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J.C. Briggs
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Death at Hungerford Stairs: A serial killer is on the loose in Victorian London (Charles Dickens Investigations Book 2) Kindle Edition

by J. C. Briggs (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 704 ratings
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Charles Dickens has turned detective in this thrilling series! Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Victorian crime mysteries, A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield.

Boys are going missing from London’s slums…

London, 1849

When a boy is found drowned in the River Thames at Hungerford Stairs, novelist Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones of Bow Street are mystified to discover that the child is not the missing youngster for whom they have been searching.

As Dickens and Jones delve deeper into London’s poverty-stricken backstreets, they stumble across two more bodies.

A serial killer is on the loose. And Charles is terrified that someone close to him may be one of the victims.

With a strange image of a mask sketched next to the corpses, could the murderer be leaving a trail for the detectives to follow…?

Or will the Death at Hungerford Stairs remain unsolved…?

Death at Hungerford Stairs is the second urban mystery in J. C. Briggs’ literary historical series, the Charles Dickens investigations, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London.

‘The dark side of Victorian London is effectively portrayed in a chilling tale of child murder, deceit and madness. Grab a cup of coffee, put your feet up and enjoy’ - The Historical Novel Society

‘Briggs's real triumph is the creation of secondary characters who could have come straight out of Oliver Twist and whose fates will tug at readers' heartstrings’ - Publisher’s Weekly

‘This is a cleverly crafted story with magnificent period detail to flesh out the circumstances in large and small ways. All the characters whether major or minor ring true in this Dickens London’ - Jennifer Palmer, Promoting Crime Fiction

‘In this gripping murder mystery, South Lakeland author Jean Briggs explores how Charles Dickens might have acted in the role of detective’ - The Westmorland Gazette

‘an extremely engaging read. Jean Briggs is proving herself to be a crime writer to watch out for’ – Crime Fiction Lover

The Charles Dickens Investigations Series:
BOOK ONE: The Murder of Patience Brooke
BOOK TWO: Death at Hungerford Stairs
BOOK THREE: Murder by Ghostlight
BOOK FOUR: The Quickening and the Dead
BOOK FIVE: At Midnight In Venice
BOOK SIX: The Redemption Murders
BOOK SEVEN: The Mystery of the Hawke Sapphires
BOOK EIGHT: The Chinese Puzzle
BOOK NINE: Summons to Murder
BOOK TEN: The Jaggard Case
BOOK ELEVEN: The Waxwork Man
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  1. Book 2 of 11
    Charles Dickens Investigations
  2. Print length
    307 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 27, 2018
  5. File size
    2.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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There are 11 books in this series.
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Charles Dickens Investigations Book 1 - Book 10
Charles Dickens Investigations Book 1 - Book 11
Bundle price: Kindle price
$10.97
Bundle price: Kindle price
$21.95
Bundle price: Kindle price
$51.90
Bundle price: Kindle price
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brigg's real triumph is the creation of secondary characters who could have come straight out of Oliver Twist and whose fates will tug at readers' heartstrings."--starred review in Publishers Weekly, 11/2/2015

"The pages keep turning, and the evocation of foggy Victorian London is excellent."  —Historical Novel Society on The Murder of Patience Brooke

About the Author

J.C. Briggs is a retired English teacher. Her previous book was The Murder of Patience Brooke.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07KSB72J6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books (December 27, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 27, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 307 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 704 ratings

About the author

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J.C. Briggs

J.C. Briggs

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I write historical crime fiction. My amateur detective is the great Victorian novelist, Charles Dickens. Dickens was fascinated by crime and murder. He went out with the London Police into the grim slums of London and visited the police stations to see how they all worked. According to a recent biographer, Dickens would have enjoyed being a detective. I gave him his wish. He makes a good detective - he is very observant, very clever at working out motive and following the clues with his partner, Superintendent Jones of Bow Street.

Victorian London is a great setting for a murder mystery - all that fog and very sinister alleys. It is fascinating to research the period from Dickens's own novels, the biographies and Dickens's letters. I like to know what he's up to in the periods of his life when the stories take place. All the books are based on something which really happened in Dickens's life. He set up a home for fallen women. I wondered what he would do if one of the girls was murdered and that was the idea for the first book.

When I'm not reading Dickens or writing Dickens, I give talks about him and other Victorian novelists and enjoy my garden in the Yorkshire Dales.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
704 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging and fascinating. They describe the book as a joy to read with descriptive writing reminiscent of Dickens. Readers appreciate the realistic portrayal of Victorian England and the emotional rollercoaster it offers. The book is well-researched and compassionate, offering an opportunity to soften hearts.

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Story qualityReadabilityEraHeartwarmingResearch accuracy
12 customers mention "Story quality"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story with its fascinating mystery. They find it interesting and well-written, describing it as one of the best mystery series ever. Readers appreciate the side stories and emotional rollercoaster that keep their attention throughout the book. The murder investigation is memorable and well-researched.

