This is the third instalment in the series It’s a historical thriller set in Victorian period
The setting is beautifully described
They are very dark and gritty.
A great book

I read this and my husband read this and we both loved it.
We love the style of Alex's writing and the story and would love more books by him

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. I was new to this series, so pieced together some of Stanhope’s backstory as the story progressed. I hadn’t known that Stanhope was transgender, but I think that’s possibly the first time I’ve read a book with such a character in - the fact it’s in Victorian times made it interesting. Overall the story was decent and I was leaning towards giving it 4 stars - but the ending spoiled it for me somewhat, knocking it down to 3 stars. Also a factor was how Stanhope seemed to accuse Sister Agnes, then Coffey (and planting evidence to set him up), and as for topping his head slightly to indicate the killer should go ahead... all that and the ending spoiled it slightly for me.

I requested this book last year from Netgalley, not realizing it was the third book in its series. But now I finally got around to picking up the first two books, and reading this third one. And I am so happy I did.

We follow Leo (born Lottie, the same person just lacking a tit) in his new job as a journalist when an annonymous letter summons him to an East End club, where he is faced by a female wrestler and a hanged man. Wanting to make an impression and write a sensational article he starts his own investigation and finds a culprit. But then he has to deal with the facts that he may have rushed into things, and that his writing may actually harm people.

Where the first book in this series focusses a lot on Leo as a person and his transgender identity, in the sequels it takes this fact and uses it to shine a different light on important themes. Where in the first book this was family and being a parent, here Leo is faced with the suffragete movement.

Although a lot of time is spent on character development, this doesn’t take away from the plot and the mystery. And again the solution takes us on an emotional ride and makes us question our morals. When someone does something bad, but for the right reasons… should we tell on them? Especially when someone else has already taken the blame for it?

This series is very easy to read and enjoy, but is also very complex and layered with a whole host of very well developed characters and interesting themes. Seeing where this book ends for Leo makes me think this is the last book in the series, and I am kinda sad about that. I would highly recommend picking this series up if you enjoy your historical mystery, but are looking for something a bit different.

CW: child abuse and (attempted) rape

A very engaging historical crime novel that does not disappoint. The protagonist has a secret that he must guard at all costs, which is something that makes even the more mundane elements of investigation challenging. The case itself focuses on an interesting set of characters, most of whom operate in the shadows and are affected by poverty. This was the first book I have read in this series and whilst this did not effect my ability to enjoy the story, now I am keen to go back and read them all!

The Butcher of Berner Street is the third instalment in Alex Reeve’s Victorian crime series, picking up where his critically acclaimed novels The House of Half Moon Street and The Anarchists’ Club left off.
When journalist and investigator Leo Stanhope receives a strange letter, warning of a murder at an East End penny gaff, he feels compelled to attend. But the owner of the establishment, Oswald Drake, had dragged him there for publicity purposes, with a fake hanging routine that excites his wrestling crowd. But then, two days later, Drake is founded hanged for real. And rather than Drake’s party trick having gone wrong, a small whole in his neck suggests poison is responsible…
There’s lots for crime fans to love in Alex Reeve’s writing, but the two elements that stand out in particular are his settings and his protagonist: Reeve brings the darker side of Victorian London brilliantly to life, while in Leo Stanhope he has created a lead character for readers to really care about.

(Living Magazines (November 2020)

Victorian London and a journalist receives a telegram telling him that a murder will be committed. Stanhope visits the supposed victim and a couple of days later the man is dead. Curiosity cause Stanhope to investigate against the view of the police. He also has his own secrets to hide.
Despite an interesting premise I felt this book never really caught fire for me. I found myself reading to try to complete the book rather than for enjoyment. It's not that its a bad book, it just didn't capture me as much as I hoped.

Exciting and atmospheric, this novel harkens back to the days of the classic Victorian murder mystery. Journalist Leo Stanhope is the newspaperman asking "whodunnit", as a chance set of circumstances puts him hot on the trail of a shocking murder. One of the first on the scene and a character who remains at the forefront of the action throughout the case, Leo encounters an array of intriguing individuals as he works to uncover the truth and unmask the murderer.

