SCROOGE and CRATCHIT DETECTIVES: The Dark Malevolence by Curt Locklear – Victorian Mystery, Victorian Cozy, Holiday Fiction

Curt Locklear’s The Dark Malevolence, book 2 in the Scrooge and Cratchit: Detectives series is an immersive Victorian murder mystery that sets readers firmly in the era alongside two of our favorite characters from the most famous novelist of its time, Charles Dickens.

Once again Locklear hits the high notes of Dickens and Doyle as he paints good old London town in the days before electricity and public sanitation. We follow our heroes, Scrooge, Cratchit, and Lockie, as they put their talents to work to solve not one, but four mysteries.

With a cast straight out of the classics, Locklear references Shakespeare as well as developing his “something is afoot” mystery. Upon taking the case of Mrs. Evangeline Peabody’s missing husband, the mystery soon becomes a murder case. The husband is found dead and a local police officer, or “Metropolitan,” is found mauled to death. Mystery-one leads to murders one and two, and each event leads readers to another crime, another suspect, and another victim.

He does not shy away from the economic classes fraught with double standards, scandals, and social injustice. The story unfolds in upholding the Victorian penchant for complicated plots and stories and along with timeless investigative techniques as used by Sherlock Holmes. A compelling combination for lovers of classic mysteries.

The historical period comes to life under the author’s deft crafting, and his characters fill the pages with high-stakes chases, shootouts, brawls, and mad dashes to safety.

Lockie uses skills from his former life along with his knowledge of the criminal mind to help uncover leads his upstanding colleagues wouldn’t even recognize. Scrooge, a man trying to mend his uncharitable ways, uses his quick wit and abilities to judge character as they pursue one lead after another, and Cratchit uses his benevolent nature to bring all the talents together to help solve the crimes.

Locklear introduces complication after complication and with it come characters from Grimm’s fairytales, namely Snow, alluding to Snow White, and her seduction and disappearance from her home with a family of little people who will do everything in their power to save her.

Buckle up – there’s more!

Add in a crime ring and new medical technology for Victorian times, and you have the elements for the darkly compelling work. Locklear creates a sinister world where evil reigns in the back streets and alleys, and the success of our heroes is uncertain.

Locklear has done his research and the glossary of terms at the end of the book comes in handy for the language and terms used by the characters. The mystery builds and builds even as one murder is solved, and another begins.

Shining a light on issues of the time, such as human trafficking, illegal human experimentation, and hypnotism – a very popular medium for the Victorian era – Locklear kept this reader immersed and turning the pages of this well-crafted murder novel.

The characters become embroiled in and expose these issues. At times we cringe, but Locklear always holds out hope and optimism, even when Cratchit is afraid to sleep, and Scrooge dreads the wee hours of the night when Marley pays his visits.

The complex subplots create tension and intrigue as we follow our heroes through the dark seamy alleys and warehouses of London to solve murder and mystery.

The historical aspects lend a wonderful period flare, and the suspense and plot twists keep the tension high from beginning to end. Locklear’s Victorian mystery, a four caper in one book, has Lockie, Scrooge, and Cratchit rushing to solve each murder and put bad guys behind bars, but can they catch them all? The Dark Malevolence is a page-turner extraordinaire, a captivating read from beginning to end, and one we highly recommend.