The Inheritance

Scientists. What has taken me so long to break into the Charles Lenox mystery series by Charles Finch? Perhaps it is knowing that if I like one novel in a series, I’m likely to read each subsequent installment, and that can tend to clog the reading queue. Alas, the queue will be clogged in the future now that I have read the tenth installment in the Lenox series, a novel titled, The Inheritance. Protagonist Charles Lenox is a private detective. In London in 1877, Lenox receives a request for help from a Harrow schoolmate, Gerald Leigh, who has become a renowned scientist. Leigh’s Harrow tuition was paid by an anonymous benefactor, and that unsolved mystery stoked Lenox’ early interest in detective work. Leigh has inherited a significant sum and that brought him to London from his scientific work in France. With great skill, Finch takes readers through twists, turns, red herrings and dead ends, while presenting an interesting cast of characters, including professional and amateur scientists. Lenox and his partners are also wrapped up in another case that leads to dramatic consequences. I was entertained by this novel from beginning to end, and I am likely to become a loyal reader of this series. Readers who enjoy historical and crime fiction are those most likely to appreciate this novel and this series. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Inheritance from amazon.com.