Customer Reviews

A Spectacle of Corruption: A Novel

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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

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.

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
2. A Spectacle of Corruption - Ben Weaver is better this time round
3. A Conspiracy of Paper - Partly my fault but I just couldn't get into it as much as others.

Bottom line, this book is well worth your time, you'll really enjoy it!

David Liss, author of the Edgar award winning, A CONSPIRACY OF PAPER, has once again penned a compelling yet authentic mystery that takes place in 18th century London. Benjamin Weaver is a private investigator who finds himself convicted of murder and sentenced to be hung after a man is discovered dead at the site of a bar fight. Weaver was investigating a threatening letter sent to a priest when he was apparently at the wrong place and time. He is, of course, innocent yet is sent to the gallows by a corrupt judge. As he is heading to the prison, a mysterious woman passes a lockpick to him and Weaver manages to escape. Given that he is sentenced to hang, he must discover who framed him and why in order to clear his name. His search for answers leads him into the convoluted web of British parliamentary politics in which the election is termed 'the spectacle of corruption'. He must use every ounce of his cunning to discover the truth and save his own life.
With the SPECTACLE OF CORRUPTION, David Liss has managed to create a complex yet compelling historical mystery. Characters are realistic creations but the problem is there are so many minor ones that, at times, it may be hard to keep track of who is who. However, the main characters are original and memorable. The plot with a bit too much complexity tends to meander and there's a certain lack of focus. Weaver appears to travel around and around in circles trying to get answers. This is not a fast read in any sense of the word. However it is all encompassing and so well written that the casual reader would find the time well worth spent.

Don't get me wrong -- this is a very good book -- better than 95 percent of what's published as popular fiction. But it's not up to the standards set by "A Conspiracy of Paper", the first book in this series. Spectacle is an exciting book, but there are various loose-ends that are never tied up, and the some of the characters' behaviors seem contrived.

Well worth a read, but if you had to choose one Liss book for your stay on a desert island, I recommend Conspiracy, not Spectable.

Along the way to completing his doctoral dissertation on 18th century British literature and culture, David Liss took a detour down a different path. He authored A CONSPIRACY OF PAPER, and for his effort was awarded the 2000 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. While the halls of academia lost a potentially fine college professor, mystery aficionados gained a writer who combines his skill as a historian with excellent writing talents to produce compelling and fascinating novels.

A SPECTACLE OF CORRUPTION is the sequel to the first Liss novel. Once again, readers are transported to London during an era when England and the British aristocracy ruled the world. Benjamin Weaver, the classic mystery novel protagonist, makes a return appearance in the book and once again must solve a crime that has personal significance.

Weaver is a classic outsider. He is a Jew in a Christian community, an ex-boxer who supports himself by tracking down debtors and felons for aristocratic clients. In contemporary society he would be Sam Spade, Mike Hammer or any number of characters found in Elmore Leonard novels. In Weaver's first appearance in A CONSPIRACY OF PAPER he was called upon to investigate his father's death. In A SPECTACLE OF CORRUPTION the problem is even more personal: Weaver must investigate a murder for which he has been wrongfully charged and convicted.

In the year 1722, England was embroiled in a parliamentary election viewed as a referendum on the rule of King George. As the novel opens, Weaver finds himself on trial for the murder of Walter Yate. Confident in his innocence, Weaver is stunned to hear the Old Bailey jury return a verdict of guilty and in accordance with that verdict sentenced to be executed by hanging in six weeks. As he is led back to the Newgate prison, Weaver is accosted by a courtroom spectator who slips a lock pick and file into his hands. Using those tools, and with the aid of a friendly fellow inmate, Weaver is able to escape from prison.

However, escape is not freedom. He must confront two mysteries. Someone has gone to substantial lengths to see an innocent man wrongfully convicted of murder while an equally mysterious agent has gone to great lengths to set him free. Weaver's life hangs in the balance as he races to solve this conundrum.

Weaver must somehow infiltrate London society to ascertain the identity of both his accusers and defenders. He assumes the role of a tobacco grower recently returned to England from the colonies. With the looming election and the possibility that the British monarchy may be toppled, Weaver must navigate an English society heavily embroiled in both politics and crime. It is a difficult task, but Weaver is up to the challenge.

There is a freshness and uniqueness in reading and solving an 18th century mystery. Detectives must rely on guile rather than gadgets to solve the crime. There are no crime labs or computers to provide simple answers to complex problems. Liss must have Benjamin Weaver solve the murder of Walter Yate by simple and basic methods: thought, hard work and logic. Along the way, the reader is provided with a portrait of 18th century England that is educational and informative. In addition, a great detective shows once again that top notch sleuthing knows no historical limitations.

David Liss and Benjamin Weaver make a great team. We know they will be back --- and we can hardly wait.

--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman