The Railway Detective by Edward Marston

What the cover says:
London, 1851. With the opening of the Great Exhibition at hand, interest is mounting in the engineering triumphs of the railways, but not everyone feels like celebrating...
In an audacious attack, the London to Birmingham mail train is robbed and derailed, causing many casualties. Planned with military precision, this crime proves a challenge to Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck who fights to untangle a web of murder, blackmail and destruction.

This is a beautiful period piece, written in a style perfectly suiting the era in which it is set. The heroes are heroic and the villains truly villainous, exactly as you would wish for. The plot bowls along merrily and is relatively straightforward without being dull. I look forward to reading another "Detective Inspector Colbeck mystery". All in all, a real delight.

9.5/10