The Angel Of The Crows by Katherine Addison

An alternate look at Victorian London that gives plenty of odes to the famous cases of Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is balanced by an invented London littered with werewolves, named angels who partner with authorities to keep the peace, vampires, and the vicious un- named angels who, having fallen, wreak havoc upon the humans. Crow, the Angel of London, is rooming with Dr. Doyle (think Dr. Watson) who has just returned from the war injured. They begin working as the dynamic duo solving various crimes that have the police baffled. Katherine Addison has created a multi-layer, non gender specific rethinking of sleuthing in the 1880's. The wit is spot on, the characters familiar yet fresh and I hope there will be more. You think you know the characters, you think you know the stories - think again and be thoroughly entertained. Readers of Caleb Carr and Natasha Pulley will eat this up.  4 fun stars!