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Down a Dark River
(2021)(The first book in the Inspector Michael Corravan series)
A novel by Karen Odden
A string of vicious murders rocks Victorian London’s upper-crust in this first historical murder mystery starring Scotland Yard’s Michael Corravan.
“A must read for mystery fans!”
—Charles Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the Ian Rutledge Mysteries
London, 1878. One April morning, a small boat bearing a young woman’s corpse floats down the murky waters of the Thames. When the victim is identified as Rose Albert, daughter of a prominent judge, the Scotland Yard director gives the case to Michael Corravan, one of the only Senior Inspectors remaining after a corruption scandal the previous autumn left the division in ruins. Reluctantly, Corravan abandons his ongoing case, a search for the missing wife of a shipping magnate, handing it over to his young colleague, Mr. Stiles.
An Irish former bare-knuckles boxer and dockworker from London’s seedy East End, Corravan has good street sense and an inspector’s knack for digging up clues. But he’s confounded when, a week later, a second woman is found dead in a rowboat, and then a third. The dead women seem to have no connection whatsoever. Meanwhile, Mr. Stiles makes an alarming discovery: the shipping magnate’s missing wife, Mrs. Beckford, may not have fled her house because she was insane, as her husband claims, and Mr. Beckford may not be the successful man of business that he appears to be.
Slowly, it becomes clear that the river murders and the case of Mrs. Beckford may be linked through some terrible act of injustice in the past—for which someone has vowed a brutal vengeance. Now, with the newspapers once again trumpeting the Yard’s failures, Corravan must dredge up the truth—before London devolves into a state of panic and before the killer claims another innocent victim.
Genre: Historical Mystery
“A must read for mystery fans!”
—Charles Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the Ian Rutledge Mysteries
London, 1878. One April morning, a small boat bearing a young woman’s corpse floats down the murky waters of the Thames. When the victim is identified as Rose Albert, daughter of a prominent judge, the Scotland Yard director gives the case to Michael Corravan, one of the only Senior Inspectors remaining after a corruption scandal the previous autumn left the division in ruins. Reluctantly, Corravan abandons his ongoing case, a search for the missing wife of a shipping magnate, handing it over to his young colleague, Mr. Stiles.
An Irish former bare-knuckles boxer and dockworker from London’s seedy East End, Corravan has good street sense and an inspector’s knack for digging up clues. But he’s confounded when, a week later, a second woman is found dead in a rowboat, and then a third. The dead women seem to have no connection whatsoever. Meanwhile, Mr. Stiles makes an alarming discovery: the shipping magnate’s missing wife, Mrs. Beckford, may not have fled her house because she was insane, as her husband claims, and Mr. Beckford may not be the successful man of business that he appears to be.
Slowly, it becomes clear that the river murders and the case of Mrs. Beckford may be linked through some terrible act of injustice in the past—for which someone has vowed a brutal vengeance. Now, with the newspapers once again trumpeting the Yard’s failures, Corravan must dredge up the truth—before London devolves into a state of panic and before the killer claims another innocent victim.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Praise for this book
"Gritty, compelling and vividly written . . . Like Anne Perry, Odden demonstrates a commanding grasp of authentic period detail." - Susanna Calkins
"No one does Victorian England like Karen Odden . . . Fans of Anne Perry and Charles Finch will welcome Inspector Michael Corravan." - Mariah Fredericks
"Sparkling prose, vivid description, a haunting and satisfyingly complex story . . . Down a Dark River a must read for fans of any genre of crime fiction." - Edwin Hill
"Odden's latest is intricately plotted and filled with a cast of wonderful characters, including a worthy and relatable hero." - Anna Lee Huber
"This twisty-turn-y mystery introducing a new and charismatic detective will delight readers also looking for well-researched history." - Susan Elia MacNeal
"An original, street-smart detective, an intriguing mystery, and delicious Victorian flavor. All my favorite things!" - Laura Joh Rowland
"A must read for mystery fans!" - Charles Todd
"No one does Victorian England like Karen Odden . . . Fans of Anne Perry and Charles Finch will welcome Inspector Michael Corravan." - Mariah Fredericks
"Sparkling prose, vivid description, a haunting and satisfyingly complex story . . . Down a Dark River a must read for fans of any genre of crime fiction." - Edwin Hill
"Odden's latest is intricately plotted and filled with a cast of wonderful characters, including a worthy and relatable hero." - Anna Lee Huber
"This twisty-turn-y mystery introducing a new and charismatic detective will delight readers also looking for well-researched history." - Susan Elia MacNeal
"An original, street-smart detective, an intriguing mystery, and delicious Victorian flavor. All my favorite things!" - Laura Joh Rowland
"A must read for mystery fans!" - Charles Todd
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