| Title | : | The Hanged Man (Her Majesty's Psychic Service, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0765329719 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780765329714 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 336 |
| Publication | : | First published May 19, 2015 |
On a freezing Christmas Eve in 1879, a forensic psychic reader is summoned from her Baker Street lodgings to the scene of a questionable death. Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury (named after her godmother, the current Queen of England) is adamant that the death in question is a magically compromised murder and not a suicide, as the police had assumed, after the shocking revelation contained by the body in question, Alex must put her personal loss aside to uncover the deeper issues at stake, before more bodies turn up.
Turning to some choice allies—the handsome, prescient Lieutenant Brooks, the brilliant, enigmatic Lord Desmond, and her rapscallion cousin James—Alex will have to marshal all of her magical and mental acumen to save Queen and Country from a shadowy threat. Our singular heroine is caught up in this rousing gaslamp adventure of cloaked assassins, meddlesome family, and dark magic.
"Murder, mayhem and tea—a well-bred Victorian urban fantasy thriller. Prepare, o reader, to be enthralled."—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times Best Selling Author of the Mercy Thompson series on P.N. Elrod's
The Hanged Man (Her Majesty's Psychic Service, #1) Reviews
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Enjoyable read. It features Alex, a physic (a little like being an empath), and various other entrants into the occult. I would call it more gaslight fantasy, as opposed to steampunk, in the vein of The Native Star by M. K. Hobson. I found the plot enjoyable to follow, the side characters very intriguing, and the love interest (or is it interests) appealing. For me, I would prefer a little more nookie and a little less gore, but that's know how I roll.
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4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum
http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/05/15/b...
I have a weakness for gaslight paranormal fantasy and lady detectives, so when presented with P.N. Elrod’s The Hanged Man I found I could hardly resist this delectable mystery set in alternate historical England with shades of the Victorian era.
The book begins on a cold and dreary Christmas Eve in 1897, and Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury of Her Majesty’s Psychic Service is called out to a house on Baker Street to do a forensic reading of a scene of questionable death. A man has hung himself, but by using her abilities to pick up on emotional traces left behind, Alex is able to rule out a suicide. And indeed, later they find the evidence that someone broke into the house, drugged the hapless victim and strung him up to make it look like he killed himself. What’s even more disturbing to Alex is the emotional signature left behind by the perpetrator…or rather, the lack of one. Whoever (or whatever) committed this murder, they did it without feeling anything at all.
Then the identity of the hanged man is revealed and Alex’s world comes crashing down around her. This opens up a whole new set of questions, deeply personal ones that fill her with doubt as she struggles to keep her mind on the investigation. Her superiors remove her from the case, but Alex is determined to follow up on leads even if it means setting out on her own. Luckily, she’s not completely alone; newly recruited Lieutenant Brooks may be green but he’s behind Alex all the way, and Alex also has family to rely on, even if it’s her slightly insane cousin James. There are assassins and dark magic afoot, and both Scotland Yard and the Psychic Service are going to need all the help they can get.
I’ve read a lot of books that take place in this historical time period, but more uncommon are the authors who can write convincingly enough to make me believe we’re really there. It says a lot that The Hanged Man grabbed me right away with its impressively rich prose, plunging me into its setting. I’ve actually never read anything by P.N. Elrod before this, but looks like I’ve been missing out, give me more! Her writing really shines here; not only is the language deeply immersive, it also exudes an atmosphere of magic and mystery – perfect for an evocative tale such as this. The dialogue is well-written too, and I was amazed at the variety of voices. The author uses period jargon and unique speech patterns to make all her characters stand out, whether it’s the main protagonist Alex or a side character like Police Inspector Lennon. There will be no skimming this book because you’ll want to slow down and soak up every word and expression.
