May's vague recollection of a murder he may have witnessed in the depths of the sewer system results in his becoming the prime suspect and being incarcerated in an asylum. When he courageously decides not to rubber-stamp the use of inferior brick, he puts his life, his sanity and his family at risk. That immense public works project is a natural magnet for the corrupt, and engineer William May, a psychologically scarred Crimean War veteran, soon finds his ethics challenged. When the 'great stink' of the title the product of an oppressive heat wave combined with putrid sewage overflow threatens to shut down the British capital in 1855, the politicians agree to fund massive repairs. Byatt.” - Los Angeles Timesĭickens fans should devour British author Clark's debut novel, a gripping and richly atmospheric glimpse into the literal underworld of Victorian England the labyrinthine London sewer system. “A crackerjack historical novel that combines the creepy intrigue of Caleb Carr, the sensory overload of Peter Ackroyd and the academic curiosity of A. With richly atmospheric prose, The Great Stink combines fact and fiction to transport readers into London’s putrid past, and marks the debut of a remarkably talented writer in the tradition of the very best historical novelists. Could he truly have committed the crime? How will he bring the truth above ground? But the peace of the tunnels is shattered by a murder, and William is implicated as the killer. When he secures a job transforming the city’s sewer system, he believes that he will be able to find salvation in the subterranean world beneath the city. Set in 1855, it tells the story of William May, an engineer who has returned home to London from the horrors of the Crimean War. A mystery that offers “a gripping and richly atmospheric glimpse into the literal underworld of Victorian England-the labyrinthine London sewer system” ( Publishers Weekly, starred review).Ĭlare Clark’s critically acclaimed The Great Stink “reeks of talent” as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious underworld of Victorian London ( The Washington Post Book World).

The Great Stink by Clare Clark