This is the third novel in the Leo Stanhope series, yet it isn't necessary to have read the previous two books in order to enjoy this one. Events and characters from past novels are mentioned yet not overly dwelled upon, leaving The Butcher of Berner Street ideal to read as either a standalone novel or as part of the series.

The characters are engaging and interesting - all have their unique characteristics and intriguingly, all have their secrets, too. From those who openly admit their flaws to others who prefer to keep them hidden away, this is a novel filled with twists and turns throughout.

The descriptions are vivid yet not overdone, painting a picture of the hardships many endured living in Victorian London. From the poverty and squalor many East End residents both lived and worked in, to the relative contrast of Leo's lodgings and the newspaper offices, the book provides an eye-opening glimpse into the heart of London's past.

It is also interesting to read about Leo's struggles living as a trans man at a time when it would be widely considered wrong and sinful at the very least. Leo is prepared to go to any lengths to protect his biggest secret, yet it is also heartbreaking to think of the pain that he endures simply to be himself. Although he is largely pragmatic about the situation, it's a sad situation and a real shame.

All in all, The Butcher of Berner Street is an engaging historical crime novel with plenty of secrets and mystery.

Along with Antonia Hodgson’s Thomas Hawkins books and Andrew Taylor’s Marwood and Lovett books, this is one of several new historical mystery series I have been enjoying over the last few years. It is set in Victorian London and follows the adventures of Leo Stanhope, an interesting, intelligent and likeable young man who has a secret he must keep hidden at all costs. This is the third book in the series and although you could certainly read it without having read the previous two (The House on Half Moon Street and The Anarchists’ Club), I do recommend getting to know Leo and his friends from the beginning if possible.

As The Butcher of Berner Street opens, we learn that Leo, formerly a coroner’s assistant, has a new job writing articles on science for the Daily Chronicle newspaper. He is enjoying the work and is grateful for the opportunity he has been given, but he longs for something more exciting to write about – something that will give him a front page headline. When he receives an anonymous note warning of a murder due to take place at a wrestling club in the East End of London that night, it seems Leo is about to get his wish. A murder does take place, although not quite in the way Leo had expected, and when suspicion falls on a Hungarian female wrestler, Irina Vostek, he must find a way to get the headlines he needs while making sure that Irina really is the killer.

I think The Butcher of Berner Street is my favourite of the three books in this series. The plot is well constructed and although I did guess who the murderer was, there were several possible suspects and enough twists and turns to give me a few doubts. More than the plot, though, I loved the setting, the atmosphere and the insights into various aspects of Victorian life: the class differences and the fate of those living in poverty, the early days of the women’s suffrage movement and attitudes towards the Catholic church.

Leo himself is a very compelling character; it’s no spoiler to tell you that although he has chosen to live as a man, he was born and raised as a girl before leaving home as a teenager and taking on a new identity, knowing that he could never be happy unless he had the freedom to be true to himself. Only one or two trusted friends know Leo’s secret and he lives in fear of anyone else finding out; life as a transgender man in the 19th century is not easy and he has heard stories of others who have been arrested and forced to undergo horrific ‘cures’. Although this book is first and foremost a mystery novel and not specifically a book about the experience of being trans, it does have an impact on the way Leo approaches solving the mystery, as he needs to avoid drawing too much attention to himself and risking being blackmailed or exposed. As well as Leo, there are lots of other recurring characters in the series and I enjoyed meeting them all again, particularly the pie maker Rosie Flowers and Alfie the pharmacist and his young daughter, Constance.

I don’t know whether there will be a fourth book in this series. This one has a proper ending, tying up some loose ends and not leaving too much unresolved, but I still hope to see Leo and his friends again soon!

It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I thoroughly enjoyed.
An excellent historical mystery with an unusual and fascinating MC and a well researched and vivid historical background.
I loved the fleshed out characters and the solid mystery, full of twists and turns, that kept me guessing.
Even if it can be read as a stand-alone it's better to read the previous book because there's some backstory and I felt I was missing something.
A gripping and highly entertaining read, strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Leo Stanhope #3

An anonymous letter summons fledgling journalist, Leo Stanhope to an Eastend club, only for the owner to be found murdered. Shortly afterwards, Leo sees a story worth pursuing. Yet the more Leo digs, the stranger the story becomes.

