#Titanuary ‘The Back To Front Murder’ by Tim Major

About the book…

May 1898: Sherlock Holmes investigates a murder stolen from a writer’s research.

Abigail Moone presents an unusual problem at Baker Street. She is a writer of mystery stories under a male pseudonym, and gets her ideas following real people and imagining how she might kill them and get away with it. It’s made her very successful, until her latest “victim” dies, apparently of the poison method she meticulously planned in her notebook. Abigail insists she is not responsible, and that someone is trying to frame her for his death. With the evidence stacking up against her, she begs Holmes to prove her innocence…

Hugest of thanks to the awesome Titan publicity team for sending me a gifted review copy of ‘The Back To Front Murder’ by Tim Major which is available in paperback and e-book formats.

The 18th instalment in what are known as the ‘The New Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes’, this one of several strands which Titan publish featuring the iconic detective duo of Holmes and Watson.

In this , they are approached by a woman, an author who writes mystery novels under an assumed name (Damian Collinbourne)

Abigail Moone had been following this individual, Robert Blythewood, in order to fully sketch out the circumstances of a fictional murder by poison. From a friend who is a pharmacist, she has obtained ‘blank’ tablets, placebos if you will, by which she can assess the feasibility of murdering someone with poison via a public water fountain. She attests that she has taken one of these herself to be certain there are no side effects or they are, indeed, poison.

Having followed this gentleman who has a fairly set routine, up to the day of his death, she is in the perfect position not only to carry out this ‘murder’, but also to witness the shocking occasion of his actual death. What brings her to Holmes’ door is not just clearing her name before anyone finds out she was using Robert as a case study, but also because she is determined to work out what has actually happened, right under her nose.

Using the newly opened Tate gallery, this novel illustrates the way in which women were treated, observed and heard. or rather, how they were disregarded, not listened to and ignored.

Even Holmes and Watson have had their fair share of moments where their view of the ‘fairer sex‘ was, shall we say, less than we would like.

That Abigail has been able to make a living in a field where she would be disregarded under her own name is really quite standard for the time-and then you consider, has it really changed? Do women writers still adopt that non-gendered writing name in order to be taken seriously?

J.K Rowling as Robert Galbraith immediately springs to mind, and if someone with her huge platform still felt the need to be seen under her own writerly merits as a creative person, there are certain questions which we as readers could choose to ask ourselves about the way in which we research, and choose, the authors that we pick to stay on our shelves.

What struck me as interesting as well when I was reading it, is how easily I fell into the metier of a Holmes/Watson storyline. Those much more educated than me in these matters may have points of contention but as a humble reader, it was a sheer delight to fall headlong into the well established rapport , notice the nods to other cases sprinkled as almost, the original ‘Easter Eggs’ or hidden extras, as well as the bonhomie between or duo and their wider cast of characters.

It is such a joy to see so many and varied writers taking up the challenge to write in a Holmesian-style, whilst maintaining their own individuality through the storyline, and writerly technique.

Here I think Tim carries it off beautifully, it was a real pleasure to explore the grounds of the Tate, observe the brilliant mind in action, and enjoy a well written, creative mystery that satisfied very deeply.

Whilst the murder may be back to front, the storytelling absolutely was not, it was top notch from first page to last!

About the author…

Tim Major is an SF and horror writer based in York, UK. His books include HOPE ISLAND and SNAKESKINS, short story collection AND THE HOUSE LIGHTS DIM and a non-fiction book about the 1915 silent crime film, LES VAMPIRES, which was shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award. His short stories have appeared in Interzone, Not One of Us and have been selected for Best of British Science Fiction, Best British Fantasy and Best Horror of the Year.

Links-http://cosycatastrophes.com/

Twitter @TitanBooks @onasteamer