In 1890 the Japanese delegation visits Cyrus Barker's garden. That same evening the ambassador is killed. Barker was outside the building at the time of the murder with a pistol in which one shot had been fired. Barker immediately becomes the prime suspect and is arrested and interrogated. However, all is not as it seems. Barker is later released and hired buy one of the Japanese delegation to find the ambassador's killer. In this book, more of Barkers past is revealed, including his time spent living in Japan. Another good addition to the Barker and Llewelyn series. ( )

1890 London and the new Japanese ambassador has arrived with his entourage. One of their schedule visits is to the gardens of Cyrus Barker. Later that night when Ambassador Toda is kiled , Barker who was in the vicinity is the prime suspect. But the new ambassador, General Mononobe, employs them to find the murderer.
A stand-alone story, and an enjoyable mystery with political intrigue, a bit of romance, and where we also find out more about Barkers' history.
A NetGalley Book ( )

If not the best of the Barker and Llewelyn adventures by Will Thomas, “Old Scores” (2017) still moves along at a lively pace and maintains reader interest throughout.

It is 1891 and a Japanese delegation has arrived in London. It is mainly a shopping trip, the Japanese eager to purchase items, including a battleship, that will help them become an Asian power. One of their first sightseeing stops is the Japanese garden belonging to Cyrus Barker, the private enquiry agent who smokes a meerschaum pipe, has his own Doctor Watson in the form of the Welshman Thomas Llewelyn and considers the word detective to be a pejorative. Barker, it happens, once lived in Japan and had a Japanese wife, foreshadowing the "old scores" of the title.

The assassination of the Japanese ambassador leads to Barker being hired to find the killer, as well as to Barker being considered the main suspect. The ambassador's embarrassed bodyguards target Barker and Llewelyn, and there is much involving members of London's Chinese community, who despise the Japanese. This community includes Barker's former ward, Bok Fu Ying, now married to a man involved in prosperous but barely legal activities. What was she doing at the scene of the crime?

The resolution Thomas gives us seems complicated and confusing, and all questions are not satisfactorily answered. Even so, this is an excellent series of mysteries. Just choose another book to start with. ( )

This is the second book that I have read and enjoyed in the Cyrus Barker series. I read The Limehouse Text earlier. There were interesting stories within the main story which was the murder of the Japanese Ambassador. Barker was initially accused of killing the Ambassador but was later hired by the Japanese embassy to investigate the murder. Barker's past personal history figures very prominently during the investigation. His knowledge of the Japanese language and its culture proves not to be a coincidence.

Very good page turner. Again, if you like Sherlock Holmes mysteries, you will enjoy this series... ( )

This is a bit Sherlock Holmes-y taking place in London 1890. Point of view is from Thomas Llewelyn's perception being the Watson in this series. Cyrus Barker is the investigative genius that seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and is repetitively getting arrested. This is an okay stand alone with only certain characters involved probably given more depth in prior installments of this series. The murder, clues, and blood hound trail is riveting as is the Barker revelation into his tragic history. The murdered victim was a Japanese Ambassador who is traveling with that country's delegation. The many individuals that made up this foreign troop just seemed complicated for me to keep track of and so bogged down the story for me. A positive was the drama between Barker and Thomas that was at times comical. "A copy of this book was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and my comments here are my honest opinion." ( )