The Hellfire Conspiracy is set in London in 1885, and features the detective (more precisely "private enquiry agents") team of Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn; the story is narrated by Llewelyn. Their latest case begins when a distraught father makes his way into Barker's office to engage the two to find his missing daughter. The man is worried that his daughter may have become the victim of "white slavers," and wants Barker to find her before it's too late. As Barker begins his search, he discovers that other young girls have turned up dead in the area, all the victim of a child molester with a bizarre need to take a trophy after the girls have died. It isn't long before the killer reveals himself: he calls himself Mr. Miacca, a name that Barker realizes is from an English fairy tale. Mr. Miacca taunts Barker & Llewelyn into finding him -- leading the two into a race against time.Fun, as always, but I wasn't quite sure what the "conspiracy" was exactly, and I can't discuss it here or I will give away the show. I really enjoy these books for a few hours of leisurely reading.I'd recommend these to people interested in the Victorian period (there is enough fact to keep you entertained and interested), people who are following the series, and those who just may want something different for a change. I will caution you that if you have not read the three books previous to this one, you may be lost; references are constantly made that you would only get had you read the earlier novels in the series.Overall -- a fun read, well written and a well-plotted mystery.
(2.5 of 5 stars)I might have liked this book more if it weren't for the seriously bizarre pacing... but as it is, it failed pretty miserably for me.This series is so up and down, it's driving me nuts! The elements are right: it's got a pair of interesting leads in Barker and Llewelyn, and a rotating set of interesting side characters too - but over and over, the author chooses to ditch any blossoming character development in favor of pushing rushed plot developments instead.I've noted the same issues while reading the prior novels in this series, but I think to some extent it just feels particularly egregious in Hellfire because the pacing is *so* wonky: there's way too much time spent wandering around, and too many events with nothing to tie them together into a coherent narrative. The true mystery elements don't start until 40% in, the namesake club isn't even introduced until the 80%(!!) mark (and even then it's a really awkward few paragraphs of info-dump in a scene that feels totally disconnected from everything else), and the final reveal of the killer pretty much comes out of nowhere, with no particular lead-up whatsoever.I may still try the next book at some point, but for now I think I need a break from this series... something just isn't clicking here anymore.
The famous Hellfire Club has always interested me, because wealthy men have no common sense, or morals it seems, when they get together and drink. The sad part was at this period in time 13 was the legal age to have sex with a child. Many parents sold their children to just these types of men. This book goes one step further and adds either white slavery, or a sadistic killer to the mix. I will not share that secret. It was fast paced, and gritty.It showed the underbelly of London, and the length young gentlemen, of quality will go to, for their amusements.I loved Lleweln part in this book, and it shed some new light on him.Barker will always remain steadfast, and like a dog on a hunt. This was a very good book. I hold Will Thomas in high praise.
—Pamela
I really, really, really enjoy these books! I will deliberately put off reading the fifth (and final, as of now) book, The Black Hand, because these are meant to be savored, like a good half & half (need to avail myself of such a drink) or a decent scotch or bourbon. I find Llewelyn and Barker to be very endearing characters, especially young Tommy--he's more than a sympathetic character, he changes the way I think about the world. Very comfortable. Not being a Victorian scholar, by any means, or especially knowledgeable about the era, I feel very in tune with the London Will Thomas has recreated. The plots, recurring characters, and environment last and create plenty of images. These books are extremely engaging and very easy to read, I cannot recommend them enough.
—Roderick
THE HELLFIRE CONSPIRACY (Private Invest-Barker and Llewelyn-England-Victorian) – ExThomas, Will – 4th in seriesTouchstone, 2007, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9781416548058First Sentence: I recognized the sound, though I had never heard it before.*** Private Equity Agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant Thomas Llewelyn are hired to find the young daughter of a Queen’s guardsman. The fear is of white slavers. The police find the body of another young girl who had been abused, strangled and maimed and the hunt is on for a serial killer who is taunting Barker with bad poetry.*** The biggest problem I had with this book is that I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it. But who needs sleep when you’ve a book this good. The story is told by Llewelyn; a young man with a painful past. Barker is fascinating and because you learn about him as Thomas does, and it’s interesting to watch bits of his past unfold. I love the historical detail both of life in that period and police procedures. The style is one of a traditional mystery but it takes to the dark side of Victorian London. The story has emotion, danger, politics, humor and I wanted more.
—LJ