Then there’s the story. I knew this book was going to be a mystery when I first picked it up, but I think I expected a slower take-off followed by a gradual unraveling of the case’s clues and intricacies. What I got instead was a bombshell dropped on my head at the end of the very first chapter, and before I could even recover from the shock, we’re whisked away on a horse carriage race through the streets in a shower of gunfire. It is almost impossible to review this book without revealing any spoilers, because there’s just no end to the twists and turns. For a book that’s written so evenly and this tightly plotted, I was surprised at how often it had me on the edge of my seat. We got to slow down a bit in the middle, enough to let me catch my breath, but then the ending had me reeling again. There’s no cliffhanger, but one last revelation before the book closes struck me like a punch in the gut and had me feeling no small amount of sympathy for Alex. This entire story was deftly told, leaving me a very happy reader by the time it was all done.
I know I’m often bemoaning that all books these days seem to be part of a series, but in this case I’m actually hoping there will be more installments. The Hanged Man reads perfectly well as a standalone, but there’s still a lot left to ponder. Just what kind of secrets are the top men at Her Majesty’s Psychic Service hiding? I’d also love to get more background on the organization and its people. It appears that Alex and her Reader skills are just the beginning, seeing as the Service also employs Seers and Precogs and what sounds to me like a considerable R&D department. With all this supernatural talent flying around, I imagine there’s quite a bit of potential for future novels. And last but not least, I think Alex and Lieutenant Brooks have a good thing here going, and it would be interesting to watch their romance (which is just in the first stages of blooming here) develop into something more.
I anticipated that I would really like The Hanged Man, I just didn’t know it would be this much. A blend of Urban Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery and Romance all rolled into one, it’s sure to appeal to readers with a palate for bold twists and magical intrigue. The writing is simply wonderful, with P.N. Elrod’s prose bringing the period to life in a very expressive and authentic way. The story and characters are very well developed, and if I ever get the chance to catch up with Alex, Brooks, James and the other people in this world again, I know I won’t hesitate. -
2020 Re-Read
This book was my gateway to alternate Victorian timelines and steampunk. I re-read it on impulse because 2020. What better way to feel good than to revisit a book you love? I had all kinds of reading goals for this year (not to mention other life goals) and I've had to set all of those aside in favour of staying happy.
I was just as delighted by this Victorian adventure the second time around. It has its tense moments, as Alex Pendlebury discovers that she has been called as a psychic Reader to the scene of her own father's murder. She must strive to find out why he hadn't let her know that he was back in England, what he was involved in, and what her employer, Her Majesty's Psychic Service, has to do with it all. Her family is both a help and a hindrance, but she comes to count on her protective detail, Mr. Brooks.
It's a good mystery combined with imaginative paranormal aspects. It is also called book one of a series, but nothing more has been published since this novel in 2015. I don't know if this was the publisher's choice, or whether Pat Elrod lost interest, but either way I am sorry that there have been no further Psychic Service adventures.
***2018 Summer of Spies***
Recommended for fans of the Victorian lady detective form of fantasy.
I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of the steampunk subgenre, although I seem to be warming up to that category as I read more of it. This novel is one of those best suited to my particular tastes in fantasy.
I chose it partly because of the series title, Her Majesty’s Psychic Service. It is definitely a mystery with a dollop of romance—I’d been hoping for something spy related, from that series title. But there was enough intrigue that I’m still counting it towards my Summer of Spies.
I loved the family complications that the heroine, Alex Pendlebury, coped with throughout the story and the workplace machinations that also had to be factored into her calculations. Operating on the theory that forgiveness is easier to get than permission, Alex shows a lot of initiative on the investigation, aided by the sometimes-prescient always-handsome Lieutenant Brooks.
As Patricia Briggs wrote in her blurb for the book, there is “Murder, mayhem and tea.” If you like alternate-history Victorian adventure with witty banter and paranormal talents, this is the book for you. Now I am just crossing my fingers that Ms. Elrod will be publishing another volume in the series eventually. -
This was my first encounter with Elrod since reading a couple of Vampire Files in my teens, and although the setting is different -- an alt-history Victorian London -- stylistically it is about what I remember: entertaining but not very complex* plot, sympathetic but not very rounded characters, competent but not noteworthy prose style. Fun beach read sort of thing.
