ISBN: 4882772-001 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com Books on Tape
A solid investigation, rather dark in tone, full of procedural and historical detail and politics.
Reviewed by David on January 19, 2005
Genre: Mystery (Police Procedural, Historical)
Synopsis: In the late Eighteenth Century, London is the center of naval power. Along with the power come politics and bureacracy.
When an old friend asks Sir John Fielding, the famous magistrate of Bow Street Court in London, asks for assistance in a Royal Naval Court Martial, Sir John readily agrees. Alas, an already grim matter—a murder trial—gets even grimmer as Sir John encounters lying witnesses, evasive senior officers, and incompetent defense counsel.
Full Review: The historical Sir John Fielding is a legendary figure, famous for in essence creating London's first police force. Being blind since his youth, he relied on the eyes of others as his witnesses. The series of novels is written from the point of view of young Jeremy Proctor, who served as Sir John's assistant and frequently his eyes in these mysteries.
With classical procedural aspects of questioning and cross-checking evidence, this novel also introduces politics and jurisdictional duspites. Rather grim in tone, the novel paints the Naval command in very bleak tones indeed—perhaps justly. While satisfying in its competence and rich in historical detail, and engaging reader's emotions, the grim tone of the novel leaves a lingering sense of frustration at the end.
Copyright: 1996
Series Name: Sir John Fielding Mysteries
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 5.5; Characters: 6; Style: 6; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 6.5;
Books on Tape, 1998, Audio tape, 7 cassettes
ISBN: 4882772-001 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com Books on Tape