Harry’s heart sank. He sensed what was coming. And it would not be a suggestion. It would be a royal command.
“The Bedlam Cadaver”, by Robert J Lloyd
“Mr Hunt here is the perfect man to help you.”
Sir John looked dubiously at Harry, then at his King.
“He may not look like him, nor indeed, sound like him, but you should never judge a book by its cover. Hmm? Is that not what they say? Mr Hunt has demonstrated his usefulness to me in the past.”
The King placed his other hand onto Harry’s shoulder and stood between the two men. His expression now was jovial, as if the visit to Gresham had pleased him, proving more entertaining than expected.
“Together, I insist, you will find the murderer of Diana Cantley.”
I’m delighted to join the Blog Tour for “The Bedlam Cadaver” by Robert J Lloyd. Many thanks to publishers Melville House, and of course the author for organising the tour and gifting me a copy of the book.
The story:
When the Fellows of the Royal Society attend a dissection held by their eminent President, Sir Christopher Wren, they expect to learn more about the workings of the human body. But when the dissection begins, one member of the audience — Mr Harry Hunt, former assistant to scientist and architect Robert Hooke — recognises the body. She is not, as expected, a former inmate of the nearby Bethlehem Hospital (or Bedlam, to some)… She is a well-born lady, daughter of Sir Benedict Cantley. And she has been murdered.
How did she come to be there, and how was she killed? Entrusted by King Charles II himself to assist Justice Sir John Reresby, Harry is reluctantly pulled into the investigation. But when another woman is kidnapped and Harry is brought under suspicion, he must use all his skills to uncover the truth, on a path that leads him back to Bedlam…
My thoughts:
I’m pleased to be back in Restoration London for “The Bedlam Cadaver”; the third book in the Hunt and Hooke historical mystery series by Robert J Lloyd (following “The Bloodless Boy” and “The Poison Machine“).
Since we last saw him, Harry Hunt has come up in the world. He is now wealthy in his own right, following the rewards he received for his actions in the last book. Unfortunately this has created some changes in him that aren’t all for the better — arriving at the Royal Society by sedan chair, and wearing ostentatious clothes are enough to annoy and/or amuse those who know him!
But once the murder of Diana Cantley comes to light, we see that the Harry of previous stories is still there underneath, as his questioning mind leads him deeper into the mystery that leads to the Bethlehem Hospital. Alongside him is Justice Reresby, a man who is harsh with both the witnesses they question and with Harry.
Things are further complicated when Mrs Elizabeth Thynne goes missing. Still in her early teens, she is already the widow of Lord Ogle, and is now the wife of a wealthy Member of Parliament, Mr Thomas Thynne, and wealthy in her own right, making her a possible target for kidnapping.
With increasing suspicion of Harry, Justice Reresby goes as far to arrest him, and Harry finds himself not just trying to solve the complex cases, but trying to clear his own name.
This was such a great instalment in the Hunt and Hooke series, and I think my favourite yet. Poor Harry is really put through the wringer, at one point finding himself thrown overboard into the Thames! He also has turmoil in his personal life, with his relationships with both Robert Hooke and his niece Grace under strain.
I also love the way this series provides interesting insight into real historical events, with this story set against the backdrop of turmoil in England over the heir to the throne being Charles II’s Catholic brother James, with many preferring his Protestant, but illegitimate, son the Duke of Monmouth.
Overall this is an engrossing and hugely enjoyable read, with a great interaction between both the author’s characters and his imaginings of real historical figures. A must read for fans of historical mysteries!
Pages: 464
Published: 20th June 2024
Rating: 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈/5
About the author
Robert Lloyd, the son of parents who worked in the British Foreign Office, grew up in South London, Innsbruck, and Kinshasa. He studied for a Fine Art degree, starting as a landscape painter, but it was while studying for his MA degree in the History of Ideas that he first read Robert Hooke’s diary, detailing the life and experiments of this extraordinary man. After a twenty-year career as a secondary school teacher, he has now returned to painting and writing, and is working on the fourth book in the Hunt & Hooke series. He lives in Crickhowell, Wales.
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