Edinburgh Midnight (Ian Hamilton Mysteries, 3) Paperback – June 9, 2020

While this is third book in the Detective Ian Hamilton series, it is a stand-alone mystery, with an exciting plot, characters you can care about (including a few real people skillfully intertwined with the fictional ones) and Victorian Edinburgh richly portrayed -- you truly feel you are THERE. The dialogue is is snappy, often witty, but never a word wasted, as it always moves the twists and turns of the plot and also helps us get to know each character better. A new sinister force is at work in Edinburgh, and Detective Hamilton is pitted against it as he tries to solve two murders from a group who attended a seance w/ a mysterious woman, whose knowledge about him and the fire that killed his parents sends him on a dangerous personal journey, and he must also somehow discover where and when a large robbery is to be committed. Ms. Lawrence's writing is so skillful, the side plots add rather than detract from this fast paced mystery. Kudos to Carole Lawrence! Can't wait for next Ian Hamilton mystery!!!

I think I've finally figured out the overarching premise of this historical mystery series. I fell s bit slow, but, in all fairness, the critical characters that put it all together don't show up all at once. To avoid spoiling it for others I won't go into any more detail than that. This is very much a character driven story, set in Victorian Edinburgh. The primary character, Ian Hamilton, is a police detective with the Edinburgh police. He isn't perfect. He misses clues. He fails to ask obvious follow up questions. He wrestles with demons from his past. But he has a keen sense of justice and does his best to protect the people of Edinburgh from criminals. It's a decent story and I found that I'm enjoying it.

Well-developed characters and an excellent presentation of the growing/changing city of Edinburgh; it’s population and the way of life at that time.

I really love these books I think they’re so wonderfully written. They really hold my attention and I’m zooming through them as fast as I possibly can, which may or may not be good because I’m hoping there’s gonna be another one.

I do enjoy these stories, but I feel a bit removed from the series. Not surprisingly, when I look back to see that I reviewed the 2nd book in January 2019.I love the literary influences throughout this. The author's love for this era of literature is clear, paying tribute to and drawing influences from Doyle, Dickens and Shakespeare without ever copying their works. Ian, as a detective, has been one that I've liked from the beginning. I liked him most in the first book, though, as I preferred him as an almost asexual, purely work focused person. Each subsequent book seems intent on socializing, normalizing and romanticizing him more. This one is definitely pushing him toward a relationship with Nurse Stuart, whom I do like, but I wasn't following these books for romance. It's clear that the author can write that and I'd be happy to read romance or mystery with romantic subplot from her, but I just liked Ian kept out of that. I'd love for Donald to get a romantic story focus. I try very hard not to ship the fictional Arthur Conan Doyle with Ian or Donald. The potential for romances is in each book, but I'd just rather it not be if it's going to change Ian's personality, which seems to be happening.As for the mysteries in this, I liked them and would have liked even more focus on the seance killings. There was a lot of focus on the mystery of the fire that killed Ian's parents. While I'd love that mystery to be solved for Ian and Donald, this book just adds more to the mystery. It's clear another book was/is meant for the series, but it's been a few years now and I've not see a book 4 released so the dangling threads irk me a little. I'd love to see this series completed and be able to reread it from the beginning.

I loved all three of these books! If you’re a fan of CS Harris, these are for you! The author describes Edinburgh so well you feel like you’re walking the streets with Hamilton. I liked how we also get the villains point of view as well. The only thing I didn’t like was there was no romance for poor Ian. However, the end was looking up in that department! I just wish there was another book in the series, as it didn’t have any conclusions to the main mystery. Please, more!

I really enjoy the characters in this series. It is nice to see Ian opening up more in the third book. The Christmas Carol is one of my most favourite plays. Seeing Ian taking a cue from the play was nice to see. Learning more about the main characters was excellent. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

This is book #3 in a mystery series based in Edinburg, Scotland in the late 19th Century I found engaging enough to go back and read books one and two.The conflicted hero is quite interesting; the deary winter setting in Edinburg makes me never want to go there, even though I have heard it is beautiful. I do not especially care to see inside the head of a psychopath but this is a small part of the action and characterization, which apparently are cleverly set up to carry over into at least one more book.Lawrence does a very good job of characterization. I do enjoy the interplay of the main character, a detective, and his brother, a medical student and several other characters. What is up with one character's name being Arthur Conan Doyle and not once any other character questions or alludes to this well-known name of literature? This seems odd. Conan Doyle, a professional friend of the main character also acts as a foil to him, shining lightness next to the darkness of Ian Hamilton, the main character. Yet Ian Hamilton is not all dark and not the cliche loner of film noir; he's not as mysterious as the other characters find him either. Lawrence also has drawn some interesting women characters, such as a woman nurse who is mutually attracted to Ian Hamilton; it appears she too will continue to people the plot in the next book of the series. At least I hope so, even though I searched and could not find a book following this one. There are two or three strong hints for a possible next book. Along with a palette of well-drawn characters, these hints have me hankering for the read book in the series.

I enjoyed this mystery more than the previous two, perhaps the characters habe grown on me, particularly Donald and Crawford. A good traf

Reading this trilogy, I have learnt about many historical things and sayings. I love the characters and could see a very good tv series coming out of the books. The stories incorporate gritty determination, evil deeds and characters, kindness and compassion, and the struggles of two brothers learning who they are and who the other is. Recommended for all readers who like a good story with plenty of background too.

The whole series Ian Hamilton are truly books that are completly enjoyable and makes one hope that more are to come.