Horatio Lyle Series by Catherine Webb

In Victorian London at the height of the industrial revolution, Horatio Lyle is a former Special Constable with a passion for science and invention. He's also an occasional, but reluctant, sleuth. The truth is that he'd rather be in his lab tinkering with dangerous chemicals and odd machinery than running around the cobbled streets of London trying to track down stolen goods... moreIn Victorian London at the height of the industrial revolution, Horatio Lyle is a former Special Constable with a passion for science and invention. He's also an occasional, but reluctant, sleuth. The truth is that he'd rather be in his lab tinkering with dangerous chemicals and odd machinery than running around the cobbled streets of London trying to track down stolen goods. But when Her Majesty's Government calls, Horatio swaps his microscope for a magnifying glass, fills his pockets with things that explode and sallies forth to unravel a mystery of a singularly extraordinary nature.Thrown together with a reformed (i.e. 'caught') pickpocket called Tess, and a rebellious (within reason) young gentleman called Thomas, Lyle and his faithful hound, Tate, find themselves pursuing an ancient Chinese plate, a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of polite society and a dangerous enemy who may not even be human. Solving the crime will be hard enough - surviving would be a bonus... less

There seems to be some odd things going on in the city of London lately. Take the murders, for instance; quite peculiar. And those missing statues. What's going on there? And shouldn't St. Paul’s Church have a roof? Odd. Horatio Lyle, of course, is no stranger to . . . well, strangeness. In fact, he finds the lure of the unknown quite invigorating... moreThere seems to be some odd things going on in the city of London lately. Take the murders, for instance; quite peculiar. And those missing statues. What's going on there? And shouldn't St. Paul’s Church have a roof? Odd. Horatio Lyle, of course, is no stranger to . . . well, strangeness. In fact, he finds the lure of the unknown quite invigorating. But having just survived the most frightening episode in his life, the last thing he wants is that pompous Lord Lincoln sticking his nose in again and demanding that he take on another case the police are too thick to solve. Of course, His Lordship can be painfully persuasive at times, so it should come as no surprise that Lyle, along with his young protégés Tess (the thief) and Thomas (the rich kid), and his faithful hound Tate (the smart one), is soon up to his neck in events of a singularly unscientific nature. less

There are many mysteries in this world that are yet to be resolved in 1865. Some of them, man was not meant to know. Scientist, inventor, and occasional sleuth, Horatio Lyle, is a man of science and a man of reason. As such, he does not care for the mysterious sect known as the Tseiqin and the strange, mystical enigma they represent. But when news reaches him of a plot to remove them—through the simple expedient of mass murder—well, that presents a problem for a man of moral fortitude... moreThere are many mysteries in this world that are yet to be resolved in 1865. Some of them, man was not meant to know. Scientist, inventor, and occasional sleuth, Horatio Lyle, is a man of science and a man of reason. As such, he does not care for the mysterious sect known as the Tseiqin and the strange, mystical enigma they represent. But when news reaches him of a plot to remove them—through the simple expedient of mass murder—well, that presents a problem for a man of moral fortitude. Once more leading his young friends, Tess and Thomas, and his faithful hound, Tate, into a series of the most appalling dangers, Lyle leaps to the rescue of his mortal enemies. But when the dust clears and the menace has been confronted, there remains one rather pressing question for occasional Special Constable Horatio Lyle—who’s going to rescue him? less

London, 1865, and young Theresa Hatch (Tess, to her friends) receives a nast surprise late at night. When Horatio finds a young girl on his doorstep, passed out, dying - apparently poisoned - he's appalled. Investigations lead to Tess's old workhouse, but a surprise visit to that sorry establishment yields more questions than answers. Only one thing is clear: something very, very bad is happening to the children in the East End... moreLondon, 1865, and young Theresa Hatch (Tess, to her friends) receives a nast surprise late at night. When Horatio finds a young girl on his doorstep, passed out, dying - apparently poisoned - he's appalled. Investigations lead to Tess's old workhouse, but a surprise visit to that sorry establishment yields more questions than answers. Only one thing is clear: something very, very bad is happening to the children in the East End.There’s a mystery to be solved, sending Lyle, Thomas, Tate and - naturally - Tess out into the wilds of east London and a certain former thief’s old stamping grounds. What they find is terrifying: Tess’s old crowd of artful dodgers and ace pickpockets are now wandering the streets like zombies, drooling in the workhouses or plain mad in the asylum. And it isn't just affecting Tess' old crowd; children all over the area are turning up with their memories in tatters and their minds all but gone. The only clue is a name, half-whispered in fear: Old Greybags. less