Cover Image: Hyde: WINNER OF THE 2021 McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR BEST CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

Hyde: WINNER OF THE 2021 McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR BEST CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This book is exceptionally dark and haunting. It’s a gothic horror set in Edinburgh
The writing is so good and the story is multilayered.

Was this review helpful?

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed Craig Russell’s previous books, but just couldn’t get into this one. I may try again, but DNF right now.

Was this review helpful?

I'm biased in the sense that I would read anything Celtic/Scottish, but this was also such an amazing book! It's clever and mesmerising, authentic to the original story while still being utterly its own!

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely love the Craig Russel books and feel privileged to get a early copy of this book. Love the take on Jykel and Hyde and the gothic style of this book

Was this review helpful?

Hyde has been on my radar to read for quite some time, and I am glad that it finally made it to the top of my TBR pile. Full of gothic mystery, history, and murder it ticks all the boxes, and I was not disappointed.
Captain Edward Hyde is a Superintendent in the Edinburgh City Police. When he comes across the body of a man hung upside down from a tree, he is not sure how he came to be first on the scene. Hiding his health issues from his superiors, he knows that he is prone to blackouts and seizures which always make him wonder what happens during the missing time. When a close friend and doctor is found murdered Hyde finds himself a suspect as well as the lead detective as his condition becomes common knowledge and he had been seen arguing with the victim before his death. If this is not enough for him to contend with he is also trying to find a missing woman.
Despite Hyde struggling with his own nature, he is a character you grow to like, especially as he grows closer to Dr Cally Burr, a woman in a male profession. She soon becomes his confidante, trying to help decipher his episodes and the dreams he has following them. Even when she is placed in danger she is determined to help him. The interactions between the two of them are quite often the light in what otherwise would be a very dark tale
This book is full of twists that will have you suspecting everyone, including Hyde, after all he even believes himself capable of the violent murders that are occurring in the city. As he unearths secret societies and associations, legends, and myths it is easy to get lost in the investigations and wonder if the true culprit will ever be revealed. As the multiple investigations merge into one, the ending is one that you may not expect.
There is something about the writing style of this book that adds another dimension to this story, layering the tension right to the end. It has the vibe of the old gothic tales that will appeal to those who love these types of books whilst exploring human nature and minds at their worst. I will admit that this book was not a quick read for me but was well worth it as it kept my attention to the end.

Was this review helpful?

A clever twist on the classic tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, this is a Gothic story full of action and murder with a sprinkle of Celtic myth to complete it. In some parts there was big chunks of too much information and what seemed like irrelevant back story which could have been cut down a bit as it was tough to read through but overall it is a brilliant story about the duality of personality and the monsters that lie within.
I enjoyed the plot which is carried forward with multiple murders and a link to Celtic myth which heightened the horror aspect and Hyde's character was definitely an interesting read especially with his inner struggles becoming a huge part of the story. There are a few twists throughout to keep you reading and when you think you know the culprit something else happens to change your mind. There is a big shock at the end which I wasn't expecting and the end is tied up nicely.
Overall an intriguing read with nice connections to the original Stevenson story.

Was this review helpful?

https://lynns-books.com/2021/07/01/hyde-by-craig-russell/
4.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Clever reimagining of a classic

I read and enjoyed the Devil’s Aspect by Craig Russell just over a couple of years ago, it was a creepy gothic horror story and so when I saw that Russell had written another gothic horror, this time set in Victorian Edinburgh I simply couldn’t resist, and, to be honest, I think I enjoyed this one even more.

This is a very clever story. It isn’t a retelling of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which is what I was expecting somehow, but it uses the influence of duality, which is the premise of the original classic and spins it into a very dark tale incorporating so much more. On top of this readers will be familiar with at least a couple of the characters and the interesting ideas, combined with celtic folklore, a gothic setting and a murder mystery all combine to make a really good read.

The pov character is one Captain Edward Hyde. He’s recently returned from serving in India and is now under the employ of The City of Edinburgh Police. As the story kicks off we’re immediately thrown into a grisly murder scene where the victim appears to have been thrice murdered. Hyde doesn’t immediately connect this murder with ancient rituals, he’s a bit pre-occupied given that he cannot remember why he was in fact so close to the crime scene himself. Hyde suffers from a form of epilepsy that leaves him unable to remember things and to lose time completely. He begins to worry about being so close to the site where the victim was found. Is he committing dark deeds when he loses control? Now on top of this there are a series of strange things happening in the City. A heiress goes missing, a man is executed for a crime that he is believed innocent, banshees cry, another murder victim is discovered and events point to the resurrection of a strange Dark Guild. To be honest I’m not going to elaborate further on the plot because there are a number of threads taking place in this one. Don’t let that worry you as everything comes together really well as events unfold and the tension is ramped up.

What I really liked about this was the central character. He’s a character that I could sympathise with in that he genuinely didn’t know if he was committing dark crimes. Hyde is being treated for his epilepsy by his friend Dr Samuel Porteus. What he is unaware of – although he does start to suspect – is that Porteus is experimenting with the treatments he provides, keen to make a breakthrough he is using Hyde as his own personal experiment. Of course Porteus reassures Hyde that he isn’t capable of such heinous crimes but reading from Hyde’s pov you’re very conscious of his own doubts and concerns and the trouble he has to expend to keep his secret close to his chest.

I think the gothic setting is excellently portrayed and there’s a creeping pervasiveness to the story that leaves your neck feeling prickly – that feeling as though you’re being watched. I actually picked up the audio version for this one and part read/part listened to this and the audio is so good – and definitely added to the chill factor.

Russell is certainly an author that can write horror. He has a wonderful ability to conjure up malicious and evil characters and his scenes are just excellently portrayed. I mean, he doesn’t go overboard with either descriptions or background information but seems to have the ability to make each word really count.

On top of this I think, and I did mention this above, that this is very clever. We have Hyde of course, working to try and discover the source of evil whilst at the same time not entirely trusting that he isn’t hiding something himself (or should that be Hyding? – sorry). Hyde is definitely a likeable character, even at the same time that you start to have doubts you can’t help wanting everything to resolve well for him and there’s also a brilliant case of misdirection here which I simply have to applaud.

I don’t think I can say too much without sinking into the world of spoilers. I really enjoyed this. I think the only criticism I could level at it would be a slight busyness of plot but the threads all do tie up in the end. For me, I liked the use of Hyde as a detective, I liked the inclusion of the author of the classic story and I thought there was plenty of food for thought, not only in terms of duality but the inclusion of other real life characters such as Deacon Brodie who apparently Robert Louis Stevenson wrote about in his earlier life. I was so fascinated by this and the way Brodie’s dual lifestyle was possibly the inspiration for the classic we know today.

I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4.5 of 5 stars

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this reworking of Jekyll and Hyde, the writing was superb.
Dark, gothic and absolutely divine to read.
The pacing was absolutely great.
Really enjoyed how the plot moved throughout the book.
Enjoyed the characters.
Am interested in getting a physical copy of the book

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
I've been a fan of Craig Russell's publications for a number of years and he seems to be able to turn his hand to writing on pretty much any subject matter. this book is miles away form the Lennox or Fabel series of books and is a wonderful Gothic tale set in Edinburgh. Knowing a number of the places referred to no doubt only aids to the enjoyment. A series of of gruesome murders with hints of the afterlife and a detective who appears to suffer form black outs feature. Is everything with the chartacters introduced as it seems. Who really is behind it all ? A number of good old fashioned twists before it all comes to climax.
A welcome addtion to Craig Russell's publications.

Was this review helpful?

Excellent! A mix of fiction and historical facts, a gothic novel that retells the story of Hyde.
It's well written, gripping and fascinating.
The author is a good storyteller and loved the style of writing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Was this review helpful?

An excellent re-working of the Jekyll and Hyde characters. A fanciful plot certainly but in Russell's skillful hands it never fails to be convincing and believable.

Was this review helpful?

This could be a great read for some, but for me it’s just too word heavy and I didn’t get along with the writing style.

Maybe in the future I might pick up a physical version as I don’t find it lends itself well to kindle.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately, this was one that didn't work for me. The writing was fantastic, and the atmosphere was wonderfully gothic and permeated the entire story, really bringing to life the time and feel that Russell was trying to create. However, I was unable to get invested in the story, and it felt as though a lot of the impact got lost under unnecessary detail, and while the characterization was good for the most part, I wasn't invested enough in them to fully embrace what was happening to them.

Was this review helpful?

I love the age old story of Jekyll and Hyde and when I read the description for this, I couldn't wait to see what refreshing take Russell would have on this well known horror.
Hyde is a dark supernatural thriller that really gets under your skin. It is not another retelling of Jekyll and Hyde and for this I loved it even more. It is a completely refreshing take on a classic story that really gets into the head of the reader.
One thing I really loved about this was the very beginning and end where Hyde is talking to his good friend Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson is the author of the original The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde book, so I thought that was a very clever nod to the original story and gave the book an extra level of depth.
The writing is fantastic. It is really atmospheric and you feel like you are walking the streets of a dark and haunted Victorian Edinburgh. From the descriptions of the buildings to the haunting manor in the highlands to eerie and creepy nights in the city, you really felt transported from where you were sitting and like you were watching this world unfold in front of your eyes. As well as a fantastic narrative, the characters are also very strong. I really liked how Hyde was depicted and thought he was an excellent protagonist. You really wanted to get under the surface and learn more about him but Russell skilfully kept a certain sense of mystery around the main character. I also really liked Cally - I am always going to be a fan of the strong willed and independent female character who doesn't conform to society's expectations.
The underlying supernatural theme that runs throughout the story is excellent. I love the link to Celtic myths and it really made me feel connected to home in a way (I'm Irish). The magical sense around the story wasn't to far in either extreme: not over the top with the hocus pocus but also strong enough that you could sense the mystery around these myths and legends throughout the book.
The final 20% of the book had some surprises that I wasn't expecting and I really enjoyed them! However I did feel the ending was a little rushed and it felt like a chapter was missing between the two final chapters. Everything happened very quickly and then it was done.
Overall, this is a creepy gothic thriller that will really get under your skin. Whether or not you are familiar or a fan of the story of Jekyll and Hyde, I would definitely give this a read. It is a really refreshing take on a classic and is also a story that will pose some important questions about our inner demons and how far we can go to suppress them.
A big thank you to Net Galley for letting me read it before it was published!

Was this review helpful?

A stunning read! Slow burning: a delicious gothic thriller.
The story is framed by a conversation between Edward Hyde and his friend, Robert Louis Stevenson. I am not sure what I was expecting when I requested this book, but I guess it was an alternative life for Mr Hyde. I got that – and so much more from this read.
Captain Hyde is a policemen in Edinburgh who is investigating a number of murders which seem to be related and confirm to a Celtic Sacrificial Rite known as ‘The Threefold Death’. However, Hyde has his own secret to hide which relates to him ‘losing’ time suggesting that he may be capable of committing gross deeds, attacks and murders during these unexplained ‘absences’.
This is a book which explores the ‘duality of human nature’ in similar ways to Stevenson’s novella. But there are many characters in this book that have dual lives and experiences: The Lockwood family and their history of madness, William Brodie and the superstition of the ‘Dark Guild’; Dr Porteous and his association with the Janus Society. Craig Russell’s narrative winds and doubles back on itself in a dizzyingly masterful manner so that by the end of the story you really do not know who to trust.
The story has a slow start, after the initial gory revelation, while you meet many characters who are all vital in their own way, but I did find it hard to keep track of who was who to start with. There are wonderful passages of gothic writing but the main plot rivals any Sherlock Holmes mystery with red herrings and false leads!

Was this review helpful?

‘This city is crawling with insane beliefs: theosophists, hermeticists, spiritualists, occultists, religious fanatics . . .’ - Captain Hyde to Dr. Burr, ‘Hyde’

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. /Constable for the an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell in exchange for an honest review. I purchased its unabridged audiobook and listened alongside reading.

Craig Russell’s latest novel is a Gothic crime thriller set in Edinburgh during the late nineteenth century. It takes the form of a tale told by Edward Hyde to his friend, Robert Louis Stevenson about events during his time serving as the superintendent of detective officers in Edinburgh’s City Police.

Hyde suffers from a strange condition that he keeps secret from everyone except his physician: he experiences two realities - the real world and a dreamscape triggered by a neurological condition.

While investigating a series of murders that echo the ancient Celtic threefold death ritual, Hyde becomes entangled in a web of Celtic-inspired occultism and the dark schemes of the powerful figures behind it. In order to track down the killers, he has to seek answers in the sinister symbolism of the otherworld and potentially risk his sanity. No further details to avoid spoilers.

Russell is an author whose novels I have appreciated since I first encountered his Jan Fabel series of gritty police procedurals. His 2019 stand-alone, ‘The Devil Aspect’, was a superb historical Gothic thriller. With ‘Hyde’ he again explores the landscape of classic Gothic literature; this time drawing on the rich tradition of Celtic folklore and the Victorian fascination with the occult and the supernatural.

From the opening I felt completely caught up in this powerful reimagining of Stevenson’s classic tale of horror, murder, and madness. Russell perfectly captures the brooding atmosphere of Victorian-era Edinburgh with the result that I found myself fully immersed in his narrative.

