Gallows Court is a new standalone mystery by mystery mavin Martin Edwards. Released 6th Sept 2018 by Head of Zeus, it's available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. Mr. Edwards will be known to most classic mystery fans as a consultant for the British Library Crime Classics series as well as for his authorship of the modern Lake District series published by Poisoned Pen Press.

Despite being set in the interwar London period of classic mysteries, this book had a lot more of a noir thriller vibe for me than a classic golden age 'Christie' feel. The bad guys are archetypal, the plot devices rather devious. It was unclear for much of the book whether the female lead character, Rachel, was evil, manipulative, devious, crazy or a combination of the above. The male protagonist, and indeed the supporting characters are well written and follow an internal logic. The dialogue is very well written and never clunky or distracting.

This is an intricate and very well plotted mystery which follows the rules of detective fiction for readers who enjoy racing against the fictional detective. The pacing is incredibly finely tuned and there are twists and turns aplenty. This is a solidly well written entertaining book from a gifted author. It's not a classic golden age country house mystery, but it's a perfect edgy read nonetheless.

Possibly worth noting for kindle unlimited subscribers. This book is available to loan in the KU subscription. It's definitely good enough for a reread though, which is my benchmark for buying my own copy (and I intend to do so).

Five stars

This was a super detailed and action-packed read. I'm slowly getting into historical crime and this one did not disappoint. Edwards twists and turns the plot in all directions and i was expecting certain things to happen that never did. This was not an issue and I am really happy with how the story turned out and how it ended. The characters were really well developed and the dual narrative between Jacob Flint and Rachael Savernake worked well and each character has a distinctive voice. The tale overall was fun and high energy!

Superbly written, atmospheric crime in the tradition of the Golden Age. Twisting and turning with clues aplenty, a credible cast and a wonderful setting. An excellent read from a great authority on the Golden Age of crime. Hopefully the sequel will not be too long in coming. Highly recommended.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Head Of Zeus and the author, Martin Edwards, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Gallows Court in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction. I was very excited to read this book after reading the synopsis of the storyline. And, I was certainly not left disappointed.
I found the storyline to be well thought out and superbly written. I honestly felt like I was in 1930's London, the book was so richly descriptive. The characters were engaging. There was nothing that I did not like about Gallows Court ( except that it ended. Hahaha. )
Definitely well worth a read

In the style of the famous old school detective novel, this is a little more hard hitting. Set in the London of the 1930s, Jacob Flint is a young reporter on the trail of a vicious murderer. His investigations lead him to a beautiful, and powerful, young woman Rachel Savernake - the daughter of a notorious hanging judge. Follow Jacob as he pursues the murderer, following clues that lead him into all sorts of trouble! A really enjoyable murder/mystery read. I love the writers style, and the story is brilliant. I certainly could not guess where this was going!

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a thriller that keeps you guessing from the beginning to the end. Is Rachel an evil conniver or is she an anti-heroine who does wicked things in the search for justice? That is the question that haunts both the hero and the reader. One thing is clear from the beginning. She is manipulating the demises of some pretty horrible men. They have committed heinous crimes in the belief that their status and their friends allowed them to get away with them. It had worked very well indeed for the members of the Gambit Club, housed in Gallows Court. That is until Rachel, the daughter of the founder of the club, arrives in London.
Once she arrives, it is time for each of them to pay the piper. She and her associates are simply brilliant. She has the police, the press and the club members stymied. No one can conclusively put her anywhere near the executions but these are executions whether they appear to be or not.
This part of the story is riveting in its own right but there are a couple of sub-stories that in fact turn out to be the primary stories at the end that are both surprising and shocking. I confess I had a glimmer of part of one story line earlier in the piece but it too caught me off guard when all was revealed. The second story came out of left field and stunned me. I loved the spider’s web the author spun. It was elegant.
It is not a light and frothy book but riven with atmosphere and intrigue. I give it five purrs and two paws up.

