The Devil's Workshop is the third in Grecian's Murder Squad series. Inspector Walter Day, and his partner, Nevil Hammersmith are joined by Day's former mentor, retired detective inspector Adrian March. After a train derails and sets loose convicted murderers on the London streets, these three inspectors must investigate the accident and prison, trying to determine just how many former prisoners are now on the loose. One of these escapees is the former police tailor, turned murderer, Cinderhouse, which Hammersmith and Day captured in The Black Country. Unsure whether they are looking for 4 or 5 men, things are further thrown off-course when Day finds that March has joined a secret society that believes in inflicting their own brand of justice on convicted criminals. While searching for Cinderhouse, March introduces Day to the idea of joining their club, and taking his turns torturing London's most notorious killer, Jack the Ripper. Believed to have escaped capture, we find the society has indeed captured him and has been keeping him prisoner and subjected to torture for a year. Unfortunately, Jack has escaped yet again, and has teamed up with Cinderhouse, and is now targeting Day's pregnant wife.
As with the first two, this story is thrilling and Grecian does an excellent job working in Victorian history. This story is certainly gruesome and contains a fair amount of violence, and while I didn't find it too graphic, it will be disturbing to some.