The Yard by Alex Grecian

Set in 1889 Victorian London, Jack the Ripper has left the city in a state of uneasiness. The famed Scotland Yard was not able to catch this mad man and for all anyone knows, the ripper could be waiting to strike again. There is a lot of mistrust in The Yard, and the once invincible Scotland Yard is seeming vulnerable. Especially those assigned to the Murder Squad. These Inspectors are supposed to be the cream-of-the-crop and are assigned to the ever growing number of murders in London. At this very vulnerable moment in Scotland Yards history, in steps a new serial killer. This new killer is very particular in his choice of victims. The murders don't seem to be random, and even seems as if they is sending a message. A trunk is found at a train station and inside is body of an Inspector from the Murder Squad. This time the targeted victims are the men of The Yard themselves.

The Murder Squad has recently lost its most notable Inspector to retirement, and is now loosing more men in this already understaffed and overworked department. Enter newly promoted Inspector Walter Day. Formerly unknown Inspector Day was hand picked by legendary Inspector March to replace him. To the dismay of the rest of the more seasoned Murder Squad members, Inspector Day has been assigned to this new case. His assignment? To find and catch the person who is killing their own. With the help of veteran Inspector Blacker, the tenacious Constable Hammersmith, and the eccentric local Dr. Kingsley the men begin there quest. If they fail they not only will continue to loose the trust of the London citizens, but may also loose their own lives.

The Yard as several flaws. There are period piece mistakes, parts of a story line that could have been fleshed out better, other side stories that did not seem to flow well with the main story. If you are the type that gets flustered by these things, this won't be the book for you. However, if you know what you are getting into, I think this can be a very entertaining read. If you are in it for the pure entertainment and distraction, this could be a nice read. I also think this could be a nice read for someone who is just getting into reading. Not overly complicated, but entertaining, and easy to come back to if you set it down for awhile. I do think this sets up nicely for a series that has the potential to get better with each book. Read this in the right circumstance with the right frame of mind and you will be happy. I enjoyed the book for what it was.