*In fact, so not-complex that some twists I was expecting turned out to be wishful thinking. -
I rather enjoyed this book. It was steampunkish murder mystery/+ bigger plot in an alternate England.
Alex is an engaging main character that works with Her Majesty's Psychic Service. She is level headed but impulsive, sensible yet often throws caution to the wind in order to solve the mysteries surrounding the case. Hers is a world where some have paranormal abilities, many of which work to keep England safe. Late at night she is called to the scene of murder that hits close to home. Soon she is involved a swirl of conspiracy, running from hidden assassins with silent guns, and dealing with relatives she'd just as soon never see again (and don't we all have those relatives?)
There were so many memorable supporting characters that I would love to see later in the series.
After receiving only the first four chapters from Netgalley, I read the rest when the book was available at the library.
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy of the first four chapters in exchange for an honest review. -
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a eARC 4 chapter EXCERPT in exchange for an honest review.
I'm dying to read the rest of this book.
Alex is a Reader. She is called to "read" deaths and suspects to bring about justice. She is part of a department of psychic readers under Her Majesty's service in this alternate, mildly steampunk England. She is strong, stoic, smart, lonely. She is Sherlockian in observation and lives on Baker street. I'm also in love with the brusque and intimidating Inspector Lennon - because you can tell he is compassionate despite the exterior he projects to the world. There are so many memorable characters that I want to learn more about, including her own insufferable relations.
It turns out she knows the murdered man, and that only invites more questions. The adventure quickly takes off and the person/people behind the murder seem intent on taking more people down. I'm enjoying the lexicon in this book: words like "surfeit", "grostequery", & "horripilations"(!)
I have the book on hold at the library for when it comes out on the May 19, 2015. If it's not waiting for me on the 19th, I will buy the thing because I have no self control or patience - and at $11 bucks, that doesn't make me happy!
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Mon avis en Français
My English review
I saw some very good reviews about this book and I admit that I was impatient to begin it to discover the whole story. It must be said that it had it all: a fantasy aspect, a good investigation, murders and all that taking place during the Victorian period. What more can we ask for?
So we discover Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury, a young woman part of the secret services and helping the police to solve some murders. Indeed, her gift allows her to feel the emotions of others, of a place, helping her to find more effective clues. At the beginning of the novel, our heroine is called to investigate another murder that will completely change her life. Without realizing it, Alexandrina is present on the murder scene of her father whom she has not seen for 10 years … a great upheaval you will tell me. Yet from that moment, life will completely change for our agent and it will only get worse over the situation. Forced to return to live with her family who does not appreciate her, she is accompanied by a newcomer to the secret services: Brooks. Together, they will embark on an investigation that will change their life.
I loved Alexandrina. This is a young woman full of qualities and she does not hesitate to try to do the best whatever the situation. She tries to be strong at the loss of her father and yet this is far from simple. It must be said that all her life, her father’s, her family’s will be questioned and our heroine will have to determine whom she can turn to and whom she can trust. Fortunately for her, she will not be alone in this adventure and Brooks will always be here to help her, whatever he might think. He will also have to face some events which he had never imagined the possibility. It was pretty cute to see that the two were slowly attracted to the other, and that this agent was always available for the young woman. This is also very easy to understand Alexandrina, to see her doubts, hopes and desires.
Through this survey, which also holds many surprises, we discover our heroine, her past, the trials she must go through but also her hidden secrets throughout the years. I confess also that the end of the novel really touched me and it is true that we fully understand the resentment of the young woman.
You can understand that it was a very good book with a very good plot and a story that keeps us going throughout the chapters. I had a lot of fun with this first novel and I confess that I am very curious to read more now. -
I didn't connect very well to this book, which is kind of a shame. The world is interesting and the story is well constructed. There are interesting elements and I can't help thinking I should have enjoyed this much better than I did.
