Hey, everyone. Welcome to the show. Great to
be here. So today we're diving into something
pretty dark. Imagine London, but not the glamorous
side. We're talking shadows, secrets. Yeah, the
kind of stuff hidden behind the, you know, the
roaring 20s facade. Exactly. And that's the world
of Phil LaComber's novel Midnight Streets. It
really gets into this like. terrifying underbelly.
It does. It's crime fiction, a detective novel
for sure. Right. But it's got this edge, this
grittiness about 1920s Soho that doesn't pull
any punches. It really leans into the unsettling
parts. It really does. OK, so the basic setup,
no spoilers, obviously. Right. Keep a spoiler
free. We follow this private detective, George
Harley. He's a war veteran, kind of haunted by
that. And he gets pulled into this really disturbing
case. It involves missing children. Which is
immediately heavy stuff. Yeah, heavy from the
get -go. And there are these whispers, these
rumors of strange cults operating sort of hidden
away. In the corners of the city, yeah. And on
top of all that, there's this hunt for a really
brutal serial killer they call the nursery butcher.
Chilling name. Is it? So, yeah, this is not your
cozy mystery. It's a proper deep dive into some
pretty macabre territory. Absolutely. And Harley,
our detective, he's got his own moral compass,
right? Yeah, seems like it. But he's dropped
into this world where, well, morality is blurry.
Lots of shady characters. So many. Criminals.
People down on their luck, but also like wealthy
socialites mixed up in things. Mobsters. It makes
you wonder how someone like Harley keeps it together.
Yeah. Stays on the right side of things in that
kind of environment. Totally. OK, so things I
loved. First off, the atmosphere. Just. Wow.
Oh, yeah. What about it? Lecomber just paints
this picture of 1920s London that's so vivid,
so gritty, you can almost, like, smell the coal
smoke in the damp alleys. Ah, so it really transports
you. Completely. It's not just background detail.
It feels like a character itself, that sort of
tangible sense of place. That's great. I mean,
those details, like describing a dive bar, the
Pied Piper, I think it was. Yeah, that place.
The way he describes the smell, sweat. booze
smoke yeah it just grounds it makes it feel real
that kind of detail really builds the mood doesn't
it it really does and i think that mood that
sense of place it kind of amplifies the unease
you feel like anything could be happening just
around the corner right danger lurking yeah which
brings me to the second thing i loved the plot
man it's intricate okay Twisty. Very twisty.
It weaves together all these different threads
that you don't initially see connecting. Like
you've got these occult rumors and then there's
this controversial author, Cassina, I think,
and his strange book. Right. The one about the
priest and morality based on chance. Yeah. That
adds a philosophical layer almost. Exactly. And
even like a medieval tapestry becomes important
somehow. It keeps you guessing constantly just
when you think you've got a handle on it. Something
else pops up. Yeah. It was a real mental workout,
but in a good way, you know? That skillful writing,
connecting those disparate bits, it makes you
think, is this just random crime? Or is there
something bigger, more complex driving it? Yeah.
How did you feel about how it all came together?
I found it super compelling. It felt like peeling
an onion, you know? Each layer reveals more questions.
Synology. And the third thing, the protagonist,
George Hartley. I was really drawn to him. What
about him specifically? Well, he's complex, shaped
by the war, trying to do the right thing in this
morally gray world. He's got this sharp wit,
almost cynical sometimes. The hard -boiled detective
trope, yeah. Kind of, yeah. But underneath, there's
this strong sense of justice. He's not just observing
the bad stuff. He reacts to it, wants to fix
it, even if it's dangerous. You feel that core
integrity. That's key. The war background adds
depth, too, doesn't it? Maybe gives him a different
perspective on suffering, on, well. On the darkness
people are capable of. I think so, yeah. It definitely
fuels his drive. Okay. But it wasn't all perfect
for me. The critiques. They didn't quite land.
Well, one thing, and it's maybe a consequence
of that intricate plot. Yeah. There are a lot
of characters. Ah, okay. Hard to keep track.
Sometimes, yeah. You've got the club owners,
informants, police, society figures. It builds
a rich world, which is great. Right. But I did
find myself occasionally having to pause and
think, okay, who was that again? How do they
connect? It felt a bit like juggling sometimes.
That can happen with complex narratives, especially
ones aiming for that realistic, crowded city
feel. Everyone brushes shoulders. Did any minor
characters still manage to stick with you, though?
Oh, definitely. Even some of the seedier ones
felt quite memorable. Harley was the clear anchor,
though. But yeah, just keeping the web straight
took focus. Fair point. A tradeoff for complexity.
The other thing is, and this is more of a heads
up for potential readers, it gets pretty dark.
How so? The book doesn't shy away from the grim
stuff, the themes around the missing kids, the
hints about what the nursery butcher does. Some
descriptions are quite unsettling. Right. It
sounds like it really delves into the depravity
Harley's up against, not just theft or standard
crime, but something... Exactly. It underscores
the stakes and the real evil he's facing. So
sensitive listeners or readers might find some
parts disturbing. It's definitely not for the
faint of heart. Good to know. It sounds like
those darker elements are integral to the story
it's telling about that world, though. Absolutely.
They feel necessary for the story. Just be prepared.
Gotcha. All that said, weighing the incredible
atmosphere, the complex plot, the great protagonist
against the slight character overload and the
darkness. The final verdict. I'm giving Midnight
Streets by Phil LaComber a solid four out of
five stars. Nice. Sounds well -deserved. A gripping
read, but maybe have a lighter book on standby
afterward. Uh -huh. Maybe. It's a really strong,
atmospheric crime novel. Highly recommend it
if you like that kind of deep... intricate, slightly
dark historical mystery. Cool. A compelling dive
into 1920s London's shadows. Okay everyone, that
about wraps up our deep dive into Midnight Streets.
Hope you found it interesting. If you enjoyed
exploring this shadowy world with us, please
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also genuinely love to hear your thoughts. What
was your favorite bit of our discussion or maybe
the most intriguing part of the book if you've
read it? Yeah. Drop a comment. Let us know what
you think. Favorite moment. Most chilling discovery.
Absolutely. Let's get a conversation going in
the comments. Your shares and comments really
help other people find the show and discover
books like this. Keep the discussion alive. Thanks
so much for joining us today. Yeah. Thanks, everyone.
Catch you next time.