Oh, you should finish Armadale! I keep meaning to reread it. It's not as easy as the others, & not as tightly written but it definitely gets better and my slightly vague memory is that all the really good stuff is in the end section of the book

I have now done so, and you're quite right: Having reached the start of Book 5, I couldn't put it down, and read it in one go.

Also, the juxtaposition with your previous remark
I didn't like stories about people being bad and getting into trouble.
is delightfully apposite :-)