Lethal Pursuit

Early in Thomas’s lackluster 11th Victorian mystery featuring private investigators Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn (after 2018’s Blood Is Blood), the pair are summoned to a secret meeting, where Lord Salisbury, the prime minister, informs them of the murder of Hillary Drummond, a Foreign Office operative. The day before, Drummond was stabbed with a sword by one of a group of young men wearing blue uniforms on a London street. Salisbury suspects that Drummond’s assailants followed him from somewhere on the Continent, but rather than have Barker and Llewelyn investigate the killing, he asks them to deliver a package to Calais. Drummond had secreted a key in his shoe, which led the Foreign Office to a railway locker containing a satchel. While the PM refuses to disclose what’s inside, Barker manages to learn that the contents are an ancient manuscript, which may be a previously unknown gospel that a scholar believes contains heretical ideas, such as giving money “generously to the poor.” Despite his instructions, Barker delays heading to France and concentrates instead on identifying who may be behind Drummond’s death. Action trumps detection in this outing. Series fans will be disappointed. [em]Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency. (Nov.) [/em]