A satisfying mystery

The Limehouse Text (2006), despite its bland title, makes a worthy entry in the Barker and Llewelyn series of Victorian mysteries by Will Thomas. Just the third book in the series — there are now more than a dozen — the novel continues with the business of introducing continuing characters for the benefit of both readers and Thomas Llewelyn, our narrator and enquiry agent Cyrus Barker's new assistant.

The murder of Barker's previous assistant remains unsolved, and another murder, that of a Scotland Yard inspector, and the discovery of a small book written in Chinese appear to be related to that earlier murder. In fact, other mysterious deaths may also be related, and Barker determines to get to the bottom of it all.

That book, the Limehouse text of the title, contains secrets about killing people in such a way that it appears to be a natural death, usually from sudden kidney failure. Barker himself is nearly killed in this way.

Many men desire to gain possession of the tiny text, including those who don't even know what it contains, leaving Barker with an abundance of suspects. Thomas gives readers action aplenty, yet he properly lets Barker solve the mystery with more brain than brawn, while Llewelyn remains confused most the time in true Dr. Watson fashion.