Book – The Edinburgh Twilight

The Edinburgh Twilight – The Ian Hamilton Mysteries #1 by Carole Lawrence (2017) – A killer stalks the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland as the 20th century approaches.  Detective Inspector Ian Hamilton will stalk the killer in a deadly conflict.  It will strike fear into the heart of the city and touch on the detective’s darkest recesses as well.

When it comes to detective stories there is one name that overshadows them all.  Sherlock Holmes.  When it comes to detective stories set anywhere in the United Kingdom, the shadow grows even deeper.  You have two choices, to compete with Arthur Conan Doyle’s definitive crime genius directly or to be the “anti-Sherlock”.  Lawrence manages to pull off something that I have only rarely seen.  She creates a character that is clearly in the Holmesian tradition but manages a delicate balancing act.  That balance delivers a detective that can hold a candle boldly in that legendary shadow.

The parallels are obvious.  A socially inept detective that solves crimes through observation and intelligence.  One with a raffish older brother.  He lives alone, calls upon a bright, if somewhat bumbling, sidekick and the urchins of the street for assistance.  The detective is faced with a brilliant mind in opposition to him.  At the same time, they are nothing at all alike.  Hamilton is much more human that Holmes, with a troubled family background and a profound, nearly debilitating anxiety.  He has help, which he largely doesn’t want.  The final effect is a character that more inspires more warmth than the denizen of Baker Street ever manages.

Twisting around him is an intricate story involving a serial killer.  The time period is a fascinating one because the science of police work was only slowly being accepted.  Hamilton works with and despite a police force that is more accustomed to common crime than carefully planned cruelty.  In the end, the reader is the winner.

Published by Thomas and Mercer.  It’s on bookshelves now.
This review was based on an Advanced Reader Copy and is consistent with our Review Policy.

Why You Will Like It – A fine new contender for the title of “The Great Detective”, Ian Hamilton is both a great sleuth and a very human character.

Rating – **** Recommended