I have not read any of the other books in this series. What an engaging read this is. It's set in the 1800's in London. You feel yourself being drawn into the era. The plotline is full of twists and the historical era has been well researched. There's a mixed bunch of characters. Leo is complex. Although this book does read well as a standalone, I would have preferred to have read the books in the order they were published in.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #BloomsburyPublishingPlc and the author #AlexReeve for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing U.K./Raven Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Butcher of Berner Street’ by Alex Reeve in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third in a series of crime thrillers set in Victorian London featuring Leo Stanhope, who was born female but has felt since childhood that God presented him with the wrong body. For years he has lived estranged from his birth family under a number of identities to protect his secret.

I have followed this series from the start and commend Alex Reeve on creating a highly engaging series that has gone from strength to strength. While some background is provided, it is worth reading the series from the beginning in order to appreciate the individual characters’ development.

Leo has achieved his dream of working for a London newspaper and is now its science correspondent. The novel hits the ground running with Leo watching a fight between two women being held at a penny gaff in Berner Street, Whitechapel. One of the participants is known as Hungarian Lady Vostek and becomes an important character in the subsequent story.

Leo is there because that morning he had received an anonymous letter at the Daily Chronicle offices warning that a cold hearted murder would be taking place that night at the venue and requesting Leo to attend given his reputation of solving crimes “unfathomable to the police.”

I won’t say more in order to avoid spoilers, though I will praise Alex Reeve for crafting another excellent mystery that realises its historical setting, has strong characterisations, and integrates social issues of the period into the narrative. Here Women’s Rights are at the fore as The Married Women’s Property Act is being put forward despite opposition from some members of Parliament. So there are political marches and the like going on.

While Leo is living as a man, he remains aware of how precarious his position is in society. I also appreciated that Reeve addressed Leo’s response to his monthly ‘curse’, especially the cramps. It’s not a subject that is often discussed.

One of the most rewarding aspects of an ongoing series is witnessing the changes in the characters’ lives, here alongside Leo is his good friend and pie shop owner, Rosie, his landlord, Alfie, and Alfie’s precocious daughter, Constance. I have come to care for them all very much.

Overall, this is a historical mystery that excels on all counts and that I found a highly satisfying read. I can hardly wait for news of the next case for Leo and friends.

Highly recommended.

The Butcher of Berner Street is the third instalment in the Leo Stanhope series, a historical crime thriller, featuring Leo as a trans man and former coroner’s assistant turned science journalist and set in Victorian-era London. It begins with Leo receiving an anonymous letter while at work at the Daily Chronicle newspaper. The writer claims to know that the penny gaff on Berner Street in Whitechapel, East London, a venue in which amateur wrestling matches take place, will be the location of a cold-blooded, brutal murder and that his presence there is requested most urgently. Despite colleague Harry Whitford having scoffed and laughed it off, Leo and Constable Norman Pallett decide to attend that evening as it can't hurt, however, nothing out of the ordinary happens. A short time after their visit, the Chronicle receives a notification via telegram that the owner of the gaff and the wrestling referee, Oswald Drake, has been found hanged from a beam above the stage with a suspicious-looking syringe mark on his body; a syringe once filled with morphine. Leo begins to investigate the owner’s untimely death, which finds him visiting a Sisters of Mercy Convent, and he becomes instrumental in DS Ripley's arrest of a suspect.

When the press learns the suspect is female, politics and women’s rights come into question. Can Leo navigate the quagmire the case has become? This is a compulsive, intriguing and beautifully written piece of historical crime fiction which not only entertains and has a plethora of unpredictable moments but is so intelligently woven that the exploration of societal issues in 1900s Britain adds a certain je ne sais quoi that elevates it high above similar books. The lack of women's rights, the suffrage movement and the problems which arise from a patriarchal societal system are all given an airing in a fascinating manner and are threaded into the storyline. I also love the fact that our protagonist is female-male trans in a time when although LGBTQ+ did not make themselves known for a very real fear of prejudice they did in fact exist. As always, the richly-imagined and impeccably researched climate of Victorian Whitechapel is vividly depicted and evocative; you can easily see, smell and hear all of the surrounding activity and the dark, dingy atmosphere feels authentic as thick smog hangs in the air. A captivating and utterly riveting read and the finest historical crime you'll find. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Raven Books for an ARC.

