imagesWhat’s The Bleeding Heart all about?

The resolution of the Peculiar Crime Unit’s relationship with Oscar Kasavian which took place in the previous volume (reviewed here) means a new home for the team (now under the auspices of the City of London police) and a super duper new liaison person who has a great line in management-speak, the sort of thing that has you banging your head on the desk (or is that just me).

While they all try to work out exactly how (or even if) they’re going to get along under the new arrangements they have two cases to deal with; a man who may (or may not) have risen from his (recent) grave and the disappearance of the ravens from the Tower of London.

Why did I want to read it?

I’ve said it before but its worth repeating, this is one of the most consistently enjoyable series of books I’ve had the pleasure to read. Sadly it looks like this may be the penultimate Bryant & May story (at least in novel form) which will be a real shame.

What did I think of it?

As always I really enjoyed this. I read a chunk of it during a bout of insomnia and it was great fun to read about someone apparently climbing out of their grave while I was sitting in the relative dark in the wee small hours of the morning, quite creepy. The two story threads aren’t really connected apart from the involvement of Bryant but one of the great pleasures of these books is seeing the development of all of the characters and the new dynamic means that all of them are taking stock in one way or another.

And of course I learned fascinating stuff about London along the way. Bleeding Heart Yard is another one of those places that I walk past regularly on my way from my office on Kingsway to London Wall where Silvery Dude works and next time I’m heading that way I really will make a detour to have a look. St. George’s Gardens, where the rising takes place, is also close by and I’m sure is on my preferred route to St Pancras where I occasionally meet friends for drinks, and made me think a little bit of Postman’s Park  which is a shortcut I often take and well worth a visit, though less extensive I think.

I was also interested to find out that the whole legend of the ravens and what may happen to the nation if they disappear is a relatively modern invention.

So, really enjoyable and what do I have to do to get you lot to read these if you haven’t started already?

Postscript: and the Book God reminded me that we have a copy of Andrew Taylor’s Bleeding Heart Square which is set in the same area so that’s now been pulled out of the stacks to be read shortly. I like making these connections!

And this is my 600th post on the blog which is very cool and mildly astonishing! Glad to be marking it with a favourite author.