The September Society, Charles Finch, 2008

This is the second Charles Lenox detective story of Finch’s I’ve read.  Situated in England in the 1860’s, replete with fascinating and credible characters, and cleverly written, they nevertheless are a bit grating with their Agatha Christie-ish, “Ta Da” finishes as the author pulls the curtain aside, pulls a rabbit from the hat, and surprises the reader with mistaken identity and new information that would have made it impossible to solve the puzzle earlier.  Nonetheless, this was a fine book for the Nantucket beaches this week, and I probably won’t be able to restrain myself from reading the third Lenox novel sitting in a pile back home.  For those interested, this story revolved around a secret society of British officers who had served in India, committed atrocities and theft, and continued to break the law and enrich themselves when they returned to London.  Lenox solves the mystery with the help of his friend Dr. McConnell, his new associate Lord Dallington, and his Scotland Yard buddy Jenkins and along the way becomes engaged to Lady Jane Grey, his true love. All good fun.