I enjoyed this immensely, it was dark, thrilling, and thoroughly entertaining, ticking all my boxes for Gothic horror and historical crime fiction.

Certainly highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

A new Craig Russell is always a cause for celebration and excitement. I adored his last book, The Devil Aspect and this time Russell has brought his Gothic demons much closer to home.

There’s nowhere better than Edinburgh to cast a spellbinding Gothic story. Edinburgh with its surgical traditions, its black history of grave robbers Burke and Hare, its underground streets and the famous Arthur’s Seat coffin dolls. Russell takes all these very real moments and some real historical figures and uses them to mould a dark and seriously fiendish tale that strikes at the heart of Victorian Edinburgh society.

Nothing could be more natural. Russell takes his creator back to the Edinburgh of Robert Louis Stevenson to show us the origins of Stephenson’s Jekyll and Hyde. Captain Edward Henry Hyde has returned from his tour of duty in the British Army after defending the Empire in India. Now he is Superintendent of Detective Officers for the City of Edinburgh Police. In this douce city where bourgeois respectability is everything and craftsmen are held in high esteem, Russell lifts the veil of respectability to look underneath at the dark and evil monstrosities that lie below.

He does this, intriguingly, against the backdrop of a Scotland that is not entirely comfortable with its role as part of the Empire since the Act of Union; a Scotland that dares to dream of a more glorious future and this element is mirrored in Hyde, a man who struggles with what he has seen and done in the name of the British Empire. There are levels and layers to this book and they work together perfectly to allow us to see the hypocrisy of both man and the society he treasures while beneath the surface ugly boils suppurate and threaten to break through to the surface.

Hyde, according to his his friend and psychiatrist Dr Samuel Porteous, is epileptic. He only knows that he loses time and after an episode comes to with no memory of where he has been or what he has done. Porteous is treating Hyde privately and in secret so that Hyde can conceal his condition from his employers. But he is also increasingly concerned that Porteous is experimenting on him in the hopes of gaining glory through the development of an innovative treatment.

Everyone, we realise has dual motives and aspects in this clever book that wondrously marries fact and fiction in an altogether too persuasive telling of a beautifully Gothic masterpiece.

Hyde works as a fabulously gruesome, entertaining story in its own right. It is a rich, layered story full of dark demons, old folk tales, and a bit of devil worship all combined with wonderful imagery and mysterious characters whose very presence makes us quail and fear them.

Hyde is a fantastic murder mystery, full of sulphurous smells, rich in atmosphere and twisty as you like. Russell provides strong female characters too in the form of that most undouce of things, Dr Cally Burr, a female surgeon and in Elizabeth Lockwood, a formidable business brain and heir to her father’s business empire.

Hyde is a chilling and deeply scary tale of madness, myth and pure evil, rooted in the legend that is Jekyll and Hyde, and yet altogether different.

Verdict: I could not love this book more. The language is glorious, the settings perfect. The rich layered storytelling is suspenseful, chilling and full of meaning. There’s so much deftly embedded in this story that you could go on discovering gems for some time. I love this outstanding book and give it all the stars for an absolute must buy – must read book.

Was this review helpful?

