I loved the time period of this historical mystery. Set in Leeds England in 1908, Supt. Tom Harper, who has been in seven previous novels, prepares for the protection of the Prime Minister’s visit. An anonymous letter informs him of an influential family kidnapping of a boy. Along with solving this mystery, he must deal with the threat of protests by working class men and the suffragists. Even minor characters are fleshed out, so the story flows with realism.

All eyes are on the Leeds police as the city is soon to receive a visit from the Prime Minister. The year is 1908, however, and the unemployed are planning to disrupt the visit along with the Suffragettes who see this as an ideal opportunity to get their grievances heard. With his men already stretched, an anonymous note sent to Detective Superintendent Tom Harper has piqued his interest. Telling of an abducted child fourteen years earlier and naming the family with whom he now lives, Harper is concerned that the original investigation seemed to be a bit lacklustre with a paper thin file detailing the steps taken. When missing children are a top priority, why was the disappearance of Andrew Sharp never taken seriously and why is there still an attempt to keep the story hidden?

Tom Harper is back, and this time things are looking very different in his personal life. At the start of the book, we see him having to come to terms with the loss of a close friend, someone who we have got to know throughout the series. This death, although not suspicious, sets the tone for the rest of the book, with numerous murders occurring to try to protect an old secret.

One of the things I have always liked about this series is the prominence placed upon Tom's wife, Annabelle. Very much a woman ahead of her time, we now see this replicated in their daughter, Mary. Now sixteen years of age, she is very much involved in the suffragette movement, although unlike her mother, she is prepared to go against her father's wishes to achieve her aim. I had great sympathy for Tom who, despite showing support for his daughter, knows he has a job to do, finding it difficult to prevent his daughter from getting involved in potentially dangerous demonstrations.

The Molten City has a lot happening between its pages, but the story flows easily, each plot being as enjoyable as the other. Chris Nickson, again, adds an air of authenticity by including real historical events as part of the plot, and it is easy to imagine yourself in the Leeds of 1908.

My only concern with this series is that, as time is moving on, Tom Harper is getting older. I hope that we do not see him retiring any time soon, as this is a series that I am thoroughly enjoying! If you haven't read any of this series before, I can highly recommend it.

I love this series and I loved this instalment.
It's gripping, entertaining and the story keeps you hooked till the end.
It's a police procedural according to my heart, well written and fast paced. I loved how the author mixes historical facts and fiction making them work very well.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end.
The descriptions of Leeds are vivid and realistic and the story talks about a mystery but how bleak the situation was for the poorest.
The vote for women movement is part of the story and the descriptions are quite realistic.
The characters are well rounded and likable, I love Annabelle as she's a strong willed woman.
It's an excellent read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Murder, suffrage and anarchy in 20C Leeds!

I have no idea why this is my first Tom Harper novel. I've read many Nickson novels but not about this particular Superintendent of the Leeds City Police. My loss.
Leeds, obviously a place Nickson likes to set his mysteries. There's his historical series with Simon Weston in the 1820's Leeds of Regency times. Fast forward a hundred years to the early 1900's and Leeds' crime stories of the late Victorian years.
"To those who fought so we’d all have the vote. We owe you more than we can ever pay." I love this--Nickson's dedication. Something I feel strongly about, particularly as every time I go to the polls I know I stand on the shoulders of particularly the women who fought for my right to vote. I refuse to throw their gift away.
But back to Leeds in 1908 and the logistical nightmare of deployment of police forces Tom Harper is faced with. The Prime Minister, Asquith, has chosen to visit Leeds at a time of rife unemployment and all that follows from that for the citizens and their families. Feelings are high, a known anarchist is stirring up people, and Tom foresees trouble. Along with this, the more militant branch of the suffragette movement, those of the Emily Pankhurst arm are planning to demonstrate. As all this occurring, a letter is delivered to Harper about two children who went missing fourteen years ago, snatched and never heard of again. Linked to this will be three deaths.
On the home front Tom's wife Annabelle has been made on offer on her pub. Meanwhile their sixteen year old daughter Mary is longing for more direct action on the question of voting for women. Annabelle has been working quietly over the years towards women's suffrage with the Suffragist Society whose methods are different to those of the Suffragetres. She is at a crossroads of determining where her energies should lie and whether or not to sell her cherished pub.
Missing children, political forces, and murder. Tom Harper has his hands full.
A fascinating and enjoyable historical murder / crime story set against a volatile background.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

