Another case for Holmes, I mean Colin Pendragon
The Endicott Evil
Gregory Harris
Kensington Books
Mystery & Thrillers, Historical Fiction
Pub Date 28 March 2017
Review
The Colin Pendragon and Ethan Pruitt mysteries will immediately remind you of another more famous pair. There are quite a few characteristics shared by Holmes and Pendragon. The biggest difference lies in Pendragon’s many societal connections and his ability to play the dandy with aplomb. Pruitt like Watson is always a few steps behind, but always quick to lend a hand. Even his formidable housekeeper can be compared to Holmes's Mrs Hudson. Pendragon even has his own masterful female antagonist.
The plot is where The Endicott Evil shines. It is a mystery worthy of Holmes himself. An elderly woman is dead. The Yard believes her death a suicide, but her sister believes she was murdered by her aide. Colin Pendragon agrees the death is not suicide, but doesn't immediately fix upon a culprit. The case is complicated by Eugenia’s reluctance to speak openly of family issues. Pride, family secrets and a long held desire for revenge all play a part in Adelaide Endicott’s death.
Despite its clear connection to Holmesian fiction, The Endicott Evil deserves to be respected for itself. It is a well plotted novel that fans of the iconic detective pair will definitely enjoy.
4 / 5
I received a copy of The Endicott Evil from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
-- Crittermom
Description
In Victorian London, there exists no greater investigative team than master sleuth Colin Pendragon and his loyal partner, Ethan Pruitt. But it will take all their powers of deduction to determine if a fatal fall was a result of misery or murder . . .
Adelaide Endicott—elderly sister of Lord Thomas Endicott, a senior member of Parliament—has plummeted to her death from the third-floor window of her bedroom at Layton Manor. Did she take her own life—or was she pushed? Although Scotland Yard believes it is a clear case of suicide, Adelaide’s sister Eugenia is convinced otherwise . . .
Intrigued by the spinster’s suspicions, Pendragon and Pruitt look into the victim’s troubled mental state while simultaneously exploring who might have had a motive to push Adelaide to her death. As they begin to uncover a family history involving scandalous secrets, abuse, and trauma, mounting evidence suggests that there is evil lurking behind the closed doors of Layton Manor, and that it is of utmost urgency to expose it before another tragedy occurs.
