The Barrister and the Letter of Marque
As
a barrister in 1818 London, William Snopes has witnessed firsthand the
danger of only the wealthy having their voices heard, and he's a strong
advocate who defends the poorer classes against the powerful. That
changes the day a struggling heiress, Lady Madeleine Jameson, arrives at
his door.
In a last-ditch effort to save her faltering estate,
Lady Jameson invested in a merchant brig, the Padget. The ship was
granted a rare privilege by the king's regent: a Letter of Marque
authorizing the captain to seize the cargo of French traders operating
illegally in the Indian Sea. Yet when the Padget returns to London, her
crew is met by soldiers ready to take possession of their goods and
arrest the captain for piracy. And the Letter--the sole proof his
actions were legal--has mysteriously vanished.
Moved by the
lady's distress, intrigued by the Letter, and goaded by an opposing
solicitor, Snopes takes the case. But as he delves deeper into the
mystery, he learns that the forces arrayed against Lady Jameson, and now
himself, are even more perilous than he'd imagined.
In a last-ditch effort to save her faltering estate, Lady Jameson invested in a merchant brig, the Padget. The ship was granted a rare privilege by the king's regent: a Letter of Marque authorizing the captain to seize the cargo of French traders operating illegally in the Indian Sea. Yet when the Padget returns to London, her crew is met by soldiers ready to take possession of their goods and arrest the captain for piracy. And the Letter--the sole proof his actions were legal--has mysteriously vanished.
Moved by the lady's distress, intrigued by the Letter, and goaded by an opposing solicitor, Snopes takes the case. But as he delves deeper into the mystery, he learns that the forces arrayed against Lady Jameson, and now himself, are even more perilous than he'd imagined.
My Review: 9.5/10
Oooh this was such a good book! I had to stop at periodic intervals to rave about the writing to anyone within earshot.
It's a slow build, but at about 40-50% through becomes a page turner you just can't put down. This book is wonderful. It is suspenseful with a hint of romance but most importantly: intelligent characters all around. Clever foes, natural (ie self-interested) acting supporting characters and intelligent leads all combine to make the story as believable as it is well written. I loved it.
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