Dr. Spilsbury and the Camden Town Killer by D.L. Douglas - Book Review

Series: Dr. Slipsbury #1

Publication Date: 20th July 2023 

Genre: Historical Mystery 

4 Stars 

One Liner: An interesting read 

January 1920, London 

A woman’s body is found dragged from the Regent’s Canal one night. Famous forensic pathologist and criminal sleuth Dr Bernard Spilsbury sees that it’s a case of foul play. Soon, a second body washes up and the police have their hands with a possible killer bumping off women for some reason. Dr. Slipbury steps into action to solve the case before more bodies turn up. 

The story comes in the third-person POVs of Dr. Spilsbury and a few other characters. 

My Thoughts: 

I did basic googling about Dr. Spilsbury before reading the book. Things are a bit different here since the fictional version seems to have a few traces of Holmes (lack of social cues and no family parts). The real one was married and had four children (or three) but the character is single and a loner by choice. Anyhoo, it didn’t affect my reading experience (though I am not fond of such changes to real people’s lives).

The beginning is a bit slow (though this book has 400+ pages) as it introduces the main characters and establishes the situation.

WWI might have ended, but it still had a strong impact on many lives. The war backdrop has a major role in the plot even if it doesn’t seem that way. 

While Dr. Spilsbury didn’t make the mark as I expected, I love Violet Malone. Her character is wonderful, so it makes me super happy to see she will continue to be in the next book (and the others). 

Charlie is another interesting character and will have a role in the subsequent books. His backstory and arc are also well done, making him an easy one to like and support. 

The pacing is pretty much steady with some new developments happening frequently. As the plot became more complex, I realized I didn’t want to stop reading (though I had to). The various tracks kept me hooked and wondering how it would all come together. 

I admit it took me a little while to guess the killer. I did figure out a few other things. The reveal is not highlighted which may make the whole thing seem a bit dull to some readers. However, I felt it was in tune with the rest of the contents and there were some loose ends to tie up afterward, so it fits on the whole. 

To summarize, Dr. Spilsbury and the Camden Town Killer is an interesting mystery that also deals with various other themes like prejudice, class differences, bias against women, the effect of war on soldiers, family relationships, lack of money, privilege, etc. 

Off to read the next in the series. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #DrSpilsburyAndTheCamdenTownKiller