This is the second book in the series started by David Liss with The Conspiracy of Paper, starring boxer turned private investigator Benjamin Weaver. Well, Weaver is a detective and also a thief-taker, since that’s a pretty good money maker.
In this one, Weaver is hired to find out who is threatening an Anglican priest. While he’s investigating, he’s accused of murdering a dock worker, and convicted even though there is no actual evidence against him. The judge practically forces the jury to convict Weaver for reasons (as yet) unknown, but of course political and sinister.
Weaver’s pretty resourceful, though. He escapes prison and sets out to prove his innocence. He poses as a wealthy plantation owner from the West Indies and gets to know the people who were setting him up (figuring out why is also part of the mystery).
Liss does historical fiction very well, and this is a very interesting time period. If you like the genre, you will enjoy this book.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.