"...characters tend toward Dickensian grotesques but are, therefore, more memorable. And it was certainly well researched...." Read more

"...Crazy good mystery. Red herrings, side stories, emotional roller-coaster & the sad reality of the London slums...." Read more

"I thought this book was more interesting than The Murder of Patience Brook...." Read more

"...In the first few chapters, you will find a great and unmatchable murders investigation. A mystery not to be missed...." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find the writing poetic and smart, reminiscent of Dickens. The series is also appreciated.

"I love this book...." Read more

"This author is amazing! Descriptive writing reminiscent of Dickens himself. Crazy good mystery...." Read more

"...Soft and hard, poetic and smart, it was a joy to read and am starting immediately on the next book." Read more

"...In the first few chapters, you will find a great and unmatchable murders investigation. A mystery not to be missed...." Read more

6 customers mention "Era"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's portrayal of Victorian England. They find the prose reminiscent of Victorian writing, but with a modern twist. The story depicts the seedy background of London during that time period. Readers describe the book as poetic and elegant, like taking a trip through Victorian England.

"I love this book. It is so realistic to how Dickens spent his life and offers as Dickens does, an opportunity to soften our hearts for all those who..." Read more

"...The prose, after all, is redolent of Victorian writing but with a more modern conciseness...." Read more

"...Soft and hard, poetic and smart, it was a joy to read and am starting immediately on the next book." Read more

"Really enjoyed the story and how it shows the seedy background of London in Victorian times...." Read more

3 customers mention "Heartwarming"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's heartwarming message and emotional rollercoaster. They find it compassionate and uplifting, offering an opportunity to soften hearts for those affected by the events.

"...how Dickens spent his life and offers as Dickens does, an opportunity to soften our hearts for all those who have been beaten down by life...." Read more

"...The focus on the dark underbelly of the times is compassionate and — one might suggest — relevant to current day...." Read more

"...Crazy good mystery. Red herrings, side stories, emotional roller-coaster & the sad reality of the London slums...." Read more

3 customers mention "Research accuracy"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's research accuracy. They find it well-researched, with insightful observations and an upbeat ending.

"...And it was certainly well researched. So what was my problem? At one point Superintendent Jones says they need evidence...." Read more

"...Soft and hard, poetic and smart, it was a joy to read and am starting immediately on the next book." Read more

"...in London in the 19th century, but told with lots of Dickens humor, observations and a upbeat ending." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Anne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love this book. It is so realistic to how Dickens spent his life and offers as Dickens does, an opportunity to soften our hearts for all those who have been beaten down by life. I love a book that opens my heart and my eyes.
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  • A. Mayten
    4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read, despite odd lapses
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I wanted to appreciate Death at Hungerford Stairs more than I did. The prose, after all, is redolent of Victorian writing but with a more modern conciseness. The focus on the dark underbelly of the times is compassionate and — one might suggest — relevant to current day. The characters tend toward Dickensian grotesques but are, therefore, more memorable. And it was certainly well researched.
    So what was my problem?
    At one point Superintendent Jones says they need evidence. YET the whole story is about them chasing a single character from Paris to Liverpool (almost) with minimal connection to the murders, mostly because of Dickens’ intuition. There were a couple of “red-herrings” but they were quickly dispensed with (sometimes quite literally.) It makes for a good story, but no much of a mystery.
    I was stopped by one short paragraph about a stormy night that infamous first sentence: “It was a dark and stormy night.” Dickens remembers “…the opening line of Paul Clifford, his friend Bulwer-Lytton’s novel of 1830.” Fine, except Bulwer-Lytton’s next line is: “…the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets…” The authors? “…the rain was falling now in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which seemed to bustle them…” I wouldn’t call it plagiarism, but it made me wonder what else was snipped from Victorian authors. (I admit I don’t know enough about the period to be the judge.)
    The little addition of “novel of 1830” illustrates my second nitpick. Too often it reads like a biography; the well-researched slipping into pedantic. Take, for example: “Dickens thought of the death of his sister Fanny in 1848 and her little crippled son who had died so soon after his mother.” Since there are multiple references to his writing David Copperfield during the events in this novel, it must be 1849 to 1850. Wouldn’t have been more natural for him to say “last year” or “recent death”? Or don’t reference it at all.
    In addition, we are subjected to multiple lists of streets to indicate their route: "…took them on to Oxford Street then to the Uxbridge Road and on to Shepherd’s Bush." Who cares? It reads too much like someone copying off research index cards, in the days when people used index cards.
    Yet I still recommend it. It reads well. It’s interesting. And it’s hands above so many murder novels.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2019
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    This author is amazing! Descriptive writing reminiscent of Dickens himself. Crazy good mystery. Red herrings, side stories, emotional roller-coaster & the sad reality of the London slums. If you like Dickens, you will want to read this series! I suggest beginning with The Death of Patience Brooks, as there is carry over of characters & development. A "do not miss" series! Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Chuck Brider
    3.0 out of 5 stars Death at Hungerford Stairs
    Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2019
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    I thought this book was more interesting than The Murder of Patience Brook. However, I still have trouble working through the author's penchant for drifting off into Dickens' mind. It seems to happen in the middle of the current story line and I find it very distracting.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jennifer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, smart and elegant.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2022
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    This is the second book of the series that I've read and I'm so in awe of this author. Soft and hard, poetic and smart, it was a joy to read and am starting immediately on the next book.
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  • Aviar Savijon
    4.0 out of 5 stars Death at Hungerford
    Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    If you can get past the unrelentingly over use of the name of a famous author. In the first few chapters, you will find a great and unmatchable murders investigation. A mystery not to be missed. The deep level of detail of the time in which it was taken well to add the the story, the inferno that took Mrs Moon, the old sick man and Tilly is etched into my memory forever. I loved it. Get this book!!!!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • JC-mystery reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mr Briggs makes you feel as if you are there .
    Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2020
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    Really enjoyed the story and how it shows the seedy background of London in Victorian times. The continuing characters from book #1 also continue to be developed. I look forward to reading book #3 in the series
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  • Lillian
    4.0 out of 5 stars A journey of mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2019
    Can they find the killer before it is too late? Charles Dickens and Superintendent Sam Jones make a good team and they stop at nothing to find the answers that they need. They have both been looking for a young boy & his dog and now that a body has been found that are scared that it is him. It isn't but who is the young boy will they ever find out as they are so many children that are suffering in these times. The case takes a bad turn when they find out that they young boy has been killed now they are hunting a killer. Can they find this person before more children are killed? Their young friend Scrap was able to find his way back home with his dog who had been stolen to be used as bait. They both can breathe easier now that he is safe.
    Now they can use his help as he is able to find out information from the streets as another young boy has been found and the boy's mother has given up all hope as he was all that she had left and they know that there is nothing that they can do for her but to find the killer. There are many suspects and they will need to travel all over the country looking for clues. But will they lead them to the killer?
    Charles is many things a caring father, a loyal friend that will do anything to help others and a writer who keeps others entertained with his stories of David Copperfield. Sam is a man that is trying to look after his wife who is still trying to move on from the death of their child. He is a good leader and a loyal friend.
    A great read keeps you turning the pages to see what they will be doing next. The characters all fit perfectly in the book as they all play a part in finding the killer. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Shari Decter Hirst
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in Canada on June 14, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book! Written in a style evocative of Dickens himself. Gripping plot and captivating descriptions.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another sad tale but wonderful unputdownable read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love the imagery of old London, in your minds eye it comes alive and can transport yourself there. The twists and turns, the shockingly poor people, the compassion of the characters, and wonderful Mr Dickens and Superintendent Jones. Fabulous. Another sad tale but totally unputdownable read. Another I would definitely recommend.
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  • Gene Young
    3.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2020
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    As a Dickens obsessive, I find the idea of him getting involved in murder investigations a highly plausible piece of fantasy. Jean Briggs clearly knows the man, his life and his work very well.