DS Tom Harper has a lot on his plate. His friend has just died, his wife and daughter are suffragettes, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary are coming to Leeds, and a wealthy family has been accused of kidnapping and renaming a young boy 14 years ago. Nickerson has conjured up an atmospheric and fascinating portrait of a police officer conducing an investigation and coping with politics and his family in 1908 Leeds. Andrew, it seems, was not the only child taken but there's very little info on the investigation of his kidnapping, let alone the others which have been alleged. There's an undercurrent of corruption and a good tight mystery here but I liked the historical aspects of this just as much. I'd not read the earlier books in the series, making it a standalone and it was fine that way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me but I'm interested in what happens next.

A long-time friend, Billy Reed, has died at the beginning of “The Molten City,” the eighth in the Superintendent Tom Harper series. This sad occurrence will mean much to Tom throughout the book, as will many of the changes we’ll see as events occur that cause him to reevaluate much of what occurs around him in his own household. Tom’s wife Annabelle is no longer a Poor Law Guardian, and has been a lady of leisure for two years; it seems a lot of time has passed since the last book. The Harpers even own a car. And their daughter has up-and-coming ideas, including plans to open her own business school; modern times have come to Leeds. After all, it’s September, 1908.

Author Chris Nickson uses the history of the time as a great background for his book – the Prime Minister is coming to town (an actual event), which will bring out the suffragettes and suffragists; the fight for a woman’s right to vote was well on its way. Trouble is also expected from the ranks of the unemployed and agitators who are sure to be there. As superintendent, Tom will be expected to take care of it all. He goes and talks to the head of each faction, hoping for peace, but gets none. There’s going to be trouble, so he’s expected to prepare for the worst. The book details in fictional form the preparations for a real-life event, following along as Harper and his men prepare.

Beside all this, a missing child case, one that was covered up 15 years before. Money changed hands, from poor hands to rich ones. With the police paid to look the other way, which makes it even more reprehensible. This story is front and center with what’s being done for PM Herbert Asquith’s visit, and Mr. Nickson knows how to weave back and forth to keep the reader interested in it all, how the story of the suffragists and the suffragettes was growing and building, how they were becoming a force, how each group used their strengths and knowledge and power to fight the fight to get the vote for women in Britain.

Then there’s the other, personal story: Annabelle’s being given an enormous offer to sell the pub. Annabelle feels the brunt of her success, too, as we find out. There’s a lot going on in this book. Luckily the author’s a deft hand at keeping track of it all.

Regarding the missing child - things turn around when the policeman around at the time turns up dead. Someone doesn’t want him talking about the missing boy. It’s certainly sounds like there’s some truth to the story.

There’s a lot to this book, but the action moves quickly, a lot of anticipation for what is coming, both with the kidnapped children (turns out there are two) and what will happen at the political rally. It’s a testament to the author’s skill in keeping the reader’s attention to what’s happening on the pages.

And then we have a twist – the investigation into the kidnapped children comes to a crashing halt. Will this be the end of it? Not if Tom Harper has anything to do with it, of course. There’s that murdered policeman to consider.

Finally, the day of the PM’s visit arrives. All that can be prepared for has been done. The tension ratchets up from the pages as we wait to see how the visit will come off, whether violence will take over. And Tom and Annabelle have a personal stake in it now. It’s nerve-racking to read.

How does the day go? Does anarchy descend? Is the missing children’s case brought to a satisfactory conclusion? Does Annabelle sell the pub? You’ll have to read “The Molten City” to discover the answer to these questions. Suffice it to say that in Mr. Nickson’s capable hands, he presents a story that will make you want to continue to turn the page.

An Afterword explains more about the history of the time, more about the real locations, the people and the real incidents, of which they are many. The movement to “get the vote” was just beginning, and a hard fight it would turn out to be.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

Detective Superintendent Tom Harper is preparing for visit by the Prime Minister to Leeds in 1908; at the same time he is following an old story of kidnapping children from their parents to place with a well off family. Murders pile up; the trail is shaky. Then labour and the suffragettes decide to protest the visit. And Harper's daughter is a suffragist. Lots of complications. Honest look at policing and middle class life at the time. Well plotted.

Despite this book being classified as a historical mystery, I kept thinking that it could be taken place in today’s world with all its’ social unrest and movements. In both eras, the police have to solve crimes and be responsible for all political and social unrest at the same time.

