Jekyll & Hyde: Consulting Detectives by Tim Major

Book Review

Matt Johns

The story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is well known. Dr Henry Jekyll creates a potion that transforms him into Edward Hyde – a beast of a man who houses all of Dr Jekyll’s base instincts and any evil intentions.

Major takes this concept and the rarely-used character of Dr Jekyll’s fiancée (Muriel Carew) and turns it into a thrilling detective story. Jekyll separated from Muriel for her own safety after she woke up to see Edward Hyde looming over her bed one night, and as the tale opens, she has not seen him for several years.

Having lost her father, Muriel uses her inheritance and natural curiosity to become a detective – only taking on cases that she believes will benefit people. While investigating one case, she encounters Henry Jekyll and soon finds that he, too, is an investigator, and they are looking into the same person, but for different reasons.

The author really does bring Stephenson’s world and characters to life. His Jekyll is a slight man with an injured leg and very little empathy. He concerns himself with facts, figures, and fees from his cases, but Muriel’s caring nature eventually makes him try to change. He partners with his alter ego, using him to carry out more physical tasks or to get information from the less salubrious parts of London and the people therein. Muriel Carew is an excellent Victorian heroine – very clever and capable with a superb power of observation, but constrained by society’s expectations of women. She uses those expectations to her own advantage at times, refusing to conform to the damsel in distress trope.

I enjoyed Major’s portrayal of Hyde. He remains the traditionally large-built, physically looming man, imbued with animal cunning. He struggles with words as you would expect – reading, thinking and saying them, so instead, he thinks in pictures. He comes across as almost childlike at times, and while he enjoys drinking, carousing and whoring, he does begin to try to control his bestial instincts and finds himself becoming a better man for it.

Major’s writing style is effortless to read – I found myself completely enthralled by the story, wanting to find out what happens next. While it is set in Victorian London and feels authentic, that doesn’t impact the readability, and it is a real page-turner. This is a great read – whether you’re a fan of the original, a lover of whodunnits, or just like a good book, check this one out. I’ll personally be looking into Tim Major’s back catalogue and keeping an eye out for his future releases.