“A rich and unusual mystery, with suspense enough for the most confirmed addict.” —Los Angeles Times
Pugilism, a brutal form of bare-knuckle boxing, is forbidden by law in late Victorian England, but Sergeant Cribb discovers evidence that it continues in secret, finding a corpse whose hands were “pickled” for fighting. A young constable called Henry Jago is sent to infiltrate the gang, which he has to submit to a rigorous programme of purging, pickling and training. But Jago is endangered when more murders ensue and Cribb must intervene at a perfectly crucial time to prevent young Jago from being battered to death.
Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement Recipient Mystery Writers of America 2018 Grandmaster
Praise for The Detective Wore Silk Drawers
“A gorgeous piece of period reconstruction . . . All the details of pickling and purging, gymnastics and ‘coming up to scratch’ worked into an exciting plot.” —The Daily Telegraph
“A rich and unusual mystery, with suspense enough for the most confirmed addict.” —Los Angeles Times
“A splendid thick-ear thriller in the literal sense.” —The Guardian
“Cribb was the first of the new-wave Victorian crime-fighters and is arguably still the best.” —Sherlock Holmes Magazine
“A strongly plotted mystery that will keep the reader in suspense until the very end. Soho Press is to be commended for re-releasing this outstanding series for a new generation of mystery readers.” —Mysterious Reviews
Praise for Peter Lovesey
“I have long loved Peter Lovesey’s books . . . A creative, courageous and gifted writer.” —Louise Penny
“Lovesey is a master of the crime novel.” —Sara Paretsky
“What'll it be today? A knotty puzzle mystery? A fast-paced police procedural? Something more high-toned, with a bit of wit? With the British author Peter Lovesey, there's no need to make those agonizing decisions, because his books have it all.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Mr. Lovesey's narrative is swift, but he takes time out for local color and abundant humor, the latter springing from the book's quirky characters . . . Lovesey is a wizard at mixing character-driven comedy with realistic-to-grim suspense. And in a writing career spanning four decades, he has created a stylish and varied body of work.” —The Wall Street Journal “A treat . . . Lovesey’s restraint, wit, and charming cast ensure him a place in the winner’s circle.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Extremely stylish, lighter than air . . . utterly surprising.” —Newsweek
Peter Lovesey is the author of more than thirty highly praised mystery novels, including the Peter Diamond Investigations and the Sergeant Cribb Investigations. He has been awarded the CWA Gold and Silver Daggers, the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement, the Strand Magazine Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards, and many other honors. He lives in West Sussex, England.
View titles by Peter Lovesey
“A rich and unusual mystery, with suspense enough for the most confirmed addict.” —Los Angeles Times
Pugilism, a brutal form of bare-knuckle boxing, is forbidden by law in late Victorian England, but Sergeant Cribb discovers evidence that it continues in secret, finding a corpse whose hands were “pickled” for fighting. A young constable called Henry Jago is sent to infiltrate the gang, which he has to submit to a rigorous programme of purging, pickling and training. But Jago is endangered when more murders ensue and Cribb must intervene at a perfectly crucial time to prevent young Jago from being battered to death.
Reviews
Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement Recipient Mystery Writers of America 2018 Grandmaster
Praise for The Detective Wore Silk Drawers
“A gorgeous piece of period reconstruction . . . All the details of pickling and purging, gymnastics and ‘coming up to scratch’ worked into an exciting plot.” —The Daily Telegraph
“A rich and unusual mystery, with suspense enough for the most confirmed addict.” —Los Angeles Times
“A splendid thick-ear thriller in the literal sense.” —The Guardian
“Cribb was the first of the new-wave Victorian crime-fighters and is arguably still the best.” —Sherlock Holmes Magazine
“A strongly plotted mystery that will keep the reader in suspense until the very end. Soho Press is to be commended for re-releasing this outstanding series for a new generation of mystery readers.” —Mysterious Reviews
Praise for Peter Lovesey
“I have long loved Peter Lovesey’s books . . . A creative, courageous and gifted writer.” —Louise Penny
“Lovesey is a master of the crime novel.” —Sara Paretsky
“What'll it be today? A knotty puzzle mystery? A fast-paced police procedural? Something more high-toned, with a bit of wit? With the British author Peter Lovesey, there's no need to make those agonizing decisions, because his books have it all.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Mr. Lovesey's narrative is swift, but he takes time out for local color and abundant humor, the latter springing from the book's quirky characters . . . Lovesey is a wizard at mixing character-driven comedy with realistic-to-grim suspense. And in a writing career spanning four decades, he has created a stylish and varied body of work.” —The Wall Street Journal “A treat . . . Lovesey’s restraint, wit, and charming cast ensure him a place in the winner’s circle.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Extremely stylish, lighter than air . . . utterly surprising.” —Newsweek
Author
Peter Lovesey is the author of more than thirty highly praised mystery novels, including the Peter Diamond Investigations and the Sergeant Cribb Investigations. He has been awarded the CWA Gold and Silver Daggers, the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement, the Strand Magazine Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards, and many other honors. He lives in West Sussex, England.
View titles by Peter Lovesey
