The Color of Death: A Sir John Fielding Mystery - Hardcover

Alexander, Bruce

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399146482 ISBN 13: 9780399146480

Publisher: Putnam Adult, 2000

Synopsis

With a notorious gang of black criminals on the warpath in eighteenth-century London, blind judge Sir John Fielding is determined to put an end to the robbery and violence, with the help of his youthful assistant, Jeremy. 12,500 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

Bruce Alexander is the pseudonym for a well-known author of fiction and non-fiction. The previous books in this series are 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.

Reviews

Effectively combining the formality of 18th-century London with lively storytelling, the pseudonymous Alexander weds a tale of brutal robberies to the famous Somerset case, which revealed the many inconsistencies of British law as applied to slaves and slave ownership, in this latest outing for blind magistrate Sir John Fielding. A gang of robbers has begun invading wealthy homes, gaining entrance by subterfuge, herding the household staff into cellar or kitchen and in short order making off with as many valuables as possible. Organized and effective, the gang is also deadlyDexecuting one man and threatening others who hesitate to cooperate. The gang is notable because all its members appear to be black men. As more robberies occur, the outrage grows and threatens respectable blacks such as tutor Robert Burnham and Frank Barber, a member of Samuel Johnson's household. The criminals are even bold enough to attempt an attack on Sir John himself. Sir John provides the brain power and education while young Jeremy Proctor, his assistant and narrator, supplies legs, eyes and enthusiasm. Since the introduction of their partnership in Blind Justice (1994), this series has built a loyal following among sophisticated readers who appreciate the accurate period details. With its insights into the British legal system and the peculiar institution of slavery (then banned but still in evidence in Britain), Alexander offers food for thought as well as first-class entertainment that will gain him new fans. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Alexander's historical mysteries star Sir John Fielding, the blind magistrate of Bow Street Court who, with his half-brother, novelist Henry Fielding, founded England's first police force. Fielding's compassion and insight (the literary device of the "blind seer" is central to the series) are much in evidence in this seventh entry, as Fielding and his young assistant, Jeremy Proctor, confront class rage and racial prejudice in the London of 1772. A series of robberies and murders in the city's wealthiest households has Londoners gripped by fear and hatred, since servants attest that the criminals are gangs of black men. Fielding is attacked and wounded in the street, leaving the bulk of the detective work to Proctor, who conducts an intriguing upstairs-downstairs investigation. Although the writing often seems stilted (Proctor is the narrator), the novel is thick with fascinating social history, especially concerning slavery laws. Connie Fletcher
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Edition details

• Publisher: Putnam Adult
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0399146482
• ISBN 13: 9780399146480
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288