The Great Stink — Clare Clark

A mystery that offers “a gripping and richly atmospheric glimpse into the literal underworld of Victorian England -- the labyrinthine London sewer system” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
 
Clare Clark's critically acclaimed The Great Stink “reeks of talent” as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious underworld of Victorian London (The Washington Post Book World). Set in 1855, it tells the story of William May, an engineer who has returned home to London from the horrors of the Crimean War. When he secures a job trans­forming the city's sewer system, he believes that he will be able to find salvation in the subterranean world beneath the city. But the peace of the tunnels is shattered by a murder, and William is implicated as the killer. Could he truly have committed the crime? How will he bring the truth above ground?
 
With richly atmospheric prose, The Great Stink combines fact and fiction to transport readers into London's putrid past, and marks the debut of a remarkably talented writer in the tradition of the very best historical novelists.
 
“A crackerjack historical novel that combines the creepy intrigue of Caleb Carr, the sensory overload of Peter Ackroyd and the academic curiosity of A. S. Byatt.” -- Los Angeles Times