Continuing on with the Wrexford and Sloane Mystery Series by Andrea Penrose, Murder at Half Moon Gate drives straight to the point and immerses us into the dirty, dark world of London’s more unpleasant neighbourhoods from the get go. That’s one thing I really love about historical fiction murder mystery books – we get right into it and leave no space for dilly-dallying. I could already feel myself leaning forward into the book, eager to read more and get the characters’ reactions. I was certainly not disappointed.

In Murder at Half Moon Gate, we have the chance to see a lot more of Kit and the Weasels. I really like the additions of their perspectives and personalities in the detectiving process and it also establishes their strengths and weaknesses which, accompanied by some strategic plot points and developments, serve as bricks in their character arcs. The differences between Raven and Hawk are drawn up, their individualities and their ways of seeing the world, not just as urchins but Raven’s view differing from Hawk’s given his age and deeper understanding of his environment, the people around him and the subtleties in Charlotte’s actions and reactions. We also have the, in my opinion, praiseworthy detail of the boys being not only interested in but well-capable in fields such as mathematics and science. This proof that it’s not just those in polite society (read: men), brought up in a privileged position, can enjoy such things. It’s the awareness that there are brilliant minds out there from all walks of life and we see that in finer details of the Weasels friends and how they obtain information.

The crime/murder mystery aspect of this one is more engaging, for me, than Murder on Black Swan Lane but I believe that it’s largely because the character establishment and setting establishment needed to take a more central position to better set the foundations of the storyworld for following books. In this one, we can get a lot more of the characters and the investigation as we have that knowledge and background drawn up. The science basis remains which I thoroughly enjoy and the slight shift to machines, patents, the Industrial Revolution and its ramifications, and the prospect of a moral dilemma playing a part in the story had me engaged in the story for the whole read. One really great thing that I realised Andrea Penrose does is she pairs the potential motives and personal drive of the cases to the internal struggles Charlotte is facing. Themes of guilt, insecurity, selfishness, greed, and so forth come and go within the investigations as events and suspects are questioned, but the lingering effects it has on Charlotte as she grapples with her own thoughts and emotions really helps to create a cohesive balance of tone and tension within the novel.

On that note, I do also have to appreciate a good slow-burn romance when I see it. There are times a slow-burn doesn’t work in tandem with an overarching plot or development but there are times when it really does. Historical fiction series are one of those things were it’s a little bit of both – the “courting” period doesn’t really come to any official fruition as the two characters are acquaintances or friends through such events where the stakes are high, death is a huge part of their interactions, and often there’s a little threat to one’s life here and there which brings out those feelings of love and affection. While they are not actively courting, you could say they are subliminally courting as they realise their feelings for one another with a kiss or tender touch at a moment of intense emotional distress. Then, of course, once they see it and talk to each other, the whole engagement process goes pretty swiftly. Charlotte and Wrexford aren’t super slow, it’s just there’s a lot of other things going on and Charlotte has the Weasels to think about, among other important thing, so addressing her feelings which she isn’t even sure about has managed to shimmy its way down her list of priorities. One thing I will say on the matter is that they’re certainly taking their sweet time.

Murder at Half Moon Gate is immerse and so detailed, utilising all the senses to paint a picture of the settings and emotions on each character’s face. It’s highly enjoyable and easily a book I would recommend to everyone and anyone who reads or wants to read historical fiction.