Much to my shame, prior to being invited on the blog tour I hadn’t actually read any of Martin’s books even though I have several of his books on my ‘To Be Read’ mountain. Sorry Martin. Well blimey oh riley I have certainly read one of his books now and I realise just what it is I have been missing. I can guarantee that his other books will not be on the mountain for much longer. I absolutely loved ‘Gallows Court’ but more about that in a bit.
The two main characters are Rachel Savernake and Jacob Flint. Rachel Savernake is a young lady who led a very sheltered life living with her father on an island called Gaunt off the coast of Ireland. Her father was known as the hanging judge, although towards the end of his career his behaviour became more concerning and erratic. I wasn’t quite sure how to take Rachel as some of her behaviour rang alarm bells for me. She seems a bit sinister and always seems to be around when death occurs. I couldn’t make my mind up if she was a vigilante or not. She is a young woman, with no fear and who gets herself into some dodgy situations. Rachel doesn’t have many friends but then she is a bit of a loner, who prefers her own company to that of other people. Jacob Flint is a young reporter who works for one of the London based newspapers. He is always on the lookout for the next ‘scoop’ and he wants to remain one step ahead of the opposition. He is ambitious, feisty, determined and he has an eye for the ladies. Jacob is fascinated by Rachel and by the sudden deaths that are occurring in the capital. He can’t believe his luck when he receives tip offs about certain sudden deaths and he thinks that this could be his big break. Jacob is left frustrated by Rachel’s reluctance to let him write an article about her.
Oh my word, this was certainly a read and a half. I absolutely love anything that is set during the early 20th Century and I was interested to see how Martin would made the era come alive. Well come alive it did. Martin uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that if I closed my eyes I could imagine that I had been transported back to 1930s Britain with all the hustle and bustle of the capital going on around me. It didn’t take me long at all to get into this book at all. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story and much like a fisherman with a fish, the author reels you in. Before you realise what is happening you are hooked and you can’t put the book down. That was certainly the case for me. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because the book came everywhere with me. I just had to keep reading on and on to see how the story panned out. I had my own suspicions as to what had happened but I soon realised that I had the wrong end of the stick and the story sent me down another road entirely.
‘Gallows Court’ is brilliantly written. I loved the storylines, the characters and the era in which the story is set. Martin tells the story using the language that was around at the time and not using any words that refer to more modern times or that are used today. The story hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. There are a couple of strands to the book but they link together really well and the story flows seamlessly.
In short I absolutely loved reading ‘Gallows Court’ and I can’t wait to see if Martin is going to write any more books set in the ‘golden age of crime’. Whilst I wait I will definitely look for his other books on my TBR mountain and I will definitely be reading them as soon as I can. I definitely recommend this book to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Wonderfully atmospheric, with a plot that keeps you guessing. A little let down by the abruptness of the ending - a few days after finishing, I'd actually FORGOTTEN that I'd got to the end of the book, so it clearly didn't stick with me - but the characters are great and the 1930s setting is stunning.

The main setting is London in the smog but we are also drawn back to the past to an island off the coast of Ireland by way of some letters. Two more atmospheric places would be hard to find and Martin Edwards sets his pen about making sure we know it.

On the Island of Gaunt a young girl, Juliet Bretano pens her thoughts on Rachel Severnake, the woman she believes murdered her father. Ooh I love a female killer, particularly from this age as you know that there has to be some ingenuity involved.

But then in London the headless corpse of a woman is found and Scotland Yard are determined to find the killer. Meanwhile Jacob Flint has been trying to make his name at the crime desk for The Clarion and he has his eye on Rachel Severnake who recently solved a high profile case to Scotland Yard’s embarrassment. Rachel Severnake is the daughter of the man who was known as the ‘hanging judge’ but as he aged his behaviour became something of a concern and he took himself off to the island of Gaunt with his young daughter. But Rachel is in London, a London where no respectable lady would dream of walking in the particular darkness of the smog where visibility is so poor you don’t know who is lurking around the next corner.

