‘A detective story that swelters and smells of the oppressively hot Dublin summer 1866, by a debut fiction author steeped in the history of the city’
– The Grateful Water (Publisher Quote)
[ About The Grateful Water ]
When a young butcher spots a strange shape on the banks of the River Liffey in the hot summer of 1866, the city of Dublin is gripped by a grimy case of infanticide. Detective Martin Peakin – an amateur entomologist and full of regret for his failed engagement – sets off in search of the murderer, eager to impress his superiors.
But, as Peakin draws closer, he begins to realise that not all is as it seems. Everyone related to the case is hiding something while his own secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. The river binds these Dubliners together, but who will it divide in the end? And will Peakin actually solve this most shocking, ordinary and desperate of crimes?
The Grateful Water – sticky with blood and secrets and guilt –will suck you in until the last page.
[ My Review ]
‘A baby’s body. The butcher who found it. His wife who won’t talk to him. Her lady with a secret. The detective on their heels.‘
The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman published May 17th with New Island Books and is described as ‘a riveting debut’. Bringing the smells and sounds of 1860s Dublin very much to life, this vivid tale immerses the reader into the lives of a fascinating cast of characters, all from different strata of society. Denis is a young butcher, three years married to his beloved wife, Rose. Their marriage began healthy, and with plenty of love, but a tragic incident left Rose distanced and unable to give Denis the affection he craves. Denis is a patient man, and one concerned for his city and community, so when he sees a baby’s body swaddled in the mud of the river he immediately reports it to the police. With the investigation team headed by Detective Martin Peakin, this case of suspected infanticide has the city in shock. Folk are horrified that someone could leave their new-born baby in the mire of the River Liffey and the rumour mill soon begins to turn.
With very few leads, Peakin is struggling to uncover any further detail that could lead to an arrest. Peakin is longing for a promotion and is feeling the financial impact of his choices, knowing how difficult it would be for any woman to survive on his salary. If he could just solve this case, maybe then his superiors would look at him differently.
Peakin’s scant findings direct him toward the more upper echelons of Dublin society, challenging him with much of what he has believed and accepted to date. As the crumb trail gathers momentum, he is approached by various folk with differing agendas and soon finds himself caught up in spider’s web of truth and lies.
Peakin is a very empathetic character who is conscious of the struggles faced by many who are born on the wrong side of the tracks. He is conscious that there are those who would happily send certain folk down for murder, in order to promote their own intentions so he has to handle the case with kid-gloves.
With incredible attention to detail, Adelman has recreated a very authentic atmospheric tale, with the hardship and struggles of 1860s Dublin almost lifting off the pages. In a time when charlatans were part of life, lack of information was a fact and poverty and shame drove people to do terrible things, The Grateful Water captures the essence of that period in a very visual manner. Adelman is an historian by trade adding a very convincing element to this novel. Peakin is a great character, one I hope we will see return again as I feel his story is not yet finished. The Grateful Water is one I would definitely recommend to historical crime fiction fans. Like CJ Sansom’s Shardlake and K.J. Maitland’s Pursglove, Adelman has brought a period of history to life capturing a time and a place in exacting detail. An absorbing read, The Grateful Water, is a very enjoyable, compelling novel, a accomplished debut from a writer who clearly knows her stuff!
**Thank you to New Island Books for a copy of The Grateful Water in return for my honest review
[ Bio ]
Juliana Adelman is a historian and a writer. She lectures in history at Dublin City University where she teaches courses in the history of science, medicine and the environment. Born in Boston, she has lived in Dublin longer than any other city.
Website ~ julianaadelman.com
