The Detective Wore Silk Drawers

The Detective Wore Silk Drawers is the second novel in Peter Lovesey's Victorian-era mystery series featuring Sergeant Daniel Cribb of the Metropolitan Police. Set in nineteenth-century London, the story centers on Cribb's investigation into the dangerous world of illegal bare-knuckle boxing. Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackeray must navigate the secretive underground boxing scene, where fighters compete without gloves in brutal matches that often end in severe injury or death. The investigation leads them through London's dark corners as they work to expose the criminal enterprise behind these illicit fights. The novel combines authentic period detail and police procedural elements with insights into Victorian society's complex relationship with violence and sport. Its exploration of class divisions, morality, and justice in Victorian England adds historical depth to the central mystery.

Readers describe this Victorian-era mystery as slower-paced and more historically detailed than the first book in the Sergeant Cribb series. Many found the bare-knuckle boxing subplot illuminating and authentic. Readers appreciated: - Historical accuracy and period details of 1880s London - Learning about illegal boxing culture - The humor scattered throughout - Complex character dynamics Common criticisms: - Plot moves too slowly in the middle sections - Less engaging than other books in the series - Boxing scenes can be repetitive Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (483 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (89 ratings) Multiple reviewers noted the book requires patience but rewards careful reading. As one Amazon reviewer wrote, "The historical detail makes up for the occasional pacing issues." Several Goodreads reviews praised Lovesey's research into Victorian bare-knuckle fighting while noting the mystery elements take a backseat to the boxing storyline.

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🥊 Bare-knuckle boxing was officially illegal in England from 1882, though underground matches continued well into the 20th century 🏆 Peter Lovesey won the Crime Writers' Association's prestigious Diamond Dagger Award in 2000 for his lifetime contribution to crime fiction 👮 The real Victorian-era Metropolitan Police detectives often worked undercover and in plain clothes, just like Sergeant Cribb in the novel 🎭 The book was adapted into a successful television series as part of "Sergeant Cribb" on ITV in 1980-81, starring Alan Dobie 🌟 This novel is the second in Lovesey's Sergeant Cribb series, which helped establish him as a major voice in historical crime fiction when it debuted in 1970