That’s all I am going to say about the plot itself. The writing as you might expect is brilliant. The plot is complex and depends on those false clues not least what part does Gallows Court play? The fantastic scene setting mentioned earlier has a big part to play, the author using both the dangerous darkness of London and the remoteness of Gaunt to their full advantage. The characters are for the most part wily and definitely not those you should put your trust in and also for the most part are of the higher reaches of society. So far so Golden Age but I felt that the bodies piled higher and the murders more ‘on stage’ with some more modern themes as motives than perhaps you’d expect to see from that time. It is a clever author indeed who can play such obvious flattery to a style and yet gently update it for the more modern taste in crime writing. This book did have the feel of a more modern day thriller with the tension perhaps higher than those solved by our favourite crime detectives from the age. Make no mistake the stakes are high for our characters and no-one is safe until the culprit is found!

I absolutely modestly raise my cloche hat to the ingenuity of Gallows Court. I was totally immersed in trying to solve the puzzle and would like to say I was ‘on it,’ but I wasn’t really until fairly near the end.

When I started this blog I didn’t know what to expect: I certainly didn’t predict that the future would hold some great new friends, and the occasional rather excellent social event.

This year so far there have been the Edgars in New York, Bodies from the Library in June, and events for the launches of Lissa Evans’s and Sarah Ward’s new books. And now, a very fancy do for Martin Edwards’ new book, Gallows Court, in London.

I attended with another friend, the writer & blog favourite Chrissie Poulson: she had asked me to help with some research for her new book on the way to the party, and because I am such a good friend I agreed to have a cocktail in the Ritz with her so we could check it out. (You’ll have to wait to read her new book to find the relevance of this, although I believe it is flagged in her last one, the marvellous Cold Cold Heart).

So then we moved along Piccadilly: Martin’s event was held in Hatchard’s, a very nice and upmarket bookstore. There was a short presentation and Q and A led by crime aficionado Barry Forshaw.





Martin is known for his own (mostly contemporary) crime novels; for overseeing the British Library reprints of 1930s crime books; and for his two magisterial reference books, The Golden Age of Murder and The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books.

His new book is something of a departure for him, and it is knockout good. He decided he wanted to do something different – he explained on Tuesday that it was the character of Rachel Savernake who came to him first. He wrote a short story about her, and then realized he wanted to write a book about her.

Gallows Court is set in 1930 (with flashbacks) and is more of a thriller than a murder story as such: Martin explained that when doing his research into The Detective Club for The Golden Age book, he read how much some of the members, including Dorothy L Sayers, disapproved of thrillers. They looked down on them, and didn’t want their authors in the Club. Martin wondered if he could write a thriller that might have passed muster with them, and any reader is bound to say that he succeeded.



Rachel Savernake is the centre of the book: she is a young woman, fabulously wealth and stylish. She has bought a huge house in London, and is attended by some trusted servants, and is obviously up to something big. But is it good or bad? Is she heroine or villain? What about her father, the now-dead Judge, and his strange friends? There is a young journalist, Jacob Flint, who is intrigued by her and trying to find out more. She is way ahead of him, but he keeps plugging away at it. There are flashbacks to a time some years earlier, when Rachel and some of the other characters were living on the rather Gothic Gaunt Island, a remote spot off the coast of Cumberland. Gallows Court turns out to be a very sinister address in London, the kind of place Dickens excelled in creating, with a most creepy atmosphere. And there are some very imaginative murders...





There are many things to love about the book: one is the fabulous women characters – the good, the bad and the uncertain. There are frequent changes of POV, and this is beautifully handled: never confusing or annoying or misleading.

Although of course we want to be misled somewhat in a crime book – and of course Martin does that superbly too. It is, I think, a simple fact that people who read a lot of crime books are alert to plot twists and turns. When we read of a new book advertised as having ‘killer twists’, we really WANT that to be true, there’s nothing we like better. But actually – usually we can see it coming a mile off. When you’ve read a lot of crime books, it just isn’t that difficult. So another great thing about Martin’s book is that he fools us, over and over.

As a devoted crime reader himself, he knows how we think, and how to use our perceptions against us. Can’t really say more for fear of spoilers, but the book was full of surprises, and kept me guessing right till the end. And it is a very complex plot, with plenty of proper investigation and glimpses of other lives. It is not a pastiche, it’s not someone pretending that he is writing a book that might have appeared in the 1930s: it’s a historical novel, he knows when he is writing and who he is writing for.

