The Detective and Mr. Dickens: Being an Account of the Macbeth Murders and the Strange Events Surrounding Them [Mass Market Paperback]

William J. Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 1992

In Victorian London, Charles Dickens and his protege, author Wilkie Collins, make the acquaintance of the shrewdest mind either would ever encounter: Inspector William Field of the newly formed Metropolitan Protectives. A gentleman's brutal murder brings the three men together in an extraordinary investigation that leads Dickens to the beautiful young actress Ellen Ternan, who would become the love of his life but who now stands accused of murder.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Purdue University English professor Palmer employs his expertise about Charles Dickens to create a Victorian pastiche with a difference. Not only does he provide a fictional mystery peopled by characters from literary classics, but he also takes his protagonists on a sexually explicit adventure that could not have been issued in the prudish 19th century. Purporting to be "A Secret Victorian Journal attributed to Wilkie Collins, discovered and edited" by Palmer, the novel is ostensibly based on a journal kept by Collins in which he recorded his and Dickens's adventures during the years that they performed in amateur theatricals and enjoyed London nightlife together. As confidants and aides to London's Inspector Field, the two literary men help solve a brutal murder. The intentionally melodramatic tale is related in a generally believeable Victorian voice, and includes explicit passages attributed to pornographic books in a lord's extensive collection. Like Dickens, Palmer reveals the hypocrisy rampant in repressed Victorian society. Along the way he offers an explanation for Dickens's attraction to actress Ellen Ternan, who eventually became his mistress. Mystery Guild featured selection.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

In Victorian London, Charles Dickens and his protege, author Wilkie Collins, make the acquaintance of the shrewdest mind either would ever encounter: Inspector William Field of the newly formed Metropolitan Protectives. A gentleman's brutal murder brings the three men together in an extraordinary investigation that leads Dickens to the beautiful young actress Ellen Ternan, who would become the love of his life but who now stands accused of murder.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (September 23, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345374711
• ISBN-13: 978-0345374714
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,205,715 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very Victorian, but has suspense, March 12, 2009

By 

Mrs. K "Night reader" (Ontario) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Detective and Mr. Dickens: Being an Account of the Macbeth Murders and the Strange Events Surrounding Them (Hardcover)

I find it hard to get past the writing style, which does not come across as convincingly Victorian and is not Mr. Palmer's strong suit (he fails to employ simple devices that can render the language more pleasing, such as varying his vocabulary within a paragraph - he would rather repeat terms such as "crowd" three times or more in the space of two sentences, instead of introducing "throng," "mob," "multitudes," etc.). It does not help that my edition is riddled with printing errors; even the editor's note spells history wrong ("histroy") on page one, and has at least one footnote error (citing "Women in White" instead of "Woman in White" - a grievous slip-up in a piece purporting to be by the author Wilkie Collins). Suspense, however, Palmer does well, so that despite the distractions of language and typographical errors, the book still manages to be a sufficient page-turner to get through at least the first few chapters. As to finishing the book, however, I'm afraid this ranks as one of those "life is too short" selections that gets abandoned before the mystery is solved.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A dickens of a good time, May 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Detective and Mr. Dickens: Being an Account of the Macbeth Murders and the Strange Events Surrounding Them (Mass Market Paperback)

Dr. Joe Palmer was one of my English professors at Purdue University. This novel (and the two "sequels") display the same enthusiasm and love of the Victorian era he brought to the classroom. These books provide interesting historical and biographical details, but are by no means too high-brow or scholarly for mystery fans. If you like Anne Perry, you must read Joe Palmer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voctorian Novelists Unleashed, with Cronies & Women, January 26, 2000

By 

Carra R Lane - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Detective and Mr. Dickens: Being an Account of the Macbeth Murders and the Strange Events Surrounding Them (Mass Market Paperback)

William J. Palmer's literary mystery stretches the form without crossing the line. Charles Dickens tackles impressively (readers with ancient leg injuries which occasionally act up may wish to avert their eyes) & swims fairly well under pressure. Wilkie Collins conquers a potentially disastrous case of priggishness & may be making serious advances against chronic foppery. Inspector William Field, Irish Meg Sheehey, & the extravagantly gifted Talley Ho Thompson, some sort of grinning dervish genius pickpocket Robin Hood, but watch your watch, all come to life easily & naturally, unburdened by heavy novelistic responsibilities. Ellen Ternan is only awfully pretty so far, but may turn interesting as she ages up nearer to legal. Read the next one, if you can procure a copy anywhere (Amazon seems out), & there may be a third. Palmer can write, & knows how to drop an occasional pearl of wisdom lightly, without needlessly infuriating his patrons. There is a single profoundly unfortunate multi-layer allusion & one short example of illicit typography, but these petty faults are easily overbalanced by genuinely sane handling of the early death of Dickens' daughter Dora plus the best Victorian wenchfight I have ever read. A bonafide romp. This fun is serious. Buy it.