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J.C. Briggs
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Summons to Murder (Charles Dickens Investigations Book 9) Kindle Edition

by J. C. Briggs (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 424 ratings
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Charles Dickens and Superintendent Jones investigate another shocking murder! Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Victorian crime mysteries, A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield…

Dickens investigates the death of a man embroiled in scandal…

London, 1851

Pierce Mallory, a gentleman journalist, is found dead in his lodgings with a gunshot wound in his head and a duelling pistol beside him.

Though the death is deemed a suicide, Mallory’s friends — including Charles Dickens — don’t believe that he would have taken his own life.

Dickens therefore returns to the scene of Mallory’s demise, along with Superintendent Sam Jones from Bow Street. On further investigation, they soon find evidence that Mallory was murdered.

A notorious philanderer, there are plenty of people who could have wanted Mallory dead — including abandoned lovers and jealous husbands.

And as Dickens and Jones dig further into Mallory’s personal affairs, it seems that there are more shocking scandals waiting to be uncovered…

Was Mallory’s murder a crime of passion? What secrets was he harbouring?

And can Dickens untangle the web of intrigue he left behind…?

Summons to Murderis the ninth urban mystery in J. C. Briggs’ literary historical series, the Charles Dickens investigations, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London.

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 9 of 11
    Charles Dickens Investigations
  2. Print length
    386 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 22, 2021
  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
$57.89
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09KNMY79P
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books (December 22, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 22, 2021
  • 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 ‏ : ‎ 386 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 424 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.

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Harold F. Parker
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dickens investigates anothe
    Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Once again Dickens is trying to resolve a mystery, this time involving the dead man’s “family”. The lot is complicated and much like those of one of his novels and the characters call to mind ones from novels, which is to be expected in a historical fiction. The language resembles Dickens language, and his novel flow. The story is excellent and the conclusion is reasonable. Altogether an admirable read.
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  • Walter-San Fran
    4.0 out of 5 stars I gave up after 148 pages and deleted it.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I have previously read and enjoyed the first eight books in this series. I just couldn't hack through this one. There were too many families with too many brothers, too many abandoned mistresses with illegitimate babies and wronged husbands or parents to keep track of. Sometimes a character with the same last name as another was mentioned by first name and sometimes by last, so I would have to back-read to see who the heck Dickens was talking about. Briggs coy references to actual characters in Dickens' novels and occasionally commenting in their 'voices' ceased to be amusing or entertaining. The tame detective in Dickens' pocket, who completely turns the investigation over to Dickens and lets him run off to interview suspects on his own is not convincing in this novel. By page 148 the initial victim is so dastardly and without redeeming qualities that I would rather reward the killer than punish him or her. My suggestion is that you read the first three books in the series and avoid this one at all costs...even free!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars To many characters to keep track of. The appendix help but disrupting
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
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    To many characters to keep track of. The appendix help but disrupted my reading. I finally printed the pages to keep them at hand.
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  • dawn
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great author
    Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2022
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    I look forward to all the next books in this series. I love the characters although I gave it a four star because I think there were too many characters this time. I think if you are always trying to keep track of so many people use start to lose the story. Hope there will be more. I would recommend this book.
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  • CW
    3.0 out of 5 stars Glad to have found these Charles Dickens Investigates mysteries
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2022
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    I absolutely love the premisses of these books. They rather make you wish Charles Dickens was your friend, too.
    This particular entry, however, frustrated me quite a bit because of the banter of unfinished sentences between Dickens and his friend, Sam Jones. It was continual throughout the book, and I didn't enjoy trying to make sense of what they were saying. Also, the repeated nonsensical rambling of Charles Dickens to himself I found unpleasant.
    I will, though, definitely read on if there are more books. I'm always excited for the release of another one in this series.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Mystery book.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2022
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    I enjoyed the read book 📖 a
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Top reviews from other countries

  • William Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Irish Problem
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2022
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    Yet another fine addition to the canon where fact and fiction merge and are weaved throughout the plot to make very entertaining reading.

    The story basically begins with the apparent suicide of one Pierce Mallory, a man within Dickens' immediate circle of aquaintances (all of whom apart from the victim existed in real life, incidentally) but, despite the verdict of suicide being given the official seal of approval, Dickens takes his suspicions to Superintendent Jones and together they establish that the man was murdered.

    I have to say that the fake suicide was ingenious and may well have fooled forensic analysis even today. I suspect that the research into that was as painstakingly accurate, as it always seems to be in these books.

    Mr Mallory was a known philanderer, gambler and apparently an all round waste of space, so there turn out to be any number of suspects. But when the body count begins to rise, the field inevitably starts to narrow, although the motive remains a mystery.

    There is an Irish familial background to the murdered man which encourages Dickens and Jones to investigate that aspect of his life and this reveals at least one larger than life character who is far from what he appears to be.

    Most of the usual characters make an appearance, including the always eager would-be detective, Scrap. Although, on this occasion, 'scrape' would be more accurate!

    Finally, as already mentioned, the research is impeccable and the description of the effect of strychnine when it gets into the body paints a fascinating, if harrowing, picture of the dangers lurking in every Victorian home. Health and Safety? Not in 1851! The research notes at the end of the book are well worth a read.

    Highly recommended with terrific characterisation and a page-turner from the off.
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  • langcliffe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another cracking Dickens and Jones yarn
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2022
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    Another J.C. Briggs book that is a joy to read. Fast paced with enough twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued. I've mentioned before how well these Dickens books are researched and this one is no exception but it's the authors passion for their subject and their ability to write a story that bring the characters and places to life. Victorian England is superbly presented in all its dark glory and the reader can well imagine the sights, sounds and smells.
    This book is definitely one to add to the reading list.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars characters are so real you feel you know them
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    i really liked this book loved Charles Sam and Scrap . Twist and Wigge were realistic villains the plot was very clever and kept me reading. the flood and storm by the river was very scary and was very worried about Scrap. Very clever the way Sam and Charles solve the crimes without the help of modern technolgy, this makes the bookall the more interesting .A very good read bringing victorian times alive. Another winner from J.C briggs
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  • anon
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best yet!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 30, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I have loved all these Charles Dickens Investigates books but this one surpasses all those that went before. The author brings mid Victorian London to life in a way only Dickens himself could do. As always a cast of wonderfully convincing characters, a twisting plot worthy of Mr D himself and a satisfying outcome....eventually after much trial, tribulation and suspenseful moments. The regular characters become more endearing with each book. Thank you J C Briggs for another wonderful read.
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  • MamaSous
    3.0 out of 5 stars Too many characters
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I love this series of stories but this was hard going. I had to create a map to keep track of the characters and their relationships. It was made more complicated that some had several names. As usual the description of victorian London and especially the flood was excellent.
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