The year is 1831
Down the murky alleyways of London, acts of unspeakable wickedness are taking place and no one is willing to speak out on behalf of the city's vulnerable poor as they disappear from the streets.
Out of these shadows comes Hester White, a bright young woman who is desperate to escape the slums by any means possible.
When Hester is thrust into the world of the aristocratic Brock family, she leaps at the chance to improve her station in life under the tutelage of the fiercely intelligent and mysterious Rebekah Brock. But whispers from her past slowly begin to poison her new life and both she and Rebekah are lured into the most sinister of investigations.
Hester and Rebekah find themselves crossing every boundary they've ever known in pursuit of truth, redemption and passion. But their trust in each other will be tested as a web of deceit begins to unspool, dragging them into the blackest heart of a city where something more depraved than either of them could ever imagine is lurking.
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[THE MORNING HERALD, TUESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 1831: SUPPOSED DISAPPEARANCE IN BELVEDERE ROAD - THIS NEWSPAPER HAS TAKEN NOTE THAT THE PAST MONTH HAS BEEN REMARKABLE FOR THE PREVELANCE OF CASES WHERE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE DECLARED MISSING]***
(Hodder & Stoughton, 1 February 2018, ebook, 352 pages, ARC from publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed)
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First the negative's:
SPOLER ALERT: A romantic relationship develops between Hester and Rebekah. While I applauded this, I felt this got in the way of the main story too much. This came across as unrealistic at times. For example, when the book starts to get pretty dark, both their lives are in danger and suddenly the women make moon eyes at each other. Queue rolling eyes. I did like the bond between them but it could have been handled a bit letter.
Too much time is spent at the start of the book developing Hester's story and how she gets involved with the Brock's. I appreciate, these events are important but they take up too much time, more than 30% of the book. This could have been much slicker.
Onto the positive's:
I loved the title. It fits the book perfectly and made me want to read the book.
The setting of the book is spot on. London is so real I felt like I was really there. I've read a few books set in the same time period but this is one of the best. I loved how dark, gritty and sinister London is.
The Wicked Cometh is well-written and engaging. I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what happened next. There are a lot of twists and turns in the book. I love stuff like that. The pacing is spot on after Hester becomes embroiled in the Brock's lives.
The characters are really good. I loved Rebekah. She's tough, feisty, know her own mind and is determined to get to the route of the darkness plaguing her city. You go, girl. I liked Hester as well. The villains are well-rounded and not just cardboard cut-out baddies.
The Wicked Cometh is an engaging read. I was absorbed.