The obvious weaknesses are the uneven pacing and an emotionally distant main character. Alex Pendlebury is a "Reader"—someone who reads the emotions of others (including lingering impressions left on objects and locations). To keep from being overwhelmed, she has learned to fortify herself and erect shields. Elrod does a good job conveying that emotional distance, but that had the side-effect of putting an emotional distance between me and the main character, as well.
This is nowhere more evident than in her interactions with Lieutenant Brooks. This is a crying shame and crime against the novel because Brooks is by far the most interesting character in it. He's stalwart and kind and unflinchingly honest and that's an incredibly engaging combination. Elrod pulls off his character supremely well, as well, and that's something of a miracle (as it's really easy to sacrifice one of those virtues for the sake of the others). Sadly, this, too, has an unfortunate side-effect as I spent more than half this novel wanting Alex to lighten the heck up and actually see the gem that was standing right next to her the entire trying night and day and night that comprise the story.
Between the uneven pacing, puppy-crush on Lt. Brooks, and the emotionally guarded heroine, I had a hard time letting myself simply immerse in the story. It's good enough that I was never tempted to put it down, but it wasn't the pure win it might have been.
So yeah, 3.5 stars, but without enough Oomph to push the rounding up. -
P.N. Elrod’s The Hanged Man presents a ‘new’ service to aid in murder investigations. Queen Victoria decides to add ‘Her Majesty’s Psychic Service’ to assist in murder mysteries. Setting: London, England, 1879, Christmas morning. Miss ‘Alex’ Pendlebury is called to Harley Street ‘to read’ a questionable death. Scotland Yard is also summoned. Alex’s job is ‘to read’ any and all emotions found at the place of death which may prove helpful in solving the mystery. Queen Victoria, being a forward-thinking monarch, wishes to improve the lives of her subjects especially women, and she pushes to pass “Time of Women” Equal Franchise Act of 1859 which allows voting rights to women.
(I think you are beginning to understand just how different this Victorian England is!) I found this novel too busy - too much happening simultaneously. The author does inject some very clever aspects, though, to ‘her’ Victorian London, and the character of Alex Pendlebury is a pip. 3.5 stars. -
*GENRE* STEAMPUNK, MYSTERY, ALTERNATIVE HISTORY
*RATING* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
On Christmas Eve 1879, Alex, a top of the line Psychic reader who works for Her Majesty's Psychic Service, is called out by the gruff Scotland Yard Inspector Lennon who tells it like it is, and isn't afraid of offending anyone's sensibilities or political correctness. He has himself a pickle, and can't get anything done until Alex clears the scene for him. He believes the victim is a suicide, but needs Alex to verify that fact before removing said body.
*FULL REVIEW POSTED @ GIZMOS REVIEWS**
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
*Borrowed from Library* Published May 19th 2015 by Tor Books -
I picked this up because I like Elrod’s Vampire Files series, which are entertaining books about a vampire private detective living in 1920’s Chicago.
This is something different: a “gaslamp fantasy”, or perhaps steampunk lite: we have Victorians with modern attitudes, airships and a little fancy weaponry, but no excessive gadgetry. It features an agent in Her Majesty’s Psychic Service who, in the course of solving a murder mystery/conspiracy, discovers that there are more supernatural forces at work in London than she realized.
This is mildly humorous with just a hint of a romance. The alternate history setting is nice, although I’m more willing to believe in psychics than I am to believe that a youthful adventure undertaken by Queen Victoria could lead to equal rights (not to mention the wearing of trousers) for women in the 1870’s. The plot is okay - neither the mystery nor the conspiracy is exceptional, and I thought there were rather too many superhuman things tossed into the mix by the end. Still, a fun read. -
My review of this just went up over on B&N!:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sc... -
4.5
I got a tantalizing preview from Netgalley... but I don't feel I can publish a review for an excerpt. What I read is well worth the 4.5 stars though! Can't wait for the complete book. (Tor, please don't make me wait till May!)