This is a wonderfully dark Gothic crime mystery set in Victorian Edinburgh with obvious nods to the Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde classic. Captain Edward Hyde is the main investigator in the murder of an unknown man, the body found hanging upside down and with other potentially ritualistic injuries.  It was Hyde himself that found the dead man's body but he cannot remember how he came to be in that part of Edinburgh on that night.  You see, for all his adult life Hyde has been plagued by nightmares and terrors and he finds himself losing time, not being able to remember where he has been and what has done during those lost hours.  Surely he cannot have had a hand n the murder himself...
A fantastic piece of storytelling, full of Scottish history and Celtic superstition and legends.  Highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Clara Diaz from Little, Brown Book Group UK and to NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
I read and reviewed Rusell’s novel The Devil Aspect and enjoyed the historical detail, the emphasis on psychological factors, and the Gothic/horror elements of the story, and there are many features I recognise here, although the setting is Scotland, Edinburgh to be more specific, the myths this time are Celtic, and the historical period is the Victorian era, at a time when Scotland has become a part of the United Kingdom, but not everybody is in agreement with that and/or with the imperialist drive of the British government. As was the case with the other novel, it is difficult to talk about the plot without revealing too much and spoiling some of the surprises —and there are plenty— to come, because the story is constructed as a mystery-cum-police procedural, combined with psychological/supernatural/dark Gothic-horror elements. The whole narrative is framed by a conversation between writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his friend Edward Hyde, where Stevenson tells Hyde that he is obsessed by the subject of the duality of the spirit, the fact that we all have a dark side that is hidden but might manifest itself in certain circumstances, but he feels unable to write about it. Hyde decides to tell him a relevant story, and the rest of the novel is the story which we are to assume managed to inspire Stevenson to write one of his most famous novels.
I have mentioned duality, and, in fact, multiple dualities and hidden identities are among the most important subjects of the story: Edinburgh (Scottish but also a part of the British Empire; old/traditional and at the head of the industrial revolution, modernisation and electrification; prejudiced [against foreigners, sexual diversity, women...] and tolerant); Hyde, the main protagonist (decent and honest, but with a traumatic past, unable to tell the truth about his doubts and fears, and deeply concerned about the darkness within); secret and dark societies hiding behind socially acceptable fronts; moral crusades pretending to protect the public from terrorist risks... There are plenty of historical details about old Edinburgh, its characters, its institutions, its stories, its buildings... I am sure anybody who’s ever visited Edinburgh or who has dreamed of visiting it will be fascinated by this story, and will have plenty of places to add to their list, and they will view some pretty well-known locations under a different light. I was also inspired by the stories from Celtic mythology mentioned to research more on the subject, and there is much that intrigued me and kept me hooked onto the story. As this is a mystery and a historical police procedural, there are crimes, and despite (or because of) their ritualistic nature they are quite gross and gore, so caution is advised to those who prefer milder reads.
The story is narrated in the third person, mostly from Hyde’s point of view (although he is an unreliable narrator, as he experiences some strange visions and dreams, and also periods of blackout and lost time, when he doesn’t know what has happened, so separating the truth from his dreams is not always straight forward), although we also get some chapters or fragments of chapters from other characters’ perspective; like his psychiatrist and friend (who also hides some secrets of his own); Cally Burr, a wonderful female doctor (and my favourite character together with Hyde); Elspeth Lockwood, the daughter of a well-off family, and a pretty strong and determined woman (who is also pretty unreliable as a narrator); Hyde’s collaborators... Some of the other characters we only get to know through their interactions with the rest, like his boss; a mysterious leader/spiritualist and his right-hand man (who is fascinating as well); a man suspected of being a nationalist leader; a photographer who is more involved than he seems at first; relatives of the victims...
The story’s style is Gothic, not only because of the nature of the subject and the setting, but because it does reverberate with the style of the old novels of the period, and that includes the use of old Scottish words and terminology, and a pace that is more leisurely and less concerned with only advancing the story as most modern novels are. There is plenty of telling, including descriptions of locations, people, stories and detailed background of the mythology and the individual characters’ experiences that help create a credible and eerie Gothic atmosphere. But there is also much showing, as we experience some of the events from the point of view of the protagonists, getting to feel their confusion and puzzlement, and not knowing either if what we’re reading is happening or is a dream, or perhaps a state of consciousness somewhere in between. The different narratives alternate, and although it is clear whose perspective we are reading at any given time, it is important to keep one’s attention sharp, as is the case with police procedurals in general. Because there are some dark/Jungian/mythological/paranormal elements, I am not sure this book will work for purists of that genre, but there are plenty of twists, red herrings, false clues, and surprises, and those should keep most readers who love mixed-genres hooked and satisfied. There are also plenty of subjective and introspective moments for those of us who love to explore the recesses of characters’ minds, and although it is not a slow book, it allows readers time to ponder on the beauty of certain passages, and also to think about the deeper meaning of some of the experiences explored in the novel. As I tend to do, and because I want to avoid revealing any important points of the novel, I recommend future readers to check a sample of the book to help them decide if the style works for them.
Was I surprised by the ending? Well, I guessed some aspects of it (no, I won’t go into more detail than that), although quite late into the story, but not all, and yes, I enjoyed it. I would go as far to say that it was quite beautiful. It definitely worked for me.
So, do I recommend it? Yes, to those who are not purists of the police procedural, to readers who love historical fiction with a bit of a twist, who are not afraid of violent crime and dark and horrific subjects, who love unreliable narrators psychologically troubled, and especially those who aren’t looking for a stylistically modern narrative but are able to enjoy descriptions, precious writing, and language appropriate to the historical period. I intend to carry on reading Russell’s novels in the future and wonder where and when he’ll take me next.

Was this review helpful?