The English Monster

I tried to read this debut novel by journalist Lloyd Shepherd but just could not persist. Two stories are taking place in alternating chapters. There are the real-life murders of two families in 1811 London near the docks of Wapping, frequently called the Ratcliffe Highway murders. An officer in the newly formed Thames River Police, Charles Horton, is trying to solve the case and thus tamp down rising public hysteria. The second story line takes place in 1564 and features a young man, Billy Ablass, who seeks to make enough money to marry and have a home by serving on one of Queen Elizabeth's ships--the first slaving ship.
I'm sure they must connect at some point. Maybe I will try again later.
Summary and reviews from The Financial Times, The Guardian, and The Independent.