Murder at Traitors' Gate by Irina Shapiro - Book Review

Series: Tate and Bell Mystery #2

Publication Date: 24th June 2024 

Genre: Historical Mystery 

4 stars 

One Liner: Better than the previous book! 

Police Inspector Sebastian Bell is back on a new case. Someone had hung a dead body with a meat hook outside the Traitor’s Gate. The victim turns out to be a journalist Bell encountered in the previous case. Moreover, he was a war veteran. Bell realizes Gemma might help him find more information. 

After her brother’s death, Gemma Tate moved into a boarding house and got a new job. She is more than happy to leave the dark past of the war behind. But when Bell asks for help, Gemma knows she cannot refuse. 

Soon, they realize there’s a lot more than what’s known. Can Bell and Tate solve the case before it is too late? 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Sebastian and Gemma. 

My Thoughts: 

So, I went into this book with a better understanding and it worked well. Despite the series title, this will be Bell and Tate’s investigation, with Sebastian getting more chapters. Gemma’s contribution is limited. 

The case and the setting are dark like the previous book. It deftly uses the local weather and living conditions to create a sense of discomfort and danger. 

This is a dark mystery but not too gruesome. It has a few graphic details, only to the necessary extent. I appreciate this since it keeps the focus on the plot. Not much humor, though. Don’t expect light-hearted stuff from this one. 

The pacing feels better this time. Though the page count is the same, the narration and action are steady. This keeps the plot moving even when there is little to no progress in the investigation. 

The mystery is solid with enough suspects. There aren’t many red herrings but it does take a while to guess the killer. I got it right based on certain clues, so the reveal aligns with the details provided. 

However, there are quite a few characters to track. Not all of them are major, so it is easy to ignore the ones that simply move the plot forward. 

Yet again, I’m not convinced by the chemistry between the lead couple but it is better than before. Hopefully, I can feel it more in book #3 or #4. There’s already a lead for the third book, so I am curious to see where it’ll go. 

To summarize, Murder at Traitors' Gate is an engaging mystery that’ll keep you wanting to read more. The main characters, especially Bell, make this a worthy read. While the book works as a standalone, starting with the first might be a better idea. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #MurderatTraitorsGate