The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason

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The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Words cannot accurately describe how much fun I had reading this book. I can liken the experience to discovering a delightful British series on PBS and losing an entire weekend curled up on the couch. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.

This book reads like a movie and I wasn’t at all shocked to find out that the author is a playwright. The moment you turn that first page you’re drawn in, and the frenetic energy just pushes you through until the very end. It contains all the elements of Victorian England, gloomy and gritty, cold and pungent, but brightened by rich characters and perpetual wit. Throughout the novel are little bites of historical Easter Eggs, from Typhoid Mary, royal family trivia, references to Charles Dickens, and so much more.
Each vivid scene of this of this classic British comedy was filled with action, suspense, hilarious physical slapstick, and just a touch of well-placed lewdness that more than once made me laugh out loud. This would make a perfect BBC series with Hugh Laurie, Martin Freeman, and Bill Nighy in starring roles.
I wish I could read this book for the first time all over again.

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Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin for a complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.