If you like realistic historical fiction, atmospheric with sometimes grim details of daily life, you might want to try the third Simon Westow mystery, Chris Nickson’s To the Dark.

When the snow melts in the dirty factory town of Leeds, England in February 1823, the body of a thief, Laurence Poole, is found near the mill. Thief-taker Simon Westow doesn’t get along with the local constable. He and his wife fear Constable Williams will accuse him of killing Poole. Williams hates Simon who often recovers stolen goods and gets paid for it when the constable fails.

Westow knows the only way to save himself is to find the actual killer. He and his assistant, a young girl of the streets named Jane, search Poole’s house, finding nothing that helps in the search for answers. Then, Williams shocks Simon by hiring him to find Poole’s killer. Williams knows he’ll be better off politically if the actual killer is found.

Simon learns Poole was involved in a dangerous situation, and a terrified fence actually leaves town so he doesn’t have to get involved. Poole was working with several military men, men used to killing. And, they don’t mind killing anyone who gets in their way when they want to make a profit.

While the mystery is intriguing, Jane is actually the most interesting person in the book. She’s used to being invisible on the streets, and she’s finally found a home after living with Westow and his family. But, Jane is being hunted. She attacked a man who was abusing women, and now he’s after her. And, there’s a young waif who is following Jane everywhere.

Simon and Jane both must protect people they love before they can find justice for the dead man. To the Dark is an interesting book, a mystery of survival skills needed by ordinary people in a manufacturing town in England in the early 19th century.

Chris Nickson’s website is https://chrisnickson.co.uk/

To the Dark by Chris Nickson. Severn House, 2021. ISBN 9780727892454 (hardcover), 224p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a .PDF to review for a journal.