Updated after I read the complete book: it did not disappoint. This book has a unique, engaging protagonist for a murder mystery set in the Victorian era - but with a twist: Victoria didn't marry Albert, and has set up her own Psychic Service for those special investigations. Alex and her assigned aide Lt. Brooks are forced to use Alex's own past and connections while they discover yet more unusual aspects. Although the identity of the bad guy wasn't a complete surprise (it should never be), the reasons behind it most definitely were. -
Obviously I cannot review or rate this as I was provided with the preview except of the first four chapters, but if they are any indication of what the book is going to be, this will be a phenomenal, lush and dynamic read! I am looking forward to reading the whole story.
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Принципно избягввам автори, които пишат за симпатични вампири (чел съм Ан Райс и Лоръл Хамилтън, а дори те избозяват с напредването на книжните си поредици). Обаче Патриша Елрод отдавна грабна интереса ми с няколко разказа в доста читави антологии, съставени от нея на всичкото от горе. Пък и "Обесеният" нямаше кьорав кръвопиец в анотацията си. И уцелих. Уцелих доста приличен викториански ърбън с по-скоро хард кейс, от колкото ноарна насоченост. Гледам, че някой са отбелязали книгата като парапънк и алтернативна история, не съм съгласен. Единствените парни машини са няколко дирижабъла, а те са си летели по това време, а пънк изобщо няма. Даже се движим във високото общество и ако има някакви упадъчни порядки, то те са си съвсем на място. Колкото до алтернативната история - не видях нищо алтернативно, освен въпросната служ��а за паранормални разследвания на кралицата. Но достатъчно.
Алекс е кръщелница на самата Кралица Виктория и е имала доста интересно детство. Баща ѝ - културно аташе, обикаля с дъщеря си света и малката Алекс има възможност от ранна датска възраст да пътува и да се учи да овладява таланта си - да улавя чувствата на живите и мъртвите. СЛед като е изпратена при чичо си и не е чувала баща си от години, Алекс впряга таланта си в служба на короната. Момата е не само чувствителна към паранормалното, но и доста наблюдателен детектив. Една нощ я вдигат да разслед��а самоубийство, което не е самоубийкство и тя с ужас разбира, че жертвата е отдавна изгубилия контакт с нея баща. Това ще я забърка в конспирация с таен култ и ще ѝ се наложи да разбере как работи самата служба в която е вербувана.
Още с първите няколко изречения установих, че Елрод има стил на писане, който ще ме накара да не оставям книгата. Щях да я прочета, дори да се изврати в паранормален романс. За щастие нещата бързо и с няколко обрата се превърна в доста читав викториански "Пени дредфул" (Макар да съм запознат с тази част от литературата само задочно). Определено ще се огледам за още книги от автора (само не от вампирските). -
Imagine Sherlock Holmes but now he's a girl who carries a gun, lives in Baker Street, has the ability to read people's emotions, helps the police with cases and lives in a semi feminist Victorian London. And she is twenty five years old, mature, independent and clever.
ISN'T SHE BLOODY MARVELOUS?
I also adored the writing, it's really atmospheric, specially in the 'quiet' moments of the story. The mystery aspect didn't fully convinced me but I would totally read more from this world. -
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
This was a *SNEAK PEEK* copy - only the first four chapters.
On a freezing Christmas Eve in 1879, a forensic psychic reader is summoned from her Baker Street lodgings to the scene of a questionable death. Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury (named after her godmother, the current Queen of England) is adamant that the death in question is a magically compromised murder and not a suicide, as the police had assumed, after the shocking revelation contained by the body in question, Alex must put her personal loss aside to uncover the deeper issues at stake, before more bodies turn up.
