πππA long winded attempt to recreate a fantasy, murder thriller. The story itself begins in modern day London and travels back and forth through time to 1940’s London during World War II. The half a century storyline requires a lot of building to get the story off and running. The book is 349 pages and 62 chapters long. After a current day bombing that leads to a death, a partner of the Peculiar Crimes Unit has to go back into history to solve the mystery. Sounds captivating, but I had an immense amount of trouble getting truly involved or even interested before Chapter 50. Maybe if Chapter 50 had happened sooner I would have finished the book sooner. The Peculiar Crimes Unit seems like a very catching title for a very unique series and I hoped for a better first novel, although I am curious now to see if at 60 years old Bryant still continues with the unit.