Rating: 
Summary: Alexander is Getting Better
Review: "Watery Grave", the third in Bruce Alexander's series of Georgian-era mystery novels, shows the writer's and characters' progress. The captain of a naval ship goes overboard in a storm, and it is the job of protagonist, blind magistrate Sir John Fielding to discover whether it is murder or misadventure. After the cardboard plotting of his first book, and the overly-convenient plot twists of the second, "Watery Grave" shows that the author is capable of more complicated plotting and characterization. The conflict between naval and civil justice is developed, and the underlying theme of homosexuality provides a dark motive. While it is true that, as some critics point out, Patrick O'Brien's British nautical series, set a few decades after this series, is far superior in characterization, dialogue, and historical research, perhaps that sets the standard too high. This series is not brilliant or deeply-researched, it is simply a string of fun, readable whodunits. The interest is provided by the Fielding and his young assistant, Jeremy Proctor, and by the historical color of 18th century London. The greatest flaw in these books, I believe, is not the thin historical research, but the weakness of the courtroom scenes. After spending chapters exposing lies and hunting down witnesses, readers should rightfully expect better and more dramatic trial scenes. It's far from perfect, but it's pretty enjoyable all the same.
Rating:
Summary: Alexander is Getting Better
Review: "Watery Grave", the third in Bruce Alexander's series of Georgian-era mystery novels, shows the writer's and characters' progress. The captain of a naval ship goes overboard in a storm, and it is the job of protagonist, blind magistrate Sir John Fielding to discover whether it is murder or misadventure. After the cardboard plotting of his first book, and the overly-convenient plot twists of the second, "Watery Grave" shows that the author is capable of more complicated plotting and characterization. The conflict between naval and civil justice is developed, and the underlying theme of homosexuality provides a dark motive. While it is true that, as some critics point out, Patrick O'Brien's British nautical series, set a few decades after this series, is far superior in characterization, dialogue, and historical research, perhaps that sets the standard too high. This series is not brilliant or deeply-researched, it is simply a string of fun, readable whodunits. The interest is provided by the Fielding and his young assistant, Jeremy Proctor, and by the historical color of 18th century London. The greatest flaw in these books, I believe, is not the thin historical research, but the weakness of the courtroom scenes. After spending chapters exposing lies and hunting down witnesses, readers should rightfully expect better and more dramatic trial scenes. It's far from perfect, but it's pretty enjoyable all the same.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Hit!
Review: I have read the other reviews of this novel. I would like to say that this is a fantastic novel.I really enjoyed the story as well as the different characters.I am in the process of reading all the Sir John novels (reading #5 as we speak). I undertand the argument about the speech and historical errors,however i think don't think it takes that much away from the story.unless you are well versed on the speech and customers of England in the 1700's then it will not matter.Try this series out,read Blind Justice and I'm sure you will not be sorry. Simply put it's just a good yarn!
