A Conspiracy of Paper

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing historical fiction
Review: From the immediately engaging narrative voice of the protagonist, Benjamin Weaver, to vibrant descriptions of history and place and character, to lucid explanations of the workings of early financial markets, A Conspiracy of Paper, by David Liss, succeeds admirably. He strikes the right balance in the language of the book with his nods to both eighteenth-century prose style and the modern reader's sensibilities. Barring any glaring incongruities, compromises to accuracy in language and detail in historical fiction are acceptable, perhaps even preferred, if they improve the author's ability to communicate to a general audience of modern readers. In other words, it's my bias that history serves the fiction.

Yes, the plot is convoluted. Liss succumbs to the misguided notion, rampant among mystery writers, that complexity and cleverness in plotting are necessarily synonymous. And violence, certainly, is an effective method of getting to the heart of a matter. But Weaver's reversion to violence in the last 50 pages, after struggling with his friend Elias' deductive method for hundreds of pages, seems too much a deus ex machina, as though Liss had painted himself into a corner and couldn't find a way out.

These couple of reservations aside, A Conspiracy of Paper is an engrossing historical mystery.

Rating:
Summary: Not the Quincunx but very interesting
Review: This is historical, metaphorical mystery at its very good, not its best. It's not the Quincunx; it's certainly not the Name of the Rose. But it's murder-mystery-cum-metaphor-cum-conspiracy nature makes it very absorbing. The book on tape is well read. I look forward to the author's next.

Rating:
Summary: A ridiculously labyrinthine plot
Review: I love historical mysteries, and this one came highly recommended. I did enjoy the period touches. But imagine my disappointment when I finally get to the end of the book and discover that the plot was based on a complicated and ultimately unbelievable premise of various parties working to manipulate the hero to do their bidding. (When those parties could have taken care of their problem just as easily by themselves!) It required several PAGES at the end for the characters to explain the solution to each other! This tortured, convoluted plot is ultimately laughable.

To make matters worse, the hero, a former pugilist, goes about finding out information primarily by pummeling people until they spill the truth. Too bad he didn't just beat up the right people early on in the book -- it would have saved the hero (not to mention the readers) a lot of wasted time.

Rating:
Summary: Pick up the Pace!
Review: "Conspiracy of Paper" is a frustrating mystery for two reasons. First, author David Liss describes a situation that broadens, very slowly, usually by the introduction of new characters, for the first two-thirds of the book. Only then does the mystery deepen, with surprises emerging from unsuspected interactions between events and characters. In my opinion, mysteries should "deepen" more rapidly. Second, Liss decided to write in a fashion "suggesting the rhythms" of 18th century prose. Unfortunately, this language is elaborate and prolix and has a deadening effect on the exchanges between characters. In my opinion, this formality is smothering, and deprives the characters of emotional clarity as they interact. Regardless, the last one-third of the book is very good and fun to read. But it's work to get there.

Rating:
Summary: Clearly a "first," but despite detractors a promising one.
Review: I usually don't like books that begin with an explanation of their reason for being which is not tied in, in some more profound way, with the main storyline -- this kind of thing strikes me as amateurish and unnecessary, even in a first person account. So, given all the glowing praise for this book (not to mention its Edgar nomination), when I read its opening comment ("For some years now, the gentlemen of the book trade have pressed me in the most urgent fashion to commit my memoirs to paper") I hoped for some spin at least remotely as unusual as that put on the story by similar openings in each of the four parts of Iain Pears's "Instance of the Fingerpost," to which this book has been compared. Alas, I soon found that this hope was in vain, and I almost didn't continue reading.

I am glad that I did, however, because although this is clearly a "first," Liss tells a richly textured and, for the most part, well-researched tale. His background in both history and economics allows the author to give an interesting spin to mysteries as a genre, and to this book in particular. Despite some unnecessary phrases like the one mentioned above, he vividly conveys the atmosphere of the place and the society he describes; namely, that of 18th century London with its lawless underbelly, corrupt judges, dark alleys, ginhouses, whores and, in particular, 'Change Alley and its coffeehouses and the prejudice against "stock-jobbing" Jews. The book's narrator, ex-boxer Benjamin Weaver (born Benjamin Lienzo and formerly professionally known as "The Lion of Judah") is a compellingly drawn character. And as a comment on the volatility of the stock market and its dangers for the uninitiated, the book couldn't be more timely; even if its story ends before the actual burst of the so-called "South Sea Bubble."

Unfortunately, Liss has forsaken historical accuracy in a major way in the portrayal of Miriam, Weaver's almost-love-interest (the relationship between the two appears somewhat contrived anyway) -- and he has done so against better knowledge, as he admits in the interview with fellow author Sheri Holman reproduced at the end of the book. Here, and in his representation of other women (a literate laundry lass?!) the book loses a good part of its credibility. Not only would Miriam not have had the liberty to move about in society as she does, or to freely interact with Weaver in the way that Liss portrays (not even if Weaver had unequivocally declared to his uncle his intention to marry her, which he hadn't); she also would neither legally nor socially have been able to engage in any stock transactions. Weaver's friend Elias, with his penchant to sink money into disastrous "get-rich-quick-schemes," would have been a more credible victim to the fraud perpetrated there (although arguably that inclination of Elias's is not easily reconcilable with the insightful lessons which, on the other hand, he teaches Weaver about the stock market and the "new economy"). Unfortunately, this is not just a minor and ultimately negligible aspect of the story but a key element and hence, a major detractor.

