The Detective Wore Silk Drawers: The Second Sergeant Cribb Mystery

Peter Lovesey

Formats & Editions

The second book in the Sergeant Cribb series, from Peter Lovesey.

Reissue of Peter Lovesey's first acclaimed book that started his career nearly 50 years ago.

Forbidden in Victorian England, the grim and violent world of bare-knuckle fighting has gone underground. So when a headless body is found floating in the Thames, his hands 'pickled' for fighting, Sergeant Cribb knows he is facing a challenge.

Desperate for information, they select the young constable Henry Jago to infiltrate the gang, subjecting him to a rigorous programme of purging, pickling and training. Cribb is certain that the losing fighters are being killed, or worse, so getting Jago out just in time is crucial . . .

A reissue from the delightful Sergeant Cribb series, set in Victorian London

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Praise for The Detective Wore Silk Drawers: The Second Sergeant Cribb Mystery

  • 'The Detective Wore Silk Drawers will establish the historical thriller as securely as Mrs Christie established her own particular brand of whodunit' - Smith's Trade News'A gorgeous piece of period reconstruction . . . worked into an exciting plot' - Daily Telegraph'A rich and unusual mystery, with suspense enough for the most confirmed addict' - Los Angeles Times'Once in a while a writer enters the scene with a new slant on crime and Peter Lovesey has concocted such a tale with assurance and skill' - Scotsman

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Peter Lovesey

Peter Lovesey

Born in Middlesex In 1936, Peter Lovesey was the author of 43 novels and seven collections of short stories. He is best known for his eight Victorian crime novels featuring Seargent Cribb and his flagship Peter Diamond series, which began with his Antony-award winning novel, The Last Detective, in 1991. Lovesey was the recipient of numerous awards over his lifetime, including the CWA Silver Dagger, multiple Macavity and Antony awards. He was one of a select number of writers to have been awarded both the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Special Edgar and the Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement. He died in 2025 at the age of 88.

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