Several years after the Ripper has disappeared, a body of a prostitute is discovered, brutally killed. Is the Ripper back. Colin Pendragon and Ethan Pruit are asked by Scotland Yard for their help.
I enjoyed this mystery, better than the previous book as this is more of a standalone story. Well-written with interesting characters.
A NetGalley Book ( )

This is an excellent whodunit mystery novel set in Victorian London, circa 1895. Detectives Colin Pendragon and Ethan Pruitt join forces with Scotland Yard Inspector Evans to solve a series of grisly murders. These murders resemble the ones attributed to Jack the Ripper, and there is a suspicion that there's a copycat killer at work. Narrated by Ethan, the story is told through his observations and moves at a brisk pace to a satisfying conclusion. There's a secondary story involving the brutal murder of a young nobleman that leads to a continuation of a story from previous books in this series. This is the sixth in a series and can be read as a standalone although there are numerous references to other books in the series. At the end the reader will know there's more to come.

The relationship between Colin and Ethan is interesting and noteworthy. They are a gay couple in a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain. (This is not a "gay" mystery though and there is no explicit sex). Their relationship is kept under wraps wth only Colin's father and their housekeeper/cook knowing their true relationship. The rest of the world has their gaydar turned off. In this story, at one point Colin falls victim to a sepsis infection and Ethan faces the prospect of losing him to it. Of course, since the true nature of their relationship is hidden and of no legal standing, Ethan is essentially kept out of the formal medical decision loop. fortunately, Colin recovers and their partnership continues. This interval caused by Colin's illness however provides the opportunity for Ethan to move from a "loyal assistant" to a full partner in the detection business. This promotion will likely bode well in sequels. This pair of detectives shares some similarities with the Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson and Hercule Poirot/Captain Hastings combinations, except the personal relationships in these pairs does not factor into their mysteries to the extent that it does here. Colin and Ethan are well-connected in British society, they even get to meet Queen Victoria: one can only wonder how sensitive her gaydar is!

It's a good whodunit mystery with an intelligent plot and good pacing, some interesting characters (e.g. the coroner), and lots of local colour about Victorian London.

Recommended.

NB: Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eBook edition of this book. The views expressed are my own. ( )