Set in 1889 London, The Yard focuses on policemen working the murder squad in Scotland Yard. The atmosphere in London is tense; it is just after the spectacular and complete failure of Scotland Yard to capture Jack the Ripper. Our story focuses on a newly appointed detective, and his unfortunate luck to have caught the murderer of a fellow policeman as his first case. Tensions run high, as Detective Day struggles to prove himself capable of the job, adjust to his new surroundings in a overfull city, and battle against a multitude of cases that seems to grow daily. Not to mention a shrinking police force as yet another policeman is murdered. The plot is interesting enough with a full cast of interesting and likable characters. The main problem with the book lies in that everyone is too likeable. The doctor has voluntarily taken on the job of being a forensic pathologist for The Yard, and constantly brings new techniques to the task of indentifying the killer. The two main policemen, Day and Hammersmith, are all too perfect in their humanity and forward-thinking ways, as is just about everyone else in the story. Every little problem encountered is wrapped up neat and tidy, all the ends matched up by the end of the story. Problem is, the ending and the characters are too perfect to be truly believable. There is hardly any sense of the horrors and depravity for which Victorian London is known portrayed in this book. While the book is a pleasant read, the too tidy ending is somewhat unsatisfying.