And there is some really good news – he is writing a followup. Can’t wait.

The book is of course very well-researched – and I did give Martin some minor tips on clothes, for which he has very generously thanked me in the acknowledgements.

So I have picked out some 1930ish outfits that I think Rachel might have worn…

From Kristine’s photostream.

I have appreciated award-winning crime writer Martin Edwards's books for many years so was excited to see that he had a new novel coming out. His non-fiction

As a fan of Golden Age mysteries I know the introductions written by this author but this was the first book I read.
It was fantastic, a book that I read in a setting and couldn't put it down.
It's dark, atmospheric and enthralling, full of twists and turns. It kept me guessing till the end and I was sad when this fantastic travel was ended.
I'd be happy to read other books with this characters and hope this is the first in a series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for this ARC

tl;dr Review:

A crazy, topsy-turvy mystery set in 1930's London that's lots of fun and keeps you on your toes.

Full Review:

This was one of those books I read in one sitting because I kept being surprised, even when I thought I had it figured out. Gallows Court by Martin Edwards is filled with some over-the-top drama, but overall it was a lot of fun trying to pin down who the murderer was. It felt like an old school game of clue or one of those murder mystery dinners people host that keep you guessing.

The publisher's description is equal parts dramatic yet accurate.

LONDON, 1930.

Sooty, sulphurous, and malign: no woman should be out on a night like this. A spate of violent deaths – the details too foul to print – has horrified the capital and the smog-bound streets are deserted. But Rachel Savernake – the enigmatic daughter of a notorious hanging judge – is no ordinary woman. To Scotland Yard's embarrassment, she solved the Chorus Girl Murder, and now she's on the trail of another killer.

Jacob Flint, a young newspaperman temporarily manning The Clarion's crime desk, is looking for the scoop that will make his name. He's certain there is more to the Miss Savernake's amateur sleuthing than meets the eye. He's not the only one. His predecessor on the crime desk was of a similar mind – not that Mr Betts is ever expected to regain consciousness after that unfortunate accident...

Flint's pursuit of Rachel Savernake will draw him ever-deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder-by-murder, he'll be swept ever-closer to its dark heart – to that ancient place of execution, where it all began and where it will finally end: Gallows Court.

Not only did the book keep me guessing up until the end, but it also made me enjoy a male protagonist as the narrator. Though it toggles back and forth between Rachel and Jacob, I was surprised by how much I related to Jacob.

Normally, I cannot stand male protagonists. They are often obnoxious, narcissistic, and ridiculous. Yet Jacob was smart and sweet, if a bit naive. I had moments where I wanted to tell him to not go somewhere because I knew it would end badly. Bless his heart. hahaha. 

Overall, if you're looking for a fun murder mystery that keeps you in suspense, then I highly suggest you pick up this book.

I give it 4 out of 5 thumbs up.

Lovers of Golden Age detective fiction, such as myself, are all aware of author, Martin Edwards, from the excellent introductions he has written to so many such novels – not to mention his non-fiction work about the genre, “The Golden Age of Murder,” and his more contemporary crime novels. This is something a little different from him, a dark and sinister crime novel, set in 1930, London.

Young reporter, Jacob Flint, is a crime reporter on the Clarion. The chief crime reporter, Tom Betts, was recently left for dead, after a hit and run accident. However, as Jacob finds himself at the scene of a high-ranking suicide, he begins to question what Tom was working on and whether his accident was really attempted murder?

This crime novel has a very involved storyline, which involves lots of different strands. There is the disquieting presence of Rachel Savernake; daughter of Judge Savernake, who has recently left the small island of Gaunt and set up home in London. Her father has died and her wealth, and beauty, makes her of interest for those reasons – however, she is also reportedly interested in amateur detection and Inspector Oakes and Jacob Flint are both keen to understand her motives better.

Murder and danger follows Flint around London, as he tries to discover Rachel Savernake’s involvement in the strange events he is investigating. Despite threats to his life, he seems unable to let the story go. There are links to corruption, to a possible decadent society and to events in Rachel Savernake’s past.

