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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Barely any
A death by suspected poisoning; no graphic violence
Language
None
Victorian English prose; clean language
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Gambling is central to the sporting world of the novel; some drink in the Victorian setting
Emotional Intensity
Barely any
Very low — the novel's pleasures are historical detail and puzzle construction
What this book is about
In 1879 London, six-day pedestrian races — 'wobbles' in which competitors walk continuously for one hundred and forty-four hours — were sporting events that drew enormous crowds and gambling interest. When a front-runner dies mid-race from what appears to be poisoning, Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackeray investigate. Peter Lovesey's debut is impeccably researched, quietly funny, and a model of fair-play puzzle construction.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
A Victorian sporting murder mystery appropriate for most readers
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