An Experiment in Treason (Sir John Fielding) - Softcover

Alexander, Bruce

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0425192814 ISBN 13: 9780425192818

Publisher: Berkley, 2003

Synopsis

A packet of incendiary letters is stolen from the London residence of a prominent official, and turns up in the colony of Massachusetts. Why are the contents of the letters so controversial? Why has a suspect in the theft turned up dead? And what should magistrate Sir John Fielding do about his feeling that Benjamin Franklin is somehow complicit? While the tensions rise, Sir John and his protégé, Jeremy Proctor, search for answers—and find that justice isn’t always served by the letter of the law.

About this title

About the Author:

Bruce Alexander is the pseudonym for a well-known author of fiction and nonfiction. The books in his series include Blind Justice; Murder in Grub Street (named by the New York Times Book Review as a notable book in 1995); Watery Grave; Person or Persons Unknown (named by the Chicago Tribune as one of the best novels of 1997); Jack, Knave and Fool; and Death of a Colonial.

From Publishers Weekly:

Sir John Fielding and his young prot‚g‚, Jeremy Proctor, those delightful Georgian versions of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, get mixed up in pre-Revolutionary War intrigue in their ninth outing (after 2001's Smuggler's Moon). A burglary of the home of the British secretary of state for colonial affairs turns violent, leading to the disappearance of some valuable letters that may be connected with the incipient rebellion in Massachusetts. While Sir John, the legendary Blind Beak of Bow Street, sits and thinks, Jeremy functions as his eyes and legs, interviewing witnesses, conducting surveillance and further developing his detective skills. Jeremy's burgeoning relationship with a servant girl adds depth to the drama. The sleuths enlist the aid of the legendary Samuel Johnson when the government, which is weighing the political merits of charging American patriots with treason, wants American envoy Benjamin Franklin interrogated as a suspect. Alexander evokes the period without anachronisms of word or thought to jar the reader. Franklin himself comes across as a fully realized character, with his strengths and frailties both on display. Given the relative unimportance of the puzzle element of the plot, this work ranks a little below Blind Justice and the superb Watery Grave. Still, Alexander's creations are as full of life and interest as when they debuted, a formidable accomplishment for a long series, one that mystery fans should hope has many more entries to come.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Berkley
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0425192814
• ISBN 13: 9780425192818
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 324