The Harvest Man

by Alex Grecian
384 pgs  (Scotland Yard's Murder Squad series #4)

In The Harvest Man Alex Grecian picks up the story of Inspector Walter Day and Scotland Yard's Murder Squad. Day, who is now recovering from the injuries he sustained by Jack the Ripper in The Devil's Workshop, finds himself cooped up at home, surrounded by a house full of in-laws and the staff they insist he and his wife need. He's anxious to get back to work hunting down Saucy Jack.

But Jack isn't the only murderer the Murder Squad is trying to find on the streets of London. In fact, he's not even the most important one right now. The Harvest Man has quickly become Scotland Yard's top priority. The Harvest Man hides in the attics of homes until the family living there falls asleep. He then kills them by carving their faces off of their skulls. In addition to this killer, there's a Ripper copycat killer who has recently started killing young prostitutes. With so much to deal with, Scotland Yard needs Day back on the streets, probably before he's physically and mentally ready to be there.

But Jack has moved on from the type of murders that gave him his original notoriety. He's now got bigger plans. But while no one knows what those plans are, it quickly becomes apparent that Inspector Day and his wife and newly born twin girls are at the center of it.

This series has quickly become one of my favorites. I was already a big fan of thrillers set in 19th Century London and Grecian has proven a few times now that he's a great storyteller.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