I liked this book but it had a few flaws that might be inherent to any book that is the start of a long running series. On the positive side I found the characters engaging and the author's writing style enjoyable. The mystery plot itself (a series of young women, both servants and upper class ladies, are garrotted along Cater Street) was interesting as well. I particularly enjoyed the growing sense of paranoia that festers in the upper class enclave of Cater Street, and how the killings combined with the patriarchal nature of the era threaten marital and familial intimacy. 
 As for critique, there are patches of very clunky, expository dialogue describing Victorian social mores and class distinctions. I like that the novel includes this information, but it could have integrated into the narrative with more finesse. 
 The courtship between Charlotte and Inspector Pitt comes off as stilted as well, and the marriage proposal comes out of nowhere. I really have no idea, based on this first book, how their marital relationship will play out over the course of the series. While I feel like I understand Charlotte, and to a lesser extent I understand Inspector Pitt, I don't really understand anything about them as a unit. 
 I liked this book well enough to continue the series.