Generally speaking, though, this is a promising start, and I am looking forward to reading Liss's next book. He is clearly able to draw the reader into his story, and in a mystery, this is one of the things I am looking for the most. Given his background, I just hope next time he'll get rid of the unnecessary bywork and stay true to what he has researched and knows historical facts to be, particularly where it comes to the core elements of the story.

Rating:
Summary: a damn good book
Review: This is the kind of adventure/mystery book that you just can't put down. Benjamin Weaver is a fantastic character who you'll automatically like, along with his witty drunk sidekick Elias. When you read this, the 1700's and the 21st century don't seem all that different. Along with being exciting and interesting, this book is also funny. And if you have no clue about the stock market past or present (like me), don't worry, you'll love Conspiracy of Paper anyway!

Rating:
Summary: A HISTORICAL HISTORICAL
Review: As a mystery writer with my first novel in current release, I was quite pleased when CONSPIRACY OF PAPER earned an Edgar nomination for Best First Novel. In CONSPIRACY OF PAPER, Mr. Liss takes his readers on a tour of early 18th Century London. His protagonist, Benjamin Weaver, is a Jewish former boxer who describes himself as a "constable for hire". The possibly accidental death of his father, from whom he is estranged, leads Weaver immediately to two clients who hire him for quite different purposes. As Weaver pursues his cases, he exposes the 21st Century reader to life in England three hundred years ago. We see how the London stock market worked. We visit the worlds of boxing and of brothels. We observe Weaver's struggles with descrimination. All in all, a fine first book.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting suspense in old London!
Review: David Liss has sprung fully-formed onto the mystery scene with his brilliant 'A Conspiracy of Paper'. The book flows as though it were written by a veteran, yet this is his very first novel. I'm not exaggerating when I call it one of the finest books that I've read this year. It's no surprise that 'A Conspiracy of Paper' won one of the most prestigious mystery awards, the Edgar, for the Best Debut Novel of 2000.

We as readers are treated to a look at the seamy underbelly of London. Nefarious criminal mastermind Jonathan Wild plots and schemes to gain power and riches. Our hero, ex-boxer Benjamin Weaver, the Lion of Judah, matches wits with Wild when he suspects that Wild is behind the suspicious death of his father.

Liss proves himself to be quite adept at conveying the imagery of old London. We see the luxury and debauchery of the wealthy and the filth of the lower classes. Fans of Caleb Carr's 'The Alienist' or Conan Doyle's Holmes stories will enjoy this novel.

'A Conspiracy of Paper' is a splendid book. It's an exciting read that will appeal to both veteran mystery readers and newcomers to the genre. Liss's writing style may be too sophisticated for younger readers, as he does a fabulous job of reproducing the feel of centuries-old London. In an addendum to the novel Liss writes that he did not use historically accurate dialogue because it would prove too unwieldy for modern readers to read. He gives us an example...and he's right!

If you enjoy a well-plotted, well-paced, exciting book, don't miss 'A Conspiracy of Paper'.

Rating:
Summary: Historical fiction for economists . . .
Review: Put John Grisham in knee breeches and a fullbottomed wig and he might have produced this very entertaining story of high finance and the law in early Georgian London. Benjamin Weaver, born Lienzo, is a Sephardic Jew long estranged from his family, an ex-pugilist (and highwayman and burglar and various other sordid occupations), and now a highly sought after "thief-taker" who seeks out debtors and stolen goods for a fee. The murder of his father, whom he had thought he hated, sets him in pursuit of an unknown killer -- but he finds himself quickly caught up in the complex and often bewildering affairs of the South Sea Company. The Company and the Bank of England are competitors for the enormously profitable business of servicing England's national debt, and the Company at least is apparently willing to go to some lengths to protect its potential profits. But Weaver also is given to violence to gain his ends and his enemies had just better watch out.

The plot is complicated but Liss, an expert-in-the-making on the subject of early 18th century English finance, explains things through his characters in a thoroughly informative way, from the ways in which an urban society functions in the absence of a police force, to the shift from "hard" money to fiat paper. His characters are, for the most part, realized in such great depth and with such believability that they take complete shape before the reader. Some of them -- especially his Uncle Miguel, the well-to-do goods merchant and importer, and Miriam, his late cousin's widow -- are marvelously done. So too is Abraham Mendes, fellow Jew and cold-blooded henchman to Jonathan Wild, the first modern crime czar. Liss also has a perceptive knack for approximating the idiom of the time and place without losing the reader. This novel is a very impressive debut.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book was a disappointment. The concept was interesting and there was a lot of historical information. However, the book as a whole fell flat for me. I found much of the narrative dragged on for too long, and finished the book feeling as though I had wasted my time.