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From Publishers Weekly
This sequel to Liss's Edgar Awardwinning A Conspiracy of Paper (2000) brings back ex-pugilist Benjamin Weaver and his 18th-century London environs in all their squalid glory. Benjamin has become a "thieftaker," a sort of bounty hunter/private eye, and is investigating the simple case of a threatening letter when he is caught up in a riot, accused of murder and sentenced to hang. After a gutsy escape, he sets about unraveling the mystery of who framed him and why. Donning the disguise of a wealthy coffee planter from Jamaica, Benjamin infiltrates the upper classes, where he encounters a plot centering on a hotly contested House of Commons election. There is much explanation (perhaps too much) of the history and philosophies of the Whig, Tory and Jacobite parties, but this is nicely balanced with Benjamin's forays into London's underbelly, where he has his way with the ladies and dodges dangerous louts looking to kill him. The real fun is the re-creation of the streets of London ("He fell into the alley's filth-the kennel of emptied chamber pots, bits of dead dogs gnawed on by hungry rats, apple cores and oyster shells") and the colorful denizens thereof. Many hours are spent in innumerable coffeehouses, with Benjamin and company imbibing coffee, chocolate, ale, wine and that great destroyer of the poor, rotgut gin, and employing such useful swear words as "shitten stick," "arse pot" and "bum firking." Mystery and mainstream readers with a taste for gritty historical fiction will relish Liss's glorious dialogue, lively rogues, fascinating setting and indomitable hero.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Late-seventeenth- and early-eighteenth-century England--from Cromwell through the Jacobites--has become the richest of soil for writers of literary thrillers, the equivalent of New Orleans for contemporary hard-boiled authors. Liss makes the most of it in this sequel to the acclaimed Conspiracy of Paper (2000). Benjamin Weaver, an outsider three times over--a Jew, a former pugilist, and a "thief-taker" (one who helps victims of robbery recover their goods)--is in the soup again, framed for murder and without a clue as to who or why. He intends to answer both those questions, but first he must break out of Newgate Prison. He does so, in a marvelous set piece, and then finds himself in an even messier pickle: politics. The first English general election is in progress, with Tories and Whigs out-dirty-tricking one another while the Jacobites lurk on the outskirts, hoping to foment a revolution. To determine why he was framed, Benjamin must ingratiate himself with a leading Tory, who happens to be the husband of Benjamin's former lover, Miriam, now posing as a Gentile. Liss' elegantly constructed, multidimensional plot combines all the intrigue of the Jacobite era with a Dickensian feel for London' s lower depths and for the "spectacle of corruption" that is the city's politics. Perhaps the greatest pleasure here is the perfect melding of sharply rendered historical detail with a charismatic, fast-talking hero (an eighteenth-century version of Robert B. Parker's Spenser). This is a series to be savored. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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SINCE THE PUBLICATION of the first volume of my memoirs, I have found myself the subject of more notoriety than I had ever known or might have anticipated. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
SINCE THE PUBLICATION of the first volume of my memoirs, I have found myself the subject of more notoriety than I had ever known or might have anticipated. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Commentary on 18th Century English Politics,
By
This review is from: A Spectacle of Corruption: A Novel (Paperback)
For those of us who love a story with an historical setting, this is a wonderfully informative book. Set in the turbulence of 18th century England shortly after the burst of the South Sea Company bubble, Liss's flawed hero, Benjamin Weaver, gives us a glimpse into the political scene of the day. Weaver, having escaped the horrors of Newgate Prison after being sentenced to death for a murder he never committed, lands himself in one dangerous situation after another trying to vindicate his name and prove his innocence.This is the second book Mr. Liss has written about the escapades of Weaver, a thieftaker in London under the reign of the Hanoverian King George I. The author brilliantly shows the sights and sounds of the seamy streets and tawdry taverns of the cities' east side where groups of ruffians roam the streets and death comes easily to the uninitiated. He also shows that prejudice against certain ethnic groups is nothing new in our century. After all the twists and turns, I felt the ending was a little lame but perhaps the author left an opening for another sequel and I would certainly be interested in reading more about the roguish Mr. Weaver. Comment | Permalink
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun read, great leading character,
By Rob Nicol (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Spectacle of Corruption: A Novel (Paperback)
This is another excellent work of historical fiction by David Liss. A very entertaining and engaging read. Benjamin Weaver is a mischevious character and wonderful narrator. This book features an interesting political angle, as it is set during a closely fought election between Tories and Whigs. As with "A Conspiracy of Paper", London's mansions and mean streets are both vividly portrayed. Liss's climaxes tend not to be terribly shocking, but they are credible and bring a satisfying end to an interesting plot. If you like historical fiction, you can't do much better than Liss.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very entertaining novel,
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This review is from: A Spectacle of Corruption: A Novel (Hardcover)
About 3 or 4 times a year I am able to find a novel that has me captivated and actually looking forward to retiring for the evening, when I may lay in my bed and sup Pellegrino whislt returning to the novel that has captured my attention.....Okay, enough of that nonsense.... this book is really very good. I was a bit lazy while reading A Conspiracy of Paper so I don't remember all the details, but I'm able to pick back up 4 years later quite nicely. Benjamin Weaver is a good protagonist, and Liss spins a great and intelligent tale. Liss as an author reminds me of Ken Follett. And I mean that as a sincere compliment. The "Pillars of the Earth" Ken Follett. The best of Ken Follett. As far as Liss' three major novels go, I'd rank them thusly... 1. Coffee Trader - my favorite book of his Bottom line, this book is well worth your time, you'll really enjoy it!
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