A Mortal Likeness: A Victorian Mystery

In Rowland’s The Ripper’s Shadow, London photographer Sarah Bain, with the aid of such friends as Lord Hugh Staunton, “solved the Jack the Ripper case via a combination of mishaps, wild ideas, and luck.” In this so-so sequel, Sarah and Hugh, an outcast from his family because of his sexual orientation, have started a detective agency, but their investigative skills are still unimpressive. A job to surveil a husband suspected of infidelity takes them to the Crystal Palace, where Sarah succeeds in photographing him cheating in the dinosaur park. Meanwhile, she inadvertently takes a picture of a man connected to the kidnapping of the toddler son of Sir Gerald Mariner, who left a ransom in the park around the time Sarah and Hugh were there. Sir Gerald hires the duo to search for the kidnapper among the members of his own household. Once again, they fly by the seat of their pants to a solution. Those who don’t mind less-than-credible sleuths will have the most fun. [em]Agent: Pam Ahearn, Pam Ahearn Agency. (Jan.) [/em]