The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 1

Following a debut as part of the Eighth of March collection, the Paternoster Gang get their own series in this three-part collection. The title gives the impression that this is the first part of a series arc but that doesn't seem to be the case. Unless there's something that doesn't become apparent until later volumes, each of the stories is entirely unconnected and there's no cliffhanger ending to indicate that this is part of anything larger. Which has the advantage of it being standalone, with no required jumping on point or previous familiarity with anything beyond the characters' TV appearances (and even those aren't referenced, so it's enough to know who the characters are).

The series, being set entirely in 1890s London, invites comparison with Big Finish's earlier Jago & Litefoot, but the tone does feel distinctly different. In part, that's probably because two out of the three characters lack the ties to the setting that their counterparts in the earlier series did, making it inherently more fantastical; there's less of a grounding in Victorian reality. Indeed, the science fiction elements are stronger here than in that series, while the humour has a different tone, based more around Strax's inability to understand things than the more nuanced repartee between the leads.

* The Cars That Ate London! – The first story is a straight-up adventure that sees the trio drawn into investigating a factory producing electric cars. Such things did exist in the 1890s, although only as a novelty, and it wasn't clear at the time that the internal combustion engine would win out in later years. But still, it isn't one of the first things that comes to mind when one thinks of the Victorian era, and the story has a distinct science fiction theme that doesn't quite seem to fit the intended setting. The connection here with the past of one of the main characters is also a weak one and honestly could have been anything. Having said all of which, it's a fun action and investigation story with some humour provided by Strax's attempts to fit in with regular Londoners. Not outstanding, perhaps, but a decent enough kick-off to the series. 3.5 stars.

* A Photograph to Remember – If cars (electric or otherwise) aren't something one associates much with Victorian times, spiritualism is another matter. Here, admittedly, it's only a veneer in a story that's more about a physical threat but, together with a plot that hinges on glass-plate era photography, it does make this story one that's harder to imagine being adapted for any radically different time period. Another key element of the story is introducing us to a group of characters who mirror our heroes in certain ways, although there isn't really space to fully explore all the implications of this. It's another entertaining story that once again gives all the leads their moment to shine. 4 stars.

* The Ghosts of Greenwich– To my mind, this is the strongest story of the three, showing our trio investigating an apparently supernatural mystery in Greenwich, east London. The mystery soon leads in an unexpected direction, and there are further twists along the way. Even if some of them are a little easy to see coming, it's an entertaining ride with some good moments of peril. It also gives Vastra more of a chance to act as the detective she's supposed to be than the previous two stories do, while we also get a chance to see Strax put in a situation that's unusual for him. 4.5 stars.