The author depicted how this was accomplished by the main character while he also had concerns for his own family, staff, and even some of the crime victims. I felt that the book should include cozy and police procedures in its’ classification. Readers who do not like detailed violence and excessive facts would feel at ease reading this book

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy.

Set in Leeds early in the 20th century, Detective Superintendent Tom Harper has a very busy caseload. Asquith, the Prime Minister, is due to visit Leeds and he has to ensure the visit goes smoothly - not an easy task when a rally of unemployed men is happening on the same day, and the local suffragettes are threatening to lobby him.

Around this, there is an unusual case sparked by an anonymous letter, that leads his team to uncover an old case of child abduction. However, those responsible are willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure the truth remains hidden.

It is a well written and exciting book, with the various strands handled cleverly. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more from this author (having already enjoyed many of his 'Chesterfield' series).

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very well done. The tension builds slowly but steadily. In this episode of Chris Nickson's Tom Harper mystery series, he has a lot to deal with. He is investigating a case that involves stealing poor children and placing them in wealthy homes. He is working on a case that is almost 20 years old. On top of that, there is the issue and problems involved in his own house when tom''s sixteen-year-old daughter becomes involved with the Suffragists and their fight for the right to vote for women. He is torn between what is legally right and what is morally right. this was an excellent read.

"The Times They Are A-Changin' " (Bob Dylan)

September of 1908 seems to have drawn closer the inner circle of Detective Superintendent Tom Harper's life. He stands at the gravesite of his friend and fellow police officer, Billy Reed. Billy's death was a shock from an unexpected heart attack. Although Billy and Tom had a falling out some time back, they still remained fast friends. This was a knock on Tom's heart as to the uncertainty of our numbered days.

Weighing heavily on Tom was also the social unrest of the times in Leeds and across the country. Chief Constable Crossley informs him that Prime Minister Herbert Asquith will be arriving in Leeds for an official visit in the next few weeks. And on the heels of Asquith will be Alf Kitson, a popular anarcharist who loves confrontation. Kitson is known for stirring up the unemployed men in the region who were frustrated with the inertia. And behind Kitson's appearance would be Jennie Baines and her suffragettes of the WSPU who were resorting to more and more violent means in their pursuits of the women's vote. Indeed, trying times.

And in his own small family Tom experiences change as well. Annabelle, his wife, has been approached to sell her beloved bar, The Victoria, after owning it for twenty five years. She's torn with the changing neighborhood. And Mary, their sixteen year old daughter, has had her head turned by the hard motions of the suffragettes. Keeping the lids on all the kettles is a trying task.

But from present times to the past is laid upon Tom in an anonymous letter. Someone has alerted Tom that a missing child back in 1893 may have been the victim of a child-snatching ring in Leeds. Andrew Sharp may be alive and well with a new identity. And Andrew may not be the only survivor.

Chris Nickson is a master of all things Leeds. It is reflected brilliantly in his portrayal of Tom Harper and the historically sound incidents that he encounters during the time period. Through Nickson's superb writing we lock in those changing times while still keeping a finger on the pulse of goodness and honorable endeavors. There's almost a parallel to the vast uncertainties of the times we live in now along with time's extended hand of hope and positivity for the future. So well done, Chris Nickson. So well done.

I received a copy of The Molten City through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Severn House Publishers and to Chris Nickson for the opportunity.

Book eight in this series takes place in 1908 in the English town of Leeds. Detective Superintendent Tom Harper has just been told he is to be in charge of the police response to the visit of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith. Leeds is seething just under the surface because of two political factions who will do whatever they can to disrupt the Asquith visit and call attention to themselves. A mass of unemployed men want their situation acknowledged and changed and they are quite willing to cause chaos while Asquith is in town. The Suffragist Society and the suffragettes are both just as anxious for Asquith to realize how serious they are about the rights of women to have the vote but are very different in their ideas of how to accomplish this. As if this tinderbox isn't enough for the police to deal with Harper is made aware of a child who disappeared fourteen years earlier. A letter arrives at the police station naming the family who received the child so Harper begins to detangle the police reports which led nowhere. The letter leads straight to a prominent wealthy family.

