The Railway Viaduct (The Railway Detective, #3)

Title: The Railway Viaduct (The Railway Detective, #3)

Author: Edward Marston

Published in: 2006

Date read: 1st January 2019

Score: 4/5

Genre: Historical fiction, Crime, Detective

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Railway Viaduct" by Edward Marston, published in 2005, is the second novel in his popular Railway Detective series, continuing the adventures of Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming as they investigate crimes inextricably linked to Britain's burgeoning railway system in the Victorian era.

The story opens with a shocking and seemingly impossible crime. A passenger on a Great Western Railway express train, a wealthy young woman named Angela Pendelton, is found dead in her compartment, seemingly poisoned. However, the most baffling detail is that the train was travelling at full speed across the infamous Wharncliffe Viaduct, a massive and highly visible structure, with no apparent way for an assailant to have entered or exited the sealed carriage.

Inspector Robert Colbeck, "the Railway Detective," is called to the scene. His unique understanding of the railways and his sharp investigative mind are put to the ultimate test by this locked-room-style mystery. He is once again assisted by his dependable aide, Sergeant Victor Leeming.

As Colbeck delves into the case, he discovers that Angela Pendelton was not as innocent as she seemed. She was entangled in a complex web of deceit, blackmail, and illicit relationships. Her family life was fraught with tension, and she had numerous enemies and secrets. The motive for her murder quickly becomes apparent, but the method remains stubbornly elusive.

The investigation takes Colbeck and Leeming from the bustling London train stations to the quiet countryside, exploring the lives of Angela's family members, her disgruntled acquaintances, and the railway staff who were on board the train. Colbeck must consider how a killer could have committed the act without being seen, on a moving train, high above the ground.

Marston meticulously recreates the atmosphere of 1850s England, detailing the challenges and marvels of early railway travel and the social mores of the time. The very structure and operation of the railway become crucial elements in solving the impossible crime.

The climax involves Colbeck's brilliant deduction, as he pieces together the intricate details of the murder. He unravels a cunningly conceived plan that exploits the unique circumstances of the railway journey and the construction of the viaduct itself, leading to a dramatic revelation of the true culprit and their ingenious method. "The Railway Viaduct" is a compelling historical mystery that further solidifies Colbeck's reputation as a master of railway-related crime.

Comments:
Very entertaining and a comforting read.

Books that we've read by Edward Marston (7):
The Railway Detective (2004), The Excursion Train (The Railway Detective #2) (2005), The Railway Viaduct (The Railway Detective, #3) (2006), The Iron Horse (The Railway Detective #4) (2007), Murder on the Brighton Express (The Railway Detective, #5) (2007), The Silver Locomotive Mystery (The Railway Detective #6) (2009), Railway to the Grave (The Railway Detective #7) (2010)