‘In late 17th Century London rich young women are being kidnapped, then murdered. Harry Hunt, formerly of the Royal Society but now a rich gentleman, is falsely accused. To clear his name, he must rely on his abandoned scientific expertise and battle the full force of the British aristocracy’
– The Bedlam Cadaver
[ About Bedlam Cadaver ]
1681. London cooks in summer heat. Bonfires are lit in protest against the King’s brother, James, heir to the throne but openly Catholic. Rumours abound of a ‘Black Box’, said to conceal proof the King’s illegitimate son is really the rightful heir.
When a wealthy merchant’s daughter is kidnapped and murdered—even though a ransom was paid—the King orders Harry Hunt of the Royal Society to help investigate.
A second woman goes missing: Elizabeth Thynne, England’s richest heiress. Her husband has a ransom letter from the same kidnappers.
Pressured by powerful men to find the killers and rescue Elizabeth, Harry uncovers a disturbing link to Bethlehem Hospital, better known as Bedlam.
But he is falsely accused of the crimes.
To prove his innocence, he must find the real culprits. Harry’s search takes him from Rotherhithe to Whitehall Palace, and to the house of Sir Peter Lely, the famous portrait-painter, in Covent Garden.
And back to Bedlam.
He has the Monarchy’s future in his hands.
[ My Review ]
The Bedlam Cadaver by Robert J. Lloyd will publish June 18th with Melville House. It is the third novel in the Hunt & Hooke series, following on from The Bloodless Boy and The Poison Machine. Both these books were incredibly researched, with fascinating insights into the New Philosophy, the scientific and medical thinking that laid the groundwork for many of the fundamentals of modern science. All three books are set during the Restoration era of late 17th century London and are a mix of fact and fiction, adding a great layer of authenticity to the series.
The term bedlam is a word that many of us associate with chaos with its roots stemming from the Bethlem Asylum in London. Originally it was called Saint Mary of Bethlehem, founded as a priory in the 13th Century, and rebuilt as, what was considered, a state of the art institution in the late 1600s. At the time visitors would drop by to view this architecturally striking building, but it was its residents that became the real attraction. The behaviour, the noise, the agitation and the pure unhinged characteristics of the inmates lead to the word bedlam becoming a moniker for the place and the word we all use so freely now to describe a disorganised and, almost lawless, scene.
Robert Hooke was the architect behind the design of the Bethlem hospital and he is again an instrumental character in this latest novel from Robert J. Lloyd. The Bedlam Cadaver opens with a cadaver dissection at Gresham College, home to the Royal Society of London for the Improving of Natural Knowledge. In attendance are approximately thirty Fellows, his Majesty the King, Sir Christopher Wren, Robert Hooke and ex-member of the society, Harry Hunt. With Wren in the lead, the dissection was about to reveal a brain and a spinal cord, with additional experimental work to be embarked upon, when a shocking discovery puts an abrupt stop to the examination.
Hooke and Hunt’s relationship is fractured following on from previous events, with Hunt now living a more luxurious life in Bloomsbury. But the pair are soon thrown together again when a plot to damage the King becomes apparent. With time not on their side, Hunt soon finds himself the centre of attention when circumstances transpire that seem to mark him as central to a murderous scheme. Running for his life, he attempts to uncover the truth and prove his own innocence while also hoping to capture a killer in the process.
With plenty of subterfuge, historical insights and atmospheric interludes, and featuring a cast of real and imagined characters, Robert J. Lloyd brings 1680s London alive to the reader. English society was on the cusp of chaos as the fight for the rightful King to sit on the thrown became more violent and coercive. With the possibility of a Catholic King, the populace was being encouraged to take sides, ensuing in civil unrest, espionage, revenge and murder.
Hunt has developed over the three books, with The Bedlam Cadaver revealing a person who is unsure of who they have become. Harry Hunt has changed over the years, as his confidence has grown, and his ability to solve conundrums has garnered him respect among certain elements of society. Hooke is clearly disappointed with Hunt and misses the relationship that once existed. Can they claw their way back to where they once were or has the chasm that has opened become too big?
Robert J. Lloyd excels in his research. I’m not English, therefore my knowledge of historical events and characters would be weak but in no way did this impact my reading experience. In many ways it probably improved it as I had no expectations or awareness of exacting timelines or the accuracy of plots etc. The Hunt & Hooke series are wonderful historical crime fiction novels with exciting and thrilling storylines set against the backdrop of intriguing scientific and medical references.
Immersing the reader in a time and place, The Bedlam Cadaver is a wonderful addition to this really compelling series that is pure perfection for all historical fiction fans. Extremely engaging and informative, with plenty of intricately woven plot twists, The Bedlam Cadaver is an exciting tale of adventure, mystery and science, a fabulously researched novel.
[ Bio ]
Robert Lloyd, the son of parents who worked in the British Foreign Office, grew up in South London, Innsbruck, and Kinshasa. He studied for a Fine Art degree, starting as a landscape painter, but it was while studying for his MA degree in the History of Ideas that he first read Robert Hooke’s diary, detailing the life and experiments of this extraordinary man.
The discovery inspired Lloyd to write his first novel, The Bloodless Boy.
After a twenty-year career as a secondary school teacher, he has now returned to painting and writing, and is working on the fourth book in the Hunt and Hooke series.
X ~ @robjlloyd