I've been reading each of these police procedurals as they have been added to the series and am glad to say they have satisfied my love for historical mysteries. Chris Nickson has a talent for merging fact with fiction in such a way that it seems as if the events in the story might have actually happened. This was no different with home, family and work pulling Harper in different directions to add to the tension of a crime to be solved. This story feels as if this series is going through a winding down process. It could be there won't be many others in the series and I will be sorry if that happens.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for the e-galley of this novel.

1908 Leeds. To the background of a visit from Prime Minister Asquith, with its associating threats of demonstrations from the unemployed and the suffragettes, Superintendent Tom Harper is made aware of an old case. One of child snatching of two young children, but which result in some current deaths. Who is trying to hide their involvement in this old case.
Another interesting and enjoyable well-written historical mystery in this series with its very likeable characters.

Chris Nickson's Tom Harper novels are one of those series you read as much for the characters and their growth from title to title as for the individual mysteries each title focuses on. Let me introduce a few of these characters to you:

• Detective Superintendent Tom Harper was born in Leeds, where he works for the police force. He has aged across the series and risen through the ranks, he continues dealing with an issue of hearing loss that sometimes complicates his work.

• Annabelle Harper, married to Tom, is a successful independent business woman. She own a pub, she also built a successful bakery business. She's active in local politics (as much as one can be without the right to vote) and is a Suffragist. She also own and drive the only auto in the neighborhood.

• Mary Harper, their daughter, is precocious and fierce like her mother. She's currently a secretary, but hopes to open her own secretarial school one day. Like her mother, she fights for the vote for women, but she has joined the Suffragettes, who regularly use the kind of portest and confrontation the Suffragists eschew.

As these brief portraits suggest, when you read a Tom Harper novel, you're not just getting a mystery (the one in this novel looks at a fifteen-year-old case of child stealing that has led to present-day murder). You're getting a looking into a transitional historical moment in a city that isn't often the focus of this kind of carefully researched historical writing.

This plot, like all of them, is good—complex enough to keep readers guessing. My bet, however, is that once you start readings, you'll return to this series again and again for the characters.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

A Detective Inspector Tom Harper historical mystery.

This is the first time that I have read a Tom Harper mystery and it was interesting that some actual historical facts are woven into the tale. The setting is in Leeds in 1908, when the Prime Minister, Asquith and Home Secretary Gladstone were scheduled to visit the town.

DI Tom Harper knew that he had the formidable task of keeping law and order when Asquith and Gladstone arrived in Leeds. The situation was further complicated as the Suffragettes were becoming more strident and wanted to demonstrate for their cause.

It was especially daunting for Harper to remain in control, as he had to contend with the disgruntled unemployed men, who lived in absolute squalor! How could he prevent a riot from taking place?

From the outset Harper was investigating a missing child, and he soon became aware that he was dealing with historic child-snatching, corruption and grisly murders.

I enjoyed Tom’s character, because he really cared about achieving justice, and I liked the roles of his wife and daughter, because they were certainly modern women of that time, over a hundred years ago. I think that fans of historical drama will enjoy ‘The Molten City.’

Galadriel

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

It’s September 1908 in the city of Leeds in the North of England, and for Detective Superintendent Tom Harper, the month brings much sadness, and the end of a long term friendship, following the death of a former colleague. Though they’d had a falling out along the way, it’s a death that he will mourn deeply, as he looks back on the good days that they shared.

Nevertheless duty calls, and this time around, Harper has responsibility for the safety of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith and Home Secretary Gladstone, during a visit to Leeds. With hundreds of unemployed men threatening to riot, led by local anarchist Alf Kitson, it’s going to be no easy task. To add further to his woes, demonstrations are also expected from the suffragettes, led by militant and regional administrator Jennie Baines, who is furious at Prime Minister Asquith after his refusal to allow women the vote. Harper has a lot on his hands, and unfortunately, few too coppers to deal with it.

Harper also has a very emotional case to investigate, after receiving an anonymous letter, telling him that a very young boy, Andrew Sharpe was stolen from his family, and sold some fourteen years ago. A case like this should have attracted huge attention at the time, but worryingly Harper can find very little in police files. Looks like there’s been a cover up, and Harper is determined to find out why, and by whom.

This particular case takes our protagonist into the distressing world of child snatchers, but for those of us familiar with DS Harper, we know that nothing will stand in the way of truth, especially when there are children involved.

