The Devil's Grin by Annelie Wendeberg Length: 6 hours
Series: Anna Kronberg # 1
Genres: British, Crime
Pages: 240
Format: Audiobook
Source: Tantor Audio
Narrator: Anna Parker-Naples
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Book #1 of the award-winning Kronberg thriller trilogy.
In Victorian London's cesspool of crime and disease, a series of murders remains undiscovered until a cholera victim is found floating in the city's drinking water supply. Dr Anton Kronberg, England's best bacteriologist, is called upon to investigate and finds evidence of abduction and medical maltreatment. While Scotland Yard has little interest in pursuing the case, Kronberg pushes on and crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes. The detective immediately discovers Kronberg's secret - a woman masquerading as a man in order to practice medicine - a criminal deed that could land her in prison for years to come. But both must join forces to stop a crime so monstrous, it outshines Jack the Ripper's deeds in brutality and cold-bloodedness.
Includes a preview of The Fall
Here is what I thought
The Devil’s Grin is a historical mystery about a woman, Dr. Anton Kronberg who is the best bacteriologist in England. The Doctor is called out by Scotland yard to investigate a victim of cholera. While there she meets an interesting man by the name of Sherlock Holmes who ends up helping her try and solve the crime. The only bad thing about meeting Holmes is that he is to observant and figures out Kronberg’s biggest secret, he is a she.
The doctor is really Anna Kronberg and she must play the part of a man to keep her job and she is good at it. When they discover that it was indeed murder Dr. Kronberg finds out that someone is doing experiments and puts herself in a dangerous position by going undercover to try and catch a horrible person doing unspeakable things.
I like Dr. Kronberg as she seems like a pretty strong and independent woman even though she has to change who she is to work in her field of study. It’s Victorian England and nobody would ever allow a woman to work as doctor, especially in her field. It causes her a lot of problems having to make herself look like a man and I felt a bit sorry for her some times.
I thought it was interesting that the author decided to put he fictional character Sherlock Holmes in the novel but I am not sure if it really worked for me all that well. Overall, it was an interesting book and I have more in the series to try so I am curious to see what happens next with Dr. Anna Kronberg.
Recommend if you like
Historical mysteries, books that add in fictional characters from different books, and British mysteries
Author Bio
The Narrator
This was my first time with Anna Parker-Naples and she does okay but I think I really just need to get use to her as the main character is German so it is mainly trying to get use to the German accent she gives the doctor.
Interesting that this is a British story, but with a German main character in Victorian England. I also find it interesting to have fictional character in the book.