The Ian Hamilton Mysteries is a historical mystery series set in Edinburgh, Scotland in the late 1800s. It focuses on the work and personal life of fictional Detective Inspector Ian Hamilton. Each novel involves Hamilton and his partner Detective Sergeant Dickerson investigating a heinous murder. They are often helped by a street urchin named Derek McNair, Ian’s doctor-in-training brother, Donald, and Arthur Conan Doyle (yes, really).
I loved the first two novels, Edinburgh Twilight and Edinburgh Dusk, when I read them a few years ago. The books are moody and fascinating. The author describes Edinburgh in such detail I could picture Ian walking the streets. While I find Arthur Conan Doyle an unnecessary character, I enjoy the relationship between Ian and aunt Lillian, and with his brother Donald. Derek is an interesting but sad character. The author does a great job developing the characters with each subsequent novel.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting Edinburgh Midnight, the third novel in the series. Unfortunately, I found it completely disappointing. The characters showed growth, which is good, but I couldn’t picture the scenes. I found the murders uninteresting and easy to solve. Even Ian’s investigation into his parents’ murder couldn’t hold my attention. I don’t know if I’ve changed or the series has. I plan to check out the next book and see how it goes.