Kensington
Published February 25, 2025
Reviewed by Meredith Frazier
The second book in Patrice McDonough’s Dr. Julia Lewis series explores the art world of Victorian London, particularly the challenges faced by the “lady painters” who are beginning to—at least on occasion—be taken seriously as artists. But not everyone is supportive of these women artists, and when one of their models turns up dead, Dr. Lewis finds herself in the midst of a Scotland Yard investigation that involves the disappearance of shop girls, break-ins at artists’ studios, threatening poison-pen letters, and, ultimately, a series of murders. Inspector Richard Tennant suspects that the events surrounding the artists may be connected to darker elements of London society. McDonough skillfully weaves together multiple plot lines while raising questions about human trafficking and human rights that are still with us today.