This is the third in the series featuring trans man Leo Stanhope and, as he is rather complex and has a bit of a colourful backstory, I do recommend that you start from book one and read in order. In this book, Leo is called to a fight club where the letter write claims there is to be a murder. He goes but finds the "murder" to be a stunt. His eyes are however opened by a female fighter. Shortly after his visit, the club owner is indeed murdered and Leo, in his position as a journalist, starts to investigate. An investigation that will lead him into some dark and interesting places, and even marks himself out as a suspect, as well as putting others in danger...
I do love this series, I find Leo to be a very unique and interesting main character. Sadly this book, his third outing, didn't quite live up to the heady heights of the previous two for me. I think it wasn't quite as fluid as the previous two and didn't quite flow as well. That said, I did enjoy reconnecting with some familiar faces, revisited from previous books, who all play their parts just as well in this one. As well as the characters, we have the setting - time and place - both of which are just as interesting and intriguing as the plot as it unwinds. 1800s London is a fascinating setting with plenty of incidents, events and places to weave into the narrative. Things that have obviously been well researched by the author.
The story is a bit jagged in places and, as already mentioned, doesn't quite flow as well as it could. Although, that said, Leo is a bit in turmoil personally throughout so this may be connected with the pacing and flow also being a tad off. It didn't really mar my enjoyment of the book overall, and I was left satisfied at its conclusion, but it did prevent me from fully connecting with it all the way through.
All in all, not quite as good as the two that have gone before, but a thoroughly decent read in itself. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I love this series! The characters are so compelling and the plot is full of twists and turns.
Returning to the world of Leo Stanhope is always a joy and I really appreciate the effort Alex Reeve has put into his historical research and including the suffragist movement etc. What I really liked about this book is that Leo is really starting to come into his own. He has a job that suits him and that he’s good at and has friends that love and support him. At times I’m infuriated by his supremely bad decision-making (in my opinion anyway), but for some reason I can’t stop reading anway! I also love Rosie more and more with every book and I would kill to try one of her pies!
I really hope there will be another one!

The blurb pretty much covers the main idea of this book’s plot; however, there is so much more to it.

Leo Stanhope is actually a woman, choosing to live life as a man, in an era where women had little to no rights. This is hardly a spoiler, and indeed, if you’re familiar with the series, you’ll already know this important fact. That said, I found it added a whole new dimension to the story itself; seeing everything unfolding through the eyes of a woman masquerading as a man. It made looking at gender roles and stereotypes even more pertinent (especially given the eventual outcome of the case in question).

I have to admit, I didn’t immediately realise this was the third book in a series. However, as a few incidents are often mentioned/alluded to, it became obvious I was missing some of the backstory. That said, it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of this as a standalone read – though, I am now intrigued to go back and read more to fill in the blanks.

The author creates a beautifully atmospheric setting, with appropriate cultural references and some brilliantly unlikable characters. Excellently researched, without feeling like you were being given a history lesson.
I found this a really interesting read, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the era, or historical crime fiction in general.

Historical Crime fiction is one of my guilty reading pleasures and this is a good one. Set in 1800's London we find the main character Leo Stanhope up to his neck in trouble once again. I love being transported back in time. Another great whodunnit. I love this series and can't wait to see what our intrepid investigator Leo Stanhope gets upto next.. All in all a great read read and a gripping series. Loved it.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Leo Stanhope is a science reporter in a newspaper, where no one cares about the subjects he reviews about until now. He rents a room in the home of Alfie and his daughter Constance, who runs a pharmacy business set in Victorian London. His father, who has since passed, use to room with them previously.

When he receives an anonymous warning at the paper, that there was going to be a murder at a semi-legal fighting den in the back street of London, he is eager to attend and intervene as much as possible. It turns out to be a promotional hoax sent to him, to write a complimentary article meant to attract more city punters. Only for an actual murder to take place days later, the owner of the fighting den and Leo to be informed in the same manner.

Who sent him the telegram and why? Is this a mystery for Leo and his friends to investigate?

If you have ever read any of the previous books in the series, this is the third, you will know that Leo Stanhope is a woman who has chosen to live as a man. This is important as the past events are referenced a lot without the gaps being filled in.

