The second book in the Sergeant Cribb series, from Peter Lovesey.

Reissue of Peter Lovesey’s first acclaimed book that started his career nearly 50 years ago.

Forbidden in Victorian England, the grim and violent world of bare-knuckle fighting has gone underground. So when a headless body is found floating in the Thames, his hands ‘pickled’ for fighting, Sergeant Cribb knows he is facing a challenge.

Desperate for information, they select the young constable Henry Jago to infiltrate the gang, subjecting him to a rigorous programme of purging, pickling and training. Cribb is certain that the losing fighters are being killed, or worse, so getting Jago out just in time is crucial …

A reissue from the delightful Sergeant Cribb series, set in Victorian London