A Regimental Murder

A Regimental Murder (2004/2001) Ashley Gardner

Set in London in 1816

Captain Gabriel Lacey is a half-pay captain from the calvalry, no longer fit for service after his right knee and leg were terribly injured in Spain, during the war.

“India, and the Dutch campaign,” I replied. “Then the Peninsula. Not Waterloo, I am afraid.” They’d be disappointed. Waterloo made one a hero, even if one had remained behind in camp guarding the water sacks. The Derwents did not seem to mind this, however.

One summer night as he wanders the streets, unable to sleep, he comes across an upper-class woman near the as-yet-unfinished London Bridge, and saves her from a man with a knife. He soon discovers that she is in disgrace, for his husband was saved from trial for murdering another soldier in Spain (Portugal?) by his death–a death that his widow reveals was a murder.

“My husband was a moral man, Captain. Moral in the real sense of the word, not in the manner in which some preach morality while beating their servants black and blue with the other hand. He no more would have shot Captain Spencer than the Thames would flow backward. He abhorred violence and violent acts.”

I tried several times to read the first Captain Lacey mystery, and just could not get into it. After reading a novella about a different character, I decided to skip to the second book, and see how I felt about that. (After all, there are many series I’d never have read if I’d started with the first book.)

These are decent historical mysteries. Captain Lacey is a very interesting character, although I still have not decided whether I actually like him or not. Because of the war he suffers from melancholia and has a very bad temper (modern diagnosis: PTSD) which is what makes him so interesting, because he is quite frequently not very likable.

There are also lots of historical tidbits that add versimilitude to the story, like the following:

His note was short, only four lines on an entire sheet of heavy white paper.

Did I envy a man who could afford to throw away an expensive piece of paper on a short note, or think him a fool? In any case, I carefully tore the clean end of the sheet from the written area and tucked it into my drawer to save for my own letters.

With such amazing technology available today, it’s hard to remember that in the past even paper was dear, with scraps being saved for later use.

And of course, the treatment of women.

(B)y law, sons were not related to their mothers, and had no legal obligation to care for them.

It’s an interesting series, and I’m glad I skipped to the second book, to give it a chance.
Rating: 7/10

Published by JA / AG Pulishing

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