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|title=Except the Dying: Murdoch Mysteries

|author=Maureen Jennings

|borrow=Yes

|isbn=9780857689870

|pages=336

|publisher=Titan Books

|date=February 2012

|website=www.maureenjennings.com

|summary=Toronto, 1895. The body of a young maidservant is found, naked and frozen in the snow. William Murdoch is determined to find her killer despite pressure from influential people for a speedy resolution to the case.

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Murdoch, the acting detective assigned to the case, is an intriguing character. Upright and determinedly principled, he is a clear outsider in the country and in the police station because he is a Catholic, something he makes no secret of. He is aware, in consequence, that he will have to try twice as hard as other people to gain promotion. Indeed, at the beginning of this story the thought does cross his mind that solving the case quickly would go a long way towards helping him in this regard. However, as soon as he is immersed in the details of the maid's murder, and the effect it has on an upper class family, he forgets everything except his compassionate desire to find justice for the poor victim. There are several other and very telling details which give further fascinating insights into his private life: he still mourns his dead fiancée, but loneliness has prompted him to take dancing lessons in the hope of meeting other young ladies, and he willingly spends time with his landlord, who is housebound and seriously ill, sharing details of his cases to keep the man's mind active.

This review is about the book, not the extremely popular television series which has sprung from Maureen Jennings' characters, but a brief word comparing the two is in order here. Most people will know Murdoch from the television before they encounter the books, and this is reinforced by the cover of the book, which shows photos of the actors. It is a little misleading however: the ebullient and enthusiastic Crabtree is a more sober individual with family responsibilities in the book, and Murdoch's TV love interest, Dr Julia Ogden, does not appear at all. This in no way detracts from the story, however (and the cover was probably a marketing decision rather than something the author wanted), so if you want a good, cosy read with interesting characters, an admirable hero and an unusual setting, then you will certainly enjoy this book. And the good news is that several more of the books are being re-released in fairly quick succession, so you will not have to wait too long for the next one!

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