Rating:
Summary: Another winner in this series
Review: If I were that knowledgeable about life in London during the era in which the book takes place (late 18th century, pre-Revolution), I would probably quibble with any historical mistakes which the author, Bruce Alexander, might have made. Without the benefit of that knowledge possessed by others, I can only rely upon my own instincts, and I found this to be a worthy third addition to Bruce Alexander's Sir John Fielding series. The first edition of this book came out in 1996 and so it is just good fortune on the author's part that the theme will be familiar to anyone who has followed current events from the last three years up to the present day: powerful men sexually exploiting those serving under them (with the complicity of moral guardians interested in the sake of appearances), efforts to judicially murder the accuser, and the public consequences of private behavior. The author's treatment of this theme will be seen as refreshing to some and damnable to others for there is no 21st century-like attempt to withold moral judgment or to rationalize sexual misconduct and the attempts of the perpetrator to avoid responsibility for the consequences of such misconduct. The sightless blindfold-wearing Sir John Fielding, the principal character in the series, remains, as always, the personification of blindfolded Justice and a bulwark of opposition to official wrongdoing. And the theme of the book is also consonant with the character developement of Jeremy Proctor, the narrator and Sir John's young assistant. It helps to be familiar with the first two books in the series and to know that in 1768, Jeremy, who was then thirteen years of age, was taken in by Sir John as a ward of his household. The events of "Watery Grave" take place in mid-1769, and Jeremy, who is now 14 years old and his young comrade, Tom Durham, are starting to assume an interest and a mystified curiosity in the transaction between men and women that takes place on the streets of London in their presence. "I know some but not all," Jeremy says in explaining his curiosity. "I know there are diseases may come of it -- the pox and the like -- and I know that babies come of it too. But I don't know what IT is." Notwithstanding his boyish naivete, Jeremy has already proven his readiness for his initiation into the world of young English manhood when he fires a gun in the interest of justice, both in the predecessor novel "Murder in Grub Street" and in this novel. And so Jeremy's initiation takes place in "Watery Grave" when he receives his "instruction in that information which all men and women must gain by whatever means". Oddly enough and amusingly enough, this instruction comes not from the embarrassed father-figure Sir John Fielding (who hastily puts off all such inquiries) but from the avuncular Black Jack Bilbo of uncertain past (rumored to be sinister), who runs the respectable and legal gambling house in Goodhope Manor. Black Jack takes the very pistol which Jeremy fired (after having borrowed it from Black Jack) and plunges it into the holster. "Do y'see how neat this pistol fits into the holster?", he asks. Bruce Alexander has come up with another winner in this third edition, and I readily anticipate both Jeremy and readers of this series will continue to be entertained by future revelations.
Rating:
Summary: Much better than the 2d book
Review: Like the first in the series, good fun historical fiction mystery. Not as weighty as Follet's Pillars of the Earth, but doesn't need to be. It is not timeless literature, but an engrossing adventure with great historical detail for added flavor. An excellent plane or beach read.
Rating:
Summary: Much better than the 2d book
Review: Like the first in the series, good fun historical fiction mystery. Not as weighty as Follet's Pillars of the Earth, but doesn't need to be. It is not timeless literature, but an engrossing adventure with great historical detail for added flavor. An excellent plane or beach read.
Rating: 
Summary: Acceptable Series Entry
Review: Perhaps the most attractive feature of Alexander's previous works - Blind Justice and Murder in Grubb Street - is their uncompromising historical accuracy. As a lawyer (Queen's Counsel), I can attest to the validity of Alexander's depiction of the administration of justice in 18th Century England. One can quibble with some of his characterizations: for example, his portrayal of Lord Chief Justice Mansfield hardly fits with the image of the jurist who declared that a slave becomes a free man as soon as he sets foot on English soil. And his use of modern Americanisms - such as "hung" rather than "hanged" as the past participle of the verb "to hang" when referring to execution by hanging - tends to grate when applied to the supposed dialogue of 18th Century Londoners. But, by and large, Alexander manages well, both to capture the atmosphere of the era, and also to satisfy even the most pedantic critic of his historicism. Shadowy Grave is therefore slightly disappointing. Speaking also as a former naval officer, I found that Alexander's mastery of the atmosphere in London's streets of the 18th Century does not, unfortunately, extend to a mastery of the atmosphere aboard ships of the Royal Navy of that time. And, by transferring the court-room dramatics from a civil court to a naval court martial, Alexander has exposed some weaknesses in his knowledge of authentic naval procedures and traditions. Still, fans of Alexander's previous works will enjoy Watery Grave. If the plot is, at times, a little far-fetched, it is still plausible and makes for an exciting narrative. It is to be hoped that Alexander will continue this exceptionally good series, although preferably keeping his feet on dry land and sticking to the historical subjects which he knows best and evokes so effectively.
