The Naming of the Birds, Paraic O’Donnell’s sequel to The House of Vesper Sands, hooked me from the beginning. I will say, though, that Inspector Henry Cutter was a little too pedantic for my taste. Although I read almost all of his lengthy lectures, I really just wanted to tell him to get on with it.

Sergeant Gideon Bliss has only worked with Cutter for thirteen months, but even he can tell that his supervisor is upset about something. Cutter received a note that seemed to unnerve him, and the murders that followed seemed to be connected. The first victim was an older man, Sir Aneurine Considine, whose niece was was waiting to meet the police. But, Considine and subsequent victims were all killed in unusual ways. And, there were unusual messages left behind.

While Bliss despairs of his supervisor ever telling him what he’s thinking about the murder cases, Cutter hides his investigation from interfering officials. And, he sends Bliss to search through old records in archives, and, then, finally sends him to meet with Miss Octavia Hillingdon. Octavia is a journalist and newspaper owner, a shrewd researcher. She’s the one who connects the current murders with a fire twenty years earlier.

As I said, I was hooked on The Naming of the Birds because of my interest in characterss. Bliss and Octavia were fascinating, both orphans. Bliss failed when he studied to be a minister. Octavia was luckier in the “grandfather” who took her under his wing, and taught her to be a journalist.

But, I felt at times as if the author was trying to not only set the book in Victorian times, but write in flowery Victorian language. And, that became a little too much. O’Donnell’s message was clear. The conclusion of a case is not always in the name of justice. But, he took a little too long to get there.

Paraic O’Donnell’s website is https://vspr.st/.

The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell. Tin House, 2025. ISBN 9781963108033 (hardcover), 336p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley through NetGalley to review for a journal.