The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
by Nancy Springer (Penguin, 2007); audiobook read by Katherine Kellgren (Recorded Books, 2007)
Again, the mystery element is slight, but 14-year-old Enola Holmes proves intelligent, quick-witted and resourceful… and more than a match for her famous older brother! Both Sherlock himself and Victorian London reveal different facets of themselves when encountered by a female protagonist.
Dracula
(NBC, 2013-2014)
Victorian London comes to life in a Dracula re-imagining full of dark intrigue, rising nemesis and rather too much gore; also high production values and an unimpeachable cast (though some viewers may find Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ huskiness a bit much to take).
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
by Natasha Pulley (Bloomsbury Circus, 2015); audiobook read by Thomas Judd (Bolinda, 2016)
A gently paced novel that, while slow to introduce its speculative element, bolsters this by way of historical detail. Pulley’s prose brings late 19th century London to life. The plot, when it emerges, is memorable, though perhaps too languorous to fully satisfy.
Black Butler, Season 1
dir. Toshiya Shinohara (2008-2009)
Japanese anime set in late 19th century England and adding a supernatural overlay to the already gruesome underbelly of Victorian society. Singularly compelling when sticking to the dark, uncanny shadows, yet prone also to cutesy outbursts and the furtherance of irksome catchphrases.
The Ruby in the Smoke
by Philip Pullman (Oxford University Press, 1985); audiobook read by Anton Lesser (Bolinda, 2015)
Pullman captures the essence of Victorian London (without belabouring the setting), and his characters all stand out, especially in Lesser’s audiobook reading. The story, however, gains little from these virtues, its omniscient third-person narrative frittering away most of the tension and mystery.
The Invisible Library
by Genevieve Cogman (Tor, 2015)
Picture an unfathomably vast library between dimensions and one of its secret agent librarians cable-dropping (okay, not really) for rare tomes in Victorian steampunk London. Cogman’s book reads at times like the debut novel it is, but is well worth persisting with.