    I felt that this story was an improvement on the first in the series and mostly enjoyed the character development and plot twists. Some I felt we didn’t get enough of and hope to see more of in subsequent books like Isabella Gordon and Sesina.

    That said, there were some elements that seemed under explored. For instance, I would have liked to have found out more about the giant; where did he come from and what was his story? The idea that Dickens, a regular visitor across the Channel and noted Francophile, would have taken the character names for two different books from one short visit to a Parisian milliners shop was too much of a stretch for me. Interestingly Mme Rigaud seemed to have changed her name to Renier by the epilogue! Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary to try and crowbar so many references to Dickens’s literary works into the text as for me it detracts from the otherwise high quality writing.

    So overall a solid 3.5 from me with the issues identified above just bringing it down from a 4.
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  • Amazon Customer susanafzal
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dickensian thriller. Real page turner.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    What a wonderful way to spend lockdown! Bought the first two in this series. Have already read the first and reviewed it. This one is just as good. I appreciate her historical bit at the end telling us of a side to Dickens few people are aware of. Though the stories are fictional Dickens was a journalist before he was a novelist and had friends among the police. He also witnessed the public execution of Mariah Manning. He ever after felt that public execution should not be allowed. Let's have lots more please Miss Briggs.
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  • Fiona
    5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric, tragic, comic - beautifully crafted novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2019
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    I'd definitely recommend reading the first book, The Murder of Patience Brooke, to set the scene and introduce the protagonists, particularly Charles Dickens as amateur detective, around whom this series revolves. Jean Briggs has clearly researched early Victorian London very thoroughly as well as Dickens' own personal life, which is carefully interwoven.
    The contrast of the sheer pathos of the era with the lively, engaging personality of Dickens (and all the secondary characters) is very skilfully done, luring you into the 19th century so easily. Descriptively, the grinding hardship, harsh brutality and filthy poverty is powerfully evocative - and deeply shaming that man's inhumanity to man was so prevalent. The murder mystery itself was gripping, shocking and full of suspense, as only a truly good detective novel can be - the sensitivity and tragedy of children being murdered is handled masterfully well.
    This is clever writing, with wit and humour deftly balancing the pathos and darkness. I honestly cannot recommend this series highly enough.
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