Dickinson, David – DEATH CALLED TO THE BAR

[LJ Roberts]

DEATH CALLED TO THE BAR (Unlicensed Investigator-London-1902) – VG Dickinson, David – 5th in series
Constable, 2006 – UK Hardcover

Lord Francis Powerscourt is asked to resolve the mystery behind the death of two murdered barristers. Alexander Dauntsey dies in his soup during a dinner at the Queen’s Inn, an inn of the court of London. Woodford Stewart is shot and killed. Both men are members of Queen’s Inn, but Powerscourt soon identifies five potential suspects and motives for the killings.

The author’s use of similes, metaphors and allegories enriched the text and often made me smile. The plot was intriguing and the suppositions made about the various suspects really incorporated me into the story. I found the characters diverse and interesting and the plot intriguing. I appreciated learning a bit about the English court system. Post-Victorian England is wonderfully depicted as the age of technology as begun. I’m certain historical purists would have pointed out the anachronisms, even I spotted a couple, but nothing that diminished my pleasure in reading. This may be the first book I’ve read by Dickinson, but it definitely won’t be my last.