In the cold Toronto winter of 1895, the unclad body of a servant girl is found frozen in a deserted laneway. Detective William Murdoch quickly finds out that more than one person connected with the girl’s simple life has something to hide.
**
Amazon.com Review
Turn-of-the-century Toronto makes an evocative setting for murder in Except the Dying , a skillful first novel that is interesting both for its historical accuracy and its fully realized characters. The plot concerns the murder of a young housemaid, discovered naked in a snowy lane, and the cast of suspects spans the social strata. Yet it is William Murdoch, the detective in charge of the case, who breathes life into what might otherwise have been a conventional murder mystery. As he pursues his quest for justice, Murdoch also mourns the death of his fiancée; his manner of doing both reveals a compassionate, principled man--one whose fictional endeavors (readers hope) have only just begun.
From Library Journal
First novelist Jennings, herself a British transplant to Canada, provides a provocative look at a wealthy, turn-of-the-century British family living in Toronto. Acting detective William Murdoch handles a case that exposes not only the dysfunctional nature of the Rhodes family, whose young French-Canadian maid has been discovered dead, drugged, and pregnant in the snow, but also the peculiarities of a class-conscious society. Murdoch investigates and then spars with bigoted higher-ups until he uncovers the murderer. A finely flavored plot, credible characters, and detailed atmosphere make this a winner.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Description:
In the cold Toronto winter of 1895, the unclad body of a servant girl is found frozen in a deserted laneway. Detective William Murdoch quickly finds out that more than one person connected with the girl’s simple life has something to hide. **
Amazon.com Review
Turn-of-the-century Toronto makes an evocative setting for murder in Except the Dying , a skillful first novel that is interesting both for its historical accuracy and its fully realized characters. The plot concerns the murder of a young housemaid, discovered naked in a snowy lane, and the cast of suspects spans the social strata. Yet it is William Murdoch, the detective in charge of the case, who breathes life into what might otherwise have been a conventional murder mystery. As he pursues his quest for justice, Murdoch also mourns the death of his fiancée; his manner of doing both reveals a compassionate, principled man--one whose fictional endeavors (readers hope) have only just begun.
From Library Journal
First novelist Jennings, herself a British transplant to Canada, provides a provocative look at a wealthy, turn-of-the-century British family living in Toronto. Acting detective William Murdoch handles a case that exposes not only the dysfunctional nature of the Rhodes family, whose young French-Canadian maid has been discovered dead, drugged, and pregnant in the snow, but also the peculiarities of a class-conscious society. Murdoch investigates and then spars with bigoted higher-ups until he uncovers the murderer. A finely flavored plot, credible characters, and detailed atmosphere make this a winner.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.