| The Thieves’ Labyrinth | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | James McCreet |
| Illustrator | Silas Manhood |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Publisher | Macmillan (United Kingdom) |
| Pages | 392 (UK trade paperback) |
| ISBN | 978-0-230-74797-5 (13) |
| Preceded by | The Incendiary’s Trail, The Vice Society |
The Thieves’ Labyrinth is the third book in a series of Victorian detective novels by author James McCreet, published in May 2011. It continues the adventures of a set of characters established in the first book, The Incendiary’s Trail, namely: George Williamson, Albert Newsome, Noah Dyson, Benjamin and John Cullen.
Contents |
Following the second instalment of the series, The Vice Society, Inspector Albert Newsome of the Metropolitan Police’s Detective Force has been temporarily demoted to the Thames River Police for his insubordination. He can retain his old position only if he proves himself with good behaviour. Meanwhile, his old enemy George Williamson is working as a private detective at the theatres of London, where his job is to catch pickpockets. Both men are highly suspicious of a new face in London: Eldritch Batchem, who claims to be an investigator “By Royal Appointment”. When an outrageous theft is made from the city’s docks, a competition then begins to see who will be the first to solve the crime, with consequences that none of them could have expected.[1]
The main characters are broadly the same as the first two books (The Incendiary’s Trail, The Vice Society), with the addition of the curious investigator Eldritch Batchem and a villain known only as “The Italian”. As in the previous books, the relationships and commingled paths of the various protagonists inform how they react to each other, establishing constant tensions and rivalry. McCreet has said: “All have developed since The Vice Society and each has a personal agenda . . . I surprised myself with this book – really exploring some alternative aspects of London while testing my characters to the limit.”[2]
The Thieves’ Labyrinth is based around the considerable river trade of London in the nineteenth century. As well as Inspector Newsome’s duty with the River Police, there are a number of scenes at London dock and St Katharine’s dock, during which the reader learns about the global import and export trade, the warehouses, the customs regulations and even the various methods of controlling rats. There is also a focus on the sewer system that emptied into the river before the great drains were built by Joseph Bazalgette later in the century.
On his website, McCreet says that he has already finished the fourth book in the series, though no title is given.[3] There is also a hint about a possible ‘prequel’ featuring two of the main characters: “I have some very exciting ideas about the adventures of Noah Dyson and Benjamin before they came to settle in London”.