a standalone. As always Michael Gallagher is an excellent storyteller and writes a great murder mystery set in Victorian times with a few funny and unexpected twists. This is a keeper and well worth the read.

I received a copy of this novel through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers' Group in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A lively, well written mystery set in Dickens' and Wilkie Collins' London. Filled with period details and with a mystery within a mystery, this is a fun quick read with quirky characters. The story is told from the point of view of Octavius Guy (alias Gooseberry and Octopus), a 15-year-old detective with an Artful Dodger-style past who is convinced of his own powers of deduction. With the assistance of his not-so-faithful sidekick/apprentice, George Crump, he sets out to solve one mystery and swiftly finds himself faced with another mystery and then another. How he solves them all is a joy to read. I am now looking for the first two books in the series because Octavius Guy is a detective definitely worth following!½

reading now :)