Black Gold

Rating:
Summary: Historical mystery
Review: Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin has been sent to Bath to capture and return Captain Fitzroy to France for punishment for the rape and assault of his distant cousin. Paul also hopes to renew the acquaintance of the charming and clever Anne Cartier, who has been in England for seven months. When he learns that Anne Cartier is teaching in the household where Captain Fitzroy has taken refuge, he is delighted to see her but worried about her safety. Anne has replaced a teacher who died under mysterious circumstances and is struggling to protect her young deaf student from the danger that surrounds him. Trying to discover a blackmailer, murderer and thief take all of Anne and Paul's skill. Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin must also balance his desire for revenge against his need for justice in this complex novel.

When I started this novel I was a bit disconcerted. The description on the back cover stated that this was a mystery but the first few chapters had the feel of a thriller. If you hang in there, the mystery evolves, becoming more and more complex as the novel progresses. Bath in the late 18th century is well researched and there are some interesting social issues that are not often addressed in novels of this time period. The romantic elements felt a bit awkward to me but overall this was an entertaining and engrossing novel. The first title in this series is Mute Witness which received very good reviews.

Rating:
Summary: a brillant and exciting read
Review: I loved "Black Gold." The storyline was an engrossing and interesting one, and the pacing was excellent. And best of all, the novel took place in late 18th century Bath -- one of my favourite cities!

There were many apsects of this novel that I really liked. For example, even though we know from the very beginning who the villain(s) of the piece is, Captain Fritzroy (wanted for the assault and rape of Paul's cousin, Sophie), the authour tells the story in such a way that really keeps you guessing about how things will pan out. And the manner in which the authour paced things was truly brilliant -- the tension just never let up. Events unfolded at a swift and breathneck pace -- from the very moment Anne enters the Rogers's home, and we come to realise (almost at once) that there's something terribly wrong going on at the Rogers's home, through all the twists and turns in the plot, to the very denouncement -- I was so engrossed with what was going on that I stayed up all night to finish the book!

The development of the characters -- from the seemingly bluff and hearty Sir Harry Rogers to his beautiful and cunning wife (who also happens to be full of secrets) to the kindly and much used black servant, Jeff -- was very well done too. And they really came to life (with all their foibles and strengths) before my eyes. And I also rather liked the authour's depiction of 18th century Bath, from its architecture to its many social conventions. These descriptions served as a wonderful backdrop to the unfolding story at hand. And while I did think that Charles O' Brien had done a rather good job of painting both the inequities and the inhumanity of the slave trade, as well as giving us a thumbnail idea of what the people of 18th century England/Bath felt about the slave trade, the efforts of the Quakers to put a stop to this trade (or at best thwart the schemes of the slave owners), as well as going a little into the hopes as desires of the black people concerned (Jeff and his lady friend, Sarah), I did wish that he had gone into this matter a little more. This was a rather painful and important bit of history, not much discussed in English history, and it would have been nice if there had been more exposition. Central to all this, of course, is the developing romance between Paul and Anne. Both characters are evenly matched in courage, intelligence and inner strength and are perfect foils for each other. And you can just tell that theirs will be a relationship that will stand the tests of time and events.

All in all, "Black Gold" is a wonderfully engrossing and exciting read that should not be missed.