Edwards does a good job of creating a very atmospheric period; full of theatres, heiresses, landladies, orphanages, illusionists and bizarre crimes. Overall, this is a good read – much darker than the usual Golden Age mystery, but full of intrigue and good characters. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

When the days get shorter, the night chillier and you want to crawl under the blankets and devour something sinister and still comforting Gallows Court fits that bill.
It's 1930 London; The headless corpse of a young woman is found. This grisly murder is soon followed by many, many more. And we dive into a sinister web of secret societies, corruption, London back alleys and glitzy nightlife, magic, upper-class depravity, and clever twists. Threaded throughout is a cat and mouse game between an elegant, intelligent and impressive upper-class woman called Rachel Savernake and a modest but persistent journalist named Jacob Flint. Jacob is the typical rookie, put on the crime desk after his former colleague was run off the road, whose life now hangs by a thread.
The main story is interspersed by diary fragments where a young girl living on some ghastly damp and deserted island is convinced that Rachel Savernake is a budding sociopath responsible for her parent's death.
Even is the mystery is contorted, and twisty, the plot is quite straightforward, people die in all kinds of horrifying ways, and Rachel somehow seems to know more than everybody else. Is she an amateur sleuth, already with one conviction on her belt, or is she the perpetrator?
Jacob takes every opportunity to spar with her, although he seems to be more of an irritating yappy chihuahua chasing a cheetah. So is she a murderer? Or does she send her trusted servant to do the dirty deeds for her? And why would she do that? And what has her father, a famous hanging judge to do with all of it?

It's a richly atmospheric read that permeated my daily London life; I walked around town without being able to shake the descriptions. I did figure some of it out before the ending, but that's something that unfortunately happens when you read thrillers regularly. I am sure Gallows Court will keep most of his readers on its toes, and the final explanation is worthy of a typical Hercule Poirot report. Take it in by a roaring fire.

Despite being set in the 1930s, this book is a masterful remix of Victorian mysteries. The bad guys would fit right into a penny dreadful, the mysterious protagonist could be Mycroft Holmes or Professor Moriarty, and the nominal detective (a journalist, but filling the traditional detective role) alternates dash and ambition with naivety and painful self-consciousness, much like Willie Collin's Franklin Blake. The flashbacks to the original evil on a barren near-island and the climax in the sewers could have been written by Alexandre Dumas.

But the 1930s setting and 1860s characters do not stop this from being a thoroughly modern novel. The strong streak of social criticism is not aimed at a holdover aristocracy nor cabals of plutocrats but at establishment professionals in law, medicine, politics, journalism, entertainment and--of course--the police. Terrifying vengeance is deeply ambiguous, neither the gleeful cleansing leading to a fully satisfying happy ending typical of much Victorian fiction, nor the alternate face of evil from much Golden Age and noir mysteries. The oppression and corruption that animate the plot are personal, not social or political.

Judged as a pure mystery, the plot is as well-crafted as the best puzzle authors like Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen, and the author plays entirely fair with readers who want to solve the case before the detective. But this is a character-driven novel, not a plot-driven one. Readers will be much more interested in figuring out the characters of the characters than whodunnit.

The book also resembles gothic horror stories. Although there are some details that would be horrifying in real life, I found them just over-the-top enough to be irony (especially the last death in the book). Not humorous, which would spoil the mood, but more light than dark.. However other readers may find some of the tortures and child abuse to be serious, however exaggerated they are.

I recommend this book to all mystery and horror fans, as a strikingly original modern take with strong roots in English traditions going back to the original masters.

The police were unwilling to listen when Rachel Severnake identified the brother of a prominent politician as the Chorus Girl Murderer.  His death followed, along with evidence of his crimes, much to Scotland Yard’s embarrassment. As Jacob Flint, an eager young newspaper reporter, discovers, Rachel Severnake is somehow involved in the deaths of certain prominent men linked to her father, Judge Severnake.  Rachel’s secrets are many, and being connected to her is dangerous. For Jacob Flint, the mystery is too compelling to ignore.


