The Lost Luggage Porter – The Review
Written by Nikki-ann on Tuesday, 26 April , 2011 at 10:08 pm
Author: Andrew Martin
Publisher: Faber and Faber
ISBN: 978-0-571-21904-9
Jim Stringer arrives in York expecting to be put to work as a normal railway detective, but instead finds himself deep in undercover work and in the company of dangerous villains, caught in a situation he can’t get out of.
I loved reading The Lost Luggage Porter. The writing took me straight into the book, right to winter 1906 in York where I totally lost myself in the story. 1906 York, with it’s dark, cobbled, gas-lit streets and down-and-outs, gives the perfect setting for a detective novel. Between Andrew Martin’s period writing and having been to York a few times, I was able to picture the scenery quite vividly (I don’t think the centre of York has changed much over the years, to be honest).
The characters in the book are right characters and are all quite memorable (and some you wouldn’t want to meet down a dark alleyway!). They speak in local (but entirely understandable) accents, giving the story even more authenticity.
I loved Stringer’s simple disguise of a scruffy suit and a pair of spectacles with no lenses (yes, you read that right, no lenses)! Whilst some may think that’s not much of a disguise, it’s actually a clever one in some ways… For example, one day I passed a colleague in the street without even realising it was him. He normally wears glasses, but was wearing contact lenses and had me totally fooled! Anyway, I digress…
The story had a steady pace throughout, very much like the steam trains in the book, which kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. There’s something going on all the time. There’s a few twists and turns and surprises along the way, too. I enjoyed the book so much that I started it one afternoon and finished it the next morning, and I’m eager to read the rest of the series.
Despite being the third book in the Jim Stringer, Steam Detective series, The Lost Luggage Porter also does well as a stand-alone book. There’s no need to read the early books in the series to enjoy this one, but now I’ve read this one I want to read the rest!
Highly recommended!
Buy The Lost Luggage Porter by Andrew Martin from the Book Depository.
Andrew Martin is a British author from Yorkshire.
This is the 13th book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge.
Comments (4)
Category: Books,British Books Challenge,Crime,Historical Fiction,Mystery,Reviews,Thriller
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Comment by Andrea
Made Wednesday, 27 of April , 2011 at 2:35 am
Oh this looks like a good one. I love historical mysteries. You should try the Lady Jane Grey mysteries…those are excellent.
Comment by Lynn
Made Wednesday, 27 of April , 2011 at 11:19 am
Hello
Good review thanks. I have read one of this author’s book for my book club- Death on a Branch line – I think you would probably like it if you liked the above.
Lynn
Comment by Jo
Made Thursday, 28 of April , 2011 at 10:00 pm
Glad to hear you liked it. I think perhaps I should have not been so condemning of these and tried another one.
But you know how it is, so little time, too many books!
Comment by bobkat
Made Friday, 29 of April , 2011 at 5:12 pm
This isn’t the sort of book that would normally appeal to me but you make it sounds so good I may be tempted 
BK – I have a new blog home and moniker now
