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The Devil's Game: An Unlikely Mystery (Reverend Tuckworth)

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In 1834 the Tory representative to Parliament from Bellminster dies in the London fire which took down most of Westminster. Once everyone is sure that Simon Curdle did indeed die in the blaze and hasn't simply disappeared for some unknown reason, the prospect of having a by-election faces the party. Bellminster belongs to the Tory side of the ledger and everyone knows that. Lord Granby has the choosing of the next man to stand for election and everyone knows that also. But what will happen when Lord Granby decides to withhold naming the candidate he's backing for a while? What will happen when the Whigs send a representative of their own into Bellminster to pave the way for the unthinkable - a Whig candidate for the seat? It's all just politics. The death of one man is unfortunate, but it is really just politics, but how far will people go behind the scenes to ensure their candidate wins this election?

This is the second "unlikely mystery" featuring Reverend Tuckworth, Dean of Bellminster Cathedral which I have read (The Devil's Acre : An Unlikely Mystery (Reverand Tuckworth, 2)) and it is the third in the series. The writing is extremely well done and the atmosphere of the times is ably portrayed by author David Holland. This is one of those mysteries where you will know who was responsible for the deaths while the major emphasis is placed on the traditions, feelings and political maneuvering which set the stage for the murders. Holland forces the reader to examine their own ideas of what is fair or foul in the games involved in politics. Is it a game? Should it be a game when the consequences have such a total impact on the lives of those not actively involved in "the game"? A very thought provoking book for me even if it wasn't entirely satisfactory from the classic mystery standpoint. I like to have a chance to figure out who the culprit is. In this book, that wasn't the point. Even why the person killed wasn't the point. Perhaps just a touch too much politics and too little mystery for my personal tastes.

This is the third early Victorian mystery featuring the Rev. Tuckworth, dean of Bellminster Cathedral in the English midlands. Only this time it's not so much a whodunit -- we know who the culprit is almost from the beginning -- as an examination of what Tuckworth is going to do about it. The setting is a by-election, caused by the fact that the local Member of Parliament has gone up in flames with Westminster itself. All's fair in politics, especially in those days when the suffrage was extremely limited and the Tories (who largely control Bellminster's establishment) are determined to beat down the reform movement generally, and the Whigs in particular. The latter have sent an agent to town in the dwarfish person of Jo Smalley, a thoroughly amoral provocateur. But there are other elements in contention, including several factions among the Tories, and none of them balk at organizing riots and vandalism to advance themselves. Tuckworth is disgusted with the whole thing and wants no part of anything political, but the death by a savage beating of an innocent bystander draws him in whether he likes it or not. Holland is very good at character development, not only of Tuckworth but of his daughter, the young artist, Rafael, Chief Constable Hopgood, the aging Lord Granby, and Jo Smalley himself. A first-rate series with a very believable take on the place and the times.

In 1834, Simon Curdle, MP for Bellminster dies in the Westminster Palace fire. No one in Parliament, which has its own problems, takes notice. Simon's constituency reacts by battling to replace him in Parliament because it means great power to run the borough.

The Dean of Bellminster Cathedral Revered Tuckworth observes the power struggle as it begins to take shape. He plans to remain on the sidelines and not get involved as Mayor Winston Padgett, nudged by his ambitious wife and his assistant vs. Lord Granby's clandestinely pushing forward another aide. Also watching from the sidelines with a different agenda is lawyer Wilfred Cade who plans to be the last man standing in Parliament once the two opponents destroy each other with assistance from him. However, staying neutral proves impossible for the Reverend when a deadly riot explodes on Guy Fawkes Day with the powerful wannabes demanding that he as a impartial party investigate.

The latest Devil's historical mystery is a delightful thriller that uses real events to provide the audience with insight into England during a tumultuous period when reform was in the air. The investigation actually takes a back seat to the historical perspective in a small town outside of London as mostly seen through the viewpoint of the Reverend. Fans of the series or those who appreciate a window into the past will enjoy this strong entry though the mystery is not as gripping as the previous tales (see THE DEVIL IN BELLMINSTER and THE DEVIL'S ACRE).

Harriet Klausner