The Last Passenger: A Charles Lenox Mystery

by Charles Finch

Overview

"Bravo, Mr. Finch, and keep them coming! More Lenox, please." --Louise Penny, bestselling author of A Better Man

From bestselling author Charles Finch comes the third and final in a prequel trilogy to his lauded Charles Lenox series.

London, 1855. A young and eager Charles Lenox faces his toughest case yet: a murder without a single clue. Slumped in a third-class car at Paddington Station is the body of a handsome young gentleman. He has no luggage, empty pockets, and no sign of identification on his person. And putting together the clues to the mystery of the man's identity only raises more questions, when Lenox discovers that the crime has a significant connection to America.

As he seeks to solve this impossible case, the young Lenox must confront an equally troublesome problem in his personal life. Kitty Ashbrook, beautiful and cultured, appears to be his soulmate--but love comes with obstacles of its own. In tandem, this fiendish early case and passionate, deeply felt affair will irrevocably shape the brilliant detective and thoughtful gentleman Lenox is destined to become.

Written in Charles Finch's unmistakably witty and graceful voice, The Last Passenger is a cunning, thrilling, and deeply satisfying conclusion to this trilogy of prequels to his bestselling Charles Lenox series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250312211
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/12/2021
Series:	Charles Lenox Series , #13
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	386,461
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

CHARLES FINCH is the USA Today bestselling author of the Charles Lenox mysteries, including The Vanishing Man. His first contemporary novel, The Last Enchantments, is also available from St. Martin's Press. Finch received the 2017 Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing from the National Book Critics Circle. His essays and criticism have appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Washington Post, and elsewhere. He lives in Los Angeles

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Last Passenger:

"Smashing...That's the charm of Finch's style and [Lenox's] own manner of sleuthing -- a brilliant display of brainy deduction...classy writing and beguiling details." --The New York Times Book Review

"No mystery writer except perhaps Anne Perry is as successful as Charles Finch at evoking the atmosphere of Victorian London." --The Washington Post

"Seriously satisfying." --AirMail

"Avid mystery readers will enjoy Lenox's thorough review of his sleuthing process...choose this if you revel in atmosphere." --Kirkus Reviews

"This tightly plotted mystery...is rich in historical detail...[Lenox] coming into his own as a detective is a delight." --Booklist

"Finch effectively integrates the politics of the time, including pre-Civil War tensions in America... a clever murder puzzle. Anne Perry and David Dickinson fans will be satisfied." --Publishers Weekly

"Finch's plotting is excellent, his characters well developed, but it is his prose that truly shines. He evokes the writing style of 19th-century English authors--Wilkie Collins jumps to mind--lending a degree of authenticity to the narrative found in comparatively few historical novels. Finch also incorporates then-contemporary international politics, especially the burgeoning abolitionist movement in the U.S., in this exceptional and atmospheric mystery." --Bookpage

"Atmospheric." --Seattle Times

"Finch smoothly integrates the era's politics, fashion, culture and views, including how American issues have infiltrated British society. [He] also cleverly delves into Lenox's personality, which has fueled this beloved series." --Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Finch outdoes himself in the latest Charles Lenox mystery...[he] superbly weaves facts, interesting historical tidbits and emotions in a book so rich one hates to see it end." --Cleveland Plain-Dealer

"A well-written mystery that moves quickly...[provides] insight into European politics vis-a-vis the United States just prior to the American Civil War." --Mystery Scene Magazine

Praise for The Vanishing Man:

"Fiction readers who crush on blue-blooded British detectives will fall hard for Victorian-era sleuth Charles Lenox." --The Washington Post

"Finch's nimble prose, edged with humor, makes this twelfth in the Charles Lenox series a pure delight." --Booklist (starred review)

"Rich in period minutiae...unveils the frightening power of the uppermost classes." --Kirkus Reviews

Praise for The Woman in the Water:

"A cunning mystery."--The New York Times Book Review

"Finch is an elegant stylist...a persuasive portrait of Victorian England."--The Washington Post

"Finch does a wonderful job of re-creating the atmosphere of mid-19th-century England; his characters are crisply drawn and believable. It's wonderful to see the neophyte Lenox develop the skills for which he becomes renowned in later books. An excellent addition to an already terrific series." --Library Journal (starred)

"With its splendidly drawn characters and brisk, supple prose, this can be either an inviting introduction to those new to Finch's accomplished series or a winning addition to the canon for established fans." --Booklist (starred)

"Lenox has officially reached the big leagues--the conclusion waiting for him is nothing short of chilling. A case with enough momentum to recharge this series and grab new readers with its pull." --Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

12/09/2019

Set in 1855 London, Finch’s solid 13th Charles Lenox mystery (after 2019’s The Vanishing Man) takes the aristocratic sleuth to a crime scene at Paddington Station, where a conductor on the train from Manchester has found a man’s bloody corpse. The killer insured that identifying his victim would be a tall order by not only emptying the dead man’s pockets but also taking the time to cut out all the labels from the man’s clothing. While the police attribute the killing to an ongoing gang war in Manchester, Lenox pursues a different tack after realizing that the conductor lied about missing a bus ticket home in his statement to the authorities. Other evidence, such as the conductor’s not wearing a uniform, suggests that he was an imposter not employed by the railway. Finch effectively integrates the politics of the time, including pre–Civil War tensions in America, and his insertion of subplots regarding his lead’s romantic life doesn’t distract from the clever murder puzzle. Anne Perry and David Dickinson fans will be satisfied. 100,000-copy announced first printing; author tour. Agent: Elizabeth Weed, Book Group. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

2019-12-23
When a violent murder scene yields no obvious evidence, private detective Charles Lenox must solve one of his most complex cases yet.

In this third prequel to the series (The Vanishing Man, 2019, etc.), Lenox is deep in a chess match with Lord Deere, neighbor and husband to close friend Lady Jane, when Inspector Hemstock from Scotland Yard knocks on his door with news of a murder. Lenox arrives at Paddington Station soon after and meets Joseph Stanley, the stationmaster on duty, as well as the conductor of the train where the body was found. When searching the victim's pockets reveals no form of identification, Lenox discovers that the only real clue is the lack of evidence: The murderer has gone so far as to remove the label from the victim's suit jacket. Commissioner Sir Richard Mayne gives Lenox permission to assist with the case—an unpopular decision with most of the force. Eager to prove his value, Lenox and his butler, Graham, go in search of passengers on the train from Manchester to London and scan the papers for word of a missing person. While the Yard suspects gang involvement linked to Manchester, Lenox's investigation places this murder on a global scale when the first person connected to the victim turns out to be American. Politics across the pond are at a boiling point, with the Abolitionist movement gaining strength and whispers of civil war growing louder by the day. The commentary around this is sobering, as it seems so far-fetched to Lenox that civil war could be a possibility, and yet….As the private detective continues to contemplate motive, he's often distracted by Lady Jane's attempts to find him a suitable match and end his reign as most-eligible bachelor. This subplot almost takes the spotlight away from the mystery while it provides satisfying backstory for key relationships in the series. Avid mystery readers will enjoy Lenox's thorough review of his sleuthing process, not in the sense of "this is how I solved this" but rather "this is how I could have done better."

Overall, a bit more history than mystery. Choose this if you revel in atmosphere.

Kirkus Reviews