It starts with the impending death of Elizabeth Cree aka Lizzie. Charged with the murder of her husband John Cree, the reader is taken back to her childhood, her first days of freedom and her life on the boards performing as everyone but herself.
Other than the Victorian setting, the other aspect of this murder mystery with a gothic vibe, is the deliberate confusion about who the guilty party is. We are given a tour of the mind of the Golem, often during the brutal killings. Then there are the incidents Lizzie is involved in, and let's not forget what happens after Lizzie meets her unfortunate end. (Sorry, you will have to read all about it)
My point is, Ackroyd leaves the reader with a certain question of doubt. Is the 'Golem' really responsible or is Lizzie more than a determined young woman with a troubled past? Is everything as it seems, and what are the chances of different killers coming into contact with each other?
The story gives the reader a great taste of life in the music-halls, the streets of London, and the bawdy entertainment that brightened up the bleary and tough era. Ackroyd brings a macabre and twisted flavour to the bleakness of the setting. It's all about the killing, and yet at the same time it has nothing to do with it at all.
Buy The Limehouse Golem at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
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