A Dissection Of Murder by Felicity Young

Author: Felicity Young

Publisher: Harper Collins

ISBN: 9780732293680

Review By: Helene Young (no relation!)

Book Synopsis: A Dissection of Murder is the first in the Dr Dody McCleland series and it’s a wonderful start. Felicity Young brings to life the world of the British suffragettes in the 1900’s as they battle to achieve something that we take for granted. Dody McCleland is memorable partly because of her career as a forensic doctor in a new science, but also because she’s a well-rounded character with substance. Young gives us insights into the struggle for women’s rights from inside the suffragette movement and, through Dody’s eyes, from the perspective of a woman who’s worked hard to achieve a place in a man’s world without the rhetoric.

When Dody becomes involved with an investigation into the death of one of the high profile suffragettes she finds herself in an uneasy alliance with Chief Inspector Pike. As a new face in policing, and an outsider himself, Pike is the perfect counterpart for Dody. In a delightful twist Pike is forced to rethink his attitude to the suffragettes.

There’s plenty of tension in the story with a plot that was complex enough to keep me guessing. Secondary characters like Florence, Dody’s younger sister, all add to the richness of the story. I look forward to reading more books in this series and to seeing how Ms Young explores the relationship between Dody and Pike.

I have read Ms Young’s earlier crime novels and while I enjoyed them, I think she’s found her voice in this great series set in an interesting period of history and with fascinating characters.