Another great read from Leeds born author Chris Nickson. Chris certainly knows Old Leeds inside out, thanks to his meticulous research, which in turn brings authenticity to his books, with fictional cases blending alongside real historical events. His characters are well fleshed out - none more so than protagonist Tom Harper, his wife Annabelle and daughter Mary. The plots are always interesting, and well thought out, and quite honestly, it’s like meeting up with old friends. A terrific series and incidentally, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Chris Nickson has added another fantastic book to the Tom Harper series set in Leeds in the early 1900’s. The story is set some years into the future and there are some interesting personal issues for the Harper family concerning their increasingly independent 16 year old daughter, Mary, as well as the future of both the pub and Tom’s career. The crime that Tom and his team investigate centers around 2 children who were stolen from their families and apparently sold to another well to do family. The detectives put everything they have into trying to determine what happened when a number of murders occur that appear to be related to the child stealing. Along with trying to solve the crimes the team is also dealing with security for the upcoming visit of the prime minister. Both the suffragettes and poor of Leeds are being organized to violently protest the visit. Tom and his detectives have quite a bit on their plates which makes for a fast moving and exciting story.. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed the “ Molten City” and it works on several levels not only as a historical crime novel but also as a social commentary on Edwardian Britain moving unknowingly to Armageddon and substantial change. Chris is particularly adept at showing his characters developing over time as the series progresses. I admire the skill he shows in: differentiating the supporting characters and giving them individuality sometimes by the judicious use of brief glimpses of backstories that the reader would like to see fleshed out;
the way he uses actual historical events as an integral part of plot and character development not merely a “showy” bolt-on;
Chris does the same with his intimate knowledge of Leeds so the street and district names help to provide the base from which the wholeness of the book emerges.

Though my favourite Nickson novels are the two set post -Second World War this late Victorian/Edwardian series runs them a very close second. I recommend this book as an excellent, enjoyable and illuminating read.

The Molton City takes place in 1908, several years after the last book in the series. Superintendent Tom Harper receives an anonymous letter about the kidnapping of a young child a dozen years before and sets out to find why this crime was never properly investigated. At the same time, he is asked to manage security for an upcoming visit of the Prime Minister. Protests are expected from both the suffragettes and unemployed men and things could get violent. Harper and his team are determined to find reach belated justice in the child snatching case while upholding the city of Leeds honor by making sure the Prime Minister's visit goes smoothly. Nickson does his usual stellar job of bringing the time and place to life. His characters draw on a deep wellspring of humanity as they deal with transitions of life such as keeping children safe until they are able to make their own choices, knowing what one wants from their own life, and the death of friends.

The Molten City is the latest in Chris Nickson’s Tom Harper police procedurals. As is often the case with a long-running series, a new reader who jumps straight into the latest volume may often find themselves at a loss. I think that anyone who wants to read The Molten City, would be well advised to go back to the earlier books first, so as not to miss out on the rich character development, as well as the exits and entrances of the various individuals Nickson vividly depicts. For existing readers, The Molten City picks up nine years after The Leaden Heart and opens on a scene of enormous change. Returning from a funeral, Tom and Annabelle find that Mary has left them dinner in the oven, a hint to the reader that the little girl in the earlier books has gone for good. The apparent certainties of the Victorian era, as deceptive as they were, have also gone. It’s 1908, the old Queen has been dead for some time and the Edwardian period is still underway. It’s not a happy time for many people as the old inequalities and injustices drag on. Poverty still weighs on the lives of most people in Leeds and in the country at large. Women are becoming better educated, more economically active and more involved in their communities; there are more Annabelle Harpers around, but none of them have the vote. This charged atmosphere is the background for a visit to Leeds, by the Prime Minister, Lord Asquith and Tom Harper is responsible for policing it, along with investigating a suspected historic crime against children and its murderous fall-out. Nickson does a skilful job of balancing the particular with the general, the concerns of Leeds as a place in its own right, alongside the wider concerns of a country undergoing more change than even it realises. His central protagonist is as sympathetic as ever, possibly all the more so with the weight of responsibility he carries, the sorrow of loss and the demands of parenthood. Although it’s become a cliché to describe a place as a character in its own right, it's true of Leeds in this novel as in the earlier volumes. Well-known locations such as the Headrow and Boar Lane are picked out and placed firmly in their early twentieth century context, so that the familiar becomes unfamiliar without ever becoming unrecognisable. As always, Chris Nickson delivers a treat for those who enjoy historical police procedurals with a strong sense of place.