Turning to some choice allies--the handsome, prescient Lieutenant Brooks, the brilliant, enigmatic Lord Desmond, and her rapscallion cousin James--Alex will have to marshal all of her magical and mental acumen to save Queen and Country from a shadowy threat. Our singular heroine is caught up in this rousing gaslamp adventure of cloaked assassins, meddlesome family, and dark magic.
This preview does exactly what it should do - got me interested in the story, and now makes me want to read the rest of the book!
A wonderful cast of characters, led by Alex, makes this enjoyable story come to life amid the late 19th Century of politics, assassinations, weird family connections and, of course, a touch of magic.
Having read Elrod's Vampire Files through the 90's, I was quite aware of the style of writing - and was pleased that she didn't venture too far from that. Her characters are "quirky", her dialogue was tight and razor-sharp at times but the thing that I loved most was her sense of place. At times through the story, I could really feel like 1879 wasn't that long ago!!
A great introduction to this book and one I want to finish!
Paul
ARH -
This book has a unique, engaging protagonist for a murder mystery set in the Victorian era - but with a twist: Victoria didn't marry Albert, and has set up her own Psychic Service for those special investigations. I was fully engaged, with the plot steaming on at full speed... and then I came to the end of the preview. In my eagerness to try P.N. Elrod's new book, I hadn't noticed this was just an excerpt.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
I got the excerpt from Netgally, and it was really interesting.
-
A lovely read! Part-fantasy, part-mystery, part-Pride and Prejudice, P.N. Elrod managed to weave the three together in a believable world of magic realism that had me hooked from the start. The characters are nicely developed, the ‘gifts’ and other magic elements not so outlandish as to render them unbelievable, and the hint of romance in a book otherwise all business a delicious tough. Even for me, a die-hard anti-romance-in-fantasy crusader! The feminist undertones were deftly included, and I am sure many readers will see themselves in Alex, the main character.
If you liked the Obernewton Chronicles, Harry Potter or anything by Douglas Adams, you might enjoy this.
My only question? Are we getting another instalment?!!? -
In The Hanged Man we meet Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury, or Alex for short, a forensic psychic reader, as her past catches up to her. She can read heightened emotions lingering in a room, on people and objects. This case catapults her into a shadowy plot that she is determined to uncover even as she becomes a target herself.
The writing was very dense to me right from the get go. I don't like dense because even if you like a premise and are enjoying events for the most part it can still cause a story to draaaaggg. This was the case for The Hanged Man for me. It really became a problem for me when I noticed that pages of description were being taken to walk from the front door of a home to a room in the interior with nothing new being imparted. That's when I really realized why it was taking me soooo long to read this book. The writer is obviously experienced, her action scenes are fun, forward moving and take into account all of the characters. Whenever we hit a moment in between an "action"scene is when the story drags. Too much description of what I already know and not enough of the stuff I'm intrigued about makes for a dull story. If you can overcome the writing or if you enjoy such dense writing there are unfortunately still problems.
The plotting of the story is superior to the more run of the mill stories. Like I said, an obviously experienced writer, but this doesn't help some of the logic issues and lack of character continuity, especially in Alex. Alex is her own worst nightmare! She caused many of her problems (or her author did in creating her backstory) that I failed to feel any sympathy for the determined feminist. This is one of those characters that insist on being so equal and so capable that she fails to take into account that she has a nose on her face! Her gift is such that she need not agonize over Lt. Brooks - she need only feel and she can quickly put aside her feelings or allow them to bloom depending on what she learned about his feelings. She is not sufficiently mature enough to do so. And that is her problem throughout the book. She simply needed to NOT act like a child around her cousin Drina to "read" the situation yet in 10 or so years she NEVER did so! What?! And you want to be taken seriously? She has walls and barriers and such, you say! Well what does it matter she can read people if she doesn't use it? And why agonize over Brooks like a freaking schoolgirl if she can't read people to such extent?! The two contradict each other. Please, get your ability straight before you share it in a first person narrative!!
