Some Rise By Sin by Siôn Scott-Wilson Book Review

Synopsis

1829 is a tough year to be a body snatcher. Burke and Hare have just been convicted of killing people to sell their bodies, to widespread outrage—but despite the bad press, doctors still need fresh corpses for medical research.

Sammy and Facey are a couple of so-called ‘resurrection men’, making a living among society's fringe-dwellers by hoisting the newly departed from the churchyards of London whilst masquerading as late-night bakers. Operating on tip-offs and rumours in the capital’s drinking dens and fighting pits, the pair find themselves in receipt of some valuable intelligence: an unusual cadaver has popped up on the market, that of a hermaphrodite.

For any medic worth his salt it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—a medical curiosity and

Book Review: Parthena's Promise by Valerie Holmes

In 1815, after five years fighting the French, London barrister and gentleman, Jerome Fender, returns to England intent on starting a new life, far from London and not in the profession for which he is trained.

Outside an inn while taking a quiet moment to reflect on his future and his family's reaction to his decision, he is approached by Parthena Munro in distress. She misconstrues his offer of help and rejects it, but steals his money instead before disappearing into the night.

Angry, yet intrigued by the identity of the thief, Jerome is determined to recover his money and sets off across the Yorkshire Moors in pursuit. After learning the reason behind the theft and unable to deny his

Book Review: Shadow of the Hangman by Edward Marston

My first book for 2016 was Shadow of the Hangman by Edward Marston.  Marston is famous for a number of crime series set in various historical time periods ranging from the 11th century through to World War I.

My introduction to this author was through his 18th century adventure series about the exploits of Captain Daniel Rawson, a soldier serving under the Duke of Marlborough during the Wars of the Spanish Succession. I have also read several of Marston's Victorian series featuring Inspector Colbeck, the Railway Detective.

Shadow of the Hangman is the first in Marston's new Regency crime series. It introduces identical-twin private detectives Peter and Paul Skillen, whose physical resemblance makes for some very entertaining moments and causes some heartache for one of the brothers.

The setting is 1815: the Battle of Waterloo has been fought and England is no longer at war with the French or the American colonies, though prisoners from both conflicts are still being held in prisons around the country.

Following a riot and massacre at Dartmoor prison, two American seamen escape and make their way to London hoping to tell the authorities their version of what happened during the riot without being recaptured. Over at the Home Office, a respected cleaning lady disappears leaving behind untidy offices and overflowing waste paper baskets. Has she run off with a lover or is her disappearance a part of something more sinister?

The Bow Street Runners are called in to provide security for an upcoming public function at which the Home Secretary and other dignitaries will be present. While their nemeses, the Skillen brothers, are hired to investigate the disappearance of the cleaning lady and to track down the American fugitives. This does not go down well with Micah Yeomans, a Principal Officer of the Bow Street Runners, and even though his men have not been assigned these cases he is determined to solve them before the Skillen brothers, by fair means or foul.

I enjoyed this first offering of the new series from Edward Marston. It has a great line-up of characters made more interesting by the protagonists being twin brothers, identical in looks but dissimilar in nature. Multiple sub-plots keep the pace of the story moving and the animosity that Micah Yeomans feels for the Skillens adds another level of suspense as he plots to thwart their investigations and bring them into disrepute. The Bow Street Runners are outsmarted by the Skillens more than once, sometimes unintentionally, bringing a dash of humour to the story.

As in all the Edward Marston novels I've read to-date, the historical detail is subtly introduced. In Shadow of the Hangman it is present in sufficient quantity to transport the reader back to post-Waterloo era London with all its social and political problems.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Skillen brothers get up to next and the continued rivalry between them and the Bow Street Runners, which I'm sure will be another entertaining read. The Bow Street Rivals has all the elements to be another successful series for Edward Marston.

Book Review: The Right-Hand Man by K.M. Peyton

K.M. Peyton writes for children/young adults and is famous for her pony stories and, of course, her Flambards novels that were adapted for television back in the 1970s.

The Right-Hand Man is one of her historical novels. First published in 1977, it has been re-printed a few times, but not with such an eye catching jacket as the first edition. The illustrator is Victor Ambrus who has a very distinctive style and has illustrated many children's books including his own.

The Right-Hand Man is set in 1818. Twenty-year old Ned Rowlands is a stagecoach driver with a reputation for speed and recklessness. He is the "... youngest, and certainly the most desirable (not to say the cleverest, cheekiest and most conceited) of the coachmen on the Harwich Road ...".

Arriving at Ingatestone behind schedule, Ned is taken to task by Lord Ironminster, who was once the best dragsman in the land before an accident left him disabled. Still disgruntled by their earlier encounter, Ned is not pleased when Ironminster sits beside him on the box seat for the next leg of the journey. As the journey progresses, Ned and Ironminster soon find they share a common love of horses, coach driving and speed. During their conversation, Ironminster reveals he is looking for a coachman and offers the position to Ned, but Ned declines preferring a life of public driving to that of being a liveried servant and all it entails.

When he loses his job, Ned has no option but to reconsider Ironminster's offer. Presenting himself at Threadgolds, Ironminster's estate, he learns the real reason he has been offered the position. Ironminster has a long standing racing wager against his cousins, James and Rupert Saville, to drive a coach from the gates of Threadgolds to Whitechapel Church in under seventy-five minutes, the prize £5,000. To outwit his cousins and win the wager, all he needs is Ned's help. A partnership is formed and an unusual friendship develops between the pair.

However, there is more at stake than the prize money. Ironminster is not a well man and racing carriages is a dangerous pursuit. Should he die without marrying and producing an heir, James Saville stands to inherit his estate. The dowager Lady Ironminster has found her son a suitable wife, but Ironminster's affections lay elsewhere.

When a tragic accident occurs, Ned is arrested and imprisoned in Newgate. Many rally round to help him, but it is the sacrifice Ironminster makes that shows Ned the true depth of their friendship.

I borrowed this book from the library, but loved it so much that I immediately purchased a second-hand copy (with illustrations) to add to my keeper shelf. From the first chapter to the last I was completely immersed in Ned Rowland's world. The minutia of being a coachman is skilfully woven into the story and there is lots of other period detail.

Not being a horsey person, I was unaware of the skill required to drive a coach-and-four. Now I appreciate there is much more to it than holding onto the reins and giving them a twitch now and then. There are so many variables to consider. I have also learned the value of a good leader, what a wheeler is and how easily disaster can strike.

The carriage racing scenes are spectacular and are responsible for a few heart-stopping moments. At times Ned and Ironminster behave like a pair of Georgian hoons, but this only adds to the excitement and emphasises how dangerous a mixture of speed, horses, bad roads and a disregard for the road rules can be.

The story unfolds from Ned's perspective as he reflects on the day that changed his life forever and the ten months that followed. Even though Ned is more comfortable with horses than people, he is well aware of the effect his "beguiling brown eyes" and his other physical attributes have on the female population, young and old, but is totally unprepared for the depth of feeling Ironminster arouses in him. As he becomes emotionally involved in his new master's life, Ned begins to understand the significance of his role as Ironminster's right-hand man and the true meaning of courage.

The Right-Hand Man is a fast-paced historical adventure. Everything about this novel, the characters, the plot, the setting and K.M. Peyton's expertise in bringing it all together, makes it a very enjoyable and engrossing tale of an unusual friendship. Ned and Ironminster will live on in your mind long after their story is told.