The Minutes of the Lazarus Club by Tony Pollard (4 stars)

Of all the genred fiction that we provide at Camden Council Library Services, the Mystery genre is probably the most diffuse and varied. From the complicated puzzlers of Agatha Christie, to the crime thrillers of Patricia Cornwell and Lee Child, there’s certainly a lot to choose from. The book reviewed here fits into another sub-type- historical mysteries.

This medium sized novel is an enjoyable mystery/thriller set in the Victorian era. The main character is an established doctor in London whose expertise in the heart leads him into the path of entrepreneurs and iconoclasts that defined the progression of the Victorian era. As he becomes more and more entwined with the ‘Lazarus Club’, a group of well known individuals who fear their ideas may be too revolutionary for the general public, our poor protagonist is thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse as an important object is put into his care.

The strengths of this novel lie in good characterisation and a well-paced plot. The main characters are human, with understandable motives and great quirks. There’s also a good balance between chases and intense moments as well as quieter exploration of the finer points of the plot. However, at times the language gets a little bit out of hand (think Arthur Conan Doyle on one too many red cordials) and a romance between Florence Nightingale and the main characters seemed a little ridiculous, which endangered the believability of the work on a whole. But on the whole- fun, complex, and exciting. Lovers of Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe, and other historically based mysteries will certainly like this one!

Check availability of The Minutes of the Lazarus Club at Camden Council Library Services.