Her back history bothered me from the beginning and it became a glaringly big hole the more I learned. I thought there was a twist that her father was hiding because why else hadn't he insisted on contact with her? And 10 years is a great amount of time to not see a daughter you adore, letter or no! And if Alex is such a feminist go-getter then why the hell hadn't she tracked down dear old dad and confronted his neglectful butt?! She didn't even bother to confront her uncle about it! The sum total of her "break" with her family was she hated her cousin and disagreed with her aunts priorities. Contrived! I was all set to okay this book - the plot was good, the world was decent and I didn't hate Alex and I loved Brooks and James, but then the last "twist" of the book happened. And I PLAIN DON'T BELIEVE IT! So many other actions would have been taken BEFORE Drina went that far. 10 years of letters is no mean history with a person.
The reveals about the plot, and the villains were obvious to me. I didn't expect one of the villains (he really was the only successful twist of an entire story filled with twists) and really enjoyed that aspect of the end. The murderer of her father felt very anti-climatic. I hate when I think: "that's it!?! no, no, I must have missed something..." Only to find out no I hadn't missed anything. Having an affinity for murder mysteries the whodoneit part of the story was simplified, the clues of the most basic kind. Not bad, but not inspired either.
I really liked the balance the author made between Alex, Brooks and James. Brooks wasn't just a stand in during the actual mystery and I really enjoyed that. If only he worked so well as a love interest, though it might progress better in the following books. James too had his part to play, as a family member from her mother's crazy side and the only one who supports her choices.
The world isn't bad. The alternate Victorian Era world is spot on. You feel the era, the changes to the history are fun. The urban fantasy elements were humorous to me at first but they mostly work if a little bit overwrought. The psychic service helping solve murders element was a great idea. I liked the glimpses of the seers and precogs we got as well as Alex's reading ability (all over the map that it is). It had a steampunk feel to it with the machinery and weapons. Mostly it worked.
BOTTOM LINE: Great ideas not developed with dense writing. -
What if Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent (the future Queen Victoria) had a wake-up call prior to her crowning—one that caused her to battle for the rights of her citizens? What if British women had the vote in the 1850s, and their own property rights? What if Victoria had insisted on marrying a peer and not a prince?
What if this all happened in a world where a Psychic Service was critical, because enemies dark and networked were attacking the roots of the empire?
This is the world where The Hanged Man takes place, as we follow Alex Pendlebury (forensic psychic reader, daughter of a peer, and namesake of the queen) deep into a gaslamp adventure featuring dark magic, devious family, and layers of conspiracy.
Elrod uses every trick in her arsenal to weave a totally believable tale of magic grounded in Victorian England. We have wonderful characters, intriguing magic talents, and more deception than we can toss a cloak over. Everything has a second—and a third—meaning, and the plot twists are not over until the last paragraph.
If steampunk is your cuppa, and you love depth to your characters and story, this one is for you. Both fantasy and mystery, this tale will both give you everything you need to solve the game and also fool you until the end. Pick it up rather sooner than later. You won’t be disappointed.
I checked it out of the library, but I'll be buying my own copy--and I'm looking forward to Alex's next adventure! -
Pros: great protagonist, interesting mystery, subtle romance
Cons:
Alexandrina Pendelbury is goddaughter of Queen Victoria and a member of Her Majesty’s psychic service. On Christmas eve she’s called in to do a Reading for a suicide, but the emotions surrounding the crime scene are strange, and the identity of the victim propels her into investigating a series of mysteries.
In many ways this book reminded me of Jaime Lee Moyer’s book, Delia’s Shadow. Though this one takes place further in the past and in England, rather than San Francisco, there’s a similar feel to the books, with their minimalistic paranormal elements and light romances (The Hanged Man’s being very subtle and unobtrusive).
