Jack, Knave and Fool

Rating:
Summary: Jack, Knave and Fool
Review: I have read several books in this series but found this installment disappointing.

Alexander seems unable to break out of the "someone's been murdered and the characters must find the culprit" plot mode -- even within the mystery genre, surely it's possible to be more creative than that. Jack, Knave and Fool is talky and forgettable, with much of the action and drama happening offstage. The characters change little and never seem personally challenged. Jeremy's "voice" has developed somewhat, but that's not enough to save this honestly rather boring book. Strange pseudo-archaisms on the order of "Nicely dressed she was" add an annoying touch.

Rating:
Summary: As Good as the Others
Review: Readers looking here for a land-locked Patrick O'Brian series will be disappointed, for this series of historical mysteries is not nearly as strong or well-researched as the Aubrey/Maturin books. Having said that, the series gets incrementally better with each installment. The first of Alexander's books, "Blind Justice", was laughably simplistic. Everyone actually gathered in the drawing room in the final scene, a la Agatha Christie, to unmask the villain.

This is the fifth book in the series, and Alexander capably keeps two separate investigations humming along. A few minor characters are developed, and Jeremy is becoming a young man.

It's a good story, I'll read the next one. It's as good as the others, but no matter how long this series runs, I don't think it will ever become worthy of buying in hardcover. It's a pop mystery, enjoy it or not. There's always another one to read.

Rating:
Summary: As Good as the Others
Review: Readers looking here for a land-locked Patrick O'Brian series will be disappointed, for this series of historical mysteries is not nearly as strong or well-researched as the Aubrey/Maturin books. Having said that, the series gets incrementally better with each installment. The first of Alexander's books, "Blind Justice", was laughably simplistic. Everyone actually gathered in the drawing room in the final scene, a la Agatha Christie, to unmask the villain.

This is the fifth book in the series, and Alexander capably keeps two separate investigations humming along. A few minor characters are developed, and Jeremy is becoming a young man.

It's a good story, I'll read the next one. It's as good as the others, but no matter how long this series runs, I don't think it will ever become worthy of buying in hardcover. It's a pop mystery, enjoy it or not. There's always another one to read.

Rating:
Summary: Sir John Fielding, Detective
Review: There is an inherent danger in taking a historical figure and using that person in a fictional setting. Sir John Fielding was founder of the Bow Street Runners, the precursors to modern policemen and Bruce Alexander makes a valiant effort to turn him into the hero of this mystery. The details to the criminal investigation with the limitations of the forensics ring true and the characters are engaging. The mysteries themselves are very basic and some characters seem to be added just for effect, but all in all not a bad addition to the historical mystery field.

Rating:
Summary: Chases through the dark streets of 17th century London.
Review: These books by Bruce Alexander are not major pieces of literature, but they do make for enjoyable mysteries and summer reading. I have no idea of the historical background of Sir John Fielding, but Alexander does a fairly good job presenting him as a blind man. It's hard to be disabled now, and heaven only knows what it was like back then. I am sure most people with disabilities either didn't survive or were beggared out by their families. At one point in this book, someone grabs Fielding's arm to pull him to where he wanted to go. That's a major NO-No with the blind. You are liable to get your head bashed with a white cane if you do that now! Alexander points out in this book that the blind prefer to choose who guides them, and then takes their arm (the non-blind person's arm). Most people probably would have not noticed this detail, but as a deaf person who is an activist, I did notice this attention to the realities of blindness by Alexander.

The story or plot actually has two different aspects. One dealing with a typical poisoning in a family to gain an early inheritance, the other having to do with a young girl and her reprobate father who is trying to get them to the colonies to start over their lives.

It's interesting how just a few details by the author allows us to step into the dark, dank, smelly, and impoverish world of London. That's pretty good writing when an author can do that.
I enjoy these books, and will continue to read them...

Karen Sadler

Rating:
Summary: Best of the first five in the series
Review: These stories are well written and very interesting reading. Slow at times, but with fairly intricate plots. The glimpse into many aspects of 18th century London, its high life and its low life, is what makes them so interesting. I have read the first 5 of this series and have to pronounce this one the best so far. An additional main character is added and the young protagonist's character is being developed well. In spite of this being the longest of the stories thus far, the story line in this one hangs together a little better than in the others.

Some reviews of this story are surprisingly down on it, which I attribute to expectations. If you want a fast paced thriller mystery or a surprise ending, or if you think teenage main characters are only for kid's stories, then I can see why. This series won't meet those expectations.


Rating:
Summary: Engaging 18th Century Characters for the Modern Sensibility
Review: This fifth of the series of Sir John Fielding mysteries was my first. One reads historical fiction hoping for period authenticity as well as a good tale. This is a fair tale with engaging continuing characters. I have some familiarity with late 18th century London, enough, at least, to find the happenings plausible, but I lack the expertise for astute criticism on this head. I can speak to its authenticity of style.

Patrick O'Brian this is not. Authenticity of style has been compromised in favor of accesibility. Most readers will probably find this all to the good. I was a little disappointed. A friendlier reviewer calls the language "stilted", but excuses this in the name of authenticity. A more sympathetic view of 18th century style would deem it formal but elegant, complex but clear. Clear, the writing is, but it lacks the authentic density. The character Sir John Fielding's brother is the novelist Henry Fielding, and one must turn to Henry for the real thing. This is the 18th century in translation, and it is a mediocre translation at that. I, like another reviewer, wearied of the locution "Then did he...". While this, and a few other rhetorical devices are authentic enough, those that appear are overused, and become stereotypical after a short time. Then too, there are the occasional disturbing lapses into anachronism of attitude and phraseology which equivocate unpleasantly back to our own time.

What rescues the book for me is the appeal of the characters themselves. Sir John Fielding and his retinue are good-hearted, but hard-edged. They deploy politesse as necessary, but retain their independence of mind. The evince intelligence and fundamental worth - refreshing antidotes to the modern degeneracy. All this is enough to induce me to read at least one more of the series.