Behind the Book: Lisa M. Lane on Murder at the Gasworks

When a Small Detail in History Becomes the Beginning of a Mystery

A Behind the Book conversation with Lisa M. Lane

Sometimes the most intriguing stories begin with a small question.

A single unexplained detail in the historical record.
A photograph that sparks curiosity.
A glimpse of the past that refuses to let go.

For historical fiction authors, these moments often become the seeds of entire novels.

In this Behind the Book interview, historian and novelist Lisa M. Lane shares how a mix of historical curiosity, Victorian technology, and an unanswered question from the past inspired her newest mystery, Murder at the Gasworks — the latest installment in her Tommy Jones mystery series.

If you’d like to hear Lisa describe the story in her own words, you can watch the full conversation below.

A Murder Mystery Set in Industrial London

Murder at the Gasworks begins in 1860 London, where a body of a City of London gasworks employee is discovered.

The victim is Joe Carter, a stoker who worked at the facility.

But the person accused of the crime is someone few people would expect — a ten-year-old boy named Tommy Jones, who also works at the gasworks.

Investigating the case is Sergeant Cuthbert Slaughter, a quiet and bookish police officer who has spent most of his career working behind the scenes rather than leading investigations.

When the inspector assigned to the case becomes ill, Slaughter suddenly finds himself in charge of solving the crime — and determining whether the boy truly committed the murder.

A Reluctant Investigator Forced Into the Spotlight

At the heart of the story is Sergeant Slaughter’s personal transformation.

As Lisa explains in the interview, Slaughter is intelligent and well-read but deeply uncomfortable in the public role of a detective. Much of his earlier career involved assisting other officers or working in administrative roles for the commissioner of the City of London Police.

This investigation forces him to confront those limitations.

To solve the case — and potentially save Tommy Jones from the gallows — Slaughter must overcome his natural reserve and step into a leadership role he has long avoided.

Along the way, he discovers that the murder may be connected to a similar killing investigated by the rival Metropolitan Police, forcing the two competing police forces to collaborate.

The Story Behind Tommy Jones

While Murder at the Gasworks is part of a larger series, this novel explores something Lisa had long wanted to write — the earlier life of Tommy Jones.

Readers who have followed the series know Tommy as a kind, intelligent young man.

But Lisa began to wonder how someone with such a difficult childhood could grow into that person.

Tommy’s background includes:

• deep poverty
• time spent in a workhouse
• dangerous child labor

The novel explores the formative experiences that shaped him into the compassionate character readers encounter later in the series.

For Lisa, answering that question became one of the central motivations for writing the book.

Industrial London as a Story Setting

The setting of the novel grew from a different kind of curiosity — Victorian gasworks.

Even today, large iron gas holders still stand across parts of London. These towering circular structures once stored the gas used to light city streets and homes in the nineteenth century.

Lisa became fascinated by them.

How was the gas produced?
Who worked inside these facilities?
And what was it like for people living near enormous tanks filled with explosive gas?

Exploring those questions led her to research the workers, machinery, and infrastructure behind Victorian London’s gas industry — ultimately creating the backdrop for the novel’s murder investigation.

A Historical Figure Who Stole the Scene

One of Lisa’s favorite characters in the novel is Lady Emily Peele, a real historical figure.

Lady Emily was married to Sir Robert Peel’s son and was known for her strong personality and social standing.

Lisa first became interested in her after seeing a photograph in which Lady Emily appeared with two prized borzoi dogs given to her by the Tsar of Russia.

But it was a small detail in the historical record that truly captured Lisa’s imagination.

Court documents from the Old Bailey revealed that Lady Emily once appeared in court to defend a woman accused of stealing items from her own charity stand.

That unexpected act of compassion helped inspire Lady Emily’s role in the novel — and turned her into one of Lisa’s favorite characters to write.

Where History Leaves Gaps, Fiction Begins

For historians who write fiction, the most powerful ideas often come from what cannot be fully explained.

Lisa described one moment in her research that stayed with her: a brief newspaper report about a gasworks inspector found dead in his flat.

The article concluded the cause of death was “apoplexy,” a broad medical term used in the nineteenth century when the true cause of death was unclear.

There were no further details.
No follow-up articles.
No additional records.

For a historian, those missing answers can be frustrating.

For a novelist, they can also be an invitation.

As Lisa explains, those gaps in the historical record are exactly where fiction can begin.

FAQ

What is Murder at the Gasworks about?

The novel is a historical mystery set in 1860 London. When a gasworks stoker is murdered, a ten-year-old worker named Tommy Jones is accused of the crime. Sergeant Cuthbert Slaughter must solve the case before the boy faces execution.

Is Sergeant Cuthbert Slaughter a real historical figure?

No. Sergeant Slaughter is a fictional character, though he works within the historically accurate structure of the City of London Police.

What inspired the setting of the novel?

Lisa M. Lane became fascinated by the large Victorian gas holders still visible around London today. Research into how these structures worked — and the people who operated them — inspired the setting of the story.

If you enjoy historical mysteries set in richly detailed past worlds, Lisa M. Lane’s Tommy Jones series offers a fascinating glimpse into Victorian London.

One of the joys of historical fiction is discovering how a single detail from the past can open the door to an entire story.

A photograph.
A newspaper clipping.
A mystery that was never fully explained.

For Lisa M. Lane, those small moments of curiosity helped shape the world of Murder at the Gasworks — a story where history, imagination, and mystery come together in the streets of Victorian London.

To learn more about Lisa M. Lane you can visit her website HERE.

Click HERE If you'd like to learn more about Heather Webb's newest novel, The Hope Keeper, a much anticipated read for historical fiction fans in 2026.