Rarely have I encountered a female lead whose nature is so deliciously enigmatic, defying gender expectations as well as heroic tropes.  Is Rachel Severnake a cunning murderer, or is she an avenging angel ensuring justice is done outside of the courts? Martin Edwards challenges the reader, along with reporter Jacob Flint, to delve deep to find the truth.  The deceptive nature of appearances plays a central role throughout Gallows Court. Evil can be easily hidden so long as expectations are met. What does a woman’s refusal to meet expectations mean?


Gallows Court is an unforgettable work of classic, character driven suspense.  Martin Edward’s knowledge of Golden Age works clearly influences this cunningly plotted mystery.  If you enjoy classic mysteries, you will be captivated by Edwards’s Gallows Court.


5 / 5


I received a copy of Gallows Court from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


— Crittermom

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for a digital galley of this novel.

Frankly I had expected to like this book more. I realize now that I was judging Martin Edwards' writing based on the introductions and information he provides in so many mystery anthologies I've read which he has edited. Edwards is definitely a good writer as this novel has proven but still I didn't enjoy the story much. The book is darker than I had expected and it took me a long time to settle in to read it. During the first half I was seriously thinking about giving up multiple times. The story takes many twists and turns, some of which I didn't see coming. The main female character spent many years of her life living in isolation on an island with a father who had the reputation of being a hanging judge. His cruel nature was taken to another level of unpleasantness by his slow descent into madness. My perception of Rachel Savernake is that she was cold and distant and even at the end of the novel I still felt that way about her. The male lead character, Jacob Flint, is a crime reporter for a newspaper who displays determination and resolution but is not my idea of heroic or even very good at his job.

This is a novel of revenge and retribution with a whole lot of victims. If you don't mind having your mystery story be dark and veer a bit into the horror genre, this will be just the story for you.

Rachel is the daughter of a former “hanging judge”. Toward the end of his life, he had lost all sense of reality. He was a figure to be feared.

Rachel is a young woman of mystery. Is she responsible for unspeakable crimes? Has she driven men to their deaths? Or is she simply a young woman who believes in justice and is disappointed when the police do not believe what she reports to them?

Jacob is a young reporter on a tabloid paper. He inherits the job of lead crime reporter, when the previous lead crime reporter is killed in a hit and run accident. Jacob is a man who sees good in people, even though he is rapidly finding more and more people who are the opposite of good. Unfortunately, Jacob begins to see that good people are very difficult to find. Jacob has a nose for news Each question which is answered, leads him to a new question about a completely new situation.

Jacob happens to be on the scene when a man takes his own life and confesses to a crime. He is being drawn in directions which take him closer and closer to crimes and immediate danger. His curiosity leads him. The people in his life are not always as they appear.

At the same time Jacob is being manipulated from one event to another, Rachel seems to be aware of all that is happening around her.

These two people are very interesting characters. And they are two of the few people in the story who are not extremely frightening people. The reader gets to know Jacob and how he sees the world. Rachel is much more of an unknown quantity.

Character development is well done. Once revelations are made, it is easy to say “of course.”

There is villainy. Dark figures in the background of life seem to be creating havoc as well as harm. At times it is not easy to tell exactly who the dark figures are. The evidence of their existence is easy to see. The results of evil actions are everywhere. The lives which have been damaged are presented one after another.

Mr Edwards has created an amazing story.

The plot is neither simple nor straightforward. It kept me reading.

Just when I believed I knew exactly where things were going, I found out I was wrong. There were a few things I could figure out, but there were other things which absolutely surprised me.

If you are a reader who enjoys British mysteries, this is a book you will like. The era is the period between the Wars. The attitudes are definitely from an era of long ago. The mystery is immediate and wonderful. The solution is satisfying.

In short, this is a very good book.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and it won’t be the last. This is a thrilling and somewhat dark book about murder and who may or may not have done it. It takes place in 1930’s London and the author sets the scenes perfectly, making you feel you are there. The plotting is excellent and the character development outstanding. This book left me feeling that reading it was time very well spent.