Rating:
Summary: A good yarn, but lacks Alexander's usual historical accuracy
Review: Perhaps the most attractive feature of Alexander's previous works - Blind Justice and Murder in Grubb Street - is their uncompromising historical accuracy. As a lawyer (Queen's Counsel), I can attest to the validity of Alexander's depiction of the administration of justice in 18th Century England. One can quibble with some of his characterizations: for example, his portrayal of Lord Chief Justice Mansfield hardly fits with the image of the jurist who declared that a slave becomes a free man as soon as he sets foot on English soil. And his use of modern Americanisms - such as "hung" rather than "hanged" as the past participle of the verb "to hang" when referring to execution by hanging - tends to grate when applied to the supposed dialogue of 18th Century Londoners. But, by and large, Alexander manages well, both to capture the atmosphere of the era, and also to satisfy even the most pedantic critic of his historicism. Shadowy Grave is therefore slightly disappointing. Speaking also as a former naval officer, I found that Alexander's mastery of the atmosphere in London's streets of the 18th Century does not, unfortunately, extend to a mastery of the atmosphere aboard ships of the Royal Navy of that time. And, by transferring the court-room dramatics from a civil court to a naval court martial, Alexander has exposed some weaknesses in his knowledge of authentic naval procedures and traditions. Still, fans of Alexander's previous works will enjoy Watery Grave. If the plot is, at times, a little far-fetched, it is still plausible and makes for an exciting narrative. It is to be hoped that Alexander will continue this exceptionally good series, although preferably keeping his feet on dry land and sticking to the historical subjects which he knows best and evokes so effectively.
Rating:
Summary: A near-hit
Review: The author needs to read the works of other authors who are primarily historians rather than novelists, such as Sharon Kay Penman, Patrick O'Brian, and Georgette Heyer. These "historical novel" authors have done good research on their subject, no matter how small the area they write about. For example: I read the first two Bruce Alexander novels, "Blind Justice" and "Murder on Grub Street" avidly. Although the interaction between servants and masters in 18th-century England seemed ... well ... a little too familiar ... I allowed the artistic license which might prevail for a modern author writing about historic times to run free: I ignored (mostly) the irritating inversions of speech that the author used to show that this was, indeed, archaic writing. These inversions were of the nature (but lacking the wit) of "Able was I, ere I saw Elba." And then I read "Watery Grave". The author needs to read the enormously entertaining novels of Heyer and O'Brian, because almost every phrase rang false. If you read the book and want to make your own evaluation, leave out the fact that Naval officers of that period did not come to attention and bellow "Sah!" when the Captain of their vessel spoke to them: That only happens in late 20th-century movies about the British Army. Leave out the fact that Courts-Martial were NOT conducted in the fashion the author describes. Leave out the fact that homosexuality (the hidden theme of the book) was tacitly acknowledged and which, although punishable by death (according to the Articles of War) was handled discretely by the Navy Board. Stripped of these inaccurate elements, the book was a "ho hum" read and only marginally worth the time it took to read it. Do yourself a favor: Read Patrick O'Brian's "Master and Commander" instead of this book; it's accurate and much more interesting. I think I'll re-read the O'Brian series instead of continuing with Alexander's series of Sir John Fielding books ... they're much, much better written and delightful reads. After the errors in "Watery Grave" I don't trust Alexander's historical references, and "Watery Grave" has tainted my enjoyment of the ones I've already read. And, when I'm in London for the third time next Autumn, I plan to look up references to Sir John Fielding and to visit the National Portrait Gallery to view his picture. The books I've read have at least piqued my interest in this fascinating person.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating historical mystery
Review: This is the first of this series that I have read so cannot compare its virtues to previous books, but for me, it was a very pleasant surprise. "Bruce Alexander" (whoever that is) succeeds very well at creating a cast of characters and set of circumstances that make for an engrossing tale set in London during the late eighteenth century. Part Dickens and part Conan Doyle, this tale brings historical London to life with an attention to detail and a faithfulness to language that is a true pleasure to experience. Based on a real person who was a blind magistrate and founder of London's first police force, the book is narrated by his young assistant and much that is pleasing about the story comes from the assistant's growth in real life experience as he helps solve a mystery of death at sea and the wrongful conviction of an innocent man. Just the section of the book where a sympathetic ex-pirate gives Jeremy a lesson in the how and what of sex (using a pistol and holster)is worth the read. Fun stuff. Now I have to find all the other books in the series.
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