This is set in a time when women didn’t have the right to buy or sell any property without their father’s or husband’s permission and did not have the right to vote.

The story is set in the backdrop of suffragettes’ protests, and members of the government actively campaigning to remove more of rights from women. It was an imprisonable offence to live as a man, so Leo is always living with the constant fear of being discovered.

My advice is to read these books in series order to gain a complete understanding of the storyline.

#NetGalley #TheButcherOfBernerStreet

I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this advanced copy in exchange for my own honest review.

Having finally found a job he can pursue with the hopes of a successful career Leo Stanhope is enjoying his new role as a London journalist even if his work hasn't resulted in any front page headlines yet. All that seems about to change when he is warned, anonymously, about dangerous goings on in a club in the East End.

After his visit, when the owner is murdered, Leo finds clues leading him to locations not normally thought of as belonging together and knows he could be onto something big. When Leo pens the headline guaranteed to sell more papers his hopes of a glittering career crash into his desperate need to remain in the shadows and his insecurities threaten to overwhelm him.

Once again Alex Reeve has written an atmospheric, historically vivid novel which merges disparate characters and situations into an excellent novel. Although a little slow in places I was once again drawn into the detailed and obviously extensively researched late Victorian era Stanhope inhabits.

Leo's life, as a trans man, has always been handled in a way that pulls no punches. It shows his hopes for a future where he can stop looking over his shoulder continuously as well as a present filled with actual and perceived dangers at every turn. The events covered here are at the beginning of a pivotal time in the personal development of the men and women inhabiting Victorian London and there is a sense of hope not seen in the previous books.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this series but would suggest to newcomers the need to read them chronologically in order to gain most from this author's thought provoking series.

Alex Reeve returns us to the Victorian era, London based crime series with the third in her trans man, Leo Stanhope, now working as a journalist on the Daily Chronicle, writing science articles and book reviews. He is still living with pharmacist landlord, Alfie and his 13 year old daughter, Constance, now planning a move to bigger premises with the woman he is going to marry, Mrs Gower. He is still visiting Jacob Kleiner, his wife, the blind Lilya and Eddie, for chess evenings, although Jacob's health is failing, making him hard to handle as he remonstrates that Leo was not there for him when he needed him. Despite the occasional difficulties in their relationship, Rosie Flowers, with her popular pie shop, feels that the only man she can trust, given her traumatic history, is Leo, although she contemplates a light foray by stepping out with Leo's colleague, Harry Whitford, the feckless son of the editor, with his love of the drink.

It all begins with Leo receiving an anonymous letter claiming he needed to prevent a murder taking place in a penny gaff putting on wrestling bouts in Berner Street, Whitechapel, in London's East End. With no-one else taking it seriously, Leo goes there with Constable Norman Pallett. Soon after his visit, the Chronicle receives a telegram, the owner and referee of the penny gaff, Oswald Drake has been found hanging, with the mark of a syringe on his body. In this, the oddest of cases, Leo finds himself visiting a convent of the Sisters of Mercy, and is responsible for DS Ripley arresting a suspect. The media are baying for blood and a quick hanging, and Leo who had never managed to get any of his work printed on a prominent position in the paper, suddenly finds himself the man of the moment as he coins the headline, The Butcher of Berner Street. With Frederick Lampton, a politician advocating that women should have no rights, jumping on the bandwagon of condemning the female suspect, and suffragettes campaigning for her release, riots ensue as Leo begins to dig deeper into the case.

With how matters conclude for Leo at the end, it looks as if this might be the last in Alex Reeve's compulsive historical crime series. Here, Leo continues to suffer as he tries to put on a front as a man on a daily basis, living in constant fear of being discovered as he imagines the horrors he will face in prison, all exacerbated when he is attacked and assaulted. Added to this, is the growing burden of guilt that he feels as it begins to look as if he might have made a mistake in identifying the suspect as the killer, and that the victim may not be the charitable and good man he is being portrayed as. This is a riveting Victorian crime series, although here Leo seems to be all over the place, however, it is gratifying to see how many in his close circle put themselves at risk when come to support him when he finds himself in deep trouble with the police. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.