Volume 3, No. 40 October 17, 2003
Kerr makes history 'Matter' A Review By Monique Bos Set in 1696, "Dark Matter" by Philip Kerr introduces readers to a turbulent time in England's history: the country is at war with France; long-standing hatred between Roman Catholics and Protestants threatens domestic stability; and the effort to replace old money with new is thwarted by distribution problems and a lack of confidence in the government. At this juncture, Isaac Newton, mathematician and physicist, is given the position of Warden of the Mint. Although Newton could draw his salary and leave the brunt of his work to underlings, he takes his commission seriously and sets out to rigorously track counterfeiters. The story is narrated by Christopher Ellis, who becomes Newton's clerk after an illegal duel costs him his position in law school. Ellis, eager to perform well at this new chance and awed by Newton's great mind, serves as eager sidekick and alert chronicler of their adventures. Newton enlists Ellis' aid to track down a ring of clever counterfeiters. Ellis entertains his own suspicions about the disappearance of his predecessor six months earlier, though Newton is dismissive until the man's body is found in the Tower moat. At the autopsy, the keenly observant Newton gives readers a foretaste of forensic science with his discovery that the man was tortured to death. During the ensuing investigation, Newton and Ellis uncover a plot against their lives and encounter more murders - by poison, by hanging and, most ingeniously, by a lion released from the royal menagerie. Ellis keeps his sword, dagger and pistols ready, brandishing them as frequently as any Shakespearean character might, while Newton uses his brilliant mind to decipher various clues. The Royal Mint's location in the Tower of London provides Kerr with a fascinating setting for the story, with political intrigue, villains and ghosts as a backdrop to the action. Newton and Ellis travel to Newgate Prison and the Bedlam asylum, where they encounter prostitutes, an array of criminals and opium users. In their excursions into the upper crust of London society, however, they also discover devious lords and high-level hypocrisy. Daniel Defoe figures as a nemesis, while the fabled treasure of the Knights Templar stirs Newton's curiosity. Several reviewers have compared Kerr's Newton to Sherlock Holmes, and indeed the similarities are striking - perhaps too striking. Like Holmes, Newton is shrewd, pragmatic and intellectual. He uses his reason to solve problems and displays observational abilities that seem to his peers to be psychic, until he explains the deductive process. Newton's Holmes-like coolness is tempered by his affection for his niece, Miss Barton, for whose sake he hides some of his unorthodox religious leanings. However, he proves to be a somewhat distracted chaperone, allowing Miss Barton to explore some of her carnal leanings with Ellis and ultimately to prove her own moral and religious hypocrisy. Kerr maintains an enjoyably readable voice, incorporating authentic diction and necessary background without disrupting the narrative flow. Ellis is a particularly likable character, and his attitude toward Newton - admiration combined with an awareness that he will never understand the mind of a great man - serves well to illustrate Newton's genius, which nonetheless is a bit overplayed at times. The mystery is complex and intriguing, with strong pacing and interesting, complex characters. The strongest element, however, is the time and place itself-the world in which the historical Newton and Ellis lived, and which Kerr brings to vivid life in this novel. Bos is an editor in the communications department.
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