Murder in Mayfair: An Atlas Catesby Mystery

Any book that begins with a man selling his wife promises to be a fascinating read and, by and large, Murder in Mayfair delivers. The salesman-husband is the victim foreshadowed in the book’s title and, naturally, his wife and her rescuer-purchaser are the chief suspects. The latter, Atlas Catesby, again, naturally, sets out to find the real killer. Set in Regency England, the novel conveys well the power of men over women (chattel owned by their husbands) and that of the rich over the poor, obstacles Catesby must navigate in his pursuit of the murderer. Along the way, he unearths suspects of varying social status – a tradesman, a magistrate, a peer of the realm. Blackmail, a botched abortion, rape, and the sold wife’s own mysterious background, all add to the intrigue of this well-plotted story. That said, the prose contributes little, if anything, to the tale’s excitement or suspense. Clear and grammatically correct though it may be, it lacks both energy and subtlety, is often brittle and labored, and rarely flows. Nor does the ending quite live up to the expectations generated by the startling opening, but, nonetheless, Murder in Mayfair is a well-crafted mystery and well worth reading.