Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman by E.W. Hornung

Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman 
E.W. Hornung
1898
2/5 stars 

This was such a disappointing read for me.  Described as the anti-Holmes, Raffles is a "gentleman thief", and the influence of Maurice Leblanc's great character Arsène Lupin. Based on this, I had high expectations rooting for the bad guy through a series of fun escapades.  

Unlike the Lupin books, though, these short stories, narrated by Raffles' friend Bunny, are dry, practically plot-less, and rarely amusing.  Raffles is amoral and narcissistic, and his friendship with Bunny is no friendship at all, but rather the situation of a strong person taking advantage of a weaker.  As he is unlikable, there is no redeeming features to his character and no reason for the reader to applaud his deeds -- particularly in the final story.

I thoroughly enjoy Victorian novels on the whole, so this gets two stars instead of one, due to the setting, with the mores and customs so clear.  This doesn't make Raffles worth reading, though, and I recommend giving Hornung's stories a miss.

The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths

The Lantern Men 
Elly Griffiths
2020
3/5 stars

DCI Nelson has just seen a serial killer sentenced, one that he was responsible for arresting.  While Nelson is completely satisfied with the case, March -- along with the three women in his life --continues to proclaim his innocence.  March then tells Nelson that he will give the location of two more bodies, if forensic archeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is in charge of the dig.  Ruth agrees, and finds the two bodies, and another unexpected one.  In the meantime, another victim is murdered in March's style and now Nelson must wonder if he really did catch the right man.  Ruth, investigating in her own way, uncovers some vital evidence which puts her life in danger.

I have mixed feelings about this book.  It is an engrossing, compelling read -- nearly impossible to put down -- with excellent characters and an intriguing plot.  Unfortunately, I found the verb tense jarring (why didn't it affect me in the first eleven books??), the solution unsatisfying, and the continuing Nelson/Ruth personal drama wearing thin.  That said, I still enjoyed it; I just wasn't as captivated by it as I have been with others in the series.  (Note: this series must be read in order.)