THE DEVIL’S WORKSHOP
Alex Grecian
May 20th, 2014
Penguin
Alex Grecian’s latest book, The Devil’s Workshop, has a thrilling plot with notorious characters. This is the third book in the series out of six. The plot takes place in London during the 1890s with a theme comparing law and justice. It is more of “a who done it” than an actual mystery since the readers know the villains and their deeds.
The plot begins with a prisoner horribly tortured by persons unknown to him. A few chapters later the reader is able to learn who the prisoner is and why he is being tortured. A secret organization of zealots, after capturing certain criminals, attempts to dispense their own brand of justice. They have planned for some of the murderers to escape from prison, but the plan goes incredibly wrong. As the killers elude the secret society, Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad detectives, Walter Day and Nevil Hammersmith, are asked to find the criminals. Unfortunately, the criminals are able to resume their sadistic killing as they try to avoid the chase by the detectives. Grecian used the secret organization to illustrate the theme of law versus justice.
Early on the reader finds that one of the escaped killers is none other than Jack The Ripper. Grecian is able to solicit different emotions from the readers regarding this character, ranging from hatred to sympathizing with him. They are exposed to his past and present exploits, as well as to his philosophical thoughts about law and justice.
The Devil’s Workshop is not a book for the squeamish. It will keep the reader on the edge of their seat with its psychotic characters and intense plot. The action is non-stop and the reader will not want to put the book down.
Elise Cooper