I loved Alex. She’s intelligent, no nonsense, and prefers fight to flight. Her difficult family relationships add a touch of sympathy and edginess to her character. She’s not afraid of breaking the rules if it gets her closer to her end goal and she knows how to compartmentalize tragedy, dealing with it at appropriate times.
The mystery was entertaining and had several good twists, including the surprising inclusion of a rare paranormal creature that was a joy to see in a book again.
It’s a quick read and the start of a new series that I will definitely be following. -
This book is....a lot of things.
My favorite thing? Alex. She's intelligent, knows how to fight, has a hunger to travel the world and explore, is strong-willed and a little bit petty. Any heroine with a sharp tongue and a pistol is going to be a favorite of mine.
TBH, all these characters are pretty great. They're well rounded, most of them. Brook feels a little generic, but everyone else has a decent level of depth.
The plot kept moving along pretty quickly, with enough plot twists and dramatic reveals to keep me glued. Every time you think you've finally got a grasp on the magical rules and limits of Elrod's England, something new gets thrown in.
There was a lot more action than I expected! Which was wonderful. Lots and lots of shooting and fistfights. And Alex doesn't hang back because she's not quite a proper lady and frankly, she can handle herself better than the rest.
I'll be over here, waiting patiently for the sequel. -
Fantastic new novel by P. N. Elrod.
Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury, named for her godmother, Queen Victoria, works for Her Majesty's Psychic Service. Mostly Alex works with Scotland Yard as a Forensic Reader, but when a close family member is murdered, Alex finds herself confronting terror and treason at every turn.
Set in a Victorian England where Victoria married an English peer, not a German prince, and where women got both the vote and equal rights in 1859, "The Hanged Man" is best described as historical urban fantasy with steampunk overtones.
The book is a joy to read from start to finish. The characters are well rounded and delightful. I am hoping future books will have more of Alex's cousin James and his doctor friend Hamish, whose first name actually appears to be John... We didn't learn his surname, but I'm pretty much betting it happens to be Watson.
A well plotted and fun read.
Highly recommended. -
I enjoyed this book for several weeks as my bedside reader. It was just enough fun and intrigue to keep me hanging in for a few pages before sleep. I like Alex as a heroine. The progressive “anti Victorian” lady that wears trousers, knows guns, and can unkidnap herself thankyouverymuch appeals to me. From the outset there are supernatural elements (also appealing to me), but there was a point when several supernatural things converged and I felt it was too much. This is a first book in a series so those things clearly set a precedence for future novels. On the whole, I thought it was charming and I would totally read the sequel.
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3.5 stars, rounded down because the entire book happens in one day, which would not normally be a problem except that this book was 336 pages of just adventure and nothing else. It would have been better had the author given the characters (and by extension the readers) some time to breathe and reflect. Instead, it was chapter after chapter of adventure, and there was too much 'showing' and not enough 'telling' in my opinion. I know a lot of readers often complain that authors 'tell' too much, but in this case I felt like it was the opposite. The author gave just a tiny bit of info, but not the full story, leaving me unsatisfied, not in the hunger-for-more kind of way, but in the what-the-hell-this-is-incomplete kind of way. A lot of things were left a mystery, not important things, just tiny little details here and there. Of course these might be explained in the second book, but this book was published in 2015 and up til now there is still no sign of a sequel. In addition, this book already cleared all the big mysteries. The murderer was found, the person behind the murder was found, the big evil organisation behind the murder was found, everybody was arrested, all's good in the world... I think it would probably have been better if the author just spent some time fleshing out the minor (but no less important) links, spread the book over a week so that the characters have some room to breathe, and finished the book as a stand-alone. (Merely my personal opinion of course.)
To be fair, this book was pretty solid. The world-building was solid, the writing is beyond critic, the characters were likable, but there was just something missing, which was why I didn't round it up to 4 stars. Maybe it was the main character, who was emotionally distant, and had to be so because of her psychical abilities, but because of that I wasn't emotionally invested in her character and her story, and I'd always personally preferred engaging characters over an engaging plot.
